“I’ll spend the night here.” Even if Levi is not home, I’ll wait for him. “Consider it your evening off.”
“I’m just one phone call away.” I pat him on the shoulder and grab my purse to get out. “Lavender.” I turn to my driver once again. “Not everything is what it seems.”
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
“All right. Have a nice evening.”
Closing the door, I rush toward the entrance and go up the stairs as the massive double doors open, and Gavin greets me, a deep wrinkle forming between his brows at the sight of me.
“Miss Wright. What a surprise.” His tone is so lifeless it’s hard to guess his true feelings on the matter. “Levi didn’t mention you were coming.”
“My visit is unannounced.”
“I see.”
Awkward silence stretches between us, interrupted only by the loud wooden clock somewhere in the distance. “Is he home?”
Another long pause and I see a slight worry flashing in his eyes before he finally replies, “No. You can wait for him upstairs.”
Well, it’s one thing to come to his home unannounced and quite another to go his room without him.
“I’m thirsty and hungry. I could wait for him in the living room.” I take a step toward it, and my brow rises when he stops me. “Gavin?”
“We didn’t expect any guests. We need a bit more time to prepare everything. Why don’t you rest upstairs for a little while, and I’ll call you once everything is ready?”
Okay.
Levi’s staff is truly strange because who sends a guest to the bedroom right away? They should offer me some refreshing drinks and lead me to the living room, so all this?
Is beyond bizarre.
“Gavin, is there a problem with me being here?”
“No, ma’am. I’ll call everyone right now.”
“They aren’t here?”
“They are in a separate house right now.” Well, that explains the silence, but once again, what the hell? Shouldn’t they be home? Maybe Levi has his own rules and doesn’t like strangers sharing his space. “Miss Wright. I hope you’re sure about your decision.” He walks to the exit, opens it, and gets outside. “I’ll be right back.” With this, he shuts the door behind him, leaving me standing alone in this house as thunder rocks the sky, and everything inside the castle falls into darkness.
A tremor rushes through me at this, and I go to the living room, my heels clicking soundly on the marble, only to halt my movements when I hear barely audible music.
Following the sound, I reach a wall and bite my lip, wondering how it could possibly make all that noise.
Putting my splayed palm on it, I gasp when it moves under my touch, and that’s when I realize it’s a secret door.
Dread fills my bones because it reminds me of the same thing Rush used to have on our private island, where he forbade me from entering.
The instant smell of chlorine fills my nostrils, and, pushing it wider, I notice the heavy steps leading to the basement, and even though my life taught me better…I still decide to walk down the steps as countless small light bulbs on the walls brighten up the way for me.
I’m like a moth trapped by the mesmerizing flame, trailing it, even if I suspect it will lead me to my doom.
Reaching the basement, I cover my mouth to still my sounds, because what opens up to my view is…horrible.
There is a single, huge cage in the right corner, with various chains spread across it, as if waiting to trap someone.
Tables with weapons, from knives to poisons to guns and even drills and…
Torture devices that I’ve only seen in historical books.
