Chapter 19
Nineteen
Just like last night when Murphy organized our dinner, I called him again this morning for a pool house breakfast delivery.
I didn’t say either time who the second plate was for, and he’s too good at his job to ask.
Staff have clear instructions to leave the dishes in the living area and not to enter further into the house.
Last night was rough. Dax tossed and turned. He even moaned in his sleep. It was hard to tell whether it was pain or bad dreams. I guessed both. I’d stroke his forehead and kiss his cheek until he settled. Because I couldn’t tell if he was okay, I barely slept.
I let him sleep late, and the midday arrival of crispy bacon, fried tomatoes, and poached eggs stirs him awake.
“Hungry?” I ask, smiling at his scrunched expression as he stretches his arms out.
He blinks a few times, waking up. “Is that food?”
“Yes. Do you want me to bring it in here?”
He shakes his head, sitting up. “No, we can go out there. I haven’t even seen the pool in the daylight.”
“There’s a nice view of it from the comfy couches in the living room.”
“Is your family still here?”
“No. Ash will be at school, and Dad will be at work.”
“Okay, good. I’m not in the mood to look over my shoulder all morning.”
“You don’t have to worry. Let’s go eat.”
I lead Dax into the living area and watch the smile grow on his face.
“I didn’t notice how nice this place was before,” he says, looking around the airy space. “And this isn’t even your main home.”
“It’s probably so nice because it hardly gets used,” I joke.
“You don’t use the pool?”
At the coffee table, I pull the cloches off our plates. “I do, sometimes. It’s a good stress reliever. We could go for a swim later, if you like?”
Dax sits beside me. “Yeah, maybe.”
We eat breakfast in silence. Dax continues to look around at the plush furniture and beachy aesthetic. He told me the mall made him uncomfortable, so I hope he’s not feeling out of place here.
When our plates are cleared, we sit back on the couch, cuddled together.
“We have some time to kill before your appointment this afternoon,” I say, stroking his coffee-colored hair. “Do you want to rest?”
“I should probably swing by the clubhouse.”
My gut tenses. “Why would you do that?”
“So no one has a reason to look for me.”
“Dax, yesterday your brother hit you so hard you blacked out.”
“He just hit me where I was already bruised.”
“Baby, you need to stop making excuses for him. This situation is not okay.”
Dax rubs his palm across his chest. “Just stop.”
I put my hand over his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel worse.”
“All I need to do is walk in there for five minutes.”
“And what if he has a job for you to do?”
“I’ll tell him I’ll do it.”
“Will Boscoe or McCoy follow you?”
Dax frowns, rolling his shoulders forward. “You’re doing it again. You’re making me tense up.”
“I’m just scared,” I whisper. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
He lifts my hand and kisses it. “And I don’t want them finding me again when I’m with you. If I go to them, everything will stay the same. It’s safer.”
“When will you go over there?”
“I’ll go before the doctor’s appointment. You can have your driver take you to the hospital. Just tell your family you’re going for a volunteer shift.”
I suck in my bottom lip, and it trembles when I let it go. “Okay.”
He rubs my arms, searching deep into my eyes. “Trust me. It’s what I have to do.”
My eyes prick with tears. “I don’t understand why you can’t just stay here. You’re safe here.”
“I’m hiding here.”
“My father will come around.”
“Ness, I’m still staying here with you. I just have to show my face at the clubhouse. That’s all.”
I nod, my frown immovable.
He kisses my forehead. “It’ll be okay.”
“Okay. I don’t understand, but I trust you.”
He smiles. “Thank you.”
I reach for a glass of water on the coffee table and take a sip. “If you want to get out of here for a little bit, I could give you a tour of the manor.”
Dax gets off the couch, moving toward the glass sliding doors to view the manor. “It looks like it’ll take all day to move around that place.”
“I’ll only show you the important rooms. There are a few wings I haven’t been in for years.”
Dax laughs. “I don’t get why your family needs to live in such a massive place.”
I smirk, walking over to him. “Because this is Ashworth Estate and we’re the Ashworth family.”
Dax slaps his forehead playfully. “How could I be so dumb?”
“I need to change anyway,” I say, looking down at the T-shirt and shorts I slept in. “I can’t have anyone see me walk around in this during the day.”
“I think you look cute,” he says, taking my hand. “You look so relaxed. You’re not even wearing makeup.”
I look away in embarrassment. “Don’t make fun of me.”
He holds onto my hand tighter. “I’m not. Honestly, you look great.”
I cup my cheek, feeling it grow hotter. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’m not dressed appropriately.”
