Page 62 of The Siren's Call
This room has several doorways branching off in different directions. I don’t know whether it’s me, but something feels off about this penthouse. I just can’t put my finger on it. As I’m looking around the room, Kai drops the keycard on the side table and turns to me.
“Come on Valentina, I’ll show you to our room so you can shower. I told Ida to bring some clothes for you when they arrive, so just use one of the dressing gowns for the time being.”
“Aren’t you showering too?”
“Yes my Little Vixen, but I’ll use one of the spare rooms.”
My heart drops. He doesn’t want to shower with me. I’m trying to figure out why, when he must read my mind and interrupts me.
“If I shower with you Valentina, I can guarantee we will be getting dirtier rather than cleaning ourselves. Go, have a shower and I’ll meet you back out here after. We can order some food and talk about your punishments.”
Kai’s eyes dilate when he mentions my punishments and I can’t help squeezing my thighs together to ease my arousal. I should be exhausted after everything we’ve been through today but I’m far from it. Kai sees my action and smirks at me, turning to walk toward a door on the far left of the room.
“Follow me kotehok.”
“Bossy much.”
“Always! Get used to it. And less of that sassy mouth of yours before I use it for far more enticing things than talking.”
“Yes Sir!” I say cheekily.
“See! much better manners already.”
The fucker! I duck my head to hide my smile and follow him through the door. We arrive in what must be the master bedroom. As with the other rooms it’s furnished with a dark wooden queen-sized bed, wardrobes, and dressing table. The colour scheme continues throughout, when I reach the ensuite I squeal in delight pushing past Kai.
“If I knew a claw-foot bath would have had this reaction from you, I would have one fitted into every room.”
“I can just see it now. Me lying back, submerged in bubbles while your men come in and out of your office for meetings. I may even sing for them as a farewell.”
“You sing?”
“Out of all of that, you ask me if I sing?”
“I would kill any man that saw you naked so that’s not going to happen. Stop avoiding the question.”
I hadn’t meant to slip up and tell him I sang because I’m not even that good. I have always sung, while I was in the privacy of my bath or shower though. Nobody has ever heard me sing; my mama had a beautiful voice and used to encourage me to sing with her. After she died I didn’t sing for ages then, after a while, I started again while I had privacy and it soothed me. I felt like I had her back with me for a moment.
“Yes, I sing. But I’m no good, honestly.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that.”
“I’ve never sung with anyone, except my Mama Kai.”
“Well now you have me to sing to, so get your sexy arse in that shower and let me hear you sing. I’ll go and take a quick shower and will be back.”
“Okay.”
Kai gives me a quick kiss on my forehead and leaves the room. I look at myself in the mirror and cringe. Bloody hell I look abysmal. Blood covers every inch of my body and my hair looks like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. I peel off my ruined dress and undergarments, along with my cloak. It kills me to throw them away, but they are well and truly past saving.
After taking far too long figuring out how to use the shower, I stand under its spray, thinking about everything that has happened today. God, it could have gone so differently. And how many more of the people I love is my Papa going to take off me? I love Luka and Misha like brothers and well Kai? I’m falling deeper and deeper into heartbreak. I just can’t seem to stop myself even though I know he will never love me back.
I wash my hair and try to think about anything else, other than what a disaster my life is. I think back to singing with my Mama out in the gardens in our estate; she used to prune her roses and sing to me. I gather up the courage and start to sing one of the many songs she sang to me. ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ by Judy Garland. My Mama’s voice used to sound so haunting when she sang this. At age six I didn’t understand why Mama sang that song as though her soul was shattered.
I wash my body while I sing the remainder of the song, with a slight tremor in my voice. When I finish, I wipe away my silent tears and let the shower rain on my face. I let it wash away my heartbreak whilst silently promising my Mama I will get her justice, no matter the cost.
I switch off the shower and open the door to find Kai staring at me in awe. He wraps me up in a white fluffy towel and cuddles me to his chest.
“Valentina, that was absolutely breathtaking, you have such a beautiful voice.”
