Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Maxwell’s POV

Scarlett stepped back from the door, her eyes darting to mine with a mixture of curiosity and unease. I offered her a gentle smile, hoping to ease her nerves. Clay and I entered, glancing around the small, modest room. It was simple, far from the opulence she must have known in the South, but she seemed to find peace here. Her expression was calm, as if grateful for the small space and its quietude. She didn’t need luxury; she needed a haven.

“Scarlett,” I began softly, wanting to break the silence, “when’s your next birthday?” The question made her eyes shift away, as f she knew why I was asking. If anything between us was to bloom into something deeper, she’d have to be of age, and we’d have to wait until then. I felt an odd impatience twist inside me, wanting to skip ahead to a time when there’d be no such barriers.

“Four months,” she replied, her voice low, and I nodded, feeling the weight of those four months like stones in my chest. But I’d wait. I had to wait. Somehow, I felt a twinge of hope, a sense that when Thomas arrived, everything would shift in our favour.

“Goddess, help me,” I thought silently, “give me the strength to keep myself in check.”

I moved closer to her, instinctively reaching up to brush a strand of her dark, silky hair back behind her ear. Her eyes–wide and

gentle, like those of a doe–seemed to catch and hold the light in the room, making them almost mesmerizing. Beneath the pain

and fear that lingered in her gaze, there was beauty waiting to unfold, like a flower timidly opening to the sun.

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, feeling the slight tension in her posture. Her nervousness was unmistakable, her scent

layered with it, and something about her vulnerability stirred a fierce protective instinct within me.

“Scarlett,” I said, my voice soft but steady, “please, don’t do anything drastic. Don’t run away, don’t take any reckless steps. You mean a lot to Clay and me, more than you know. By tomorrow evening, I promise, everything will be sorted. Can you hang on just a

bit longer–for our sake?”

She looked up at me, a hint of surprise in her eyes, then shifted her gaze to Clay. When she smiled at him, I could feel the warmth in her look. Clay’s gentleness toward her had won her over in ways my own faltering kindness had yet to achieve. I’d stumbled, blinded by loyalty to Lucian, and I regretted it now more than ever. Clay had always shown her the empathy she deserved, and that

thought filled me with a strange peace and hope.

I leaned down, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head, feeling the warmth of her hair and the spark of something unspoken pass between us. The sensation rippled through me, the tingling on my lips as real as the beat of my heart. Her scent was intoxicating, rich and subtle, making my wolf, Neo, stir inside me, barely restrained.

“Hold on,” I told myself firmly, pushing down the primal urge. Whatever the future held, whatever we would become, I knew one thing for sure–I wanted that future to be with her. And as I looked into Scarlett’s eyes, I knew it would be worth every ounce of

patience.

We left Scarlett in her room, shutting the door softly behind us as we returned to the apartment. Clay looked over at me as we walked in, a questioning look on his face. I followed him into his room, sinking into the nearest chair, feeling the weight of all that

had happened settle over me.

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Chapter 29

“So, what’s with the sudden kindness toward Scarlett?” Clay asked, his tone curious but slightly guarded.

I sighed, knowing there was no easy way to explain. “She’s… a virgin, Clay,” I finally blurted, watching his reaction closely.

“What?” His voice was a mix of surprise and disbelief. “How?*

I leaned back, recalling the details of Scarlett’s sleeping arrangements with Lucian and me. “When Lucian insisted she share the bed with me, she was visibly uncomfortable. She struggled with the idea of being so close… it was more than just awkwardness. She even begged me to keep it from Lucian. But she said I could tell you.” I watched Clay’s expression shift from shock to quiet understanding, his eyes distant as he absorbed what I’d said.

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Michele Gremillion

realization is suddenly hitting them

7 days ago

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