Chapter 19
Zachariah
Pure rage filled my entire body. I never wanted to kill someone so badly before. Yes, I was a trained killer, and never missed. This man deserved it, and more so than nearly anyone else. No one ever touched my girl and got away with it.
I knew Avidya was marked other than just her arm and face; I could see she was in pain the longer I was in her company. But where, for sure?
The only reason I let her get away with not telling me right away was because I thought maybe she’d feel more comfortable without her parents in the same house. I would get her to tell me, though. She would learn that she would not be able to hide anything from me. She was like an opened book, which was a nice.
I also knew that I would need to give her some answers and also put into motion our engagement. I wasn’t known for taking in women into my home unless they were family and needed a place for a night or two.
After saying goodbye to my parents, and assuring my mother that I would indeed take good care of Avidya, we headed to my house. I made sure to help Avidya into the car before going around to the driver’s side.
Avidya was quiet on the drive. I didn’t live all that far from my parents, preferring to be close by in case anything happened. Not that many people tried and got away with doing anything towards my family. Our family ran generations deep, and we were the top dog in Las Vegas, Nevada.
My family owned five hotels on the Las Vegas strip, and two more downtown in the less populated part of the town. It was amazing that so many people had no idea who we truly were, but yet everyone either loved us or hated us.
Money and hate always went hand in hand.
“You okay?” I asked towards Avidya as I turned down the street my house sat on.
“Peachy,” she replied almost sarcastically. I couldn’t help but smirk at her answer. I loved how her true self came out when she was alone with me. It would make teaching her my ways of life so much fun.
I watched her reaction out of the corner of my eye as I slowly pulled up to my house. Much like my parent’s house, mine was a bit back off the main road, surrounded by trees. Through the middle of the side property, ran the same river that flowed past my parents’ house.
Her eyes widened as she took in my log house. The outside was laid with a log siding that would last longer than the traditional logging homes. I didn’t want to spend hours every season to make sure the real logs were in great shape.
“Wow,” she whispered in awe.
A set of stone steps led to the full round covered patio and the front door. Huge floor to ceiling windows gave way to the entryway and kitchen area. I loved windows, as my house clearly showed. A few chairs sat around a square glass table on one side of the porch, and a porch swing on the other side facing the river.
Pulling into the four-car garage that was on the other side of the house, I couldn’t help but smirk at Avidya’s reaction to the collection of cars I owned. One of these cars would be hers soon enough.
“Have enough cars?” she asked, taking it all in.
“Never,” I laughed. “Just wait till you see the inside of the house.”
“Your mom did say it was just amazing as hers,” she mused as I helped her out of the car and shutting the door.
“It’s another piece of property that was given to me after I entered into the family business,” I explained. “My mom upgraded a few things here and there to make it feel more . . . . welcoming. It wasn’t in the best of shape until just about three years ago.”
I entered the key code into the door before hearing it unlock and the ding of the alarm system unsetting.
“This is amazing,” she said, wide-eyed as she took in the barn wood cupboards, stone countertop, and dark hardwood floors of the kitchen. It was at least three times bigger than the kitchen she had grown accustomed to.
“Let me show you around,” I said with a smile her way, taking a hold of her hand without thinking and giving her a tour.
The living room was just as grand with a stone wood fireplace set against the wall between the kitchen and living room and light cream leather furniture set up perfectly to see the outdoors and the TV that was hung right above the mantel.
My office was placed in the smaller bedroom towards the front of the house, the bathroom right next to it. I had light carpet put in, and built in bookshelves between the windows.
Passing the front entryway, a set of stairs went upwards in wide steps. I led her upwards, showing her the four bedrooms that were similar, two of which has ensuites with matching style to the kitchen. Hers would be the one that looked out over the garage.
“This will be your room, for now,” I said, tacking on the last two words at last moment. The room would be hers until we married.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said, taking in the queen bed that sat in the middle of the room, so much darker than the cream carpet.
