Page 23 of Midnight Whispers

“Of course. How could it not be? It’s so huge and opulent. Compared to…”

Her voice trails off with a sad note. I fight with myself, wanting to make whatever it is better for her. I want to know what went down between her and her stepmother, but it’s New Year’s Eve, and it’s her first night here. I want her to stay here for more than just tonight which means starting off on a good foot. We can discuss what happened tomorrow.

“You go sit and eat. I’m going to ask one of the staff to bring your belongings to the room.”

She nods, clearly still deep in thought, and absentmindedly turns to sit on the couch, scooting to the edge so she can eat over her plate.

I pull my phone from my pants and text Marcel to have someone bring her things from her car before I take a seat beside her.

We eat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound is the scraping of forks and knives on the plates.

“Sorry it’s cold. If we’d been here earlier, it would have tasted better.”

She shrugs. “I don’t mind. I’m used to it.”

Again, questions plague my mind to what she’s been through, but I tell myself to save my questions so I don’t overwhelm her and send her running.

“Can I ask you something?” she says, breaking the silence.

I finish chewing and swallow. “Of course.”

“In the dining room, you seemed a little thrown that your brother and Rapsody were engaged. Do you think they shouldn’t be?”

Do I tell Cinder about how I broke off my engagement, or do I keep it to myself? Will it scare her away if she knows I was an engaged man only six months ago? I decide that much like whatever went down with her and her stepmom, that topic is for a later discussion.

“I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all. Kol hadn’t mentioned anything.”

“I see. Do you like Rapsody and Anabelle? They seem really nice from the little I know them.”

I cut into my meat and nod. “Yeah, they’re both great. We didn’t have the easiest childhood, and in some ways that left each of us a little damaged, but… I don’t know. I think they give my brothers comfort and make them happy.”

I’m surprised I admitted what I did about my childhood. I never broached that topic with Maude.

There’s a look of concern on Cinder’s face, but there’s also understanding. Did she have a hard childhood too?

“Anyway, seems like there will be another wedding in the Voss family. Asher and Anabelle were married last spring.”

She smiles and goes back to eating her meal.

There’s a knock at the door. When I say come in, Marcel pokes his head in. “Where would you like our guest’s belongings?”

I motion toward the door of the walk-in closet. “You can put them in the closet please. Marcel, this is Cinder. Cinder, this is Marcel, the house manager.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” He nods in deference as he comes in with plastic bags in hand.

“You too,” Cinder says. Her cheeks grow pink as she looks at the bags before turning away.

Marcel returns from the closet moments later. “I’ll return with the rest.”

After the door shuts, I place my silverware on my plate. “What’s wrong?”

“Well… what must he think about everything I own being in plastic bags and cardboard boxes? I’m sure he’s used to bringing in designer leather luggage.”

“Hey.” I place my finger and thumb on her chin, bringing her face to mine. “First of all, until Anabelle and Rapsody, we didn’t have guests sleep here. Ever. And second, Marcel doesn’t judge, and neither do I.”

Tears fill her eyes. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

My gaze roams over her beautiful face. What do I tell her? That I’ve been obsessed with her from the minute I saw her? That I’ve been secretly stalking her for months? That I feel this intense pull to her that I can’t explain?

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