Soft || 18+ Reverse Harem ||

49 - dryly

. . .

Lucian Monet

My father, the biological one, loved to say that one day I'd lose my mind on the ocean.

I believed him. I still preferred the ocean.

Seeing my brother refuse to talk, I was pulled back into bad memories as well. I didn't do what I usually did, which was trash my room and then everything I could get my hands on. I couldn't do that. I didn't want Dahlia to see that.

I found her sleeping on a chair in front of Andros's cell.

Andros was still sleeping. From what Hedeon told me, sleepwalking Andros had been on his best behavior.

Maybe what Dahlia was trying would work. I fucking wanted it to. Andros was as cruel as us, but not to people who didn't deserve it or didn't stand in his way.

I picked Dahlia up. Sleeping like this could not be comfortable. I would make better arrangements for her. I took her to my room and set her down on the bed, tucking her in.

"Lucy."

That fucking nickname.

"Yes, baby."

"Lay with me?"

I could never say no to that.

I laid down beside her, letting her snuggle into my chest as she fell back to sleep.

I didn't know if she knew how healing it was to have her. Yes, she was curious about our past, but the way she asked things...it didn't feel like an invasion. We weren't protecting ourselves as we always did when someone asked questions, we were protecting her. Because some horrors should never be talked about.

Dahlia, as strong as she was, wouldn't be able to stomach things that made our skin burn with disgust. Dahlia was untouched by our world. I wanted her to remain that way.

I would do everything in my power to make sure she remained that way.

Except for leaving her, of course. I didn't think it was possible to leave her now.

She had sunk those little nails so deep into me that all of me was controlled by her. I never really had someone who I thought of first when I made decisions.

But now, every thought was ruled by her.

. . .

Dahlia

"I was right." I flipped my hair over my shoulder. "How does it feel to be wrong, Andros?"

"It has been a day," he said dryly, eyes on the footage of yesterday night. "Six more days to go. Plenty of time for me to fuck up."

"Just say I was right."

"Shush." He grabbed my waist and sat me down on his lap. We were in the kitchen. It was breakfast time. Andros fast-forwarded the footage and shut the laptop when he was sure nothing bad at happened.

He breathed deeply.

"Well, for now, you were right."

I grinned up at him. "I'm always right."

"Sure." He pecked my lips. "Now, let me cook."

"Fucking finally," Lucian said. "I am starving."

"Die then," muttered Andros.

"I heard that."

. . .

"Vaness."

I picked my baby up, cuddling her to my chest. "You're not spending any time with me."

Vaness meowed up at me, touching my face with her paw. I kissed her head as I walked out of my room. It was another day on the ship.

For six days, Andros and I slept down there. Sleepwalking Andros showed no murderous tendencies, and I read him a chapter every night. Even though I was sure he didn't listen to me, he was content with staring and mumbling my name.

Today was the last day. If nothing bad happened today, Andros would sleep in the same bed as me.

I hoped nothing bad would happen. I hated seeing him in that cell. Even though he had everything comfortable in there, it still didn't sit right with me.

I walked into the dining room. It was time for dinner. We always had dinner together. It was the only time I was with all of them. They were always pretty busy trying to make the ship smoothly run.

While I understood that it took effort, I wanted more time with them. I was greedy when it came to them.

I sat on the chair across from Alexandre and Hedeon. "Where are Lucian and Andros?"

"They're busy."

I frowned. "But we have dinner together."

"Andros is working on something for the ship, and Lucian got a new lead on Lorenzo. They'll be here tomorrow."

I hid my disappointment with a smile. I barely saw these four anymore. They were always busy. I mean, sometimes I was in their offices where they worked, but I felt like I was intruding.

We ate our food in silence. Alexandre was still not talking. I didn't feel like talking. I gave Vaness some of my food, only what was safe for her. She gladly ate, meowing for me. She acted like she had been starving for ages every time she saw food. As did Bobby. She probably learned it from Bobby, too.

Dinner was done faster than usual as no one was talking.

I stood. "I will take a shower and then head down."

They nodded, pressed kisses on my face, and left.

I sighed and looked down at Vaness.

. . .

Sleepwalking Andros listened to me as I read aloud another chapter.

He was sitting on the ground again, as close to me as he could because of the partition. His eyes looked up at me, his arms rested on his knees.

"Well, that's seven chapters down." I closed the book and set it aside. "I'll read more to you. Hopefully not down here."

He blinked up at me. "Dahlia."

"Yes?"

He stood, probably ready to head to bed from where he'd stare at me again till he fell back asleep.

I heard some doors open. I flinched. Andros froze.

No.

"Miss Wellburg, your cat won't leave me alone."

"Don't come near!" I said, standing up. But the man ignored my warning. He walked up to me with Bobby in his arms. His arms had some scratch marks.

I stood, almost tripping over my own feet. The man, a guard named James, steadied me.

I took Bobby from him and looked at Andros.

He was standing close to the partition, his eyes on James. They were void of any emotion, but his fists were clenched.

"Go away," I said to James. "Leave-"

Andros's fist slammed into the partition so hard blood splattered from it. I gasped, taking a step back, again almost falling as my feet hit my chair. James steadied me, his eyes on Andros.

Andros's fist slammed into the partition again, blood smearing on the transparent surface.

"Go get Hedeon," I said to James. "Now!" I snapped when he kept standing there.

James ran away.

I clutched Bobby to my chest who hissed at Andros as Andros continued slamming his fist into the partition. His eyes were on my shoulder, where James had touched me to steady me.

"Andros."

He paused. "Dahlia." He punched the partition. "Dahlia." Again. "Dahlia."

Hedeon came. He looked at Andros and then back at me.

"Well," he said dryly. "I guess this failed."

. . .