“Let’s try that again. How are you?”
“I feel like shit,” Kiera let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, but the tears never fell.
“Want to go see something new? Get your mind off things?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, letting me lace my fingers with hers.
As I led her down the hallway to one of the few places in the house that wasn’t totally dusty and tarped up, I made a mental note that I’d have to find a way to get her more access to the property, if only to stop Dom from killing her the next time they were alone together.
But for now, there was plenty to see inside of the house if you knew where to look. And I had a feeling she was going to love what I had in store for her.
56
KIERA
I could hardly breathe.Dom had sucked all the air out of the room with her shit attitude. Not only did she have the nerve to hold me hostage in this house, she had the gaul to be a fucking bitch about it.
Grabbing Leo’s hand, I let her guide me away from the kitchen and down the hall toward the wellness wing. I hadn’t seen all of it on my initial tour, Spencer stopping us before we could make it to the end of the long, wood-panelled hallway.
But Leo was moving fast, trying to get me as far away from Dom as possible.
In my haze, I felt like I was getting lost in the massive house. It would take years to know where I was in this labyrinth of a building.
Until I entered the massive hallway, smelling the warm wood of the sauna, the musk of the gym, and the humidity of the pool at the very end.
Leo brought us to the glass door, the last one in the hallway, and pushed it open. “After you, Princess.”
Still holding her hand, I brushed past her and into the natatorium. There was no heavy chlorine smell hitting my nose, sending a wave of confusion through me as I looked at the water.
But my hesitation only grew as I tore my eyes off the water and looked around the room. Floor to ceiling windows, the width of two Leos, surrounded the pool and faced the manicured gardens outside.
Tall, stone columns separated each window, gilded accents sprawling up toward the ceiling where a warm, cherry wood was illuminated by the skylight overhead. The columns were old money but the wood ceiling was a midcentury modern touch — something the last owners must have put in themselves.
It was one of a kind.
Which is why it sent a shiver down my spine.
I know this place.
Stopped in my tracks, my eyes flicked across the room, trying desperately to connect the vague dots in the back of my mind.
The familiarity the rest of the mansion had inspired in my heart every day felt like a generic resemblance to a style I’d seen in dozens of places my entire life. But this pool was far too recognizable to be mistaken.
Managing to take one step closer, I peeked at the bottom of the pool. Swirls of gold mixed with the blue stone and tile of the pool's walls.
I know I’ve been here before.
Just as the hair on my arms rose, Leo stepped past me and in one swift motion peeled off her shirt. She pulled the fabric over her head, her muscles tensing and flexing as she did. Tossing the shirt to a nearby lounger, Leo headed toward the pool.
All I could do was stammer out a few words. “I don’t have a suit.”
“Me either.” Leo winked as she flashed a charming smile back at me.
But as I crossed my arms, unsure I was in the mood for a swim, Leo turned on her heels and offered a softer look. “Wanna dip your feet in?”
Nodding, I caught up to her and took a spot at the edge of the pool. Leo held out her hand for me as I lowered myself to the cold stone of the deck. There, Leo lifted the leg of her sweats and dunked her feet into the water.
Bracing myself for a chill, I slipped my own feet inside. A squeal slipped past my lips as I felt the warm water lap onto my feet and shins.
