Page 21 of Midnight Whispers

“We’ll discuss that later. Come on. Dinner is already underway. Let’s get you something to eat.”

I swallow back my nerves when he gestures toward the house and walks in that direction. A huge door with a stained-glass window draws my attention. Its beauty feels at odds with the heavy feeling of the rest of the building.

“This is Midnight Manor.” Nero opens the door, and I step over the threshold, taking in the grandeur. “We’re in the communal part of the manor, and four wings venture out. I’m in the south wing. We’ll go there after we grab something to eat.”

I turn to face him and nod, feeling overwhelmed by the display of wealth surrounding me. Each painting and piece of furniture is probably worth more than my dad’s entire home.

“C’mon.” He gestures for me to follow him.

The manor is dimly lit as we walk through the rooms and hallways. It’s so large that I feel trapped in a maze, easily losing track of where we started.

I hear people’s voices up ahead, and I realize that we’re not just going into the kitchen to grab food and go to his section of the house. We’re about to interrupt a meal in progress. He’s got to be kidding me.

I tug on the sleeve of Nero’s jacket, and he stops, giving me a quizzical look. “My name is Cinder. Cin is just what I go by when I… perform.” I’m not sure why I feel self-conscious about telling him that, but I don’t feel right about him introducing me to anyone by my stripper name.

He gives me a warm smile, seeming to understand. “Okay, Cinder.”

We continue walking toward the voices until we come upon what’s clearly a dining room.

“Finally, where the hell have you been?” Asher Voss asks. I recognize his voice from when he came into the bar a long time ago when Anabelle had some trouble there. He’s as intimidating as the people say he is. The Voss family is well-known in Magnolia Bend, although not many people have had conversations with them.

“Sorry, I’m late. I, uh… had something that came up,” Nero says.

I step around him to make my presence known.

“Guys, this is Cinder,” Nero says, gesturing to me at his side.

“Oh my god! Cinder!” Anabelle bolts up from the table and rushes around to give me a hug. “I’m so happy to see you here.”

Before Anabelle and Asher were married, she would come into the bar with her brother. We would chat while I worked, and she was always nice. When she found out I also worked at T&T’s, she never gave me that judgmental look others did.

Rapsody gets up from the table, too, and gives me a hug. “It’s so good to see you again.”

I met her the one time she was in the bar with Anabelle, but she seems just as personable and nice.

“You too.”

“We’re just here to pick up food before we head to my wing,” Nero says.

The cutest Labrador puppy crawls out from under the table and sniffs my feet.

“Oh my gosh, who is this?” I crouch down and pet the puppy.

“That’s Max. Kol just gave him to me tonight,” Rapsody says, squatting next to me.

“He is so sweet.”

Max props up on his hind legs and licks my face. I laugh, petting him more.

“He sure likes you,” Rapsody says, running her hand down his back.

I peek up, and Nero is watching me with a look I can’t interpret. I gently ease Max off of me and stand, a tad embarrassed that I got carried away when I don’t really know anyone here.

“You know Anabelle and Rapsody?” Nero asks.

“They’ve been in the bar.”

“Right.” Nero seems relieved by my answer, and the tension in his shoulders loosens.

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