“Respect. I demand respect from all of you. Not just me but for your Queen, Ayla Abandonato. If I ever hear someone disrespect her, you will take your last breath. You are beneath her. She commands you, and you fucking do whatever she says, like a fucking loyal dog,” I growled low, making sure everyone understood the rule.
They bowed their heads.
A smile whispered across my lips.
I was done here. Turning around, I got into the car.
I’m coming for you, Angel.
Chapter 25
Ayla
Maddie sat beside me, painting her toenails deep red as I tried to focus on my book. But I just couldn’t.
My mind kept going back to Alessio.
“Ayla, relax,” Maddie mumbled. “I can feel the tension from here. It’s not good for the baby.”
“I just worry,” I said, turning to face her.
Her forehead furrowed. “Worry? About who? Alessio?”
I nodded sheepishly. “Girl, you should be worried about the men he captured. Definitely not Alessio.” She laughed.
“But he’s taking so long,” I argued back.
“Because he is prolonging their death,” she shot back with a wink.
That shut me up. Because it was probably true.
I stayed silent until Maddie released a loud breath. She got off the bed and walked to my dressing table. “You know, I can’t believe this is Alessio’s room. I never thought I would see the day. A dressing table. Closet filled with women’s clothes and shoes. A little feminine touch to the room,” Maddie said, looking around the room. “You got him wrapped around your little finger, babe,” Maddie gushed, coming back to the bed with a different nail polish.
She settled in front of me, sitting cross-legged. Maddie took hold of my feet and gently pulled them to her lap.
“Wait. What are you doing?” I asked, trying to pull away.
“Stop moving. Let me do your nails. It’s not like you can reach your feet now,” she mumbled, taking the cap off the nail polish bottle.
It was partly the truth. Because of my large belly, it had become harder to reach my feet. I could only imagine how it would be further into my pregnancy. Would I even see my feet? Probably not.
“Is this color okay?” she asked, showing me the light pink bottle.
I nodded. The color was pretty and one of my favorites. Silently, I watched Maddie apply the color to my nails.
Nowadays, Maddie had been quiet. Quieter than usual. There was a dark shadow in her eyes. Sometimes I would notice the sad expression, the tears in her eyes.
No matter how much she tried to hide it from me, I saw past her fake exterior.
Artur betrayed all of us. But Maddie was feeling most of the pain. My chest tightened at the thought, and I grabbed her hand.
“Maddie,” I started. “Talk to me.”
She stared at me questioningly and then laughed. “Talk about what, silly?”
I shook my head. There she was again. Laughing when it was probably the last thing she wanted to do.
“Stop lying and stop hiding from me, Maddie. I know you. I know what Artur did hurt you more than you’re letting me know, but please don’t keep it inside. It will only hurt you more,” I tried to soothe.
Her chin wobbled, and she blinked her tears away. “You don’t know anything,” she whispered.
“Because you won’t tell me. I could ask anyone, but I want you to talk to me,” I replied, moving closer to her.
A tear fell down her rosy cheek, and I quickly swiped it away. I would be there to wipe her tears away, only if she’d let me.
Maddie opened her mouth to say something but quickly snapped it shut when a knock sounded on the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“It’s nothing, Ayla. Please let it go,” she muttered.
I could feel the back of my throat closing, the emotions suffocating me. “It’s not nothing,” I whispered back when another knock came.
“Let it go, Ayla. Please.”
When a third knock came, I closed my eyes. “Come in.”
My eyes fluttered open to see Nina standing in the doorway. My mouth fell open in shock, and Maddie turned around to face the door too. I saw her eyes glistened with anger.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed, getting to her feet.
Nina stepped into the room. “I’m not here to argue. I want to talk to Ayla.”
Her voice was calm, her eyes never wavering from mine. She stared me down, and I stared back.
“Well, she doesn’t want you here. Actually, nobody wants you here. Get. Out,” Maddie growled defensively.
“Can you stop speaking for her? She has a mouth,” Nina snapped back.
“Ayla,” Maddie said, turning to me.
I shrugged, facing Nina again. “What is it?” I asked.
Nina scoffed and crossed her arms. “I’ll make it quick and only say it once.”
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and walked closer to the bed, her heels clicking hard against the floor.