CHAPTER EIGHT #2
She was beautiful and vibrant. Colorful in ways I didn’t expect.
Despite her family controlling her life, just like mine did, she still found her own identity.
“I’d love to try one,” I said, accepting the cupcake she offered.
The frosting was smooth and buttery against my fingers as I peeled back the wrapper. I took a small, careful bite, the sweet vanilla flavor spreading across my tongue. Wow.
“This is delicious,” I began to say but the words died in my throat.
Heavy, uneven footsteps approached from the hallway behind us, followed by the distinctive tap of a cane against the marble floor. “Paolo, I’m hungry,” a deep, gruff, male voice said.
I turned, my mouth still full, and froze. My heart thudded in my chest.
A tall figure entered the kitchen, his gait halting and uneven as he leaned heavily on an ornate black cane with each step. He wore an expensive suit that hung slightly loose on his frame, but it wasn’t his limping that made my breath catch in my throat.
His face was entirely concealed behind a grey mask, not the decorative kind from the masquerade, but a rigid, full-face covering that reminded me of something from a horror film. A smooth, expressionless surface with only narrow slits for eyes.
The man stopped abruptly when he saw me, his body going rigid. Behind the mask, I could feel his eyes boring into me, intense and unsettling. Furious. A low, animalistic growl emanated from behind the expressionless facade, sending a chill down my spine.
I took an instinctive step back.
Oh my God…
Without a word, he pivoted on his good leg and stalked out, his cane striking the floor with sharp, angry taps as he disappeared down the hallway.
“W-who—” I stammered, blinking at his departing figure.
“Gabriel!” Giulia called out after the man. “Oh no!”
Gabriel… the name sounded familiar.
Shit, I remembered now.
Giulia’s twin brother!
Damon had given me a quick overview of the Salvatore members. I was told Gabriel was a recluse. He had been in a car accident two years ago that left him severely disfigured and with a heavy limp.
“I’m sorry.” Giulia apologized hastily. She looked a little… heartbroken. “That was Gabriel. Uh, I forgot to tell him you’d be coming and he doesn’t really like company.” She took a step away, smiling tightly. “I need to go see him. I’ll be right back.”
She started to walk away but then paused at the kitchen’s doorway.
“Actually, if you want to explore a bit while I’m gone, that door over there leads to the back garden.
” She gestured toward the heavy wooden door at the far end of the kitchen.
“There’s a stable just beyond the rose garden.
Matteo actually bought a horse, a mare, for you.
As a gift. Beautiful creature she is. He told me to show you but if you want to see her right now, the stableman, Mason, can help you get acquainted with her. ”
Her words struck me with surprise. A horse? For me?
I didn’t even know how to ride a horse. Why would Matteo give me a horse?
“I’ll find you after I’ve spoken with Gabriel.”
Before I could respond, she was gone, hurrying after her twin brother. Leaving me alone in the kitchen with the two chefs who cleverly pretended not to have witnessed the awkward scene.
I stood there for a moment, still holding the half-eaten cupcake, uncertain what to do. The kitchen suddenly felt too small, too stifling. I could feel the eyes of the chef boring into my back, waiting for me to leave.
But I wasn’t sure where to go or how to act. It wasn’t like I had complete and unrestricted access to the mansion. I wasn’t a Salvatore yet, so I was still just a guest.
The longer I stayed standing in the middle of the kitchen, the more awkward it became, and the more suffocated I felt.
The back garden beckoned. An escape.
And so I made my way to the door Giulia had indicated. It opened with a soft creak, revealing a stone pathway winding through meticulously maintained gardens.
The air outside was crisp and clean, carrying the scent of roses and freshly cut grass. I stepped onto the path, suddenly grateful for the solitude and open space.
My heels clicked against the stone as I followed the winding trail, passing by beds of vibrantly red roses.
The path curved around a tall hedge, and suddenly the stable came into view, an elegant structure of weathered wood and stone that somehow managed to look both rustic and luxurious.
It was smaller than I’d expected, clearly designed to house only a few select animals rather than a full complement of riding horses.
As I approached the stables, the scents of hay, leather, and horses filled my nostrils.
My steps flattered when a man emerged from the stable doors, wiping his hands on a cloth. His dark hair was streaked with gray, his skin tanned from the sun, and his shoulders broad. He spotted me immediately and gave a respectful nod.
