Page 17 of A Midnight Romance

Lux

I just witnessed a man’s murder.

The realization has my head spinning, and I find myself mildly shaking from the adrenaline of it all. River’s tight embrace after Rich died was the comfort I needed in that moment, but what I didn’t realize, is that as soon as we parted I’d wish to be in his arms again.

It didn’t take long for, what River refers to as, the night crew to come in and begin cleaning up the scene at the cabin. Which meant we didn’t have to stand in awkward silence for long before he was helping me into his car to leave.

I rest my head against the passenger window while we now sit in silence on the way to his house.

When he first mentioned me staying with him, I immediately declined.

Sure, I understood his reasoning, but it was like I needed to prove that those men hadn’t taken away even more of my life.

But after watching Rich die tonight, I know it’s the right choice because of what he’s done.

After a short drive, we drive down a desolate road and we reach a security gate where he waves at the guard standing watch in a low tower.

Then we proceed up a long and windy hill lined with tall trees not too far from the expensive wooded area that makes up Thunder Ridge.

His property seems to be extremely large, with one side of the outer perimeter backing up to the forest line .

“You know this is for the best, right?” He turns onto a driveway that leads underground. At first glance, the ample, lit-up space holds more cars than I can count, including models I’ve never seen before.

“Yes.” My eyeballs subtly move from one side to the other. I try squeezing them shut, hoping to alleviate the nausea in my stomach from the rush of adrenaline that’s kept me going all night.

River parks in a spot closest to an elevator, and within seconds Sebastian pulls his black four-door SUV next to us. “Until all this is over, you’ll need to stay here.”

I watched River kill a man tonight, and despite Richard deserving it, River didn’t even flinch. I’m not oblivious to the fact that he’s done this before—and I’m sure it’s been multiple times, based on what he’s alluded to.

“I know.” I prepare myself to exit the car, but my limbs are so fatigued I don’t know if I can even make it past the door.

“Let me help you,” River says as he opens the passenger door, and in one swift motion he scoops me from my seat of the car, and I wrap my arms around the back of his neck.

The delicious scent of leather with a hint of spice washes over me, and without thinking too much into it, I tuck my head into his neck.

“Are you taking her to the East Wing?” I hear Sebastian ask him.

“Yeah. She’ll have plenty of room there,” River replies.

We enter the elevator together, and although I can’t fully make out their hushed conversation, I can tell Sebastian is wary of my involvement, which seems to cause some tension between him and River.

All of a sudden, River’s movements slow, prompting me to pull open my eyes to see a vaulted ceiling with ornate wooden walls spread across a dimly lit hall .

“This will be your bedroom,” he says, lightly lowering me onto a soft bed. The tip of his nose grazes my cheek as he pulls away, leaving a tingly sensation across my skin. “How are you feeling?”

My heart skips a beat from our closeness. “I’m still a little shaky, but I’ll be okay.”

“Do you…” He pauses, a piece of his dark hair falls to his forehead, and I get the urge to brush it away, but hold back because I’ve already been too vulnerable. “Do you want me to stay?”

My stomach fills with butterflies, replacing what had been nausea a short time ago. “Yes.”

River draws back and sits on the bed next to me. “Okay, I’ll stay with you for a bit.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you need anything?” His eyes drop to my bottom lip as I pull it between my teeth.

Only one thing comes to mind. “I’d love a shower.”

“I can start one.” River walks into an attached bathroom that’s larger than the entire bottom floor of my townhouse. The light sound of water echoes before River walks back into the room. “There should be everything you need in there, but if anything’s missing, just ask.”

As I push on the mattress, I extend my arm to prop myself into a seated position. The ringing in my ears has lessened, but my body is still heavy with exhaustion.

River is instantly at my side, sliding his arms underneath me. “I’ve got you.”

Once inside the steamy room, he gently places me on a bench outside of the shower before lowering to his knees. “Can I help you?”

I nod, and the hot steam is thick around us, only relaxing me more .

He unties my shoes first, then removes them. His fingers glide along the arch of my feet, sending chills up my leg. River is a dangerous man, but seeing him on his knees in front of me, with a gentle, commanding presence is jarring.

His demeanor is warm but confusing at the same time.

How can he be two completely different people at the same time?

There seems to be so much more to him than what he shows others.

“Tell me something about yourself, River,” I say, hoping to learn more about this mysterious man who has practically tripped and fallen into my life.

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything.”

His intense gaze captures my eyes. “My dad used to love building things.”

Used. Past tense.

“Is he not around anymore?” I ask carefully. He’s clearly not one to share personal details.

“No.”

“Was this the home you grew up in?”

“The manor wasn’t built until after…” He trails off, a distant look on his face.

“After what?” I softly rest my hand on his.

“After Sebastian and I lost our parents. We were young when it happened.”

Sadness moves through me on his behalf, but before I can offer my condolences he changes the subject.

“You handled yourself well today.”

“It seems like I’ve dreamed all of it,” I say.

“A dream ?” He cocks his head to the side. “Or a nightmare ? ”

If I say nightmare, behind it lies the comforting expectations of what is normal . If I tell him it was a dream, that isn’t what someone with a moral compass would say. But because it seems my internal morality is in question after tonight, I decide to be honest.

“I haven’t fully processed what happened, but at this point it’s more of a dream.”

With a subtle smirk, River stands. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“It’s an irreplaceable thing,” he says then his expression shifts. “After you’re cleaned up, get some rest, Lux.”

River turns, giving me his back, then without pause, he abruptly leaves the bathroom.

Left with my own thoughts, I sit for a minute with the desire to go after him.

I crave to be in his presence. I’ve only scratched the surface of the darkness in River’s eyes and the depth of what’s within him.

He’s been doing what we did last night for some time, and River Thompson is not simply a billionaire tech guy, he is something else entirely.

I assume it has something to do with his parents and their tragic death.

How many others have there been? Has he helped other women like me?

I remove the rest of my clothes then step under the stream. Although the water is scorching, the burn feels like heaven. It cascades over me while simultaneously calming every overactive nerve from the adrenaline. Clutching my shoulders, I curl myself into the stone wall in search of more comfort.

After a few minutes, I scrub my entire body from head to toe then get out of the shower right as the sun shines through the thin slit in the heavy black curtains .

I walk out of the bathroom in a thick plush robe and realize I don’t have any clothes here, but then catch sight of a small bag on the bed that wasn’t there when we got to the room.

Zipping it open, I find a few pairs of my own clothes and a piece of folded paper.

I grab the note and immediately read it.

Lux,

Here are some of your clothes until I can have a personal shopper visit you. Sleep well.

River

My heart skips a beat. A thoughtful gesture, one I’ll thank him for at another time because I need sleep.

Pulling out a pair of pajamas, I get myself dressed, then crawl under the oversized comforter. The softness of the mattress cradles my sore muscles, sending me into a deep sleep.