Chapter 233/The Schedule of Forbidden Nights

Chapter 233: 233/The Schedule of Forbidden Nights

Chapter 232

Stephanie’s POV

My calf muscle locked instantly a sharp, sudden spasm as Cedric’s warm hand snaked beneath the heavy mahogany table. His palm settled high on my inner thigh, bold and unyielding.

I froze. The silver soup spoon hovered inches from my parted lips, trembling slightly.

The sudden heat of his knuckles through my dress sent a sharp electric charge straight up my spine. He didn’t just hold me; his fingers began to move, stroking slowly with a relentless, agonizing intent, crawling higher and further inward with every second.

My gaze snapped to his. My eyes widened in a silent, panicked warning, pleading with him to stop.

Cedric didn’t so much as blink. With his free hand, he casually raised his crystal glass, bringing it to his lips and taking a slow, unhurried sip. His face was a mask of utter innocence, as if he weren’t committing the ultimate provocation right beneath his brother’s nose.

He tilted his head toward me, the movement smooth and deliberate, and leaned in just enough for his dark, husky voice to brush my ear.

"We’ll have so much more freedom with them gone..." He offered me a faint, enigmatic smile a private joke Alexander couldn’t possibly decipher.

Alexander’s eyes flicked up from his plate. He set his wine glass down with a quiet clink, looking between the two of us with a slight pull between his brows.

"What do you mean, Cedric?" Alexander asked, his voice even, grounded, and cool.

Cedric’s hand didn’t retract an inch. Beneath the table, his fingers dug deeper into my flesh, his grip tightening until my breath caught and my torso gave a subtle, violent jump.

He looked straight at his brother, his voice smooth and dripping with unspoken subtext intended solely for me: "I mean the estate is much quieter without Grandfather around... No one to disturb us, and no one watching our every move at night."

A single drop of cold sweat traced a slow path down the side of my neck. I tried to pull my leg away, shifting my weight, but his hand was an iron vice, trapping me in a terrifying haze of paralysis and sudden heat.

Alexander’s sharp blue gaze locked onto my face. He took in the ghost-white pallor of my skin, the faint tremor in my lower lip, and the way my knuckles were turning white. His expression instantly shifted from curiosity to sharp, protective concern.

"Stephanie?" He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Why are you so tense? Are you in pain?"

I swallowed hard, my left hand clutching the edge of the heavy wooden table so hard my fingernails bit into the polish. I fought to keep my vocal cords from shattering while Cedric’s fingers crossed every boundary of audacity beneath the cloth.

"No... No, Alexander," I managed, forcing a breath out. I reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear with a trembling hand. "It’s just... it’s a bit warm in here, that’s all."

Cedric’s lips curved into a darker, bolder smirk. He didn’t pull back; instead, his fingers squeezed my inner thigh with explicit, undeniable intent, sending a scorching shudder straight into my core.

He leaned across the table, locking eyes directly with Alexander. His posture shifted, his broad shoulders squaring as he shattered the fragile quiet of the dining room without a shred of hesitation:

"What I mean, Alexander... is that I’m having Stephanie all to myself tonight. Starting today, we set a strict rotation schedule between us... One night for me, one night for you."

The air in the room instantly turned to stone.

My breath trapped itself in my chest. My eyes darted wildly between the two of them, my heart hammering against my ribs.

*Clack.*

Alexander set his fork down onto his plate hard enough that the china rang through the vast room. His dark brows slammed together, his quiet, gentle aura evaporating into a dangerous, guarded hostility.

"A rotation?" Alexander’s voice dropped an octave, laced with warning. "This soon, Cedric? She’s exhausted and dealing with pregnancy symptoms, as you can clearly see."

Cedric chuckled a low, infuriatingly composed sound. He finally withdrew his hand from beneath the table, placing his fist flat on the dark wood directly in front of us.

"She’s fine, Alexander," Cedric countered smoothly, tracing a thumb over his knuckles. "And she knows damn well that this exact arrangement is what we all chose last night. Grandfather’s absence gives us absolute freedom. Tonight is my night to be with her."

Alexander’s piercing gaze snapped back to me. His pale blue eyes searched my flushed cheeks, reading the raw panic written across my features.

"What do you think, Stephanie?" Alexander asked softly, though his voice vibrated with a burning, volatile mix of jealousy and dark possessiveness.

He leaned closer, his eyes demanding truth. "Are you ready for this... or do you need to rest?"

My chest constricted painfully. I was pinned between them trapped by the overwhelming presence of both men as they enforced their obsession, while the horrifying shadow of Vincetti waited for me tomorrow.

My hand trembled as I brought my glass to my lips, taking a desperate sip of water before setting it back down. I looked first at Cedric, whose dark gray eyes demanded his absolute right, and then at Alexander, who was visibly smoldering beneath the rules of our pact.

I lowered my head, letting out a shaky, defeated sigh.

"I... I accept whatever you two agreed on," I whispered to my lap.

Alexander’s jaw clenching was visibly violent. Disappointment flared in his eyes before turning into a dark, frustrated shadow. He snatched his crystal glass, spinning the amber liquid inside so forcefully a few drops spilled over his knuckles, before slamming it down and giving a stiff, bitter nod.

"Fine," Alexander spat quietly, turning his gaze toward the dark window. "As long as you agree, I won’t go against the terms."

A dark, victorious smile spread slowly across Cedric’s lips. He downed the rest of his drink in one quick tilt of his head, then rose from his chair in one fluid motion. Reaching down, his fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist, pulling me upward while his thumb stroked the delicate skin over my pulse point.

He bent down, burying his dark eyes into mine, his voice a low, raspy growl designed to provoke his brother:

"Then... if you’ll excuse us, Alexander... I’m taking my property for the night."