“I assume you’re Miss Morelli,” he greeted me, his voice carrying a hint of an accent I couldn’t quite place. “I’m Mason. I was told you might visit today.”
He smiled, the expression softening his weathered features. “I tend to the horses.”
“I was told that Matteo has a horse for me,” I said slowly, looking around the stable.
Mason nodded, gesturing behind him. “Come see for yourself.”
I stepped into the stable’s cool interior, my eyes adjusting to the dimmer light. The space was immaculately kept, with polished wooden stalls and fresh straw underfoot.
Three horses stood in separate enclosures, two magnificent black horses that towered regally in their stalls, and a smaller chestnut one with a white blaze down its face. Its head turned toward me as I approached, dark eyes regarding me with gentle curiosity.
“This beauty here is Stella,” Mason said, moving toward the chestnut mare. “Mr. Salvatore picked her personally. She’s spirited but gentle enough for a beginner.”
I reached out tentatively, letting my fingers hover near the mare’s muzzle. She stretched forward, her velvet nose brushing against my palm in greeting.
“She’s beautiful,” I murmured, genuinely touched by the thoughtfulness of the gift, unexpected as it was. I didn’t know what to do with a horse since I knew nothing about horses.
But still, I had to thank Matteo for this. I just wasn’t sure how.
Mason was about to speak when another familiar voice cut through the stable’s tranquility.
“She’s also feisty as hell when she wants to be. Rather like someone else I know.”
Thud.
Every muscle in my body tensed at that voice—deep, smooth, and laced with that perpetual undertone of mockery. My heart stuttered traitorously in my chest as I turned.
Thud.
My pulse quickened.
Adrian leaned against the stable doorframe, his posture deceptively casual.
Thud.
The first three buttons of his black shirt were unbuttoned, revealing the strong column of his throat and a glimpse of his tanned chest. His biceps stretched over the fabric as he crossed his arms over his chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing thick veins alongside his forearms. Dark tattoos curled around every inch of his left arm, leaving no surface untouched.
Black pants hugged his legs, the fabric seemingly expensive. He looked like he belonged in this rustic setting yet simultaneously seemed too dangerous, too unpredictable to be contained by such simple, calm surroundings.
It was infuriating how he could belong anywhere simply by deciding that he did.
“Since I’m here, I’ll show my sister-in-law around. You can go, Mason.”
The way he said the word "sister-in-law" was almost taunting, as if he found it insulting. But I didn’t think Mason caught on. Or if he did, he acted like he didn’t.
“If you’ll excuse me, Miss Morelli,” Mason said. “If you need me, please holler.”
Before I could protest, the stableman slipped past Adrian and disappeared through a side door, leaving me alone with the last person I wanted to see.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, proud that my voice remained steady despite the chaos erupting inside me.
Adrian’s mouth curled into that infuriating half-smile that haunted my dreams. “This is the Salvatore Estate, isn’t it? Am I not a Salvatore? Where else would I be?” he questioned, stepping farther into the stable.
“Giulia said you have your own place,” I countered. “An hour away.”
His eyebrow arched slightly, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Been asking about me, Princess?”
“No!” The denial came too quickly, too forcefully.
He tsked darkly. “I find that you’re full of surprises.”
“Giulia was giving me a tour, explaining where everyone lives. That’s all. I don’t care where you live.”
“Mmm.” He made a noncommittal sound, reaching out to stroke the neck of one of the black stallions. The powerful animal leaned into his touch like a kitten seeking affection. “This is Azrael. Mine. The other black one is Matteo’s. Magnus.”
Adrian moved to stand beside me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. He reached out to pat Stella’s neck, his arm brushing against mine. I flinched away from the contact. I didn’t want to be close to him, I couldn’t bear it… not after…
The mare made a sound and I jumped back in surprise.
“Skittish, aren’t you?” he observed, his voice low and amused.
I glared up in response.
“How adorable,” he purred.
“I’m not skittish,” I retorted, straightening my spine. “I just don’t appreciate being ambushed at every turn by you and I am especially cautious around people who have given me reason to be.”
“And what reason have I given you, Princess?” His voice dropped lower, more intimate. “Our little moment in the garden? Or what you witnessed in the wine cellar?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Don’t,” I warned, stepping back. The mare nickered softly behind me. “That’s not something decent people mention.”
“I never claimed to be decent.” His eyes glittered with amusement. “And you didn’t look away. Not immediately. You were curious.”