Property of a Gordon

Chapter Twenty Two

Two of the Gordon boys mimicked their mother's submissive pose, but the other's eyes were filled with old anger and annoyance. I started to wonder which parent it was directed at until the blue eyes looked at their mother. It was clear he held no pity or sympathy towards her even after her scolding.

Kendall's chair scraped against the floor harshly before he threw his napkin on his plate, gathering all attention. Even I was curious what he had to say but was quickly reminded of his calm façade.

"I think that has been enough for today. My companion and I will excuse ourselves for the evening. If you feel the need to continue your wasteless criticizing, please, do not find yourself at the door to our room," Kendall said easily, straightening his creaseless suit.

His eyes met mine, softening just a fraction, and I took that as my signal to join him. So I stood up and we both walked out of the tension-snapping room, entering our shared one.

Kendall immediately sat on the edge of the bed, his head lowered in thought as his hands ran themselves through his hair. It was as if they were stuck because they stopped their journey halfway, holding his head in place. For once in the time I had spent with him, Kendall appeared distraught.

I thought about making a joke out of the whole situation but could already see the heated glare I would receive and hear him tell me nothing about this was funny. So from there, I decided the best way to tackle a distraught Kendall was to provide him with comfort.

I walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed alongside him, close enough that our legs touched. His body tensed at the contact before he tilted his head far enough that I could see an iris of ice studying me.

Instead of acknowledging it, I slowly grabbed one of his hands, untangling it from his hair. I encased it in my own hands, pressing my lips to them and watching Kendall the entire time. The action caused him to close his eyes, his whole body sighing as it slowly started to relax.

"See? It'll all be okay. We're just here for a little longer," I said softly, tangling one of my hands with his before stroking it in a soothing matter.

Kendall weakly smiled, his eyes still closed. "This is why I brought you, love. You make me see rationally when I cannot," he said just as quietly, squeezing my hand.

It was at times like this that I found myself forgetting who Kendall was. I could forget he was a Prince, known for his snake-like qualities. I could forget he was the man who had captured me and taken me away from everyone who was dear to me. It made it harder to keep myself from falling for him.

"We all have moments where we can't see clearly. Sometimes we just need someone who can help us clear the fog; that's all," I replied, finally getting him to meet my eyes. He looked less angry, but the usual amusement wasn't where it was supposed to be.

"I suppose you are right. It just reminds me of how life used to be, before I took charge of it. The criticizing was similar to today, however, it occurred every time I engaged in a conversation with them. When I did not, I was simply ignored by everyone but Raelynn and Lex," Kendall said, lost in thought.

I heard the growl slip from my mouth before I noticed it had scratched itself from my throat without permission. Kendall's eyes flashed back to the present at the sound.

"Raelynn?" I asked calmly, but the simple question gave me away. Kendall reacted, pouncing on me immediately.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" Kendall asked, his amusement up and running once again. I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to press the subject. Fortunately, he only smiled.

"If you must know, Raelynn is a childhood friend of mine. You may have seen her at the ball as she was the one attempting to talk to me before you made your grand escape," he explained, the amusement still glittering in his eyes.