Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder by Alice Knightsky
Chapter 82 It Was Ethan’s Voice I Had Heard
**Rosalie’s POV**
A strange sensation ran through me, leaving me a bit unsettled. I looked around, not quite sure why I felt this way. “Is something bothering you?” Seraphine asked, gently placing a hand on my arm to calm me. “No, it’s nothing,” I told her, managing a smile. “I’m fine. Probably just my messy hormones.”
I turned my focus back to the spice selection at the local market. Soren would be back from his business trip tonight, and as usual, I would prepare dinner for him.
Sighing, I folded my arms and took a step back, thinking maybe I was just missing something.
Seraphine was kind enough to hold the basket for me, and at least I was able to find several of the spices I needed for the special cake I was planning to make this evening.
But not all of them. I was still missing one, and until I found it, the cake wouldn’t be completed.
“We can go down the street to the other store,” Seraphine suggested. “There’s that other little market “
I agreed.
And then there was the weird feeling I’d gotten a few moments ago when I’d been outside….
I had felt like someone was watching me. However, when I looked around, I only saw Elliott and Duke not far away from me.
Were they the ones that made me feel this way? I inwardly mocked myself for being too sensitive. There was nothing to worry about.
Soren had decided it was for the best for me to have bodyguards at all times. The situation with the war was heating up, and while he a*s*sured me it had nothing to do with him or the islands, he also said, “One could never be too careful with a baby.”
So, I started to get used to the guards, and even though I had always disliked it- whether I was in the capital or on this island.
On a positive note, at least when Soren asked me to do something, it was with a smile and an explanation. It wasn’t just a gruff order. Elliot and Duke gave me space, too, unlike Samuel and the guys that Ethan had follow me around.
Although it was almost sunset, the sidewalks were still crowded, and we struggled to walk next to each other. The guards slipped back to walk behind us now, making sure we were all right.
Normally, I liked coming to the market, but not when there were so many people.
A warm breeze blew by, stirring my hair- and then, in the distance, I thought I heard someone shouting my name. It wasn’t just anyone’s voice I heard, though.
It was Ethan’s!
I blinked for a moment, glancing at Seraphine. Strangely, I was quite certain that no one else had actually heard anything- and the sound had felt like it was going off in my head.
I froze for a second, but then, instinctively, I went to turn—to look for him.
However, before I could even get my head around, Elliott had me by the arm and was pulling me into an alleyway. “Watch out, Miss Ro!” he shouted as a couple of kids went zooming by on their bicycles.
I stood with my back to a wall, my eyes wide. I hadn’t even seen those children coming because of the crowd. Duke went off to stop them- no one was supposed to be riding their bikes on the sidewalk, anyway.
“Are you all right?” Elliott asked me.
My heart was pounding with adrenaline, but I nodded. “I’m fine.”
“I hope I didn’t hurt you,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“No, no, you’re fine.” I could tell he really was afraid I’d been injured, so I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“Let me see.” Seraphine handed the basket to Elliott and started checking my wrist and my head. She seemed relieved. “She’s fine. Come on- let’s go get that spice.”
“Actually,” I said – for some reason, I was hesitant to leave the alleyway at the moment – “could you get it for me really quickly? Sorry, but I’m a bit tired.”
Seraphine’s eyebrows rose for a second, but then she nodded. “Of course, dear. Just tell me what you need. I’ll be right back.”
I waited with my bodyguard, hoping my heart would stop pounding.
Part of me wished I had looked for Ethan, but the rest of me was glad I hadn’t.
If he was here… I didn’t want to know.
***
I was very happy to see Soren back again, and I thought he was glad to see me, too. I had gotten used to cooking for him whenever he was on the island. Dinners together were always fun.
“Here’s the surprise,” I said with a smile to Soren as I set the cake down in front of him. “Welcome back, Soren!”
I was a bit nervous. I’d been so distracted when I made it, and I had no idea how it had turned out.
“Well, look at this!” he marveled. “If this isn’t the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen!”
I chuckled at his comment. “Soren, it doesn’t even have any decorations on it,” I pointed out. “It’s just white.”
“But the beauty is in its simplicity,” he said, raising one eyebrow at me.
I just laughed as I sat down with him.
“You’ve already served me a lovely dinner, and now a splendid dessert. I am spoiled, Ro- indeed, I am.”
