Chapter Sixty Four
Silver Lights District - Two Days until the Wedding
Kaelen paused as he and Anthony walked into the shadowed interior of his foyer. His gaze drifted to the ghastly gold curtains, Ruby had picked out, before they moved to the small silver and amber marble side table that had at least five days of dust. "We've only gone for two days, right?"
"Yeah," frowned Anthony as he reached down to pick up a burgandy scarf he'd dropped as they left two and a half days ago.
"Why isn’t the curtains open," wondered Kaelen as he looked around.
Anthony's lips moved into a disgruntled frown as he looked around, "It's dusty in here too. Anthony shook his head as he turned his nose up and pointed toward the kitchens, "I don'teven want to know what it looks like back there."
"Bethany," called Kaelen only to hear his voice echo around the first floor. Kaelen took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself, "This is beyond weird. Where is Xara, Ruby and Sebastian?"
Anthony reached for his device as it went off as he read through several messages; "According to Harmony and Jasminee, Ruby has left the residence to stay with her father during his time of need."
Kaelen clicked his tongue while he moved further into the large room toward the first parlor. The sounds of his shoes resounded loudly in the high ceiling room. "Maybe Ruby wishes to postpone the marriage after her mother's unfortunate death," thought Kaelen out loud as he dragged his fingers through the dust on the marble table.
"Postpone?" Anthony's face scrunched up in disbelief, "Why would you think that?"
Kaelen shrugged his gray blazer off with a thoughtful frown. "On Nah'Bye it is customary to mourn the loss of a family member or loved one for at least one year," responded Kaelen thoughtfully. "I remember several engagements and weddings being postponed because of deaths in their family."
"That's kind of antiquated; isn't it," sighed Anthony. Anthony shook his head as he stared amused at Kaelen whilehe threw the scarf in the dark closet. "In the Alliance, especially on Ah'Taria, mourning the loss of another is seen as a weakness. Plus," continued Anthony without affliction. ”that doesn't explain this. Ruby's gone but where is Bethany and why is the house shuttered?"
"I'm here," called Bethany from the kitchen. The soft shuffling of her feet could be heard as she hurried toward them. "I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier," huffed Bethany. "Albert is on medical leave because of an accident on his transport and -."
"So your shirked your duties as a maid and housekeeper," drawled Anthony from the landing, "to care for your spouse?" Anthony stared coldly at Bethany while he muttered a few curse words, "You came highly recommended! I can't stand for this lack of commitment."
"Lord Anthony I can explain," cried Bethany as she ran toward the stairs watching him anxiously as he walked up them.
"I am not in the mood to here you tales right now," continued Anthony arrogantly. ”Pack your bags and -."
"Sebastian said that I could use this time to take care of Albert," cried Bethany desperately.
Kaelen patted Bethany's shoulder as he moved past her, "Its fine. Just open the house." Kaelen rain his fingers through his hair while he walked up the stairs, "Speaking of Sebastian where is he and Xara?"
"You haven't heard," mumbled Bethany quietly.
"Heard what," asked Kaelen as he reached the landing. He turned to stare coolly at Bethany, "What haven't I heard?"
"Sebastian said," began Bethany. Her fingers picked warily at her light yellow sundress as she visible shrank away from them and whatever needed to be said.
Kaelen shook his head in frustration. "Just open the curtains, dusty or whateverit is you do; and I'll go see what Sebastian was supposedly supposed to say to me."
"Yes my lord," nodded Bethany visibly relieved before she hurried toward the back of the house.
Kaelen smacked his lips together as he stared confused at Anthony. "I can't believe you were going to fire her for taking care of her husband." Kaelen gave Anthony a disappointed look, "She was so fluttered she could barely speak after that."
Anthony raised his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug as he fell into step beside Kaelen. "I knew you wouldn't let me."
"How's that," asked Kaelen with a look of disbelief.
"I watched you mediated four hours a day with Kevin and Dion," chuckled Anthony. "You try extra hard to be nice."
"Extra hard," repeated Kaelen reflectively. "I thought it showed dedication to remain true to myself and my upbringing."
"I bet you do," laughed Anthony gruffly. "Do you know I haven't laughed this much since never?" Anthony shook his head as he continued happily, "You, Lucas and Jacob have a way about you that amuses me to no end."
"That's good to know," responded Kaelen dully. Kaelen paused outside of Sebastian's bedroom door and glared at Anthony. "I can't begin to tell you how much it warms my heart that you find me amusing," smirked Kaelen mockingly.
