Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

I turned back and saw the owner of the voice who called me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a frown.

"I could ask you the same, sugar." Zeus replied.

"It's a club. No body said I wasn't allowed to go in one." I replied.

"Well, that answers your question." He replied smugly and continued,

"But I have to say, seeing you here, dressed like this, something stirred inside my heart." He said, putting both his hands on his heart.

"Try commenting on my dress and I will chop your hands off." I replied, keeping a straight face

"Seeing that look on your face, I hardly believe you will not keep your word. But I would like to have my hands attached with arms, thank you very much." He shuddered.

"And I am in no mood to entertain your flirting, standing in a parking lot. Do you have a car?" I asked.

"My, My, sugar. I didn't know you wanted to flirt with me in my car." he said, raising his eyebrows and curling his lips into a teasing smile—half smirk, half grin.

I rolled my eyes and said,

"Shut your lame pick up lines and answer the question."

"I know it will hurt you, but sugar, my pickup lines are not lame. Girls die on it." Zeus said, with a goofy expression.

I looked into his eyes with a serious face. He got the message and said,

"Yes, I came here by car."

"That's good. Drop me to my place. I lost my ride." I said.

"Who the fuck is such a dickhead to leave an angel like you alone?" he said, with a hint of anger in his voice.

"A cab driver."

He blinked.

"Are you saying you came here with someone who is a cab driver. Sugar, what did you see in that dickhead."

I sighed, losing my patience with this idiot.

"Do you like your pinky fingers?" I asked.

He took a look at his pinky and replied, "Yes, I love them. Why?"

"Good, because if you don't stop your nonsense, I am going to chop this off." I replied.

He gulped and laughed nervously, hiding his hands behind his back and said,

"My car is that way. Come."

I shook my head and started following him.

As we reached his car, I opened the door and was about to slip in it when he stopped me.

"Now what?" I asked, getting frustrated by each second.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, getting serious and eyeing my arm where the blood was still coming out but slowly. I almost forgot that earlier Cornor had stabbed me with a piece of glass.

I sighed and said, "It's nothing."

"It is not 'nothing'." He said.

Zeus came by side; his expression shifted from playful to focused and concerned. His playful demeanor faded as his brows furrow in worry and lips pressed together in concentration.

He carefully took out his handkerchief, his hands trembling slightly, as he looked at the wound on my arm. His gaze flicks between my face and the injury, his attention fully on my wound. His movements are gentle, yet determined, as he wraps the cloth around my arm, trying to stop the bleeding.

The atmosphere is charged with a mix of tension and care. As he ties the hanky securely, his face softens, showing a quiet tenderness, making it clear that he's concerned but also deeply attentive to my needs. His touch is tender, and there's a sense of urgency as he focuses on helping me, the earlier flirtation replaced by a serious desire to make sure I am okay.

I don't know how to feel. It has been a long time since someone looked at me with that expression. Since someone tendered my wound with that care.

After he was done, he took off his jacket and held it in front of me. I looked at him puzzled.

"I am not the person who comments on a girl's dressing, but you might be uncomfortable while sitting in my car in this skirt. So.."

I silently took his jacket and held it tightly in my hands. Nobody in at least a decade had thought of me feeling uncomfortable with them.

Zeus turned around and went to the driving seat. I slowly opened the door of the passenger seat and slid inside, carefully, draping his jacket from my waist to knees. As soon as I sat down, he drove the car.

"So, are you planning on telling me where you live?" he asked.

Fuck.

I didn't think about this thoroughly. I can't let him drop me at Kensington Mansion.

"Just follow my instructions." I said.

"As you say, my lady." he said, twinkling his eyes. His goofiness coming back.

I shook my head slowly and looked out of the window with a small smile on my face.

In the next 15 minutes, we were 5 minutes far from the Kensington Mansion.

"Stop the car. My home is nearby. I can go from here." I said.

"Sugar, I am not leaving you in the middle of nowhere. Who knows if any wild animal attacked you." he said.

"Aww. Are you caring for me?" I asked, with a little gentleness in my tone and a smirk on my face.

"Who said anything about you? I am worried about the animal." He said.

"Do you have a death wish." I asked being serious again.

"Just kidding. But I can drop you at your doorstep." He said while parking the car on the side of the road.

"There is no need for that. I am sure I can handle myself from here." I said, getting out of his car.

"As you say, Sugar. But at least text me when you reach your home. I will be at peace."

"Bye." I said and he drove off.

I noticed his jacket which was still in my hands. I wore his jacket which instantly provided me warmth. After that, I headed back to the mansion.

As soon as I reached the window of my room, I tried to climb up. Taking a deep breath, I reached up, gripping the edge of the window, my fingers stretching as I started to climb. My skirt shifts uncomfortably as I balanced myself on the edge. I paused, holding my breath for a second, before pulling myself up enough to get a good grip on the ledge.

Once I am up, I glance down once more to make sure I am secure before lifting the window with one hand, trying to be as quiet as possible. My face is a mix of concentration and relief as I finally made my way back into the room.

