Bloodbound: The Alliance
Chapter 51 - 55

Chapter 51: Chapter 55

Avara POV

"I don’t want to do this."

Kelsey dumps herself on the edge of my bed. "You don’t have a choice. You’ve been AWOL long enough. And now you can’t hide with all this frenzy with your father’s nomination. He’s a forerunner and adored by the public—he’s going to win that ballot. So you need to get back into fighting shape."

I shake my head obstinately, pulling the blanket to my face.

"I’m already running you a bubbly bath with Epsom salt—you’re going to love it," she says gently.

I stare back at her blankly.

Kelsey’s face switches from compassion to conflict as the soft look hardens into an expression of annoyance. She stands up and latches onto my blanket before she gives it a ferocious tug. I cling to it until I slide off the edge, tumbling to the ground with a muffled thud. Kelsey rips the blanket out from under me. She takes a hold of my arm and yanks me up to my feet with great effort, pulling me towards the door as I hurl my weight back to make myself even heavier.

"Avara!"

"Kelsey!"

"Are you five?" she snaps back. "Go and get ready. The interview is like in two hours."

"Maybe I just don’t care!" A surge of white-hot anger, so searing it’s like a cold burn. "There will always be another interview, another speech, another ploy—another sacrifice. And for what?"

Kelsey raises her arms, and it drops back to her sides with a dramatic slap. "For your family," she answers simply. "You sacrificed years and your dreams for your family. For your father—that’s what family does. Don’t let anything, all the hard work and dedication you poured into this family, undermine why you did it. Love. With all your father’s faults, you love him. That’s what’s hurting you. And you won’t stop cause he’s still your dad."

A tear leaks from my eye and I wipe it away fast.

I flinch at the hard knock—my eyes leap to the door.

"Is everything okay in there?" Luciano shouts from the otherside. "We’re hearing yelling."

Kelsey looks back at me expectantly, raising a quizzical brow. I meander over to the door before I open it carefully, exposing myself to the dimly lit hallway. Luciana fumbles back, feigning shock as he extends his arm out to Silas, who grips his forearm with shared shock as they both gape at me theatrically.

"She lives," Silas breathes.

"Ha, ha," I say flatly. I fix on a serious face, my eyes struggling to reach their faces. "Look, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about the trouble I caused, okay? I didn’t mean to make you guys so worried."

"Trouble," Luciano approaches, with a hint of outrage in his voice. "The only trouble that exists in our life is Landen—that whole damn Vacheron family. You did nothing wrong and have nothing to apologize for."

Luciano envelopes me in a hug as I nestle deeper into his embrace. Silas joins from my rear, engulfing me from behind, suffusing me with their warmth that isn’t just soul-soothing but it makes me feel safe.

"Kels, why you standing so far?" Silas questions, outstretching his hand. "Sibling group hug means sibling group hug."

Kelsey smiles bashfully before she slaps her hand in his and he pulls her over with a hard tug. Fully engulfed and entwined with the people I hold most dear. Kelsey soon breaks it up as she untangles herself, motioning me forward.

"Come on, you have an interview to prepare for."

"With Reece Hartly, right?" Luciano asks. "That guy is mega sexist, be careful with him."

"Why would you say that?" Kelsey gawks at him, then her eyes explode with horror. "Luciano, what happened to your eye?" she questions with motherly concern.

My head whips to inspect for myself. Right under his right eye, he has a dark bruise billowing across the orbital bone. Horrified, I lift my hand, but his face darts out of reach before he takes a defensive step back. Now, if Silas was the one with the black eye or broken—something. I wouldn’t really bat an eye. He’s been getting into fights since he knew how to throw a decent right hook. Luciano, on the other hand, is the levelheaded one with an unshakeable composure. That frightens me.

"What the hell happened?" Kelseys says before I get the chance.

Luciano includes Silas in his unreadable look.

"We got into it," Silas confesses. "We got into it about the campaign and he said something I didn’t like."

"Liar," I shriek. "You guys have gotten into mild fights before, but you have never hit Luciano so hard—he has a black eye."

"It was an accident," Luciano adds, something poisoning the air around him, "Don’t you got an interview to prepare for?"

I reach for him again, but he jerks away and Silas sends me a rueful smile, giving me a placating gesture before he follows after Luciano. Kelsey gasps and bolts away, disappearing into the bathroom, compelling me to dash after as she rushes to close the tap of the bathtub filled to the bubbly brim.

"Okay." She dusts her hands thoughtfully. "You got fifteen minutes to bathe."

I nod lazily.

"The question is, are you going to wear the ring or not?"

Bitterness corrodes my inside as I shake my head at the memory. "Landen didn’t give me much of a choice. I have to figure a way out of this, but for now. No more surprises. Not even from me."

Kelsey scoffs and shakes her head with a sense of disbelief. "You’re way too nice for your own good."

"It’s like you said," I say with a tired shrug. "My dad’s nomination has created a considerable buzz and he can’t have my notoriety staining his name. To keep his clean, I have to clear mine."

Kelsey nods knowingly. "Is the studio going to do your hair and makeup?"

I concede an unbothered nod. "But I want you to do it. And I want you to wash with me."

She raises a mischievous brow.

Smiling, I glance away momentarily. "Because I need you to do the interview with me."

Her eyes flare with a disbelieving smile. "I don’t think that’s allowed."

"You do it with me. Or I’ll cancel with the network and they won’t want to pass up this opportunity—it’s PR gold for them."

"I think this is just a ploy to get me naked."

I snort a laugh. "Will you come with me or not?"

Kelsey slips off her top as she strolls towards the shower before casting the shirt on the ground.

***

Kelsey POV

Avara steps into the studio, emanating undeniable confidence, though beneath the surface, a snarl of tension coils around her movements. Her sharp, tailored outfit—a sleek lace black blouse and a matching high-waisted skirt. Her roasted chestnut hair is pulled back into a neat, glossy bun, not a strand out of place, reflecting the precision with which she approaches everything.

I, in a simple black bodycon dress, offer a quieter presence. My purpose is palpable in the way I stand just a step behind, always within arm’s reach. Even though Avara stands stall with a poised posture and a regal bearing, her one hand twitches, fingers spasming erratically. I accelerate to be aligned with her so I can hold her hand to still her trembles. She glances back at me and squeezes my hand in silent gratitude.