Chapter 1 #2
The room is simple, with swarthy gray walls and the same dark floorboards, with a four-poster bed, but a rather modern-looking bathroom.
“No, this is great. Thank you. All I have is what’s in my car.” I rub the back of my neck, feeling very embarrassed. I own nothing besides the two suitcases in my car, as well as Pumpkin’s toys and supplies.
For a moment, Xander watches me. Pumpkin’s purr fills the silence, and his silver eyes never leave mine as if he might find whatever he’s looking for by staring at me. I swallow under his intense energy, feeling smaller than ever as he towers over me by at least two feet.
“In that case, welcome, Noah.” Xander carefully places Pumpkin on the floor, my cat wrapping himself around Xander’s ankle, rubbing his head against his calf.
I nod, breathing out a sigh of relief, feeling my shoulders relax for the first time in days. Even the loud memories of Richard’s screaming seem to fade into the background. “Thank you, Xander.”
I blush at the taste of his name on my tongue, and I don’t miss the way his lips quirk as he watches me closely, his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets. Sucking in a breath through his nose, Xander clears his throat.
“I have to head out, but please help yourself to the kitchen; the fridge is fully stocked.” He turns to the hallway.
“What about rent?!” I call after him, realizing he’s already halfway down the stairs as I reach the landing. “It wasn’t specified in the listing. But I can pay anything.”
It’s not true. There is a limit to what I can pay per week, despite my flourishing reader base that snatches up every book I publish like starving wolves. And for that, I’m forever grateful to them.
Xander seems to tense under my question, his back turned, his traps bulging through the neckline of his shirt. Is this guy a bodybuilder?
“If you abide by the rules on the fridge, you’re welcome to stay for free,” Xander responds and continues down the stairs without another word.
I listen as the front door opens and closes before letting out a strangled sigh. My heart still pounds as if on high alert, despite the quietness of the house and the tapping of rain against the hall's windows that overlook the driveway.
I watch my yellow car parked before the driveway and groan. All my stuff is still in the trunk, and it’s pouring. The last thing I want is to get drowned while hauling my entire life’s belongings up those cobblestone stairs.
Before I step away from the window, an ear-splitting growl explodes through the house. My heart skips a beat, and I flinch so hard I may as well have jumped a foot in the air. Swallowing my yelp, I laugh when I realize the growl isn’t some bloodthirsty beast but a motorbike.
Beyond the front porch, Xander’s undeniable form rides away on a sleek black motorbike.
The blacked-out helmet only makes him look more gorgeous, and his dark leather jacket clings to his broad back.
God, men in leather with a growling beast between their legs makes them one hundred times sexier.
I wonder if he fucks with the helmet on?
I shake my head, smiling to myself, and tramp down the stairs with Pumpkin close in tow.
Despite having all the doors and windows shut, the house smells fresh.
The kitchen is fully stocked, with a bowl of fresh fruit on the island and a few unopened letters.
The pantry is also packed top to bottom with snacks, pasta, and plenty of cereals to choose from.
Yet, as I take in all the items, I notice none of them are open.
Not even the box of Poptarts or the bag of chips has been ripped.
I shrug to myself and turn to the fridge, finding a printed sheet of paper taped to the front of the door.
Xander said there were rules, and at least there are only four of them. But as I read them, my mind fills with more questions than answers, and I’m sure I’ll give myself a headache. Every rule makes absolutely no sense.
1. Do not walk past the garden pond after dark. Ever.
2. If Nyx sits in a doorway, you wait until she moves.
3. If someone knocks on the front door three times, do not answer it.
4. If you hear someone in the kitchen between 3–4 a.m., you didn’t.
I laugh at the last rule. “What a weird thing,” I mutter and reread the rules again, trying to make any sense of them.
I didn’t know the house had a garden, let alone a pond. I’m guessing Xander’s cat is called Nyx, and maybe she’s an ankle-biter?
The third rule sends a shiver over my skin as if someone is watching me, and I turn to peer over my shoulder at the empty house. Why would someone knock when there is a perfectly working doorbell?
I scan the house, taking in the exposed beams, the handcrafted details along the window frames, and the mantel in the living room. Sure, this house is old and creepy, but it’s my vibe through and through. Twilight vibes are my jam!
I turn back to the rule sheet and read the last rule again. Maybe Xander prefers not to be interrupted when he’s having a midnight snack?
I shrug again, still feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. But Pumpkin doesn’t seem spooked as he sniffs around the living area with a relaxed purr.
The rain still pelts against the house, and I’m itching for a shower and a change of clothes. “I guess I have to face the rain then.”
Making my way to the front door, I eye the oil paintings hanging on the walls; all of them are beautiful. Either landscapes or animals, each has its own little quirk. From dark and angry to bright and full of life. I wonder who painted them? Xander is some kind of crazy collector.
Meeting the front door, I open it and nearly trip over my two suitcases that sit at the threshold. Staring at them, I rub my eyes until I see stars and check again. Sure enough, both of my suitcases are waiting at the front door, safe beneath the porch overhang.
Had Xander taken them from my car for me?
I check the street, finding it empty, and the growl of Xander’s bike is long gone.
Turning back to my suitcases, I pull them inside and shut the door before putting my hands on my hips and letting out a giggle.
“No one has ever moved my bags for me.” I grin at Pumpkin, who lies belly-up on the plush rug in the living room. A laugh rolls through me, and I enjoy how it feels. I haven’t laughed in a very long time.