Dax chuckles. “I thought I told your mother to get out of your head.”
“It’s not just my family. The staff will look at me funny too.”
As we walk toward the manor, Dax asks, “Do you need to go to school today?”
“Going to school for my brother and me is mostly for image’s sake,” I reply. “When the school is named after our family, we kinda get away with not attending. Besides, there’s three ivy league colleges competing for me, so my future isn’t dependent on high school.”
“Do you know what college you want to go to?”
“I haven’t thought about it because it’s not my decision.”
Dax sighs. “I see why you want to feel free.”
“My problems are nothing compared to yours.”
His thumb rubs against the back of my hand. “But they’re your problems, and they matter.”
I lean into him appreciatively.
Before we reach the manor, Dax asks, “Are you sure my bike is okay in that shed?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. When I spoke to Murphy earlier, he said the groundskeeping staff had asked about it, but I had him instruct them to ignore it.”
“It’s that easy?”
I grin. “Yep.”
“So where does your driver park his car?” he asks. “Or does he take it home with him?”
“We have a garage for the limousines and town cars,” I explain. “Roger and the other drivers park their personal cars by the staff quarters on the back of the property.”
Instinctively, Dax looks over his shoulder. “Just how far back does this property go?”
I giggle. “Yeah, we own a lot of land. We passed the staff quarters on the way into the maintenance shed. There’s a service entrance down there where you can make a smooth getaway.”
“Sweet. So the garage with your father’s car isn’t near that?”
“No, his garage is closer to the main house. The service cars have one section, and the main area is for the sports cars.” When Dax’s eyes light up, I ask, “Do you want to start the tour there?”
“We won’t get caught?”
“Like I said, my dad and brother are out. Plus, Dad always chooses to travel by helicopter. I don’t even remember the last time I saw him driving. I think the cars are just trophies at this point.”
“Okay, I've gotta see.”
With his excitement sending waves of happiness through me, I lead Dax to the garage. It’s warehouse-sized with polished cement floors and crisp studio lighting.
Dax whistles, taking it all in. “Wow. There’s an insane amount of money in this room.”
We walk between the sleek and shiny cars. Dax awes at the exteriors, scrutinizes the interiors, and checks out a few of the engines.
“So which ones have you taken for a spin?” he asks, tapping fingers along the hood of a Mercedes roadster.
I blush. “None.”
“Oh, come on.” He moves over to the Dodge Viper. “Don’t you rich kids ever rebel?”
“Sometimes peer pressure gets the better of my brother, and he’ll take a car out.” My eyes wander to the Porsche 911, my favorite car. “But it’s not that rebellious. There are trackers in all of them, so we’re watched wherever we go.”
“Is that why you haven’t taken one out?”
“To be honest, I haven’t thought about it. Despite having my driver’s license, Dad told us not to drive ourselves. Plus, I’m used to having a driver on call.”
He tugs on my hand. “Come on, show me the rest of your digs.”
I lift a pointed finger. “Before we do, I need to give you something.”
I take Dax into the service car garage and over to a lockbox. I punch in a code and pull out a swipe card.
“This will open the service entrance at the back of the property. Only staff have these, and my family won’t notice if it’s used or not.”
Dax takes the swipe card. “Is it really okay that I have this?”
My heart bounces happily. “I just want you to be able to come and go without my dad screaming at you. This is the easiest option.”
Dax grins, pocketing the swipe card. “Okay, then. Thanks.”
When we enter the manor, we wander around the great room, which is stuffed with antique furniture and centuries-old artworks.
Dax’s eyes wander up the stairs. “So, where do you sleep?”
Nervousness ripples through me. “You want to see my bedroom?”
He smirks. “We’ve slept next to each other twice, and you’re tripping out over me seeing your bedroom?”
“Oh gosh. I still can’t believe how whirlwind meeting you has been. I wouldn’t even let a boy kiss me, and now I can’t imagine spending a day without you.”
“I know. I’m irresistible.”
I snigger and lead him to the stairs. “There are a few wings to pass before we get to mine.”
“Of course, this place is a freaking maze.”
I lead him toward my bedroom, navigating the different hallways. “This is my wing. It’s nicknamed the kids’ wing. Whenever our cousins or friends stay with us, they always have a bedroom in this hallway.”
“Is it just you and your brother now?”
“My brother moved into a suite in a different wing. His girlfriend’s bedroom is right there, and next door was my brother’s room. Once our parents found out they were a couple, they made him move.”
“Is it better having space away from your brother?”
“No. I wish Christie were the one who moved.”
“Oh, that sucks.”