As soon as I stepped into my room, I sighed heavily. My arm hurts a lot which indicates that the bleeding from the wound has started again.

Just as I was about to turn around, the lights of my room switched on. I froze. There is someone in my room. I contemplated either turning around or jumping back from the window.

Giving in, I turned back and saw what I was avoiding for the whole week or rather whom I had been avoiding for the week.

Standing there, lined up in front of me, are all six of the Kensington brothers—each of them with varying degrees of surprise, amusement, and, in some cases, annoyance on their faces. The room is eerily silent for a beat.

"So, this is your way of getting peace?" asked Reuben.

I averted my eyes and said,

"You know it is rude to intrude into someone's room." I said.

"It is also rude to sneak out of the house." Aldric said.

"Wearing something like that." added Reuben.

I rolled my eyes at that comment.

"Wait, are you wearing a boy's jacket?" asked Kaelen.

"How can you be so sure? It could be mine as well." I said, casually sitting down on my bed.

"I don't think you wear bomber jacket." replied Royce.

I looked at my nails not bothering to reply to them.

"Athaliah, where were you?" Aldric asked in a tine that was both threatening and commanding.

"Get out of my room, everyone."

"Sweetheart, you cannot shut us every time we want you to answer us." Ezekiel said in a soft tone.

"I also don't think, I need to care what you guys think you want from me."

"Cupcake, whose jacket are you wearing?" Royce asked.

"It's of a friend of mine." I replied, getting bored now.

At my reply, every person's eyes darken.

"Who?" Reuben asked.

"I don't think I need to answer that."

"Yes, you do." said Zephyrus.

Aldric sighed, kneeled in front of me and grabbed my hands and said,

"Athaliah, I told you that you will tell us whenever you want to go out of the mansion. It is to protect you."

I looked straight into his eyes and said,

"I don't need your protection."

"But cupcake, it's for your safety."

I scoffed and said,

"I have been protecting myself for the past nine years. I don't need your fake sense of safety." I said this while removing my jacket.

"Oh my god, are you hurt?" Kaelen exclaimed.

I glanced at my arm, blood still oozing out of the wound. That fucker gave a deep cut.

"It's nothing."

Immediately Zephyrus came towards me and held my arm for inspection.

"Kaelen, bring my medical kit." He instructed.

I took my arm back and said,

"Wohh! I am not an animal. I don't need a veteran to treat me."

Zephyrus smirked and said, "You are no less than an animal. So, let a doctor do his work."

Hearing him, Reuben, Royce and Kaelen laughed, rolling on the floor While Aldric and Ezekiel had a smile forming on their faces.

I inhaled sharply and said, "Are you kidding me?"

"Relax bambina, basic first aid is the same. Although some animals are little cooperative."

"Stop laughing you three." I snapped at the three imbeciles who are shamelessly laughing their ass off.

As soon as the kit was brought by Anna, Zephyrus started cleaning my wound.

He carefully wrapped the bandage on my arm and asked,

"Now, the million-dollar question, who did this?" His tone was dark, underlying a threat.

"I accidentally knocked a vase." I replied smoothly.

"Try again. Not a good lie."

"I am getting tired and as you can see, in pain. So, kindly see yourself out."

"Oh no, sweetheart, you are not getting off of this easily this time."

"What do you mean?"

"He means that one of us will be sleeping in your room to ensure that you don't pull any stunt like tonight again." Aldric explained.

What the hell.

"So, can I sleep with her? She was quite comfortable with me last time."

"You already had your turn, now it's my turn." said Royce.

"I think we should vote." suggested Ezekiel. Of Course, what do we expect from a lawyer.

"What I think is all of you get out of her room; I will be sleeping beside her." Zephyrus said.

Do they realize I am still in my room and hearing them not bothering to ask me.

"Does my opinion even matter?" I asked, getting frustrated.

"Of Course, you can choose who you want to sleep with." Aldric said.

"Remember how we cuddled last time. We can do it again." Kaelen interrupted before I could speak.

"I don't want to sleep with anyone. I would love my privacy."

"So, it is decided, we will take turns from the eldest to youngest ones." Aldric declared.

My jaw dropped. Did he not hear anything I said.

"That's not fair. Now it will be you who will get today's turn and mine will be the last." Kaelen whined.

"Stop Whining. Now, get out everyone. Me and my sister need rest." Aldric said smugly.

Every other person except me and Aldric glared at him. It looks like someone stole their candy.

At this point, even I dropped negotiating. They will not listen. Soon everyone went out of the room and Aldric closed the door.

"You can change first. Till then, I will bring something to drink for you. You should not sleep without filling your stomach."

That's a good idea. When he goes out, I will lock my room and then I can sleep peacefully. I smirked

"Okay. Anyways I was hungry."

Aldric narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't think of locking your room. I have the spare key, using which I entered your room earlier."

I dramatically sighed, giving up and left for the bathroom.







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