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I wasn’t sure how I’d made that assumption now that I was this close to the thing.
It was some type of high-tech keypad, equipped with what appeared to be a fingerprint scanner. What could he possibly have in his basement that warranted something this extreme?
A clearing of a throat had me jumping away from the device, hand flying to my chest. I whirled around to see Demetri watching me from the far side of the kitchen.
“Are you alright, Miss Haven?”
“I’m fine, you just scared me. And please, call me Catalina. Or Cat.”
He regarded me with a stoic expression before a subtle nod was given. “Alright Catalina, was there a reason you needed to access the basement?”
I crossed my arms and shook my head. “No, I was just wondering why its locked down like this.”
“Mr. Schuyler values his privacy.” It was impossible to miss the stiffness in his tone.
“I can see that.”
He moved a little closer, barely an inch, but it was enough to put me on alert. “As you adjust to being here, you’ll begin to see that a house such as this one--.” He paused and glanced around the room, clearing his throat. “If you seek out his secrets, be prepared for the consequences.”
With that, he turned and left the room. I remained where I was, rigid and wondering what the hell had just happened. Was that a warning, or a threat?
CHAPTER SEVEN
I was only here to try and ease some of the festering guilt I had over my sister’s sudden passing. I hadn’t come to unearth secrets or fall in lust with her husband.
If Demetri had meant to warn me, he’d only managed to do the opposite. I couldn’t get his ominous words out of my head. They could have been nothing more than wasted air, my gut told me that wasn’t the case. Something wasn’t right here. I felt that in my bones.
Curiosity could be a troublesome bitch and mine was like a cat fixated on its prey. The more it alluded me, the stronger I’d pursue it. There was a thrilling aura of danger that had me contemplating just how far I’d go to figure out who Alaric truly was and the truth about my sister.
With no motivation to start digging through Meg’s things again, I lingered around for an hour or so before finding myself in the great room.
The sun shined in through the glass windows, reflecting off the grand piano. Its lure was magnetic. It’d once been a dream of mine to own one, something my mom had never, and would never understand. My Nan had started teaching me to play when I was small girl.
If there was one person on this planet that understood the fear I had for the things inside my head, it was her.
She gave me a desperately needed outlet. Playing became my way of escape. The piano gave me the freedom to express myself without words. I chased the music for years, using it as a crutch to get through two brutal years of high school.
When she died, so did a part of me. The pain I felt over losing her compared to my sister was staggering. She wouldn’t have wanted me to give the piano up, but it felt almost wrong to keep going without her. I missed it, though. Missed them both.
I looked around to make sure I was alone, then slid onto the plush bench. Skimming my fingers over the keys--all eighty-eight of them, I was in slight awe of how well-kept this beauty was.
From the indention in the center of the bench, either Alaric or Meg played often. My money was on the former. That shouldn’t have impressed me as much as it did.
The sheet on the music shelf was titled Moonlight Menschen. I hadn’t heard of this before. I ignored it. Taking a breath, I tested out a few keys. The clean brassy sounds rang through the air. Going with something basic but also one of my favorites, I adjusted my seating and began to play a rendition of Chopin.
It'd been awhile but it didn’t take long for me to find my groove, my brain and my fingers knew each numbered key to stroke without needing a sheet in front of me. The music flowed through my veins as notes and cords swirled inside my head.
I lost myself in the moment, time fell away. Unaware I was being watched, I kept going until my knuckles cramped from the exertion
When at last I couldn’t strum another key, I raised my arms above my head in a stretch, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.
“I thought you didn’t play.”
I yelped in surprise; my knee slammed against the underside of the piano as I scrambled off the bench.
“Ouch, shit!” I folded over, clutching where it throbbed.
Alaric was at my side before I could process that he’d moved from where he’d been lurking.
