Chapter 32
Aria
Amanor.
Before today, I never really knew what a manor was. The only thing I knew as one was the house from the TV show Charmed. When Elliot said we were going to the manor for dinner, I pictured a house just like the show, or something like the Painted Ladies in San Francisco.
Never, and I mean never, did I think my version was wrong. At least, not until Elliot pulled into a driveway lined with tall trees leading to a house that looks like it belongs in a movie.
The structure is massive, like it could be a castle in medieval times but a modern version.
There is a circular drive up to the house with a huge fountain in the middle, surrounded by beautiful landscaping and a handful of luxury cars parked out front.
The place looks like a castle but a home at the same time. There are touches to it that you wouldn’t expect, and I kind of like it.
“You grew up here?” I ask, looking out the window as he parks behind a black car with the word McLaren on the back.
I turn in time to see Elliot shrug. “I wouldn’t say grew up. At most, I lived here for five years. Moved here when I was ten then went to high school in Texas.”
That’s right—he went to high school with Santos, but I didn’t know that happened in Texas. I wonder why he went to high school in a different state. Was he sent there by himself, or was his family there too?
“Did you not live here after high school?” I ask, while wondering if he ever went back to Texas while I lived there.
He gives me another shrug. “Not really. I only ever stayed here for a few weeks between new cities. To me, this was never home.”
“Where was home for you then?” I ask softly, my eyes never leaving his profile.
Elliot doesn’t answer. He simply looks at the house in front of us, as if taking it in. When he turns to me, his demeanor changes slightly.
“That’s a story for another time. Ready to go in?” A smile forms on his face when he asks the question, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
I push my curiosity to the side, give him a nod, and he gets out of the car.
As he walks around the hood to my door, I watch him. Like me, Elliot holds secrets, but I have a feeling his are rooted deeper than mine ever were. It’s possible they will never see the light of day.
Deep down, I want to know those secrets.
I want to know every ounce of the man who has started to wedge himself into my heart, but I’m not going to force him to tell me.
If his secrets eventually come out, I will take them and hold them close.
Until then, I just have to hope those secrets aren’t hurting him.
My door opens, and he holds out a hand for me to take. I gladly place my hand in his and let him pull me out of the car and up the walkway to the house.
Without the car window in the way, the house is even more beautiful. There are bushes of flowers everywhere and a lawn so massive, I can barely see the end of it.
“This place has to be creepy at night,” I voice out loud as I notice the trees lining the massive property apart from the driveway. I would be afraid something is on the other side, even though I know there isn’t.
“It’s definitely dark as fuck and eerie when it’s absolutely quiet,” he says as we climb up the steps to the front door.
“Did you ever throw parties?” I ask. This place would be a teenager’s dream.
He shrugs. “One or two. The party-throwers were mostly Sam, Charlie, and Grayson.”
Who’s Charlie?
I don’t get to ask, though, because he pulls me through the front door, and I’m stunned by what I see.
The house is beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, it’s absolutely spectacular.
The walls are a shade of white that make everything feel vibrant and like home.
There is a grand staircase with somewhat of a spiral to it that looks like it’s made for royalty, a chandelier hanging above us that shines when the sun hits it.
“Wow.”
“They remodeled a few years ago. Ella really went all out.”
My hand tightens around Elliot’s hand ever so slightly. I have a feeling he has a lot of animosity toward this house.
For a second, Elliot looks down at our hands, and when he looks back up, he seems like he wants to say something. He’s stopped when footsteps sound in front of us.
When I look to see who joined us, I have to do a double take. The kid—no way is he more than eighteen—walking over to us looks so much like Elliot but at the same doesn’t.
“I’m guessing this is your youngest brother,” I voice, nodding toward the smiling figure.
“Yup. Aria, this is my brother, Drake.”
Drake? I’m all for parents naming their kids whatever they want, but from time to time, there are some choices I may judge for a second or two. Drake is one of them. He doesn’t look like a Drake, but maybe his name fits his personality or something.
“Nice to meet you,” I say, pulling my hand away from Elliot’s and smiling up at his brother as I hold out my hand. Both brothers are about the same height.
