The Hidden Luna Queen 2

MAEVE POV

My stomach twisted and churned as I stood, paralyzed, in the company of the one man I never wanted to see for the rest of my life. The man whose cold and unforgiving eyes haunted my dreams and whose falsely sweet voice made my skin crawl. Why is my father here?

Why...?

The last time I saw him was the day Sarah was taken away. The same day he so kindly reminded me never to tell anyone the truth about who I was.

The truth that Xaden found out one day later during our visit with the psychic Orenda Gorre.

Oh no... Father knows.

He knows, and he's going to take me away...

Father took a step towards me, and my heart plummeted.

Running on pure survival instinct, my hand flew out and grabbed onto the closest object I could reach-it might have been Xaden's arm or a lamp... to be honest, I wasn't quite sure. I just needed something, anything to hold onto in my desperate haste to put as much space between us as possible.

Because he was coming closer.

And closer.

Father was smiling, but nothing about it was kind and welcoming. He only wore such a smile around me when he wanted something from me. To lure me into a false state of trust.

"Maeve," he said, extending his hand out to me. "It's been-"

"Get out."

The low, threatening growl in Xaden's voice quickly grounded me back to reality.

My attention snapped to his figure-tall, broad, and absolutely menacing-as he moved to stand in front of me, shielding me from my father's imploring gaze. The sudden view hindered me from seeing Xaden's face, but the look my father wore as he found himself directly in his line of sight was...

Well, I could only imagine just how terrifying he might have appeared in that moment.

"Just who do you think you are- "Xaden spat, "coming to MY home, unannounced?"

"Y-Your Highness?" Maggie stammered, looking confused and a little frightened. In her hands rested a tray with small glasses of water, which she quickly put to the side, to be forgotten.

He then turned to her, radiating pure anger. "Maggie, I trust you'll explain yourself."

Immediately, I saw the color drain from her face, and the sight twisted my heart. "He-He said he was Miss Maeve's father. The guards cleared him-"

"He's not welcome here. Neither he nor his wife. I don't give a damn if the guards cleared him or not."

When Xaden's attention again focused on him, Father froze, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm only here to visit my daughter. She'll see me." He peered around Xaden to lock eyes with me, and it was like I couldn't breathe. "Won't you-?"

"I swear, Burton," Xaden growled, "if you don't leave within the next five seconds-"

"N-No-!" I blurted out, squeezing Xaden's arm in the hopes of stopping him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I registered the motion of him turning to me, his confused gaze boring into me questioningly." Maeve?"

More than anything, I wanted to look at him, to seek his comfort as I had done many times before. But there was not a single force in the world that could have torn me away from my father standing before me, waiting. Because I knew what awaited me when I ever disobeyed him, and in that moment, there was only one thing I could think to do.

I needed to appease Father, so that I might never see him again.

... I knew that was a long shot, but it was something I yearned for. For Xaden, who did not deserve to get involved in my family drama. For my baby, who I was determined would never experience even a second of what I'd lived through.

And, most importantly, for myself... because I'd endured enough of his abuse to last me a million lifetimes.

"He can stay," I answered softly, trying to stay strong despite the tremors in my hands. "It... it's been a while since I've spoken with him."

Xaden was not pleased, and I could feel his inner conflict as if it were my own-whether he should entertain my madness or follow his own conscience. Thankfully, he was quick to come to a decision.

"You get five minutes," he said to Father, a clear warning. "Not a second longer."

Father bowed. "Much obliged, Your Highness."