Page 105 of Conquered (Highgate Preparatory Academ:y Compendium)
Our personal butler, Edwards— I know, what the ever-loving fuck has my life become?— greets us as the gold lift doors open. He’s of middle age, dressed in a smart dove grey uniform with white gloves.
“Good morning, Mr Vanderbilt, Mr Matthews, Mr Thorn, Mr Griffiths, and Miss Darling,” he says politely as we step out of the lift onto the carpeted hallway floor.
“This way, please.” He indicates with an outstretched arm, and we follow after him to the end of the corridor where he opens white wooden double doors.
“We’ve added a slightly larger table to seat five, as per your request, Mr Vanderbilt,” he tells Ash as he ushers us through into an entrance hall.
Yep, you heard me right. Our suite has an entrance hall, complete with black, white, and grey marble tiled flooring, a crystal chandelier, and mirrors reflecting the space making it feel light and airy.
“Thank you, Edwards,” Ash replies, and his American accent is stark against the butler’s upper class British one. “Can we have a light buffet lunch sent up, please, enough for us and our guests.”
“Of course, sir,” Edwards bows his head, opening one of the doors and revealing the living room space before holding his arm out to take our coats. Once he has them all, including Lexi’s and Ryan’s, he hangs them up on an antique coat stand, then turns away to presumably fulfil Ash’s request.
My steps falter, alongside Lexi’s, as we take in the room before us.
We seem to be in a corner of the hotel, because there are floor-to-ceiling windows draped in white gauze, and framed with duck egg blue watered silk curtains on two sides.
Coordinating silk cushions are scattered on the navy blue velvet sofas, walnut side tables situated next to them.
Other silk upholstered chairs are dotted around the room, and there’s a small dining table, plus a fucking baby grand piano.
To top it all off, there’s another crystal chandelier. Jesus.
It’s not quite Buckingham Palace, but it wouldn’t be out of place in a stately home.
“Drinks?” Ash queries, snapping me out of my room-fest.
“Whiskey, single malt,” Ryan says gruffly, and I arch a brow at him. “Please.”
Loki chuckles, obviously remembering all the times I pulled him up on poor manners.
“Lexi?” Ash asks, and I think it takes her a little by surprise as she jumps.
“Same, please…” she replies, raising her perfect eyebrows at him.
“Asher Vanderbilt,” he says, heading over to what looks like a drinks cabinet. He’s such a cuntwaffle sometimes!
“You can call him Ash,” I tell her, earning a raised brow from the devil himself, although he doesn't say anything further as he turns and starts preparing drinks.
I pull Lex towards one of the sofas, heaving a sigh of relief as I sit down in the soft cloud-like seat.
Loki and Jax come to sit opposite us on the other sofa, taking up the whole fucking thing. Bloody massive bastards.
“Loki Thorn,” my fallen angel announces, leaning forward. “And this hulking piece of real estate,” here he pauses to wink at me, and although I roll my eyes, my face heats fifty shades of crimson, “is Jax Griffiths.”
Jax just nods at Lex, then at Ryan who grabs his drink off Ash and comes to stand behind me. Ash brings me over a fruit juice mocktail, and I’m touched that he somehow knew I wanted to keep a clear head for this.
“Thanks,” I say, and his grey eyes soften ever so slightly, his lips twitching in response.
Kai hands Jax an orange juice, which makes Jax rumble something that no doubt was rude under his breath, and passes Loki a bourbon. He sits down on one of the cream silk chairs with a wine glass of clear liquid, which I'm guessing to be sake.
“Kai Matthews,” he tells Lex and Ryan, giving them a small smile.
Finally, Ash returns with what I think is whiskey for himself, and sits on my other side, even though there is a vacant chair to my left.
I take a sip of my drink, loving the burst of pineapple and coconut on my tongue.
“So,” I begin, taking a deep breath and setting my drink down on the walnut coffee table in front of me, and turning to face Lex with Ryan in my peripheral vision. “How did you know where I’d be this morning?” I ask, as it’s been bothering me since I first saw them.
“Sammi told us,” Lex replies breezily. “She used to work at Grey’s, remember?”
And suddenly it hits me, my eyes widening. I knew I recognised Richard’s receptionist.
“Shit! I thought I’d seen her before,” I exclaim, inwardly rolling my eyes at the fact that I didn’t guess who she was.
“Wait, Payne’s receptionist told you we were there?” Ash cuts in darkly. His warm hand comes to rest on my neck, his fingers lightly playing with that sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder, sending tingles racing across my skin straight to my now pebbled nipples. Twatwaffle .
