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I shake my head. “Nothing, I’m just nervous.” I follow her up the steps to the front door, where she rings the bell.
The door opens and we’re greeted by an insanely tall, muscular man with a square jaw and stunning dark brown eyes. He has to be almost seven feet tall, possibly the tallest man I’ve ever seen. My stomach churns as I wonder if this is my mom’s new husband, who is unbelievably handsome for an older man. Mom said he’s in his fifties, but this man looks forty years old and is wearing a well-tailored suit.
His eyes flash with something undetectable when they land on me, but it’s gone quickly. “Hey there, you must be Ella,” he says, his voice deep and smooth.
I feel my cheeks heat at the sound.
“I’m Remy. Welcome to our home.” There’s something a little sinister about the way he says that.
Two equally handsome men stand behind him, arms crossed over their chests. The expressions on their faces are far from friendly as I step into the entryway, feeling a shiver race down my spine.
Remy’s jaw clenches. “These are my two youngest sons. Leo and Luca. Both are yet to fly the nest despite being over twenty-one.” He glares at them, and I sense it’s a sore subject despite this man living in a mansion with plenty of room.
“Hi,” Luca says, smiling, but it’s not a kind smile.
Leo grunts and continues to look at me like a piece of meat.
“Isn’t this lovely?” Mom asks, completely unaware of the tension in the air. “A new family for you, Ella.”
As if I wanted a new family. For ten years, it’s been Mom and me, and while she has her vices, we’ve been fine as we were, even if I miss Dad daily.
“We’ve got dinner prepared if you’d like some,” Remy says, his eyes boring into me like lasers.
“Yes, that would be lovely, wouldn’t it, Ella?”
I’d rather escape to a room and lock myself inside.
“Sure,” I say, shrugging.
Remy’s eyes finally leave me, and he leads us through the huge, pretentious home toward a lavish dining room. The grandeur of the place strikes me as I step into the dining hall. The dining table is so long I’m sure it could seat at least twenty people surrounded by expensive ornate backed chairs. Three crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, bathing the room in a welcoming glow even if nothing about this place feels welcoming.It’s intimidating.
I don’t fit in here.
“Take a seat,” Remy says, his voice clipped as he gestures to one.
Mom sits to the right of him. Thankfully, I’m as far as possible from him, sitting opposite Luca and beside Leo. A shiver skates down my spine as Leo’s arm brushes mine.
Remy and Mom chat together and she laughs, squeezing his arm at something he said.
Two women dressed in server uniforms enter carrying lots of food trays, setting them down. It’s a heinous amount of food for five people, but Mom’s eyes light up.
“So, Ella, tell us about yourself. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?” Remy asks, eyes fixed on me intently.
I swallow hard, feeling as though I’m being interviewed as his two sons stare at me. “Reading. I enjoy reading and…”
“And?” He presses.
“Writing, too. I’m working on my second novel.”
Mom scoffs. “How often do I have to tell you that authors are poor? Set your sights higher.”
I glare at her. “That’s not what you said when it was our only income.” I grab a spoon of vegetables and put them on the plate.
My cheeks burn with heat at the way she dismissed my writing in front of people I don’t know, especially as she never complained when it was our main source of income.
“What kind of novel is it?” Leo asks, leaning toward me. “Is it erotic?”
I glare at him. “No, a thriller.”
