Her expression is blank, but her blue eyes flicker with fear. She darts her gaze quickly around the room. When her eyes land on the curtains, she scrunches her nose.
“There’s one right there,” she says, letting out a sigh of relief. “You really had me going there for a moment.”
I walk over to the curtains and pull them to the side. Wood panels line this wall—one of the other unique parts about this house—and behind the curtain is no different.
“Why doesn’t this house have windows?” Her voice is small. Terrified. Shaking.
I want to walk over to her and pull her into my arms. I want to promise her she’s safe.
“This house was built in the thirties. The owner’s daughter had a condition. Back before technology, they thought she was allergic to the sun. He built this house without windows so she could roam freely. There was never a fear of her getting exposed to the harmful rays.”
She groans. “This just got a thousand times creepier, Ty.”
My heart soars. Ty. Mom used to call me Ty. The sudden pang of love ripples through me like a tidal wave. “That’s not even the creepy part, sweetheart.”
Her brow arches. “Maybe you should take me home.”
“To Guy? No. Your home is here now.” My voice is sharp. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but now that she’s standing in our living room, she fits. I can see it. He will see it.
“I knew there was a catch,” she hisses, taking a step back.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. “There’s no catch.” I pin her with a stare. “It’s just a strange home with strange people in it. But I swear to every god there is I will take care of you. You will want for nothing, Casey. Nothing. Nobody will hurt you. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
Distrust dances in her eyes, but she nods. “Okie dokie. What’s creepy factor number two? I’m ready. Basement full of rats?”
I chuckle as I run my palm over the panel on the wall. My fingers dip into a one-inch groove and a draft of cold air washes over them. “See this?”
She walks over and mimics my action. Then she leans forward and peeks in. “Tyler, what the hell is in there?”
With her this close, smelling so sweet and perfect, I want to draw her into my arms and inhale her hair. To hold her and tell her stories of my past. To beg things of her future. Instead, I grit my teeth.
“Tyler,” she urges, turning her head to face me. “What is this?”
I let my fingers brush against hers before I pull them away. The human contact is something I didn’t realize I was craving so vehemently. I’ll need to rein that in really quickly. “Hidden passageways. They go throughout the house.”
“Holy shit,” she whispers. “Why?”
“The owner before…he was wealthy and had to entertain clients but…” My heart sinks. I’d seen pictures of the poor little girl. “His daughter’s skin condition was hard to look at and she was embarrassed. The poor kid was social but terrified of being seen. Those passageways allowed her to move about the house and talk to people without fear of humiliation.”
Casey blinks at me as tears well in her blue eyes. “That’s so sad.”
“Everything about this house is sad,” I grit out, bitterness quick to strike at me and infect me with its disgust.
“I’m tired,” she says.
“Come on. I’ll show you to your room.”
“Your room,” she reminds me.
I laugh as I take her chilly hand in mine. She doesn’t pull away, which makes my heart thunder. I guide her through the massive fourteen-thousand-square-foot estate to my bedroom. I haven’t had a chance to make arrangements to make it more comfortable for a young woman, but it’ll have to do for the night. Once I push inside, I’m thankful to see Ronnie already started the fire and has moved out my things per my text earlier. Casey squeals and runs over to the fireplace.
“This thing is huge,” she exclaims as she falls to her knees on the plush rug in front of it. “I’m in love.”
I beam at her. Seeing her here—so alive and responsive—fills me with hope. Joy radiates from her, engulfing the area in her light. Using her like a torch, I want to carry her throughout the house and light up every single dark part of my world. I want to fill it to the brim with her.
I knew she was perfect.
He knew it too.
“The bathroom is over there. Please, make yourself at home. I’ll send Ethel up with some snacks. Ronnie will be up later with your things. Whatever else you need, just text me. Tomorrow morning, we’ll have a family breakfast.”
She stiffens and I want to throttle myself for calling it a family breakfast. Now that we have her, it’ll be hard for me to go slow. I’ll want to paint her on every surface of our world. We sure as fuck need the color in our lives.
“Casey…” I swallow down the emotion and scrub at my face with my palm. “Thank you.”
Her pink lips part as she regards me in confusion. “For what? All I’ve done so far is accept gift after gift from you. What have I given you?”
You.
You gave us you.
“Thanks for taking a chance,” I say instead.
She nods. “You may change your mind about me.”
Never.
Fucking never.
“Doubtful, sweetheart.”
Her cheeks turn pink, most likely from the heat of the fire. “See you in the morning.”
As I leave, I sense Torin. He’s watching. He’s always watching.
I should warn her.
But I don’t.
“Tyler.” He says my name with a bite of impatience, but I’m used to it. Glenn Madsen and I are close now—far closer than we should be. I have him on speed dial and he always answers.
“It’s fine,” I assure him, my voice equally gruff. “Everything is fine.”
“Two months ago, nothing was fine. Why the sudden change?” he challenges through the phone.
I lean back in my desk chair, ignoring the thundering migraine rattling inside my skull. “Perspective.”
“I see. It seems like you do listen to a thing or two I say.”
“Two is stretching it,” I joke.
He chuckles. “You’re a smartass like your father was.” He’s silent for a beat before he speaks again. “How’s your brother?”
“Always making progress,” I lie. Half the time, I don’t believe that. It’s not like Torin lets me in to see if progress is ever being made.
“Is this Dr. Cohen’s assessment or yours?” he questions.
“Dr. Cohen says he could be a little less stubborn.”
“Ahh, stubborn like your mother was.”
We both chuckle as we remember my parents.
“What are you going to do, Tyler?” His somber words are a cold splash of reality.
“Ignore what I can’t control and focus on what I can.”
He lets out a sigh. “The company? Do you think you should be traveling and leaving Torin? Ethel and Ronnie can’t handle him.”
“I’m not leaving. There are other things I can control right here from my desk chair.” I lean back with a creak that echoes in my office.
“You can’t spend the rest of your life behind a desk. You need to get out of that windowless prison and enjoy life a little.”
“I’ll try.” I mean it. Truly, I do.
“Everything is okay right now, Tyler, and I’m happy…”
“But,” I grumble.
“But, you know I don’t bullshit. I state the facts.”
“One of your most endearing qualities,” I deadpan.
“Soon, everything will not be okay.”
Emotion clogs my throat and I nod, despite him being unable to see the movement.
“And when it’s not okay, you call me. I’ll do my best. You know I will.”
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I.”
“Ah, shit. I’m being paged,” he grumbles. “I’ll give you a call later in the week to see how things are going. Talk soon, bud.”
We hang up and I fold my arms on the surface of my desk before resting my forehead on them. I have so much on my plate and it’s all about to crash down around me at any moment.
It can’t.
It simply can’t.
I’m the only person Torin has, so I’ll be damned if I drop the ball when he needs me most.
After letting out a heavy sigh, I sit back up and straighten my shoulders. No rest for the weary. I have work to do. Lots and lots and lots of work to do. When it comes to making sure Torin is properly taken care of, I’ll stop at nothing.
Ignoring the blinding pain in my head, I flip my laptop open and email my attorney. Now that Casey’s here, where she rightfully belongs, things may get a little complicated.