Princess

Chapter 24: A Mistake

Ariadne

It took a second for memory to kick in when I woke up in a dark room that looked straight out of an IKEA catalogue–dark, upholstered leather furniture surrounding an enormous bed for an equally enormous man.

The skin on my palm burned when I pinched it, wondering if this was some sort of sick dream but my heart surged when my eyes met Damon's sleeping form on the floor of his own room. My legs slid out from the sheets as I made my way silently into his meticulously arranged walk-in closet, filled with dark suits and leather jackets. Bella needed to step in and add some color into this man's life.

I pulled one of his T-shirts over my head, shimmying out of the elegant green dress that was not comfortable sleeping material and hunted for my phone, because I knew my family and friends would have more than a hundred questions waiting for me.

Predictably, I had eighteen missed calls from Christian, twelve from Bella, and twenty-seven texts from Robyn, proving this was a set-up since she didn't call me.

Ryd(er) Dies

Bella: Ariadne, I need details, pleaaaaase.

Christian: When I said he was a good guy, I meant get to know him first. Regardless, I'm assuming the 'no sister touching' rule has been formally redacted.

Bella: Better get it in writing. Why would you care anyway?

There was a lull in the conversation and then suddenly it picked up again a couple hours later, probably around the time we left Mario's.

Ryd(er) Dies

Christian: Explain to me why I was just sent a picture of the prince of New York underworld with his tongue shoved down my sister's throat.

Fuck. I quickly searched up my name and Damon's and sure enough, a picture of us kissing at Mario's showed up from multiple perspectives. All of my bad angles and all of his good, of course, not that the man had any. It was blasphemous.

Ryd(er) Dies

Bella: I'll talk to PR team about it tomorrow.

Of course, I didn't even consider how this would look for the Ryders. But it was a good thing my perfect siblings did.

Ryd(er) Dies

Bella: How was it?????

Christian: I beg you to refrain.

Bella: Francis says he called it by the way.

Christian: Aria, just please tell us you're somewhere safe right now.

Ariadne: Safe, don't worry. I fell asleep. Will talk tomorrow. Love you both!

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten my brother was hardly human and didn't really sleep.

Christian: Call me tomorrow.

Ariadne: I will. I promise. I love you.

I opened the private chat with Robyn. To surmise, she apologized for the ambush, so I just responded with a Love you, I'll tell you everything soon :)

Only Robyn would think that her doing something to make someone else happy could possibly be construed as something negative. All she ever wanted was for people around her to be as happy as she always seemed to be, and how could I blame her?

Turning my phone off, I grabbed a pillow and knelt next to Damon, shoving it under his head. He hadn't changed, still in a dress shirt and suit pants, wrinkles and dust collecting on his perfect outfit.