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“Roxana Calvert,” I said before I’d even taken a good look at him. “You must be Silas.”
“Mr Abraham,” a crisp voice replied. I looked up at the man and wished he was hideous, wished he wasn’t sinfully attractive with his long black hair brushed tidily out of his face, his ruby eyes glowing and his face carved with aquiline features that only made him more striking. Unlike River, he wore an expensive black suit, probably Armani, and his shoes were so shiny I could see my face reflected in them when I glanced down.
Something about him triggered not my defensiveness, but my stubborn pride, and I replied, “Well, since you’re here to court me, and we’re going to become friendly if notfriends, I think I’ll call you Silas. You may call me Roxana.” Not Roxie. Not for him.
His mouth thinned with clear displeasure, but he nodded. “As you wish.” He took a step, but then remembered his manners, waiting for me to invite him in.
I smiled slowly, almost pleased with the power I had over him in this moment, etiquette putting him at my mercy. “Come in. The others are already here.”
“Wonderful,” Silas replied in a neutral tone, but I could sense the sarcasm and derision coming off him in waves. “Who will bring my bags in?”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “If you’re expecting servants, you won’t find them here. We do things for ourselves in this family.” I shot him a wry look, pushing aside the twist of doubt that gripped my stomach. It didn’t matter if I impressed Silas Abraham—I’d choose either River or Claude, who seemed to actually like me. “You know where the door is if you don’t like that.”
For a second, I thought he was going to leave, but instead Silas followed me into the kitchen with an expression shifting from neutral to unimpressed. Fuck him. I didn’t need him; I had two men I preferred.
“River,” Silas said, pausing in the doorway with obvious surprise. “The Corwin family sent their youngest?”
“And best looking,” River replied with an easy grin. “I see the Abraham family went with experience before beauty.”
Silas’s expression darkened, and I couldreallyhave done without River putting Silas in a worse mood. But I reminded myself it didn’t matter, I wouldn’t choose him anyway.
“Better than that mad old bastard,” Silas muttered, sliding a glance at Claude who was turning the tap on and off with delight.
“Hey,” I hissed—and wilted when Silas swung his heavy glare at me. But I didn’t back down. “You don’t get to insult anyone in my house.”
“It’s your parents’ house,” he threw back cooly, his upper lip curled back from his fangs.
“Yeah, well right now they’re in a Hilton in Lancaster, so this ismyhouse for the week. And you’ll follow my rules.”
Claude beamed, his dark eyes gleaming as he turned from the sink. “Ferociousandbeautiful. Isn’t she marvellous, River?”
“Yeah, Claudey,” River replied with a soft laugh. “She really is.”
My face warmed, but I couldn’t help laughing, too. “Compliments already? You don’t waste time.”
River huffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s just the truth, Rox, not a play for your hand.”
Well, I didn’t believe that for a second, but that was the reason we were all here—marriage—and I didn’t mind.
Silas scoffed. “He’s lying.”
I slid a flat look at him. “Yes, thank you. I couldn’t figure that out for myself because I’m so unworldly and naïve.”
Silas blinked in surprise, and then scowled, his chin jutting out. “I’d like to be shown to my rooms. I’ll retrieve my luggage. And then I’ll see you later. Eight, shall we say?”
“Nine,” I countered, just to be a pain in the ass.
He nodded curtly. I exchanged a parting smile with Claude and River, and went to show Silas where he was staying.
Weirdly, I was starting to feel optimistic about the courtship.
FOUR
The day had been … okay, actually. Nowhere near as bad as I’d been dreading. Silas cloistered himself in his room, and River and Claude went off to explore the manor, giving me space to breathe. Maybe sensing that I needed it.
It was strange, knowing there were three unfamiliar vampires in my house right now, but as I tipped a pan of fresh pasta into a colander, I could almost trick myself into thinking I was alone. I couldn’t hear them, there was no sense of danger warning me they were close, no doors banging or heavy footsteps. I didn’t expect it to last, but I was grateful for the little time to myself as I poured sauce on the pasta and heaped it into a bowl.
I managed to eat half the bowl before Claude made me jump and cry out in surprise. I almost choked on my bite as he appeared suddenly in front of me, sitting at the other end of the kitchen island with a deeply curious look on his face.
