Page 18 of A Midnight Romance

Lux

M y eyes open in the late afternoon after the most restful sleep I’ve had in weeks.

I grab my phone, hoping to have heard from River, and excitement fills my chest when I see I have a missed message from him, but the feeling quickly dissipates when I read it.

River: Good evening, Lux. I hope you slept well. The personal shopper will be here soon with clothes for your choosing.

It made sense for me to change his name, since I actually know him now. He’s not completely unknown to me anymore.

Confused with how he abruptly left last night and the formality of his messages, I toss my phone to the other side of the bed. Feeling like I’d like to explore the house because I can’t stay locked in this room, I decide to head out.

I walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that span the entire far wall in the bedroom.

Gripping the corner of the blackout curtains, I push them open, and to my surprise, a romantic garden is revealed.

Lush green grass lines a small stone pathway while thriving emerald vines crawl up the side of a far wall.

The space looks cozy but expansive. My eyes find a small white bench tucked into the corner under an arbor, before sliding over to a stone fountain surrounded by white rose bushes. It’s beautiful .

I slip on my shoes and head out the bedroom door into a long hallway. I quietly round the corner into the great room, expecting to see a door to the back somewhere since the gardens looked like they could be entered from a short distance down the hall.

Suddenly, a masculine voice says my name from behind. “Lux.”

My hand flies to my chest. “Sebastian, you startled me!”

“River wanted me to give this to you,” he says without a greeting and hands me a white box from under his arm.

I take it from him and see what’s in it. “A laptop? I already have one.”

“River said the one you have is shit.” When he sees the look on my face, he adds, “His words, not mine.”

Unsure about the gift, I take it, not wanting to turn down a kind gesture. “All right.”

Sebastian gives me a curt nod and glances behind me to where my bedroom door hangs ajar. “Going somewhere?”

My ears prick with heat, sensing his suspicious question. “I saw gardens outside my window and was going to check them out. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Suit yourself. I’m headed to the kitchen.”

At the mention of the kitchen, my stomach growls with hunger. “I should probably grab something to eat as well. Do you mind showing me where it is?”

“Sureee,” Sebastian draws out, like my request bothers him.

I shrug it off and remind myself I’ll only have to be here until we’ve taken down all the guys.

He gives me his back and walks away without checking to make sure I’m behind him.

Walking at a measured pace to ensure I don’t lose him, I do my best to take in the surroundings as we pass a great room, foyer, and elevator with one entire side of the house comprising floor-to-ceiling windows, lending to a perfect view of the tall evergreen trees of the forest.

We finally approached the large restaurant-style kitchen with top of the line appliances, and there’s an older woman with weathered skin and kind eyes sitting at a round wooden table next to a large bay window.

There’s also a dark haired man in a chef’s jacket behind a large island chopping vegetables and placing them into containers.

“Good evening, dear,” the woman greets us.

“Good evening,” I say, unsure of who she is.

She gives me a bright smile and introduces herself. “I’m Mae. River and Sebastian’s aunt.”

Their aunt lives with them?

River mentioned last night his parents were no longer around. Maybe she stepped in after they passed.

I return her smile. “I’m Lux. It’s nice to meet you.”

“River said you’ll be staying with us awhile.”

Does she know why I am here?

“Yes, and thank you for allowing me to stay. This home is beautiful.”

“Wish I could take credit. River and Sebastian designed it right after finishing high school.” She sips her coffee. “I’m only in charge of their calendars.”

“She’s being modest. She manages everything around here,” the chef chimes in then extends his arm. “Hi, I’m Ben Randell, their personal chef.”

“Lux Levinson,” I say my name and reach out to shake his hand. “It’s great to meet you.”

“What can I make you to eat, Miss Lux?” Ben tosses a rag over his shoulder .

Chewing on my bottom lip, I’m unsure what to say. I’ve never had a personal chef cook for me before. Not wanting to be rude, I settle for the first thing that comes to mind. “How about avocado toast?”

“With eggs?”

“Could they be scrambled, please?”