"I bet," drawled Anthony as he watched Kaelen attempt to turn the door knob. "Maybe we should knock being that there are three locking stones in place."
"Why," scoffed Kaelen as he broke the stones and twisted the doorknob. "This is my house," continued Kaelen as he opened the door unceremoniously.
Anthony sighed as he peeked over Kaelen's shoulder and tried to stifle a laugh when he saw Sebastian to pull the covers up.
"What are you doing," drawled Kaelen slowly while he walked further into the room. Kaelen looked pointedly at the rumbled covers before he arched an eyebrow at Sebastian questioningly.
Anthony mouth kicked up as he watched as the person under the covers in the bed attempt to lay as flat as possible before they inched toward the far side of the bed. He covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing as they slowly slid to to the floor and shuffled under the bed on their knees.
"I'm just laying here," responded Sebastian his countenance one of wide eyed innocence before he shifted in the bed making his stomach muscles ripple.
Kaelen hands moved slowly to his waist band as he stared blankly at Sebastian. "Really," asked Kaelen before he started to release the buckle on his belt, "I'm going to beat the shit out of you!" Kaelen glared darkly at Sebastian as he removed his belt, "If you'd received more spankings as a kid -." Kaelen shook his head and glowered at Sebastian, "What am I saying? You are still a damn child!"
Anthony chuckled as he grabbed Kaelen's arm, "Let's not spank him. He's 17 and a little too old for that."
Kaelen scowl darkened as he looked from Anthony's hand to his face. "Let my hand go before I -."
"Hey," called Sebastian while he rolled out of the bed showing that he was naked from the waist down. "Before you attempt to spank me," drawled Sebastian sarcastically, "you should know that I woke up like this." Sebastian hands swept in front of him indicating the fact that he was naked from the waist down.
Kaelen appalled expression was comical as he looked Sebastian up and down, "So you are telling me some woman -."
"Or man," added Anthony amused. "The person under the bed could be a man," chuckled Anthony dryly as he pointed to where the person had rolled.
Kaelen's lips pressed together tightly as he stared at Sebastian in disbelief, "I can't believe you are going with the defense that you woke up like that."
Sebastian bent down and picked up his black pants, "I went to sleep with a pair of pants on with this shirt." Sebastian snapped the pants as he stared at both men.
Kaelen snapped the belt in his hand while he glared, "I don't believe you."
"Why would I want to have sex with my shirt on," exhaled Sebastian while he scratched his newly re-dyed blond hair. "Plus didn't you say," added Sebastian as he tried to imitate Kaelen's voice, "no sex in my house."
Kaelen grip on the belt tightened and he took a threatening step toward Sebastian.
Anthony held a hand up as he quietly walked around the bed and dropped to his knees, "Since you are in the mood to punish people you should include the person under the bed." Anthony grabbed the person by the ankle and pulled until the woman's reddened ass came into view.
"I'm not interested in the person -," Kaelen broke off as he looked over and stared into the wide brown eyes of his little sister. "I'm going to kill you," shouted Kaelen as he threw the belt to the floor and ran toward Sebastian with this hands out poised to choke him.
"Hey," yelled Sebastian as he wagged his finger, "I don't be yelling I'll kill you for fucking my cousin!"
Kaelen rammed his shoulder into Sebastian's shoulder sending him to the floor. "I don't fuck your cousin -."
"Oh," asked Sebastian with a sneer while he stood back up, "what do you call it then?"
Kaelen paused with his fist clenched and stared at Sebastian. "I'm going to kill you for taking my little sister's innocence and tarnishing -."
"Innocent my ass," snickered Sebastian as he dodged Kaelen's right hook. "I'm not saying she's promiscuous but she definitely was not a novice to sex."
"Stop it," screamed Zahara angrily at Kaelen. "I was just trying to comfort him -."
Kaelen's pulled a face of disgust as he reached for Sebastian. "My sister would never -!"
"I said stop it," yelled Zahara dropping the sheet she'd rolled under the bed with exposing her naked slim body in all its glory. "There is no way in the universe you didn't know I was having sex with Sebastian."
"I -," began Kaelen. "I -," Kaelen's mouth worked as his eyes looked everywhere but at his sister. "I'd heard but -."
"I am a grown woman," stumped Zahara angrily. "I can sleep with whoever I want!"