“Please don’t be cross, Ash,” Lexi begs, her eyes flitting over my shoulder before coming back to rest on me. “We’ve been so desperate, and she knew that. I know she probably shouldn’t have told us, but I can assure you she didn’t tell anyone else. She’s one of us.”
Ash just hums in response behind me, so I decide to try and focus on something else.
“Why weren't you at Mum’s funeral?” I ask, feeling a chill as I look at her. There’s a sharp pain on my hand, and I bring my finger up to see that I must have been picking at my cuticles, my index finger is bleeding around the nail bed.
Lexi tuts, grasping my hand and inspecting my finger. She reaches into her trouser pocket, pulling out a tissue to wrap around it, all while keeping my hand in hers.
“We didn’t know,” she tells me sadly, her eyes glistening and making the green colour shine like grass after it’s rained.
“The first we knew was when we finally managed to get hold of Adrian’s secretary who told us that it had already happened and was a quiet, family only affair,” Ryan cuts in, his voice rough. I glance at him to see his jaw is tightly clenched, his fist gripping his glass.
“I don’t understand,” I tell them, my confused gaze fliting between the two of them, then settling on my hand in Lexi’s.
“I wasn’t there either,” I admit softly, a tear escaping my eye, and slowly making its way down my cheek, my throat thick.
“I was too...fucked up, sedated for three weeks, and by the time I was compos mentis, it was weeks later.”
It’s the one thing, apart from the argument I had with her, that I am ashamed of. I was too lost in my grief to attend my own mother’s funeral. But to know that she may have been...alone. Why would Adrian do that?
I feel Ash shift closer to me, his warmth caressing my back as his hand moves to rub soothing circles on my upper back.
“Oh, Lilly Bear,” Lex murmurs, squeezing my hand.
“Don’t blame yourself, love, it’s not your fault.
Any of it.” More tears drip into my lap at her words, yet I know that what she is saying is true, and a small part of me is beginning to let go of the blame.
“Do you, do you know where she’s buried?
” Lex asks gently, and my head snaps up, my heartbeat thrashing in my ears.
“I–I, n–no,” I stutter, realising that I truly have no idea where she is, or what happened to her after the funeral. Nausea fills my stomach, my fingers going cold.
“Highgate Cemetery,” Kai tells the room in his melodic voice, my head turning in his direction as I let out a huge breath, my muscles going weak. I catch his eye, giving him a wobbly smile, which he returns, pushing his glasses up his nose. I’ve never been more thankful for his research skills.
“How do you know that?” Ryan asks suspiciously, and I turn my head back to look at him with a slight glare. He’s staring at Kai, eyes narrowed.
“Cool your heels, Ry,” Lex scoffs. “If Lilly trusts these boys, then so do we. End of.”
Ryan grumbles, but backs down, looking at me again a little sheepishly.
“Did Sami tell you that Richard was reading Mum’s will to me today?” I ask her, and her eyes go wide, mouth falling open a little.
“No, she gave us no details. Just said that you were going to be there, and what time,” Lex replies.
“Did you know Mum had stocks, shares, and bonds in Black Knight Corporation?” I question, suddenly desperate to know more about this part of my mum’s life. Lexi’s arched brows dip.
“Isn’t that the big company who used to bring clients into Grey’s?” she turns to Ryan and enquires. He also frowns.
“Yeah. And come to think of it, Laura was never there when they came...I don’t think, apart from maybe once…” he responds in an uncertain tone.
I look round at the guys, but if their furrowed brows are any indication, they are just as confused as we are.
“I wonder if that Mr Black guy would know more…” Lex muses aloud, and I catch Kai sitting up straighter, leaning forward.
“Did you say, Mr Black?” he quizzes her, his tone urgent. Jax and Loki sit forward in their seats too.
“Yeah, he’s a regular,” Lex tells him, then looks at me. “He was your mum’s biggest fan,” she says, flashing a small smile. “Why?” she asks, looking back at Kai.
None of the boys say anything, just exchange glances. I let go of Lex’s hand, turning so that I’m facing Ash, knowing that the others will follow his lead.
“What’s going on, Ash?” I ask firmly. He darts a look to Ryan and Lex, and I can’t help but roll my eyes at him. “I trust them as much as I trust you. They were at my birth for fuck’s sake!”
He waits a beat, then sighs, taking a sip of his drink.
“Well, apart from apparently you, a Mr Black is the second largest shareholder of Black Knight Corp.”