Fairy Tale Confessions, page 13
“Which club do you want to visit tonight?” Colin asked Adele.
Still feeling on edge from the sound in the tunnel, she diverted, , “I don’t care. Why don’t you pick?”
Colin ran his hands up and down Adele’s arms. “Okay, baby. How about we hit the silver one first, then if there’s time, we’ll visit the diamond club later?”
Everyone smiled, including Adele, but hers didn’t quite reach her eyes. The three couples filed into the silver club and quickly found their way to the dance floor. The music here was more upbeat than that of the golden club. The grand space was dripping with chains, and balls of glittering silver hung from the ceiling, lending perfectly to the techno vibe.
“This is fun!” Frederick yelled as he and Jana gyrated to the music.
Adele quickly followed suit and forgot her worries as she and Colin moved to the beat.
* * *
The evening flew by, leaving no time to visit the diamond club. There’s always tomorrow night, Adele thought. They bid farewell to the guys and descended back into the tunnel.
“Do you think we’ll ever get to spend more time with them?” Jana asked. “Maybe we should just tell Father that we all have boyfriends and invite them to meet him.”
“Are you crazy?” Gwen spat. “Father would not only have their heads, but ours too, once he learned how we met.” She shook her head. “No. This has to remain our secret.”
Jana sighed and glanced at Adele, who seemed agitated once again.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jana asked her little sister.
“I don’t know. I just keep getting the feeling like we’re being watched.”
“That’s impossible and you know it,” Jana snapped.
Adele frowned and continued up the stairs to their room, ready to bring this evening to a close. Gwen pushed through the opening and signaled that the coast was clear. The night had been fun, but there was a palpable tension in the air. The sisters disrobed, hiding their party clothes as usual, then crawled into bed, each struggling through a night of fitful dreams.
Earlier that same evening...
“Have you found anything yet?” Richard asked Claymore from across the empty dining room table.
“Not yet, but tonight I will have your answers. I’ll just need the key to their room,” Claymore requested.
Richard hesitated, not liking the idea of a man in his daughters’ room after dark, but finally relented. After all, he was the one who hired the magical investigator. “Okay. I’ll tuck them in as usual, then leave the key with you, but I want a report first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll be in your office by 8 a.m.,” Claymore confirmed.
Richard nodded, then proceeded to the girls’ room. “Good night. Sleep well, and of course, you’re not allowed out of your room until morning.” He locked the door, handed over the key, and retired to his room, anxious for this night to pass. These last few months had been the worst of his life. Even more so than when he lost his beloved wife. It was because of his promise to her that he’d become so vile and crazed with keeping their daughters safe. Crazed to the point that he was willing to hurt the ones he loved most in the world.
Claymore returned to his guest quarters and gathered his things: his noise-cancelling pants and knapsack, and the invisibility cloak Madame Vizol had delivered. Fully disguised and unseen by all, he crept down the hallway and listened at the girls’ door.
The rustling of clothes and laughter filled his ears until a loud ‘boom’ sounded, and he knew it was time to move. At the first hint of clicking heels, Claymore twisted the key and silently entered the room. He rapidly scanned the scene and rushed down the open staircase with the stealth of a jaguar.
Claymore caught up to the ladies within seconds and was stunned by their appearance. Struggling to maintain his composure as he stared at Gwen leading the way, he stumbled and kicked a stone into the nearest wall, catching Adele’s attention.
He froze and listened as the sisters dismissed her concern. Minutes later he followed them onto a street where they were met by three young men, all of whom seemed very acquainted with them.
Entering the silver club, his head throbbed at the intensity of the music, so as soon as he was certain they were staying put for the evening, he ventured back into the street. Closing his eyes he felt the tingle of magic roll across his skin. He needed to find out exactly where this “street” was.
Venturing north, past the diamond club, he reached a dead-end within minutes, the pavement butting up against a thick wall of trees. Turning around, he ran to the opposite end of the street only to find the same. However, at this end, he spotted a small path that led into the woods.
Pulling a potion from his knapsack, he threw it onto the path to determine its safety; red smoke would mean high danger, while blue or white meant safe travels. The smoke was pink. “Well, damn,” Claymore cussed.
Pulling his cloak tight, he walked back to the silver club and found a seat inside. He needed to gauge the timetable of the girls’ evening, before he went scrambling off into the unknown forest.
Three hours later, the couples kissed each other goodnight and Claymore followed the ladies back through the door and into the tunnel once more, returning to the safety of their bedroom. Hiding under his cloak, he tried to remain the gentleman he was raised to be as the sisters undressed. Despite all his efforts, however, he couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Gwen’s beautiful skin and deadly curves as she slid out of her dance clothes and into her bed. Shaking himself free of the torrid thoughts currently plaguing him, he slipped out the door, as soon as the girls were asleep.
* * *
“Your daughters are sneaking into a magical realm every night, dancing their evenings away with three young men,” Claymore explained.
“You lie!” Richard slammed his fists on the desk.
“No. I do not. I will need more time to figure out where they are actually going, and who the young men are, though.”
