Chapter 46: Wounded creature
Isabella carefully scratched the spot, her lips curling into a gentle, genuine smile as the giant dog leaned its heavy head against her knee, purring like a mechanical motor.
Aaron watched her smile. His sharp blue eyes softened, every trace of his usual cold, calculated edge melting away as he looked down at her.
He reached out, his thumb gently catching a stray lock of hair near her cheek and tucking it behind her ear.
"Where is Freya?" Aaron asked, his voice settling into something quieter as he looked back at Finn.
Finn let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes. "In her room. She’s been hiding in there all morning playing with Mr. Cheese. She said the sunlight was too bright today."
"Who is Freya?" Isabella asked softly, her fingers still buried in Boyar’s thick fur. "And... Mr. Cheese?"
Aaron leaned closer, his lips brushing near her ear. "Freya is Finn’s older sister." His mouth twitched. "And Mr. Cheese is an asshole."
"Don’t let Freya hear you say that," Finn warned dramatically. "She might bite your ears off, Mishka."
"She sounds a little scary," Isabella murmured.
Aaron chuckled.
"Alright, that’s enough," he said, gently nudging Finn back with his foot. "She’s tired. She needs to rest."
"Aw, come on, Mishka!" Finn protested, trailing after them. "Can she stay for dinner? Can I show her the horses tomorrow? Does she like chocolate cake? Mrs. Gable made chocolate cake!"
Isabella laughed, a little breathless beneath the rapid-fire questions. "I... I like horses, yes. And chocolate cake sounds lovely."
"See?" Finn declared triumphantly. "She likes me!"
Aaron shot him a flat look before placing a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder, stopping him at the foot of the staircase.
"Go find your sister, Finn. Let Isabella get settled. Take Boyar outside too. We’ll introduce her to Freya later."
"Fine," Finn huffed, though he flashed Isabella a grin she couldn’t see. "Nice meeting you, Isabella! I’ll save you a slice of cake!"
"Thank you, Finn," she replied with a warm smile.
As Finn disappeared down the hallway with Boyar happily trotting after him, Isabella tilted her face toward Aaron.
"Aaron... you don’t have to follow me everywhere. I can manage."
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he slid one arm beneath her knees and lifted her effortlessly into his arms.
"Aaron!" she gasped, instinctively grabbing his shoulders. "Put me down! We just had company."
"He’s a kid, Princess," Aaron said, adjusting her against his chest as he started up the grand mahogany staircase. "Not company. And you were blushing."
"I was not blushing!"
"You’re blushing now."
"My face is red because you’re embarrassing me."
A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of Aaron’s mouth.
"Good."
By the time they reached the second-floor landing, Isabella had buried her face against the crook of his neck, determined not to acknowledge the smugness she could practically hear in his breathing.
Aaron stopped at the top of the stairs.
Instead of putting her down, he shifted his grip, shifting her weight slightly so she was forced to lift her head to look at him. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.
Before she could ask what he was doing, he dipped his head and caught her lips with his.
Isabella froze.
"Aaron!"
She pushed against his chest, but with her legs tucked over his arm, she could only pull her head back a few inches.
"What are you doing?"
"You were getting excited over another male."
"He is literally a child!" she shot back, heat flooding her cheeks. "I was being polite!"
"Doesn’t matter." He nudged her chin gently with his own before leaning close again. "I don’t like you looking excited over any man in this house who isn’t me."
"You are completely impossible."
She shook her head before remembering their agreement, her brows squeezing together.
"...And what happened to our agreement?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"My body," she reminded him. "It was never part of this arrangement. You promised."
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Aaron’s lips curved into a slow, infuriating smile.
"It wasn’t."
"What?"
He leaned in just enough for his voice to graze her ear.
"That kiss?"
A beat.
"Part of the act, Princess."
Isabella’s mouth fell open.
"You kissed me because of the act?"
"I kissed you because Finn was watching."
"I heard him walk away!"
"He could’ve looked back."
"Aaron!"
He chuckled, completely unrepentant, and shifted her more securely in his arms.
"We’re supposed to look convincing, aren’t we?"
She let out an exasperated groan, resting her forehead against his shoulder.
"You are the most ridiculous man I’ve ever met."
Behind them, down in the main hall, two female servants watched the scene unfold from the kitchen doorway. They kept their voices down, their hands folded neatly in front of their aprons.
"...Did he just carry her?" one whispered, her eyes wide.
"He carried her," the other confirmed softly. "...I’ve worked here eleven years. I’ve never seen him touch anyone like that."
"Is she really his wife?"
"Shh... Keep your voice down!"
"If you two have time to stand around whispering, the crystal in the dining room needs polishing," a dry, flat voice spoke from behind them.
The two maids jumped, spinning around in panic.
Standing in the archway of the sitting room was a teenage girl with long, messy, curly hair and sharp hazel eyes that matched Finn’s. She was wearing an oversized grey sweater that hung off one shoulder, shorts, and fluffy slippers.
Tucked under her arm like a football was a massive, incredibly fat tuxedo cat with a white chest and a permanent, judgemental scowl on its face.
The two maids bowed their heads quickly. "Sorry, Miss Freya! We’ll get right to it!" They scurried off down the hall, their footsteps disappearing toward the service wing.
Freya stood in the hallway, scratching beneath the cat’s fat white chin. The cat, Mr. Cheese, let out a loud, indignant ’meow’ at being held, but didn’t bother trying to escape.
Freya looked up toward the top of the grand staircase, where the quiet sound of Aaron’s voice was still echoing softly down the corridor. Her face remained completely unimpressed, her sharp hazel eyes taking in the quiet shift that had just settled over the entire estate.
"...Looks like Mishka brought a wounded creature home," she muttered under her breath.