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We get out and step onto the stone driveway. Ryan begins unloading my suitcases while I continue admiring the scenic grounds. Everything is immaculate and breathtaking. As expected.
The massive wooden front door opens, and a man who reminds me of Lurch from the Adam’s Family steps out. As opposed to the butler’s uniform Lurch is always in, this man is wearing a dark suit with a beige turtleneck jumper beneath.
He has graying sideburns, a stony face, cold gray eyes, and he’s as hench as a Bond villain. I peg him to be in his late fifties or early sixties.
He makes his way down the wide stone steps. When he reaches us, I get an almost smile out of him, and he looks me over with what I’d class as a haughty glare.
What did I expect, though? Definitely not the welcome mat or even a full smile.
I’m guessing from my high, messy bun and the T-shirt and jeans I’m wearing, he can tell I’m nothing like the usual women who probably frequent the place—aka the princess of Monaco or one of Knight’s other groupies.
I’m also sure this man must know the reason I’m here.
“Good morning,” he speaks with a rich English accent. “I’m Claude, Mr. Grayson’s assistant and custodian.”
Assistant and custodian—yes, he definitely knows why I’m here.
“Good morning. I’m Aurora. Pleased to meet you.”
My answer seems to soften his face. “And you. Mr. Grayson won’t be around today, so I’ll be taking care of you.”
“That’s fine.” It’s actually better than okay. At least I’ll have the day away from Knight. It will give me more time to regroup. Being around him is confusing because he had me so fooled at the restaurant.
“Ryan will take care of your luggage while I show you around the house and grounds. Then I’ll take you to your room. The movers should be here by then with the rest of your things.”
“Okay.” Thank God I get a room. That contract was a breath away from telling me I had to share a bed with Knight. Hopefully, this room of mine will be on the furthest side of the house. Somewhere I can wait out the next seven and a half months.
God, every time I think of how long this is all going to take, my insides squeeze as if a vice is wrapping around my internal organs.
I follow Claude when he turns back to walk back up the steps.
He spends the next two hours introducing me to the rest of the staff here and showing me around.
Grayson Manor, as I’ve christened it, has seven bedrooms, three halls you could easily fit a hundred people in, two living rooms, a library that looks like it belongs at Hogwarts, a kitchen suitable for a palace, two garages, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a tennis court, and a sailing yacht docked at the end of the boardwalk.
Oh, and there was a section of the house that Claude referred to as Mr. Grayson’s private quarters. I wasn’t shown that part, but it was between the furthest garage and the swimming pool, and absolutely huge.
I also wasn’t shown the location of Knight’s bedroom.
Of course, being practically told it was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to go, made me curious about what Knight could be keeping in hisprivatequarters.
Who would even think to have anything like that in a house this big? There are only three members of staff who live on the grounds—Claude, Denise the head maid, and Belinda the chef.
There are also so many hallways and sections of the house that I’m lost just thinking about it.
I suppose that’s one more mystery to add to Knight Grayson.
Claude finishes the tour by taking me to my room, which is nearly as big as my entire apartment and truly, truly stunning.
The satin wallpaper, wooden furniture, and king-sized bed covered in powder-pink sheets give it the elegance of the presidential suite at some fabulous hotel. But its striking rose gold colors and pewter candlesticks carry the sophistication of something designed for a princess.
Dare I say I love it.
The boxes containing all my belongings are neatly stacked in a corner, as is the luggage I traveled with.
“Denise will prepare some food and come up and get you when your friend arrives,” Claude informs me when I walk over to the long French windows and look at the beautiful balcony. “Do you need anything else?”
I turn back to face him. “No, thanks. I’m okay.”
