Page 4 of Snow’s Charming (Hope Runs Deep #7)
Life’s a Bitch, Especially When You had to Live with One
S ure enough, when we pulled into the driveway, there was a Uhaul parked near the garage.
Its doors were already locked. I walked up the pathway leading to the side entrance of the house and found Jerry, a butler Jackie had hired two months before Dad passed away, carrying a small shopping bag in his hand.
“Hi, Jerry! There’s a change of plans—I’m leaving tonight for the inn, and I’ve brought some help to haul out the furniture in my room.”
“That won’t be necessary. Mrs. Snow and her lawyer instructed me to pack only the personal items you’ve paid for yourself.
Unfortunately, since you quit your job to care for Mr. Snow, there wasn’t much in your room belonging to you.
I’m sorry, Miss Snow, I wish I could sneak out more for you than what is in this bag, but her lawyer stopped me. ”
I took the shopping bag from him, and my stomach dropped as I noticed the bag was almost weightless.
My eyes burned as the tears I’d been holding in for what seemed like forever surfaced.
It all made sense now. Jackie’s speech about the Uhaul she purchased was merely an act.
She locked it because the thing was empty, and she only rented it to comply with the will.
My father stated in the will that Jackie owned the contents of the Snow estate, and it was beyond my comprehension, but not having clothes or even a bed wasn’t why I was so upset.
I was leaving without so much as even a photo of my father, my father, my family.
How could she be so cruel? I simply couldn’t fathom why she wouldn’t even grant one photo of my father.
That was all I needed, and all I wanted.
Still, Jackie robbed me of my memories, and all for her enjoyment.
“Thanks for at least sneaking this out to me, Jerry.”
He pressed his lips into a small, tight smile.
“I understand we haven’t known each other long, Miss, but I wish things were different.
You brightened each hall of the estate. Mrs. Snow only darkens every corner.
” He said as he pulled me into a brief hug before continuing.
“I placed photos of your last birthday with your father in that bag. They were the only ones I could sneak in there before the lawyer stepped in. The rest is a couple of tees, a pair of jeans, and three days’ worth of unmentionables before the bastard cut me off. ”
“Thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even have a photo of my father. I appreciate your kindness. ”
“You don’t deserve to be treated any other way. Did you know she wanted me to snap a photo of you opening the doors to the Uhaul to capture your reaction as you saw nothing inside?”
I let out a single sigh. I wasn’t sure what else to say to that. Anything I did would have made me look bad. And Father always said, if you’ve got nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.
“Don’t worry about the Uhaul. I will drive it around for an hour, which is how long it would take me to drive to the inn and back. And then I’ll return it in the morning as instructed.”
“Thank you for everything, Jerry. You and your wife Josie have been wonderful, and I will never forget your kindness.”
“Oh, Miss Snow!” Jerry said as he drew me back into a warm hug. “I won’t forget you either! Get settled, and if you are looking for a butler and a housemaid in the future, both of us would love to work for you.”
“Thanks, Jerry. That means a lot, but I don’t think I’ll need a butler or housemaid so soon.” I gave him a small smile before hopping back onto Chary’s bike.
The ride was brief—only 30 minutes out of town.
It wasn’t long enough for me to collect the thoughts swimming in my head.
That house was the only home I’d ever known, and now it was gone.
My emotions were a mess. It was as if I was grieving everything all at once.
Nothing seemed to connect to a tangent thought until the inn came into view.
But really—was it an inn? It looked more like a mansion nestled into a mountain with tiny houses surrounding it.
“What is this? I thought I was inheriting a run-down inn, as Jackie so eloquently put it.”
Joker wrapped an arm around my shoulder after I slid off Chary’s bike. “You are inheriting so much more than an inn. It’s an empire, my dear. That’s the best way to describe all of this.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Wait—your father seriously didn’t tell you? I thought Chary was joking about all of that at the funeral parlor.”
“Tell me what, Joker?”
“I guess you were right, after all, Chary. He didn’t have the chance to tell her anything. So what do we do now since she was supposed to meet—” Joker asked as he gazed at Chary, but Chary cut him off with a raised palm.