He smiles. “Breakfast for dinner? You got it.”

I respond with a smile before turning my attention outside. My eyes squint to get a better look at the beautiful black bird. It’s perched on a branch right outside the window. It’s feather shimmer with an evening mist.

“Is that a raven?”

“Yes,” Mae replies without looking up from her computer.

“He practically lives here,” Sebastian answers despite not glancing over either. “He usually hangs out outside River’s office window.”

“I’ve lived in this area my entire life, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one up close before.” I admire how the bird’s onyx feathers shimmer under the morning sunlight, and I think of my favorite poet’s—Edgar Allen Poe—poem, The Raven , and how he’s inspired so much of my writing style.

Mae walks over to the marble island where I’ve been standing. “Take a seat,” she says, pulling out a high back leather chair.

I oblige and take a seat right as Ben places a plate of food in front of me.

“Miss Lux,” Ben says my name sweetly. “Avocado toast with scrambled eggs.”

My mouth waters at the sight. “This looks amazing. Thank you.”

“Enjoy.” He gives a polite nod then turns to Mae. “Would you let Mr. Thompson know that his breakfast is in the refrigerator and remind him that I’ll be back around eleven p.m. to go over next week’s menu. ”

Why did the chef refer to River’s food as breakfast when it’s dinnertime? And why would he come so late?

“Of course,” Mae says as the chef bends to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “If he ever gets up.”

It seems River and I have more in common than I thought.

“It was wonderful meeting you, Lux Levinson,” Ben tosses over his shoulder while walking out of the kitchen. “I’m sure I’ll see you tonight!”

“Thanks again,” I call out, but he’s already gone.

“So, you’re River’s aunt?” I ask awkwardly as I start eating. Making small talk for someone who sits behind a desk for a living is not easy, but I do it anyway, wanting to know more about River and his family.

“And Sebastian’s,” she says, winking at him.

“Yes.” Sebastian’s tone is clipped, and I can tell he’s brushing off a potential conversation with me.

She smiles and lovingly pats him on the shoulder. “Don’t mind his grumpiness, he has a hard time trusting people.”

I understand what that’s like.

A silence settles around us for a beat and I can’t help but wonder if she’s also involved in their night operations.

I take a bite of my toast. “So, you help run every aspect of their lives?” I try to get more information since River is so reserved.

“I do. The three of us have become close over the years.”

The conversation I had with River last night comes back to me. I turn to Sebastian. “River told me about what happened to your parents. “I’m sorry for your loss, too.”

He mutters something under his breath before turning to his aunt. “I’ll be in my office if you need me,” he tells her before grabbing a premade parfait from the refrigerator and leaving the kitchen .

The old woman lowers her thick-framed glasses from the top of her head before startling herself. “I almost forgot. The personal shopper dropped off some samples for you to try on.”

My heart picks up. “Really?”

Her rosy cheeks beam. “Yes! Let’s go take a look.”

“Wow. Okay.” I shove the last bite of avocado toast into my mouth, take a hefty drink of the ice water Ben had given me, and jump off the chair.

“They’re in here.” Mae grabs my arm, leading me into the main foyer where four large racks of clothes are waiting.

“Are all these for me?” I ask, stunned.

She nods. “Yes. Try on everything and then you can keep what you like. We’ll send the rest back to the store.”

“Pick the ones I like?” I repeat, confirming I heard her correctly.

A wide smile appears on her face. “Yes, dear. Whatever you want. River will get it for you.”

I feel my eyes grow wide as I stare at the beautiful colors and materials.

Mae senses my shock and rests a gentle hand on my back.

“Let’s take these to your bedroom.” she suggests.

“Okay.”

Mae and I each grab two racks and roll them down the hall of the East Wing and into the bedroom. As soon as the clothes are placed to the side of the room, Mae turns to me.

“So, Lux…” Her voice is filled with empathy while her expression softens. “You’re one of the women from the cabin, aren’t you?”

My heart falls from my chest, forcing a sharp breath.

“Um, what?” My eyes flutter with shock.