Richard shook his head as he paced his office. “I can’t believe this. How in the hell did they gain access to a magical realm? I had this house fortified when their mother and I moved in.”
“There’s a tunnel that runs from underneath Gwen’s bed.”
“Dammit! You can have two more nights, but I want proof that what you say is true,” Richard demanded.
“Fine. I’ll bring you proof tonight.”
The sisters woke feeling restless and didn’t talk much on their way down to breakfast. Adele’s concerns throughout the night apparently weighed on them more than they cared to admit. “Good morning, ladies,” Claymore offered.
“Good morning,” Jana and Adele mumbled in response, while Gwen remained silent. still unsure of her feelings towards this enigma of a man.
“Where’s our father?” Jana asked, noticing the empty chair at the head of the table.
“When I left his office this morning, he said to start without him. Apparently, he had a few phone calls to make.”
Gwen narrowed her eyes at Claymore who returned her gaze until the tension was broken when the first course was served. She gave a clipped nod to the staff, and with her eyes firmly downcast to avoid any further awkwardness, buttered her bread.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Claymore asked just as she took a bite of her toast.
Gwen coughed. “Yes. As well as any other night. Why do you ask?”
“I thought I heard you rustling around when I grabbed a glass of water before bed. From the sound of your dreams, it seemed you were upset about something.”
“What makes you think it was me? It could have been Jana or Adele for all you know,” Gwen replied.
“Very true, but I’ve grown accustomed to the rich timbre of your sexy voice, so I know it was you.”
Toast went flying from Gwen’s mouth as Jana and Adele gasped at Claymore’s forward comment.
“What?” Claymore asked. “We’re close enough in age, and you’re very beautiful. Did you not think I’d find you attractive?”
Panicked, Gwen looked at her sisters for help but found none. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to say,” Gwen admitted.
Claymore lifted a shoulder in indifference but remained silent, continuing to enjoy the discomfort he was purposely causing. He needed them off their game if he was to bring this investigation to a close within two nights.
“Wait a minute!” Jana declared. “Is this your business here? Is our father trying to set the two of you up?”
Tears formed in Gwen’s eyes when Claymore leaned back in his chair with a smirk on his face. Arranged marriages weren’t unheard of in their culture, even in this day and age. How dare her father do this to her?
“Holy shit, Gwen. I’m so sorry,” Jana stammered.
Gwen composed herself as quickly as possible, wiping away a small tear as it escaped onto her cheek. “Don’t apologize, Jana. There’s nothing to be concerned about. And I’m sorry Claymore, I’m not sure what arrangement you have with my father, but please know, it will not include me.”
Gwen pushed away from the table and left the room without another word. Adele stared at Jana who just shook her head then filled her plate before following suit. Making their way upstairs, Jana and Adele found Gwen crying uncontrollably into her pillow.
“Oh Gwen, it’ll be okay,” Jana offered, setting her plate of food on the bed.
Gwen snapped upright, huffing and snarling her next words. “Oh, I know it’ll be okay, because after tonight, Father or Claymore will never see me again.”
“What? What are you talking about?” Adele pleaded.
“I’m saying, when we go to meet the guys tonight, I’m not coming home. I’m going to stay and make a life with Liam.”
* * *
The entire day passed without any interruptions from Claymore or their father. Gwen worried, at first, what their combined absence could mean, but chose to spend her time focusing on her plan to run away with Liam, instead. Adele and Jana continued to offer support each in their own way. Jana pulled out and folded the clothes Gwen had indicated she wanted to pack, while Adele continued to brush through her big sister’s long black hair. “I understand you’re upset, Gwen, but if you leave with Liam to escape Father, that means we’ll never see you either.” Adele sniffled.
“That’s not true. You can easily slip through the tunnel and visit me whenever you’d like, and besides, I’m sure Colin and Frederick will ask you to marry them soon as well.”
“What?” Jana exclaimed. “I thought this was just you being upset, are you saying Liam actually asked you to marry him?”
Gwen nodded. “Yes. Just last night.”
The sisters threw themselves onto Gwen’s bed. “Oh my god...congratulations!” Adele exclaimed.
“I was planning to approach Father about an introduction today, but, well...that’s obviously not going to happen now.” Gwen’s shoulders slumped.
They all picked at the remnants from their breakfast while Gwen told them everything. “While we were dancing, he leaned in close and whispered in my ear. ‘I need to talk to you alone.’ So we headed to the end of the bar where we could hear a little better and he said, ‘Gwen, I’m the eldest in my family, and it’s time for me to choose my bride, and I choose you. Will you marry me?’ It was sweet and simple and I said yes.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” sobbed Adele.
“What’s wrong?” Gwen hugged her sister. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”
Adele pulled back and wiped away her tears. “I am happy for you, but everything is just happening so fast.”
“I know, honey, but I feel something special with Liam. I can’t exactly put my finger on it. It’s like magic.” She reached for Adele’s hand. “I guess it’s true what they say...when you know, you just know.”
Adele’s sad smile wavered as she tried to push past her feelings of jealousy. She wasn’t jealous of Gwen’s happiness, but of the freedom they all longed for.