"No you cannot," bellowed Kaelen darkly. "You -," continued Kaelen with an angry flush.
"I what," snapped Zahara angrily. "What about me?"
Kaelen turned to glare at Sebastian, "I can't believe this is how you'd repay me for taking you in."
Sebastian rolled his eyes as he moved toward Anthony, putting distance between Kaelen and himself. "I didn't do anything she didn't want me to do," explained Sebastian to Anthony. "She asked and I delivered."
"So you are saying my precious little sister -," frowned Kaelen while his eyebrows knitted.
Zahara snorted at Kaelen while she went to put her teal jumpsuit on. "I don't know what planet you've been living on but I have needs," snapped Zahara as she wiggled into the skin tight outfit. "I am a grown woman and -."
"He's only 17," spat Kaelen pointing to Sebastian. "He's a damn minor and -."
Zahara lips curled up into a smug smile as she stared mockingly at Kaelen, "He didn't fuck like one."
Kaelen stared taken back by his sister's words.
"Oh you're shocked," smirked Zahara. "You were so busy sniffing behind his cousin that you didn't even notice what was going on around you." Zahara pursed her lips as she stared at him with disdain, "Now here you stand fuming at us when Xara is down the hall sick as a monkey." Zahara picked up her handbag with an arrogant laugh before she made a tsking sound, "Priorities Kaelen."
Kaelen stared expressionless at his sister's back as she walked to the door. He eyes swirled angirly as his fist clenched by his side. "So this is how you want it to be," asked Kaelen coldly.
"Kaelen," sighed Zahara with her hands on the door's frame. "I was just having some fun with him. It's not like I planned on trying to have a real relationship with him."
"Ouch," groaned Anthony as he watched Zahara toss a braid over her shoulder.
Zahara turned and sent a seductive smile toward Anthony, "If you weren't with Jasminee I would have been all over you too." Zahara giggled before she tilted her head to stare at Kaelen, "Isn't that the Alliance way?"
Kaelen tugged on his ear with a look of frustration, "Are you really going to stand there and say that to me?"
"Kaelen," sighed Zahara patiently. "I was just having some fun and so was Sebastian." Zahara rolled her neck with a shrug, "Please deal with it as if you were an adult." Zahara fluttered her fingers toward Kaelen as way of goodbye, "Detach yourself a little and you'll see that I was just doing the same thing that you are doing."
Anthony moved to grab Kaelen by the shoulder just as he was about to go after his sister. "You should calm down first and maybe go check on Xara."
Sebastian nodded in agreement as he moved toward the bathroom, further away from Kaelen. "I'm going to just go in there," mumbled Sebastian as he pointed to the closed door.
Kaelen sent a glare toward Sebastian, "We will discuss this later."
Sebastian looked away from Kaelen with a grimace, "Great."
Anthony gave Kaelen's shoulder another squeeze before he mumbled in his ear, "You should go check on Xara and the baby." Anthony pushed Kaelen toward the door, "I'm not sure if you heard past all the dust in the foyer or ringing in your eyes after finding your little sister in here with Sebastian but Xara's been sick."
Kaelen snatched his shoulder from Anthony's grip before he stumped toward the door. "This is far from over Sebastian."
"Put your belt back on," called Anthony after Kaelen as he walked out of the room. Anthony turned to stare blankly at Sebastian, "I can't believe you got caught."
"It's not my fault," sighed Sebastian. "I woke up after after a long night of taking care of Xara and my dick was in her mouth."
Anthony's eyes widened as he stared at Sebastian, "Thank the gods you didn't say that while he was in here."
Sebastian scrunched up his face as he stared at Anthony, "I'm smarter than that at least."
A short burst of laughter erupted from Anthony as he nodded, "Yeah? If you were smart you wouldn't have told him you woke up like this." Anthony slowed waved his hand in front of his face with a confused expression, "But there's something else I'd like to know."
"What's that," asked Sebastian on a sigh of relief.
Anthony looked around the room puzzled, "Why is there iron dust floating around your room?"
"What," yelled Sebastian as he looked around the with a look of shocked surprise. "What the fuck are you -." Sebastian stopped and stared bitterly around the room, "It was me."
"What was you," asked Anthony confused.
Sebastian stared around the room dazed and confused, "I'm going to kill that bitch."
"Who," asked Anthony confused.
Sebastian turned slowly to gaze at Anthony out of furious and frustrated gray eyes before he responded slowly, "Ruby."
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