Mae lifts a decorative shopping bag of undergarments from the shelf under the rack and places it on the bed. “Nothing in this house happens without my knowledge,” she says. “That includes their nighttime projects.”

“You know?” My pulse picks up.

“They were both young boys when their parents passed, and yes, it changed them both, but River took it especially hard.”

There’s a million questions running through my mind, but I know better than to pry. So I settle on saying, “I can’t imagine.”

“They say time should heal all wounds, dear. I just hope it does for him.” She sits on the bed and eyes me. “I also know River has been spending every single night outside your house keeping watch since the moment he took you home.”

My stomach flutters at what she’s admitted about River.

“Well, I’ve said too much.” She’s silent for a beat before her eyes flick to me one more time, then changes the subject. “I guess I’ll leave you to it.”

“Yeah, I have a lot to go through.”

Mae walks toward the door, but then turns to me. “Oh, and Lux?”

“Yes?”

“Each part of the house has its own labeled intercom button, so if you need anything, press the one for the person you want to talk to, and they’ll answer if they’re in that room.”

Rubbing my lips together, I smile once again, continuing to take in all the information. Mae gives me a quick wink, then closes the door behind her, leaving me in the room alone to make sense of everything.

I glance at the many items of clothing in beautiful fabrics, and the buckets of shoes, and undergarments with a dull excitement.

Then I begin digging through one of the bags and to my surprise, I find a vibrator.

I feel my eyes widen with excitement. I’m definitely saving that for when I need it.

I giggle to myself and bury it underneath some clothes .

Suddenly, the low orange glow from the evening hour casts a shadow across my face and catching my sight from the slit in the dark curtains. I set a silk camisole on the bed and walk over to the window. The garden.

The cozy space looks beautiful and inviting.

I don’t think there’s any harm in me heading out to see the gardens.

I open the bedroom door and wearily turn down a long hallway.

Only a few feet down, I spot a white wooden door.

I open the door and immediately feel the warm dusk sun on my face.

The small clement pathway winds through tall garden walls, while vines crawl between them from above.

As I walk by the white rose bushes toward a white bench, someone clears their throat behind me.

My heart stills.

“I see you found the gardens.”

I whip my head around to see River leaning against a statue of a gargoyle nestled between two bushes. “You scared me.”

He smiles. “The gardens off the East Wing are my favorite. I designed them for my mother.”

“Were you close to her?”

“I was.” His eyes focus on the sun setting over the horizon.

I want him to open up, but I don’t know how to ask, so I decide to accept whatever he’s willing to give. “I met your Aunt Mae this evening.”

“I heard.”

I chuckle, thinking of her comments and how kind she was to help me get the clothes settled into the bedroom. “I didn’t mind.”

He pushes off the stone statue and walks toward me. “She can be bossy, but I don’t think Seb and I could do anything if it wasn’t for her. “

“I can tell. ”

River takes a few steps closer until his body is flush with mine. The heat radiating off him causes my pulse to pick up. “How did you sleep?”

“Better than I have in a while.”

He gives me one of his rare smiles and it sends a zip up my spine. He brings the back of his knuckles to my cheek and gently caresses my skin. His smile is subtle, but with an underlying confidence.

“I thought you’d be at peace here.”

A dense silence fills the serene space as I angle my face upward, our lips are only a few inches apart.

The sun setting off in the distance casts a shadow across his features.

My heart pounds inside my chest. I’ve dreamed about kissing him since the night we broke into Rich’s house.

With the urge to taste him growing more powerful with each small piece of information he shares with me.

He’s letting me in on his terms—and it seems so am I.

“Me too.” I lean closer, closing my eyes while his breath feathers across my lips.

I can almost taste him when all of a sudden, he draws his head back. “I have a call with my FBI contact later. Meet me back here at midnight.”

Stunned by what happened and how his demeanor changed again, all I can do is nod my head in agreement. I’m frustrated with how our interactions play out, but then he simply closes off and leaves.

There are two sides to him. One side shows kindness, while the other is controlled and cold-hearted—and I’m not sure which one has captivated me more.