My nails sank in the flesh of my palms, making the blood beat harshly in my hands, when the Lord Commander said in an imposing tone, "Thiago, you will behave properly in front of my guests, like Miss Tan. She deserves respect, not this cheap flirting of yours." Then, he turned to James and said, "Put your fist down, James. The dinner table isn't a place of violence. I'll have some peace and quiet."

What was he talking about? Was James about to punch him?

Silence filled the room as I stared at James. His eyes were ablaze with fury. Never before had I seen such a burning passion in somebody's eyes.

He was tense all over, with his jaw clenched. His biceps were clearly sculpted beneath the skin-tight suit he was wearing.

Patrick and Thiago took their respective seats in front of us.

James never lost sight of Thiago. The feral look in his eyes and his dilated pupils, together with a protruding vein in his thick throat, flared nostrils, and sharp intakes of air, told me he had an adrenaline rush—and a thirst for Thiago's blood.

Thiago returned James' glare with a crooked grin as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table.

Thankfully, Lady Melnik entered the living room as the lively voices and giggling of two girl preteen twins followed her, breaking the silent tension. "Athena, Pearl, stop it and take your seats."

When the twin girls, who looked around thirteen or fourteen years old, took their seats beside me, I was thrilled to have such merry company. They smiled at me and gently bowed their heads as a sign of respect.

"Miss Tan, these are my two youngest bundles of joy, Athena and Pearl," the Lord Commander said, now in a much lighter mood, as he pointed to each of them.

Athena put a lock of her silky, dark long hair behind her ear and blushed as her father pointed at her, while Pearl grinned, flashing a fantastic set of white teeth. She had a much shorter and messier hairstyle, but the exact same dark hair colour.

"Girls, this is our guest, Miss Mia Tan," the Lord Commander said.

"Nice to meet you," the girls replied in perfect unison.

"Nice to meet you too, girls," I said, smiling.

Dinner was served. A series of delicatessen exquisitely made my tastebuds die of pleasure and reach Heaven. The conversation was equally pleasant, reaching a diverse choice of topics.

Despite the great time I had, the atmosphere was loaded with tension. Only the Lord Commander, Patrick, and myself had exchanged some words. Lady Melnik was silent the entire time, wearing a frown and adopting a stern pose during the entire meal. The girls exchanged some words between courses, but their mother's glare cut their conversation short.

Thiago never stopped staring at me with lust in his eyes, while James mimicked Lady Melnik's foul but silent mood.

A servant man came in a hurry and told Lord Commander Melnik, "My lord, there's an urgent call for you." He handed him a wireless phone. "The Federal Governor."

His brows furrowed. "This is Lord Commander Melnik, sir," he said after grabbing the phone. "Sure, no problem."

They must've been discussing some important law or event, I guessed.

"Yes, it'll all be ready in a fortnight," Lord Melnik replied. He was about to go on speaking, but the Federal Governor interrupted him. He made a long pause with his mouth agape as he waited. "Good. Yes, we need to discuss this. I'm sure that I can convince you that–"

Were they in disagreement over something? It certainly looked that way.

"Of course, sir." He let go a long breath as he clenched a hand into a fist slowly. "Yes, sir. See you in a fortnight."

He hung up while Patrick asked, "What is it, Dad?"

"The Federal Governor is coming to Two Dawns in a fortnight to discuss the matter of the law I passed, restricting the import and publicity of... suits." He scoffed. "He thinks he can change my mind by coming here with his 'friends', or better said, those business sharks from the capital."

James frowned as much as I did.

"I'm sorry, Miss Tan," Lord Commander Melnik said with genuine concern. "I'll keep him and his friends in the dark about your presence here for as long as I can. But he wants to hold a public conference and display some suits. Since he's the Federal Governor, he's got full immunity, so I can't force him to abide by my laws."

"He can do as he pleases, even disrespect our laws," James replied.

"That seems unfair," I replied. "Not to mention rude."

"I know," the Lord Commander said in a low voice, hurt. "We used to be best friends years ago, but now... not any more. "Miss Tan, I hate to impose any restrictions on you, but you'll need to keep a low profile when the Federal Governor comes here in a fortnight. James, you'll see to it."

"Yes, Dad."

"Bear in mind that he's the main shareholder of Suit Robotics. He's an interested party in all this mess."

