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Kiera was impatient with all the chatter and tugged Ellery up the steps. “I can’t wait to give you the grand tour,” Kiera told her. “But please don’t be a slow poke about it like Macey was.”
“A slow poke?” Macey laughed as she and Ray went up the stairs hand in hand.
Derek hurried to Ellery’s other side and took her hand. He hoped she didn’t think it was odd holding hands with him and Kiera, but she seemed comfortable with Kiera already.
“You rushed me through every room,” Macey reminded her. “After you flung yourself off the top balcony and I thought you were dead. I was terrified.”
“Shh,” Kiera cautioned. “I have to show Elle my tricks. She’ll appreciate them more and be able to do them with me.” She gazed worshipfully up at Ellery. “That’s why you’re my best, because we’re like true soul sisters.”
Derek loved that. Though he’d have to keep a close eye on the two of them. Kiera was an incredible athlete and she had been performing her ‘tricks’ since she was a small child, terrifying all of them more than once. No matter how talented Ellery was, her safety had to come first.
“I’m being replaced,” Macey moaned. “My heart is breaking in two, Kiera.”
They reached the top of the steps and the landing next to the massive double doors. Kiera released Ellery for a moment to step over and hug Macey. “It’s okay, Macey. I love you lots too. When Derek and Elle get married you’ll still be my second-best sister.”
Kiera didn’t even seem to notice Ellery’s eyes widen in surprise. Derek rubbed at his jaw.
“You are really tough and brave.” Kiera looked at Ellery and Derek. “She even knocked Ray on his butt a couple times.”
They all laughed at that. Ray raised his hands, his thick arm muscles bulging. “Hey. My beautiful fiancée can knock me around any time she wants as long as she’ll kiss me better.”
Macey grinned and kissed him. It was great to see Ray all flirtatious and cute. Derek had never seen that before, and he exchanged a look with T. His oldest brother appreciated seeing his twin enamored with a perfect-for-him woman as well. When would T and Malik meet their matches? Derek knew he’d met his. Malik had loved the now-acclaimed chef Sophie Pederson as an idealistic eighteen-year old, but she’d turned up pregnant with another man’s child and Malik had never been the same. Derek had told him several times to steer clear of Sophie. Thankfully it seemed like he had.
Kiera tugged on Macey’s hand, pulling her away from Ray. “But you have to understand, Macey. This is Ellery Monson. She’s perfect and my idol. Imagine if you met a female version of Q from James Bond, and then learned she was your brother’s girlfriend?”
Macey and all of them laughed. “You’re right. No one could compete with that.” She smiled kindly at Ellery, obviously having no hard feelings. “We’re so happy Derek found you.”
“Thank you.” Ellery smiled sweetly, but Derek was afraid this might overwhelm her. His family was acting as if they were engaged. He wished that were true, but sadly he’d never even convinced this beauty to go to dinner with him. How he’d convinced her to fly here was still a mystery, but he had to take advantage of every minute.
“And now …” Kiera said dramatically. “May I present the most beautiful castle in all of the world and your future home, Princess Elle.” She flung the doors wide, one of them knocking into Malik. He jolted in surprise but didn’t curse because it was Kiera.
Ellery was still smiling, but her green eyes were uneasy. Kiera was pushing too hard and fast. How could he slow his sister down? Or speed Ellery’s feelings for him up?
Chapter Nine
Ellery was inundated with emotions and incredible sights. She didn’t know where to look or what to think. As Kiera flung the castle doors wide, then proceeded to run her through a tour, her mind spun from how impressed she was to how stressed she was.
The castle was exquisitely gorgeous. She hadn’t known such beauty existed in real life and not just on a YouTube channel.
The castle paled in comparison to how kind and welcoming all of Derek’s family were. Thankfully, his dad and Prince Tristan, General Raymond and Macey all peeled off when they hit the third level and their offices. They all graciously told her how welcome she was again and that they looked forward to seeing her again at dinner. She understood being busy and working hard, and she certainly didn’t mind having the pressure of everybody staring at her relieved.
Derek, Kiera, and Malik guided her through the rest of the castle. It was overwhelming how intricate, beautiful, and massive it all was.
The castle and Derek’s family paled in comparison to how she had felt when darling Kiera had welcomed her into ‘her future home.’
No matter how appealing the idea was, she couldn’t possibly stay here. Derek had said a few things that flipped her out as well. She’d been far too flirtatious and revealed how gone she was over him, basically committing to kissing him, but that didn’t translate into being Kiera’s future sister. Oh, boy. She already adored this little girl, and she did not want to let her down.
When they made it to the gym on the seventh, or really the ninth as there were two below-floors, she was in heaven. She only missed workouts on the Sabbath, and today she was itching to work out.
“Do you want to work out before dinner?” Derek whispered for only her to hear.
“Oh, yes, please.” She turned to him and was tempted to kiss him in gratitude. There were a lot of reasons she wanted to kiss him. “This gym is fabulous.” Besides all the top-of-the-line equipment and free weights, the views out the massive windows were spectacular of the gorgeous valley, lakes, the village, and the mountains.
“Come on, you two,” Kiera instructed. “We aren’t finished with the best parts of the tour.”
“There’s something better than this?” she asked Derek.
“We’ll have to let you judge that,” he said with a grin.
