<h4>Chapter 40: 40- too sweet</h4>
40
~Rowan’s POV
I sat in the lounge with my brothers. The fire was burning low, casting shadows on the walls. Damon was leaning back, sipping his wine with a smirk on his face. Kael, as usual, said nothing, just sat there, staring at nothing like his mind was somewhere else.
"She’s still alive?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.
Damon gave a shortugh. "Yeah. Barely. She looked like she was about to drop dead in the hallway earlier."
I didn’tugh.
I just stared at the fire. The crackling logs reminded me of how quiet the pce had be. No more whining. No more begging. Just Lisa dragging her feet around like a ghost.
"She should’ve left by now," I said.
Kael finally looked up. "Maybe she’s too stupid to take the hint."
"She’s not stupid," Damon muttered. "Just stubborn. She thinks someone still cares."
I scoffed. "No one cares. Not anymore. Not since the night she helped that guard escape."
Kael’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak.
"She’s been given food and medicine," Damon added. "That’s more than she deserves."
"I don’t even know why we gave her the two days," I said. "She’s useless now. There’s nothing left to prove."
"We gave her a chance to leave on her own," Kael said quietly.
"And she didn’t take it," I snapped. "So we made the decision for her."
The room fell silent for a moment.
I stood up and walked to the window, staring out into the night. The pce looked peaceful. Clean. As it should be.
"Lisa had her time," I said. "Now she’s just an eyesore. Weak. Broken. Useless."
"If she leaves before the two days are up, fine," Damon said. "If not..."
Kael finished the sentence for him. "Then she brought it on herself."
I nodded once. "Exactly. She chose this."
Just as I turned away from the window, the door opened.
Belinda walked in.
She was smiling like she always did, dressed in something soft and expensive. Her scent filled the room, sweet, like roses. Damon’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her. Even Kael sat up straighter.
"Hope I’m not interrupting," she said sweetly.
"You never are," Damon replied with a grin, moving over to give her a seat beside him.
Sheughed and sat down without waiting for an invite, as if she belonged there. Maybe she did. She had always known how to make herself wee. She knew what to say, how to look, when to stay quiet. Smart girl.
"Everything okay?" she asked, looking between us.
"Just talking about Lisa," I said casually.
Belinda raised a brow, tilting her head. "She’s still here?"
"For now," I said. "But not for long."
Kael leaned back, folding his arms. "We gave her two days. That was generous."
Belinda’s smile widened, but she said nothing.
That’s what I liked about her.
She stayed out of things that didn’t concern her.
"She’s had every chance," Damon said, sipping his wine. "And she wasted them all."
Belinda nodded slowly. "Then she should go. She doesn’t belong here anymore."
I nced at her. Her voice was soft, her tone light, but something about the way she said it made me pause. Still, I said nothing. Maybe she just agreed with us. Maybe she was just trying to please us, the way she always did.
"She’s not your problem," I told her.
"Of course not," she replied, brushing invisible dust from her dress. "I’m just d she’s not trying to drag anyone down with her."
Damon reached for her hand and gave it a light kiss. "That’s why we keep you around. You don’t bring drama."
Sheughed, clearly enjoying the attention.
Kael didn’t speak, but he didn’t stop her either.
Belinda leaned back in her seat, still smiling. She yed with a loose strand of her hair for a second before turning her eyes to me.
"I’ve been so boredtely," she said in a light, yful tone. "Everything here is always the same... same halls, same faces."
Damon grinned. "Getting tired of us already?"
She gave him a teasing look. "Of course not. But I think I deserve something nice. Don’t you think I’ve been goodtely?"
Kael raised a brow, but didn’t speak.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, studying her for a second. "What exactly do you want, Belinda?"
She beamed. "Take me shopping."
"Shopping?" Damon asked, amused.
"Yes," she nodded quickly. "To the eastern market. Or the city square. I need new dresses. And shoes. And maybe a few things for the room. You promised, remember?"
I didn’t remember promising anything, but I didn’t say that. Belinda had a way of asking for things that made it sound like we owed her.
Kael looked tired, like he wanted to say no. But before he could speak, Damon stood up and stretched.
"I don’t see why not," Damon said, smiling down at her. "It’s been quiettely. We could use a distraction."
She pped her hands softly. "Perfect!"
Her eyes sparkled, and she looked so pleased, so sweet, it was easy to forget the sharpness behind her smile. Easy to ignore how hard she was pushing Lisa out of the picture.
She looked like the perfectdy. Loyal. Well-behaved. Beautiful.
Exactly what we thought we wanted.
I nced at Kael.
He gave a small shrug. "Fine. But only for an hour."
"Two," she corrected sweetly.
Damonughed again. "You really don’t know how to take no for an answer."
She winked. "I don’t have to."
We walked through the grand hallway, Belinda in the middle of us like a queen.
She held Damon’s arm while Kael and I walked on either side of her. She was all smiles,ughing at something Damon said, swaying her hips just enough to catch attention. Her dress shimmered under the chandelier light. She knew how to look perfect without trying too hard.
The guards bowed their heads as we passed.
She loved that.
As we stepped outside, the driver was already waiting. The ck car was polished and shining, parked right in front of the pce steps.
Belinda let go of Damon’s arm and turned to us, her hands pressed together.
"You boys are too sweet," she said, her voice soft. "I feel so spoiled."
"You are spoiled," Damon joke.
She giggled and gave him a yful nudge. Then, the driver opened the door for her.
Kael stepped forward first, offering his hand to help her in. She took it like she was royalty, not even ncing at the driver.
I stood back and watched.