Page 3 of Claiming Tessa

She snorted in disbelief.“I really doubt that.He’ll be fine.”

Diego watched her check out.Her eyes went blank as she leaned against the window and closed them.His interest in her story grew much like his attraction to her.You might see a teenager like that because she’s so small when you first look at her.But after spending a few minutes with her, he saw the intelligence in her eyes and her strength.The woman was exhausted but still pushed herself to get where she needed to go and didn’t stand around whining about it.

He looked over at Gavin and saw the same curiosity, attraction, and worry.He’d just have to wait to find out what was going on.

Chapter Two

Tessa closed her eyesand rested her head against the window because she didn’t want to answer any more questions.She wanted to get the next hour over with so she could get the rest she desperately needed.

She’d never felt this tired or dispirited in her life, and she needed to figure out a way to overcome it.But so many things were changing in her life, and she had yet to make plans for the future.She knew not to get her hopes up about her welcome home.She didn’t have to guess at all.It would be a disaster.

She must have slept because it felt like just minutes before they were pulling up to her mother’s grand house.God, I hate this place.Everything is either fake or cold.Her mother was both.

The men got out.One opened her door, Diego, she thought his name was, she’d been so tired she hadn’t caught which man was which.He grabbed her backpack, and the other man retrieved her duffle bag.

She pointed to a place off to the side.“Go ahead and leave it there.Thank you for the ride.”She held out her hand and waited, but they both stared at her.

“We’ll walk you into the house,” the one holding her backpack said.

“Guys, I won’t be here that long,” she insisted.“I’m grabbing everything I can carry now.I’ll get the rest later.”

“Is your mother home?”Gavin asked.

She shrugged.“I doubt it.”

“Didn’t she know you were coming?”Diego asked.

She didn’t know how to respond to that.“Sure?”She saw both narrow their eyes at her and sighed.They weren’t going to leave.“Fine, come on.”The men were huge and freaking hot, and she knew the next few minutes would embarrass and humiliate her, but they weren’t giving her a choice.Tessa stopped at the door and rang the bell.

The door opened, and she smiled at the older man.“Hello, Arthur.”

The older man’s face brightened.“Hello, Miss Tessa.It’s good you’re finally home.We worry about you.”

That was nice to hear, but she couldn’t help but feel disheartened that it was the servants who cared about her and not her family.“I’m glad to be home.Is it okay if I grab some of my things?I’ll come back for the rest later after I find a place to live.”

Tessa knew whatever he was going to tell her wasn’t good by the sadness that darkened the older man’s face.This man and Maggie, the housekeeper, had been around since she’d been born.They were more family to her than her mother and brother.

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