Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
It was then that a thought struck me. This house was surrounded by water on all sides. Before I had the chance to voice my suspicion, Alexander's touch captured my chin, his intense gaze locking with mine.
"Delicia, you're more beautiful than you realize," he murmured.
His words, and the way he was looking at me, sidetracked any rational thought.
I found myself lost in the depths of his eyes, astounded by his uncanny ability to divert my mind.
“You’ll have a full tour later,” he added, dropping his hand to my waist to guide me towards the stairs.
I allowed myself to be led, curiosity mingling with a trepidation that was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress. The smell of cooked food permeated the air, more potent as we arrived at the dining room. This time, the drapes were drawn, casting a softer, more intimate ambiance.
In another display of old-fashioned chivalry, he pulled out a chair for me, his gesture both polite and disconcertingly charming. After I was seated, he pressed a small button on the wall, and the sound of a bell echoed throughout the house.
He settled into a chair beside mine, and within minutes Esther and Nicolette appeared.
They were dressed in attire similar to mine, but notably less formal. I’d wondered where they had disappeared to the night before.
Their entry brought an array of breakfast dishes—different from the ones before—which they carefully placed upon the table with quiet reverence, Esther offering a friendly smile. Their departure was marked by bowed heads and an acknowledging deference to Diabolus.
"Why are you called that?" I inquired, curiosity tugging at my thoughts.
He leaned back in his chair, his smirk as enigmatic as ever. “It means ‘devil,’” he explained with a hint of mischief. “It's fitting, don't you think?”
It was, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. I glanced at the spread of breakfast options before me, momentarily distracted from the puzzle that was Alexander Alistair.
Today’s choices ranged from savory to sweet. As I studied the food, it dawned on me that these were all of my favorites. How thoroughly had he been watching me to know something as trivial as this? Not even Anya knew I liked whipped cream with my fruits, and she had been by my side for years.
I didn’t find this notion sweet or romantic. It was terrifying. Especially after seeing the closet full of clothes that he claimed were purchased specifically for me. He’d gone to extraordinary lengths planning and plotting for the day he'd finally bring me here. His irritation at my novelty remark suddenly made more sense. This wasn’t a mere infatuation. No, this was a deeply rooted obsession, cultivated over time.
“Eat.” His voice drew me back to the present, his gaze unwavering.
I selected at random, my mind racing. Scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, bacon, and a small stack of fluffy pancakes.
I carefully constructed the food on my plate so that it wasn’t touching before I took a gamble on the eggs. After the first taste, I began to eat with more determination. They were light and flavorful, the bacon perfectly crispy, the pancakes melting on my tongue.
Alexander didn’t eat. Or speak. He seemed content just watching me and sipping whatever was in his mug, his presence equally unnerving and captivating. My thoughts drifted to my earlier suspicion he had so skillfully deflected—how the lake seemed to encircle the house.
Though I had a hunch, I still didn’t know where I was for sure. I set my fork down and reached for my glass of water, taking a slow sip. The coolness was a welcome sensation. If I wanted a chance at figuring out how to get out of here, I needed to find a way to breach the guard he effortlessly employed.
I decided to start with something harmless and innocent. “Is Esther related to you?” The question slipped from my lips with a forced note of curiosity.
His eyes held mine for a moment, and a flicker of something—surprise, perhaps—passed through his gaze before he answered. “Yes, she is. Esther is my younger sister.”
It wasn't a shocking revelation. I’d already guessed they were family based off their resemblance to one another, and seeing as she kept happily attending to me with a beaming smile on her face, it was safe to assume they were pretty tight knit. He’d previously mentioned his mother taught him to cook. They were probably close as well.
“She seems very loyal to you,” I ventured cautiously, choosing my words carefully as I fished for more information.
A faint smile touched his lips. “Esther has always been the paradigm of a good sister.”
His tone was tinged with a hint of fondness. “We’ve had a few challenges, but family has a way of enduring. Especially ours.”
That last part seemed directed solely at me. It struck a chord that was coated in grime and dust. Family was a moot concept as far as I was concerned. The absence of my mother and father had left a void that I learned to navigate alone until I met Anya. She and I weren’t tethered by blood but shared experiences and love. God, I missed her. I wasn’t sure how many days I’d been gone, but I knew she had to be losing her mind without me.