I shook my head. “Let’s try it before you say that. Maybe it doesn’t taste very good.”
“I doubt that. I’m sure it’s delicious.”
He cut into the cake and put a huge slice on his dessert plate before he gave me one as well. Then, he took a big bite … and made sounds like it was the most delicious thing he’d ever eaten.
“If heaven were a piece of cake,” he pronounced, “I believe I have just put it in my mouth.”
“You’re so silly!” I giggled.
I put down my silverware. Soren’s eyes followed the movement, but he didn’t look surprised at me not eating the cake- my appetite had become smaller.
“If only I could have some music…” Soren commented as he worked on the dessert.
Smiling at him, I replied to my most generous employer, “Yes, Mr. Soren. What would you like to hear?”
“Anything you’d like,” he said with a smile.
I headed to the piano and then launched into a cla*s*sic piece.
However, Soren put down the dessert. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he had come to sit beside me.
“Let’s play a duet,” he said.
I looked at him in astonishment. “I didn’t know you played!”
Soren shrugged. “Not as well as you, but I know a song or two.”
He began to play the opening notes of a popular duet, and with a smile on my face, I started to play along with him.
Our hands flew over the keys together, and we worked in harmony to build a beautiful tune. When it was over, I was still amazed by the wonderful music we made together.
I never knew what a pleasure it was to make music together with a peer musician. I titled my head to look at Soren, a bit speechless in my appreciation.
“Soren, that was just absolutely beautiful!” I exclaimed, “I… I don’t know what to say!”
I looked into his eyes, and he held my gaze.
Then he cleared his throat and said, “Yes… indeed! As much fun as this has been, Ro… unfortunately, I need to go”
Quickly, he got up and walked toward the door. I nodded in understanding. “Try to get some rest, though.”
I also got up to follow him, and we paused at the door.
He looked at me, hesitating for a moment, and said, “I’ll be gone for a few more days. I’ll miss you.” My eyes widened as I thought about what the expression on his face could mean.
“Who else is going to bake me cake?” he asked, and chuckled for a moment before looking away.
I smiled back at his comment, but I knew I looked a bit uneasy.
Then he said, “Be careful.”
Something about the way he was speaking to me reminded me so much of Ethan, more so than usual. I nodded. “I will,” I promised him.
Perhaps it was just that incident in the market that had Ethan on my mind.
He gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and then he was gone.
I was tired, but I wasn’t ready for bed. I sat back down at the piano bench, but my fingers didn’t fall on the keys—not
Soren had been acting a little differently tonight. I wasn’t sure what it was all about. Also, what had happened in the marketplace earlier today kept nagging at me.
I had heard my name shouted as clear as day, even though I was sure one one else heard it. I had never experienced anything like that before.
What’s more… I was sure it was Ethan’s voice I had heard.
But how was that possible? I was all the way over here on the islands, and he was back in Mirage. Wasn’t he?
I thought about him more than I ever wanted to admit. I wondered what he was doing, whether he was with Madalynn, how he was handling the war, whether he still thought of me.
Even though I had sold that necklace and decided to move on… every once in a while, I wondered whether I should’ve stayed there and tried to convince him that it was best for my baby if he’d let me live….
None of that mattered now.
My fingers began to move over the keys, and I tried to let the music smooth my mind.
When I pressed the keys down, I realized it was the beginning of Ethan’s favorite song- the one that he loved so much, and that I used to sing for him.
I stopped playing immediately- and in that moment, I had that uncanny feeling again that someone was watching me.
I got up from the piano and headed to the window, opening it, and leaning out. I peered into the bushes, across the garden, as far as I could see into the night. The feeling was a thousand times more powerful than it had been in the marketplace.
But I didn’t see anyone.
I muttered to myself, “You’re driving yourself mad, Rosalie. It’s time for you to get some sleep.”
I went back inside, pulled the window closed, and made sure the doors were locked. I turned off all of the lights and headed to bed.
Falling asleep was another matter entirely. Rest wasn’t going to be any easier to find that night than Ethan was. It might have been due to my strange emotions, but the baby seemed unsettled, too.
I gently touched my belly and talked to the little one inside. “Okay, okay. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Mommy is here for you. Would a song help you, little peanut?”
My child seemed to understand my question and was still for a moment, as if it was waiting for me to start singing.
I smiled, and decided on a nursery rhyme.