Oh, my. Things could spiral out of control easily if they found me.

Dinner was over a few minutes later. To be frank, I was glad about it. I had had a long day, and I'd have a ton of work to do on the next. I'd deal with the Federal Governor and his friends' presence in a fortnight.

Right now, I needed to focus on what I'd tell James' healer to convince him. I was gonna meet him the next day. I needed a good night's sleep.

James led me to his eldest sister's room.

"Since she got married and moved to her new home," he said, thankfully now in a much friendlier mood, "her things have been left untouched."

His well-built arms pushed his wheelchair onward at a steady rhythm. Every thrust forward made his slightly long hair move back and forth.

The long corridor offered a view of several family pictures over the years—in which he always occupied the furthest left side, standing alone. There was no arm holding his shoulders with love. He just stood there, serious and calm, while the rest smiled. I had never seen such a clear image of ostracism.

Not to mention that he was reminded of this every single day, every time he passed down that corridor.

"I feel bad for using her chamber," I replied with a furrowed brow and shy voice, trying to get those negative thoughts out of my brain. "Won't she be mad at me?"

He chuckled lightly and smiled. "I don't think so. She's the apple of my father's eye. She's always respected his wishes. So, if he wishes you to stay here, you can rest assured she won't ever complain."

One worry less, I guessed.

"I'll be cautious with her things and try not to touch her stuff."

James reached the end of that ample corridor. I came to stand by his side.

A large double window before us offered an outstanding view of the city. The sun had long gone set, and the mesmerising, multicoloured neon city lights danced before our eyes with their charm. The gentle glow from the lights over the pristine white snow from the nearby fields and forests was equally eye-catching.

"We're here," he said, signalling the door to our left.

He opened it for me, and I took a peek inside.

The gentle aroma of lavender lingered in the air. The décor reflected the slow-life lifestyle, with a minimalist touch, no technological appliances, and hues of pastel purple and white cascading through the room, imparting an air of regal tranquillity. Silk cushions adorned the bed, their plush softness inviting moments of quiet reading. Alongside, a vintage vanity adorned with delicate trinkets and a collection of beloved novels completed the sanctuary.

"This is–" I was about to say 'lovely', but I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Well, well, well..." Thiago said, right behind me.

I turned in the blink of an eye and gasped.

Before James or I could say anything, Thiago shot a hand at my chin and held my face right in front of his. His grin made my stomach churn.

"Let her go!" James yelled. His right hand, now tense and with protruding veins, reached for Thiago's elbow and grabbed it as if he wished to crush it.

Thiago's arms weren't as thick and strong. He had to yield after a painful wince.

I slapped his hand anyway and frowned at him.

He chuckled and pulled his arm as if nothing was the matter. His eyes never left me, though.

James' hand hung in the air, ready to bite him again if he tried anything.

"She's brave, I see." Thiago's voice sounded like that of a hungry wolf as his gaze trailed up and down my body.

"I told you she's not for you, Thiago," Patrick said angrily, appearing out of nowhere. He stood a few steps away from us in a no-nonsense pose, with his arms crossed over his well-built chest.

"Are you jealous, Patrick?" he asked, trying to mock him.

"Stop making a fool of yourself. She's not a slut," Patrick answered as he came closer. "She's a guest here. You heard my father. So, you'd better behave, mister."

"I'll behave how I please."

"You'd better be careful." James' voice thundered in the air with that icy, husky voice that sent shivers down my spine, but Thiago wasn't impressed in the least.

He simply stood there and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Or what, bastard?" Thiago asked defiantly as he glared at James with a smirk.

The verbal acknowledgement of James' shameful status quo made him clench his fists and teeth. He was a ticking bomb, ready to blast.

"You might not have to answer to me, but you might have to Sir Khan or Lord Commander Melnik... if you ever misbehave again," James answered in full testosterone mode, his well-built chest puffing out.

"And I'll see to that myself," Patrick added.

"Oh, yeah?" Thiago was being unbearably cocky. "Your threats don't scare me, James, Patrick. This wench is no different from the rest—she's just another saucy cunt in this bloody cold place you call home. It's raining all the bloody year, except now in winter, when it's snowing day in and day out, Jesus fucking Christ! Snowboarding is fun, but... I get cold. So, it's only normal that I seek some... company to warm my bed."

The implications of what he had just said made me want to punch him until he would beg for his mother to come and stop me.