“Can’t we just come with you? I mean, even if they don’t ask us to marry them too, can’t we just stay with you and Liam so we can all be together?”
Gwen ran her hand down Adele’s arm. “I’ll ask Liam when I see him tonight, and if he agrees, the two of you can come back and get your things and return tomorrow for good.”
Jana and Adele beamed at each other then jumped off the bed and disappeared into the abyss of their massive closet. They both returned with Louis Vuitton suitcases and started to pack, clearly excited for the prospect of their new lives.
Jana rushed back through the bedroom door with two huge plates in her hands. “Time for dinner!”
Gwen and Adele sat on the floor, digging into the stolen garb. It wasn’t much: fruit, bread, and cheese, but it definitely hit the spot.
“Did you see Father?” Gwen asked, popping a grape into her mouth.
“Nope. I didn’t see anyone. Actually, I don’t even think the staff is here. No one made dinner, so I just grabbed all this stuff out of the fridge.”
“I bet Father took him out so they could seal their deal,” Adele frowned.
“Oh well, lucky for us.” Jana interjected. “We can eat and get ready early. I can’t wait to see the guys tonight and find out if we can join you, Gwen.”
Gwen nodded and bite her bottom lip. She wanted to share in their excitement, but in reality, she was worried her plan would backfire. What if Liam said no? What if their family didn’t allow pre-marital co-habitation? Her sisters would be devastated, not to mention, left at their father’s mercy, which would no doubt become even crueler after he learned of her escape.
“I’m excited too.” Gwen pushed for sincerity but wasn’t sure if she managed it or not. She was hopeful, but the entire situation was edged with fear and necessity, and that made her uneasy.
Adele gasped, causing her sisters to flinch.
“What’s wrong?” Jana asked.
“Something just touched my leg.”
Gwen scurried off the floor, looking for a spider of bug of some sort. “Did it bite you?”
Adele jumped up. “No, not like a bug. Like something...bigger, touched me.”
Gwen and Jana exchanged looks of concern. “It’s probably just a muscle twitching from sitting on the floor for too long,” Jana suggested.
“No! It wasn’t.” Adele ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Gwen shook her head and called through the door, “Honey, let’s just get dressed and head out of here. You’ll feel better once you see Colin.”
“Okay,” Adele said shakily. “I’ll be out in a few.”
Gwen and Jana peeled off their day clothes and threw on their evening attire. Tonight was special, so they’d both chosen beautiful full-length gowns; Gwen’s was lavender while Jana’s was a deep forest green. Adele came out of the bathroom and walked straight over to Gwen.
“I want you to have this.” Adele handed Gwen the diamond tiara their mother had left her.
Tears began to swell in Gwen’s eyes as she shook her head. “No, Adele. I can’t. Mama left that for you to wear on your wedding day.”
“I know, but I want you to have it. That way, if we aren’t able to come see you again, you’ll have something to remember me by.”
Adele fell into Gwen’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably as her fear and worry finally broke free of the emotional damn she’d so carefully built. Dealing with her mother’s death, and now with how cruel their father had become, the idea of losing her big sister was simply too much to bear. “Sweetie, don’t cry. It’ll be okay,” Gwen comforted.
Adele pulled back, wiping her cheeks. “No, it won’t. Even if Liam says we can come stay with you the following night, Father won’t allow it. The second he sees you’re not here, he’ll beat us both and never let us out of his sight again.”
Gwen looked up into Jana’s shining eyes. It seemed they all shared the same fear.
“Then, that’s it. We’ll all leave tonight and never come back. If Liam doesn’t allow you to stay with us, then we’ll just find a place of our own.”
Adele’s brows lifted as hopefulness replaced despair. Jana handed her a tissue box after snagging a few for herself. “Then it’s settled. Tonight, we’ll finally be free.”
* * *
Claymore huddled in the corner of the girls’ bedroom as they ate their dinner, listening to all their plans from under his invisible cloak. It was Richard’s idea to make them think the house was empty, so Claymore could follow them, unimpeded, and obtain as much information as possible. Unfortunately, hours of crouching in silence left Claymore uncomfortable and with no further information about where it was that the sisters actually went. The only thing he did gain was a colossal headache and the knowledge that his two-day time frame had just been shot to hell.
The girls were leaving, permanently, tonight, and it was all his fault. He hadn’t expected Gwen to react so fiercely to the announcement that they were being set up. Yes, he used the information to spur them on so he could speed up the investigation, but if he was being honest with himself, her refusal was a blow to his pride.
Claymore stretched out his left leg, trying to ease the cramp that was currently forming in his calf. Shit! He’d accidentally grazed Adele. He remained still as they reacted, then was finally able to stand once Adele raced into the bathroom. Unfortunately, he was still trapped in the room with Gwen and Jana, leaving no way to warn Richard of their plan.
He looked away as Gwen and Jana began to undress, but couldn’t deny himself another glimpse of Gwen as she slid into her beautiful lavender dress. He’d been intrigued when he received the offer from Richard, that if he were to solve the case so many others couldn’t, that he’d be set-up with his eldest daughter. But never once did he imagine that he’d actually fall for her.
