Chapter 10
Ten
Ifollow Nero’s expensive car, barely believing that I’m about to be welcomed into his home. My nerves make me edgy, and I keep having to clench and unclench my hands from around the steering wheel as we make our way up the hill to the manor at the top.
When he reaches a set of iron gates, he rolls down his window, presses a code into the keypad, and speaks into the speaker. He eases his car through the gates, and I follow him onto a tree-lined winding road.
The trees finally clear, and I’m met with a dark sprawling mansion so large I never imagined places like this existed. Mist hangs low to the ground, and an ominous feeling rises around me. For the first time since he asked me to come home with him, I have second thoughts.
There are two spires on each far end of the massive manor, and I spot points of two more off in the distance. The dark gray stone gives the place a Gothic feel, and I imagine this place standing here a thousand years ago, though that’s impossible.
Nero parks his car in the circular drive, and I park beside him, sucking in a deep breath before I climb out.
He waits for me. “You can leave your things in your car. One of the staff will bring it to your room.”
I nod, the word staff feeling overwhelming. You’d need a full team of people to run a place this big. And do they treat the staff the way Louise treats me? If so, I’m not sure I can handle that. But it’s only for one night, and I have no other choice.
“When you said I could stay at your place, I didn’t imagine it would look like this.” I look up and spot stone gargoyles perched on top of the mansion. I swear their eyes are watching us, assessing, judging.
Nero chuckles. “It can be overwhelming. I didn’t want you to say no.”
My cheeks heat with his admission. “I’m only staying the night. I don’t need all my things.” I gesture to the back seat, where basically every belonging I own is packed.
“We’ll discuss that later. Come on. Dinner is already underway. Let’s get you something to eat.”
I swallow back my nerves when he gestures toward the house and walks in that direction. A huge door with a stained-glass window draws my attention. Its beauty feels at odds with the heavy feeling of the rest of the building.
“This is Midnight Manor.” Nero opens the door, and I step over the threshold, taking in the grandeur. “We’re in the communal part of the manor, and four wings venture out. I’m in the south wing. We’ll go there after we grab something to eat.”
I turn to face him and nod, feeling overwhelmed by the display of wealth surrounding me. Each painting and piece of furniture is probably worth more than my dad’s entire home.
“C’mon.” He gestures for me to follow him.
The manor is dimly lit as we walk through the rooms and hallways. It’s so large that I feel trapped in a maze, easily losing track of where we started.
I hear people’s voices up ahead, and I realize that we’re not just going into the kitchen to grab food and go to his section of the house. We’re about to interrupt a meal in progress. He’s got to be kidding me.
I tug on the sleeve of Nero’s jacket, and he stops, giving me a quizzical look. “My name is Cinder. Cin is just what I go by when I… perform.” I’m not sure why I feel self-conscious about telling him that, but I don’t feel right about him introducing me to anyone by my stripper name.
He gives me a warm smile, seeming to understand. “Okay, Cinder.”
We continue walking toward the voices until we come upon what’s clearly a dining room.
“Finally, where the hell have you been?” Asher Voss asks. I recognize his voice from when he came into the bar a long time ago when Anabelle had some trouble there. He’s as intimidating as the people say he is. The Voss family is well-known in Magnolia Bend, although not many people have had conversations with them.
“Sorry, I’m late. I, uh… had something that came up,” Nero says.
I step around him to make my presence known.
“Guys, this is Cinder,” Nero says, gesturing to me at his side.
“Oh my god! Cinder!” Anabelle bolts up from the table and rushes around to give me a hug. “I’m so happy to see you here.”
Before Anabelle and Asher were married, she would come into the bar with her brother. We would chat while I worked, and she was always nice. When she found out I also worked at TT’s, she never gave me that judgmental look others did.
Rapsody gets up from the table, too, and gives me a hug. “It’s so good to see you again.”
I met her the one time she was in the bar with Anabelle, but she seems just as personable and nice.
“You too.”
“We’re just here to pick up food before we head to my wing,” Nero says.
The cutest Labrador puppy crawls out from under the table and sniffs my feet.
“Oh my gosh, who is this?” I crouch down and pet the puppy.
“That’s Max. Kol just gave him to me tonight,” Rapsody says, squatting next to me.
“He is so sweet.”
Max props up on his hind legs and licks my face. I laugh, petting him more.
“He sure likes you,” Rapsody says, running her hand down his back.
I peek up, and Nero is watching me with a look I can’t interpret. I gently ease Max off of me and stand, a tad embarrassed that I got carried away when I don’t really know anyone here.
“You know Anabelle and Rapsody?” Nero asks.
“They’ve been in the bar.”
“Right.” Nero seems relieved by my answer, and the tension in his shoulders loosens.
“Hello, Cinder,” Asher says, stepping forward, holding out his hand. “Good to see you again.”
I nod, shaking his hand. Asher Voss is an intimidating presence. He came into the Black Magic Bar awhile back, insisting that if Anabelle was ever there and needed any assistance, I was to call him, which I only had to do one time.
“This is Obsidian, but everyone calls him Sid,” Nero says and gestures to a man who isn’t sitting with a woman next to him.
His suit looks as if it costs a small fortune, which makes the wolf tattoo on his neck surprising, not melding with his put-together exterior. His wavy brown hair is slicked back, and his dark eyes make me want to step back when he sticks his hand out for a handshake. But that would be rude and wouldn’t endear me to Nero, so I accept his hand.
“Good to meet you, Cinder.” His fathomless eyes meet mine, and I swear they’re looking into my soul. I try to keep my eyes on his for as long as I can before I have to look away.
“And this is Kol,” Rapsody says with a huge smile. “My fiancé.”
Nero whips his head toward Kol. “You guys are engaged?”
“He asked me earlier tonight.” She pushes her hand out to show the giant rock that sits on the ring finger of her left hand.
After Nero and I are done offering our congratulations, everyone else returns to their seats around the table, but Nero doesn’t show me to a seat.
“We’re going to make up some plates, then I’m showing Cinder to her room,” Nero says.
“Will you be staying with us long?” Sid asks.
Nero’s lips thin as he stares at his brother.
“Just tonight. Thank you for having me.” I’d do just about anything to get out of this room. The feeling I had at my father’s house washes over me—like a freeloading loafer. I can’t imagine what his brothers must think. Nero bringing home the bartender and stripper from TT’s.
If Nero’s look could kill, Sid would be splayed on the table, gutted and bleeding out.
“Get a plate from the sideboard and put on however much you want, Cinder.”
I do as he says while Anabelle tries to stir up the conversation again around the table, which I appreciate. Once we each have a plate, Nero leads me out of the dining room without saying a word to his family.
I stop at the archway of the doorway. “Thank you.”
All their eyes are on us with looks of confusion over fake smiles. It’s only one night, and I’ll probably never be back here again.