Page 98 of The Forbidden Villain
Emma nods, picks up the menus, and dashes off inside the restaurant while I plaster a brighter smile on my face since my brothers continue to stare at me. “How was dinner on Saturday night?” I glance at Aileen. “I’m sorry I left in such a hurry. I shouldn’t have done that. I’ll make sure to call your parents and apologize.”
Aileen pats me on the hand. “Don’t stress over it. My parents understand. They’re always happy to talk to you, though.”
They have always been kind, although I’m not sure how kind they would be to me once they find out I slept with their twenty-year-old son.
“Are you all right?” Aileen asks, and presses the back of her hand to my cheek. “You look flushed.”
More like embarrassed and horrified, hoping Lachlan and Valencia never know the truth.
“Here is your tea.” Emma places the porcelain cup, along with a teapot, in front of me, the steaming, fresh scent tickling my nose.
“Thank you.”
“The eggs and avocado will be out shortly.” She pours the tea into my cup and walks off once again.
Lifting the mug to my mouth, I take a sip, welcoming the earthy taste and the warmth gliding down my parched throat, only to cough when Aileen exclaims, jumping from her seat, “Levi!” I look to the side and watch him walk toward us, his lean, muscular form covered in jeans and a shirt, while various young women glance his way and smile.
The man attracts attention wherever he goes, and the desire to stab something envelops me while I hate it with every fiber of my being.
I shouldn’t be jealous over him. It’s just a meaningless…well, whatever that is.
“Hi, princess,” he says as he joins us, and Aileen jumps into his arms. “I started to think all these wedding preparations took you hostage.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re the one who bolted on Saturday. It’s not my fault.” Her brow furrows. “Where did you go, by the way? The staff said you arrived only to leave, like, ten minutes later.” She crosses her arms. “Also, it’s so unfair and sexist that you are allowed to live in a city alone while I had to stay at the family mansion before getting engaged.”
Aileen is a genius who finished school at fourteen. At nineteen, she already has her bachelor’s degree and has recently started her master’s.
Still, despite all that, Lachlan guarded his daughter like the rarest of diamonds and forbade her from moving out until she turned twenty-one.
She had a whole future ahead of her when my brother decided to kidnap her to our island, where she had to endure hell.
A certain darkness blankets Levi’s eyes for a second at the wordengagement,but he keeps his smile intact while tapping on her nose. “We make no apologies for protecting you, princess.” He kisses her on the forehead and then moves his attention to Emmaline. “Hi, graceful girl.” There is a certain warmth in his greeting. Based on the stories the girls told me, Wyatt, Ian, and Levi have good relationships with each other’s sisters since they all grew up together. “Looking stunning as ever.” Emmaline laughs as he leans down to hug her.
“Lay off the compliments, Scott. The woman is married,” Rafael says as he extends his hand, and Levi shakes it. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh no. You aren’t happy to see me?” He turns to Rush, and they exchange a handshake as well, but I don’t miss how my brother’s grip on Levi’s hand tightens for a fraction of a second while a chill trickles down my back.
Does he suspect something?
Impossible.
If he knew, all hell would have broken loose.
“Lavender.” Our eyes meet, and goose bumps pop up all over my skin, reminding me of his deep voice whispering illicit things to me less than an hour ago. “It’s nice to see you again. How have you been?”
So is this how he wants to play it? Be extremely nice to me when he was anything but in the past?
“Splendid.”
Amusement crosses his face, and he grabs the chair opposite mine, sitting at the other end of the table. He addresses Rafael. “To answer your question, my sister invited me.” Emma bringshim a steaming black coffee. To my knowledge, that’s his favorite drink. “Thank you.”
“Do you want anything else?”
“No.”
She places my plate in front of me, along with a fork and a knife. “Here.”
As she goes away to take other orders, Rush speaks up. “We’ve been inviting you for some time now, and you always refused. What changed?”
