A Gentleman's Curse

Arc 2 Chapter 35: Savior

Just as pathetic as I assumed he'd be.

Tall standing (or taller than herself at least), dark hair, gorgeous, mysterious eyes, an excellent figure... at least her daughter knew how to pick them. Even if he was a bumbling idiot.

Petrina stared into the fool's eyes as he held his hand out firmly. At least he had the sense to own his mistakes and was even still attempting to shake her hand.

Not that she'd give him the satisfaction. He could have introduced himself as a prince and she'd have-

Her eyes darted to the left for a moment as a Human went streaking by her, tackling her daughter in a hug and canceling her internal rant. A female Human. If Alexa didn't seem to be enjoying the process, she may very well have killed her.

"I missed you so much! How is my daughter in law? Are you eating enough? How is Damien treating you? I heard you two were-"

She may very well still kill her.

"That's enough Em," her daughter said back in a nervous manner, covering the woman's mouth. "We'll talk later let me go I have to..."

Their conversation continued as Petrina refocused her attention forward on the ingrate. He was still making eye contact with her and seemed less than one minute away from breaking. She didn't care how long it took, he'd put his damn hand down and walk away eventua-

"There you are."

And then, Petrina's vision was filled with white a moment after she heard her sister's voice. Her glare stiffened.

"I've missed you," Vanessa exclaimed as she wrapped the idiotic Human in a hug.

The man's face immediately went from concentrated and stern to relaxed. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the contact while being relieved at being saved from the situation he had put himself in. Then, to add insult to injury, he looked up into Petrina's eyes and grinned.

"You should write more. Is Alexa taking care of your needs? I did tell her I'd be more than happy to if she didn't-"

"Vanessa!" her daughter screamed out, tackling her from the side and putting a hand over her mouth this time. "Inappropriate! Sorry mom, they both... it-"

"Enough."

Petrina's voice rang out loud and silenced the nearby rambunctious reunion. Her daughter's apologetic smile, clearly having too much fun to even greet her own mother properly, the fool's mother touching HER daughter, her own sister intentionally saving the boy while speaking inappropriately...

Those things she could tolerate, sure. Be happy about? No. But tolerate.

But that smile... the cheeky grin... that had set her over the edge. The look of relief. The enjoyment of her blood's physical touch. Touching her daughter. The grin.

Alexa's face immediately went downcast and worried in a moment while her sister belayed irritation. The cretin's eyes widened slightly as his eyebrows raised.

"You will be coming home with us after this farce of a dance. While I wish we could leave now, not attending after making the announcement that we would is unacceptable. But allowing you to stay... Why are you looking at me like that? Are you even listening to me?" Petrina yelled as her daughter tilted her head in a confused manner rather than listening.

Glancing around, the only other one paying her any mind was Vanessa and she too was staring in a confused manner. No one else even had acknowledged she had begun to speak.