Drake slides his hand into mine. “Nice to meet you too. It feels like I’ve been waiting ages to meet you in person.”
“You have?” I say, a smile spreading across my face. It makes me happy that Elliot has been talking about me to his family.
He nods eagerly. “Yup. Since you two went to Vegas and my brother had me loo–” A hand lands on his mouth, and before I know it, Elliot has him in a chokehold.
All I can do is stand there and gawk.
“What the fuck?” Drake says, his voice strained but a smile still prominent on his face.
What the hell is happening? And why do I find the way the veins on Elliot’s forearms are popping out so damn hot?
“You need to learn how to shut up.” This man may think he’s whispering as he grits the words through his teeth, but he’s not. I hear every word.
“And why would I do that?” Drake’s voice is strained, his face turning slightly red, but he is still able to grin.
“Wouldn’t want one of your computers to disappear.”
Drake lets out a fake gasp before Elliot lets him go.
“You’re a dick.” With a laugh, the youngest Lane starts walking away.
Once Drake is out of sight, I turn to his brother. “What’s was all that about?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
He gives me a shrug. “Brotherly stuff. Want a tour of the house?”
A hand is held out, but I push it away, taking a step closer to Elliot.
“Your brother was about to say something. What was it?”
“No idea,” he says with another shrug.
I narrow my eyes before taking a step back. “Drake,” I call out, because I know for a fact he didn’t go far. His footsteps didn’t continue when he turned the corner at the end of the foyer.
Sure enough, he pops his head around the wall. “Yes?”
“Do you like chocolate chip cookies?” I’m not opposed to bribery to get the information I seek.
He nods eagerly. “Love them.”
“Even homemade ones with sea salt and browned butter?”
Another eager nod. “Those are my favorite.”
“Good. How about this? I will make you those cookies if you tell me what you were about to say.”
He looks from me to his brother, who I can see from the corner of my eye shaking his head profusely. Drake’s eyes settle on me as he gives me another smile. “I like you.”
“Thank you. I’m very likable.”
“I also like chocolate chip cookies.”
I give him a nod. “They are the best, mine especially.”
He looks over at his brother again, and this time, I don’t know what he does, but Drake turns back to me with a sheepish smile. “But unfortunately, you don’t have my loyalty yet, so I have to say no. You’re almost there, though.”
He walks away, leaving me here with a triumphant-looking Elliot—though he won’t be triumphant for long.
I turn my narrowed gaze over to my fuck buddy. “Tell me what he was going to say.”
“Are you sure you don’t want a tour of the house? It’s really nice. Definitely better than when I lived here.”
“We can see the house after you tell me what he was going to say. What did you have him do?” I cross my arms across my chest in the stance that tells him I mean business.
He looks at me for a beat before he lets out a sigh and his shoulders deflate. “I don’t think I should tell you.”
“Why?”
Another sigh escapes him. “Because once I tell you, you might walk out that door, and I may never see you again.”
My arms drop. I start to think of everything he could say that would have me walking out on him, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t think of anything. I could drop it and just move on, but this is something I will always be curious about. There’s no way I can drop it.
“Tell me.”
“Aria.” He says my name like a plea. He wants me to drop the subject, but I have to know.
“I promise to hear you out. Just please, tell me.”
He looks at me for a long while. Eventually, he lets out a sigh and nod.
“Okay,” he says, almost a whisper. “Okay,” he repeats, as if preparing himself.
“Remember in the elevator, when you were working for Grayson, I told you I hadn’t stopped thinking about you?
” I nod yes. “I meant it wholeheartedly. You were on my mind from the second I laid eyes on you in the lobby. When I left you in your room, my mind was filled with thoughts of you and only you, our night together. I couldn’t think of anything else.
When I got on to the plane, I decided I wanted to know everything about you, so I asked Drake to find me every piece of information he could get his hands on. ”
I’m a little stunned. My mind tries to come up with a comprehensive answer, but my mouth is only able to formulate one question. “Why would you go to him?”
“Because he can hack his way into any computer database known to man.”
Drake is a hacker. I guess something like that could be beneficial for a family like this.
I nod as if I understand. I think I do, but the more the information moves around in my head, the more I question.