But something snapped in James' mind, so much so that he glared threateningly at Thiago. In the blink of an eye, he pushed his wheelchair forward with brute force until he hit Thiago's legs with its hard steel on purpose.

"Shut your mouth, Thiago," James whispered with a growling voice, daring to show his canines.

"I've hit a sore spot, haven't I? Interesting..." Thiago was genuinely having fun.

I didn't like that one bit. I had enough with one target on my back—I didn't want, or better said, I couldn't afford to have more trouble in my life. That lecherous young man could be dangerous if he wanted to, but James would not step back as he followed his duty to protect me.

"You... you want her too?" Thiago laughed loudly. "A pathetic bastard like you? Oh, please... No girl will ever look your way, you filthy piece of honourless shit. Only Vanessa did, and... well, she regretted it, didn't she? Don't you remember what happened when you became a useless invalid and–"

I arched an eyebrow. What the hell? What happened with this Vanessa?

"Stop it. I warn you." James's voice went some octaves down the scale and it felt like the scariest thing that I had ever heard in my entire life. His eyes were aflame with ire.

That woman must've done something serious to James, or meant a great deal to him to elicit such a harsh reaction. I had only known him for less than a day, but I wouldn't bear to hurt him in any way.

As I realised that, I blushed. My heart hammered inside my chest, warming up as seconds passed by.

"A sex toy for that girl then, a puppet of your father now," Thiago whispered with venom in his voice and a funny tone. "But always a waste of space... and a bastard."

James' well-built body tensed like coiled steel, every muscle poised for action. He shot a hand to Thiago with a menacing attitude as if he wished to kick his groin, but Patrick was faster and grabbed his wrist. With a serious shake of his head, Patrick made James stop.

The latter growled almost inaudibly. His eyes narrowed into sharp daggers, ablaze with a fiery intensity that could ignite the air. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, casting ominous shadows across his forehead. At that moment, James was a tempest waiting to be unleashed.

Damn, he could be dangerous too when bullied—and I found that somewhat alluring.

Then, Patrick grabbed Thiago's collar and pulled it fiercely. "Enough! Don't dare speak to my brother like that! Zip it, or I'll shut your mouth myself with my fist right now. And your father will know how stupid you've been—and we all know how he handles your insubordination."

Next, he raised a fist in a punching mode, but he wasn't serious. He was smiling with naughtiness. He was apparently mimicking Thiago's father, waiting for Thiago to think twice about his current behaviour by hinting at the older man's abusive tendencies.

James still glared at Thiago, but the latter smirked as if he didn't want to back off.

The nerve.

"Fine, fine..." Thiago said, but I didn't delude myself into believing he was convinced of letting this go.

Patrick pushed Thiago away. Thiago's grin was still imperturbably lingering on his face, though.

"Go away. To your room, or the pub, or the brothel, or whatever," Patrick said when Thiago was about to leave. "Rosa will have you, gladly. So, stop pestering Mia."

Rosa and Thiago?! Really? Oh. My. God.

Thiago winked at me. "See you... around." He went down the stairs and disappeared from my sight. Ugh.

The crisis was over, but my heart fluttered wildly.

"You have to forgive him," Patrick told me as he stared at me with concern. "He thinks with his dick, not his brain."

I looked at James, who was frowning and had his gaze lost in a distant spot, as if lost in a hurtful memory. What was going through his mind?

Doubt settled in my mind. I was dying to know who Vanessa was and what she did to him. Such a secret made me uneasy, especially if we might bump into her in the future.

"Are you all right, Mia?" Patrick asked as he came closer. His face leaned a bit towards me, with his eyes glued to mine.

My gaze instinctively left James' gloomy face and adjusted only to Patrick's.

His endearing concern made me blush. I cleared my throat and said, "I'm fine, thank you."

I tried to smile, but it cracked.

James wheeled his way to turn around and give us his back. Not bothering to look at me to speak, he said in a sad voice, "See you tomorrow, Mia."

He opened the door right on the other side of the corridor. His bedroom.

"I hope my healer listens to you," he added. "He's impertinent and confrontational. You'll need to think of something clever to convince him."

Hello, my sugar cubes!

What are your thoughts on Thiago and his lust?
Will he become a problem for Mia?
And... what happened between James and Vanessa?

Stay tuned!

XOXO

Mar