Stealing Cinderella(53)
The bed is cold without him, and I feel a strange sense of loss as he turns and walks toward the bathroom. I’m not really sure what to do with myself, so I wait there while he showers, enjoying the luxuries of his bed and the faint ghost of his scent that still lingers.
When he reappears again, he’s freshly shaved and dressed and back to his typical unyielding self.
“Lisbet will make you a vegetarian breakfast this morning,” he says. “I have to go out.”
“Okay.”
He heads for the door, but I call out to him, and he turns back around.
“Can I have my phone?”
“Why?” His eyebrows pinch together. This is an issue for him. He still doesn’t trust that I won’t go to the media and tell them all wild stories about their not so beloved prince.
“I want to call Charlotte,” I say. “And Olivia too. I want to see how the animals are doing.”
He hesitates, and I’m fairly certain he’s just going to say no. But he surprises me when he nods stiffly. The resignation in his eyes tells me he fully expects I’m going to betray him somehow. Now I’m even more eager to prove that I won’t.
“I’ll leave it on the kitchen table for you,” he says.
“Thank you.” I smile at him, and he shifts uncomfortably.
“There are clothes waiting for you in your bedroom,” he tells me. “Should you want them.”
I don’t get a chance to thank him because as soon as he utters the words, he disappears around the corner, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Clothes and a phone? Is it possible that I’m actually getting somewhere with Thorsen? I don’t want to get my hopes up, so I try not to think too much about it as I roll off the edge of the bed and force myself upright.
On the nightstand, Thorsen’s glass bottle remains, and out of curiosity, I pick it up to examine it. It’s identical to the other bottle, except this one has a different label. It’s a sleep elixir.
When I open the nightstand drawer on his side of the bed, there are several more just like it tucked away in there. Determined to find out exactly what they are, I grab the bottle from the top and then head to his bathroom, rummaging around to remove the other one stashed there too. With both of them in my hand, I make my way back to my room and seek out a space to hide them.
That’s when I notice the closet door propped open, and just as Thorsen said, there are clothes hanging from the racks. I peek inside, and an overwhelming tide of anxiety washes over me when I realize just how many there are. Not only does it look like he bought half the city’s clothing supply but expensive labels at that. It’s way too much, and that isn’t even the worst of it. There are shoes and handbags too, which seems odd because it’s not like we’re going anywhere together, right?
Shoving those thoughts aside, I grab a messenger bag and drop the two bottles into a zippered compartment. Then I move on to pick out my clothes for the day. After twenty minutes of hesitation, I settle on a basic white blouse and skinny jeans, deciding the rest is too complicated to navigate. I’ve spent years in my thrift shop clothing, and I’m almost afraid to touch some of the nicer items. It comes back to me not deserving things like this, and I can only imagine what Narcissa would say if she saw me now.
After showering and braiding my hair, I wander into the kitchen to find Lisbet has already set out an assortment of items on the table.
“Is it okay to eat in here?” she asks with a curious gleam in her eyes as she studies me. “Or do you prefer outside?”
“In here is fine.” I offer a smile. “You’ve already set the table.”
“It’s no trouble to change it,” she says quickly.
“I’m happy to eat inside,” I insist.
After a minute of hesitation, she nods and then points out the array of food she’s gathered. Fruit, yogurt, cereals, and bread.
“Thank you very much, Lisbet.” I give her an awkward little bow because I’m honestly not sure how I’m supposed to address her. Nobody has ever waited on me like this before, and I feel a little guilty that she has to. “This looks amazing.”
“Let me know if I can get you anything else,” she says, the tightness in her features loosening up a bit. “His Royal Highness left a phone for you as well. Just there.”
I pick up the familiar cell phone and take a seat. Lisbet disappears, and I bring the screen to life, noting that it’s fully charged. I wonder if Thorsen has been through my phone, but then again, it only makes sense that he has. He knew about Charlotte, obviously from my list of contacts, which really only consists of her and Olivia.
While breakfast looks delicious and my stomach is already rumbling, I’m anxious to get my phone calls in while Thorsen’s still in a giving mood. Who knows what the weather will be like when he returns today?
The first person I call is Olivia, and she answers on the second ring.
“Ella?” I can practically see her smile through the speaker. “Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me.” I smile back even though she can’t see me.
“Oh, my God. What on earth is going on? I’ve been getting deposits every day. Is that really from you?”
I pause for a moment, considering the best way to answer this question. “Yes, I’m… working for someone,” I explain. “And it’s a two-month contract, so you should see plenty more where that came from.”