“Don’t get into that right now. It’s more important she knows the other thing first.” Said Chary in a low growl.
I pushed away from Joker.
“You guys are scaring me—what don’t I know?”
“Didn’t your dear old dad tell you any wolf stories before bed when you were a kid, Sesi?” said an unfamiliar voice that rang out from the shadows.
As the male figure stepped into my view, each of his features revealed themselves in the moonlight.
His cheekbones were just as chiseled as his chest. Why was he shirtless?
Not that I minded because damn—what a gorgeous sight that shirtless chest was.
The guy sported an 8-pack, and I had to summon all my inner strength to rip my eyes away from each taunt ripple on his chest. And why?
Well, it isn’t nice to stare—even if the guy looked like an Adonis.
The male’s eyes were now boring into mine.
They glowed like blue topaz in the moonlight.
His gaze was so intimate, it was as if he was undressing my very soul with each deep pool.
I lowered my gaze, embarrassed he might find out all my secrets at first glance.
The thought sent shivers throughout my body.
He smirked at me as his hand glided up from his waist to his peck and I bit my lip to bite back the moan that was forming deep within my diaphragm.
It was as if the boy, who didn’t seem much older than me, awakened my inner goddess with just one glance.
He mouthed to me with a cocky grin, “Like what you see?” and I almost lost my balance from weakening knees.
“Sylus, you aren’t supposed to be here.” Said Chary.
“What, Dad? Can’t I meet my Luna?”
“She doesn’t know about any of that yet!” Chary said through gritted teeth. He seemed to do a lot of that and that was a little alarming, especially now that it seemed to be his tell. Or rather, his lack of telling what was going on.
“All of y’all are freaking me the fuck out! What is it? Did Dad secretly stash all the family’s inheritance here at the inn?”
I asked, more in a joking tone, though my inner voice kept telling me to stop joking around.
I needed to listen to her. But then that same inner voice was distracting me because visions of making out with Sylus plagued me.
All I wanted at that moment was to press my mouth to his.
Ugh! Tame yourself, girl! Heel! Why was my inner voice so vocal?
It had been especially loud since my father’s passing.
Until now, I chalked up that voice as to not wanting to deal with Jackie’s bullshit.
But now that voice wanted to jump into Sylus’s arms, and I wasn’t the type of gal to get hot and heavy with someone I’d just met.
Oh—who am I kidding! I’m technically still a virgin.
The rape didn’t count. At least that is what I kept telling myself.
After that blind date that Jackie set me up on, I stopped dating completely.
And even when I’d dated before the rape, it never led to anything serious enough to make it past date two.
Probably because I kept waiting for that spark I hear about so much.
I guess I read far too many romance novels and hoped it would happen for me.
All I wanted to experience was what it felt like.
My dad always told me to hold out for a spark.
I’m convinced that was his way of keeping me a virgin.
When I asked him how he knew mom was the one, he replied, “You just do, princess.”
Princess was his term of endearment for me and he said it with each of his replies. It was something I was accustomed to as I grew up .
“My princess has a right to hear the truth, Dad!” Said Sylus with a low growl.
My jaw dropped momentarily as his growl vibrated the surrounding ground. Was this growling grunt hereditary or what? It was a little weird. So was the dude calling me princess.
“My father used to call me princess—why are you calling me that, Sylus? We just met?”
Chary let out a huff while Sylus crossed his arms. There was no mistaking the pointed glare in his eyes which was directed at his father, Chary.
“Dad, it’s time you let me straighten this out. After all, Baseline entrusted the best huntsman here to ensure her safety.”
Chary held out his palms to his son as if to give up. I crossed my arms. This pissing match had to stop. I deserved answers.
“I’m asking again, and this time not so nicely—what the fuck is going on? Why did Dad leave me this instead of the house I grew up in? It’s clear all of you are hiding something, so spill it already.”
Sylus uncrossed his arms and let out a steady breath before responding.
“Because this compound, scratch that, this empire, is worth far more than any human’s material possessions.”