“This way,”Eliza said, waving for me to follow her down a hallway to a part of the mansion I didn’t know existed.
After this morning's fight, which still made me feel uncomfortable, I decided to enjoy the tour around the house.
“I’m coming,” I replied, rushing to catch up with her. She was just slightly shorter than me but walked fast, her blonde bob bouncing around her jawline. Tucking her hands behind her back, she pulled at the cord of her apron and took it off, then ducked into a side room.
I peered inside the storage room that held hooks on the walls with lots of aprons and coats. The shelves were filled with bath towels, bedsheets, and all manner of upholstery.
“That’s better,” she noted with a small grin, lightly kicking the door shut behind her. “When you run around all day, the apron just adds to overheating you.”
“It is freaking hot today. That’s why I wore this.” I glanced down at a simple, sky blue dress with thin straps and buttons running down the front. The fabric seemed faded now that I looked at it carefully. “It’s really comfortable.” I patted the crease across my stomach.
“It looks gorgeous on you,” she cooed. “You’re so pretty, Syn, I hope you don’t mind me saying. No wonder the three Alphas drool at you the way they do.”
My cheeks flushed, but then I recalled how crazy things got earlier in the morning, and I changed the topic. “Hendrix ordered some things, but everything is too fancy for day to day. I need some other clothes.”
“You might get the chance. Once a month, we have a clothes boat come to visit us. Well, that’s what I call it, but it’s a man who visits a bunch of the islands selling all kinds of clothing. It’s fantastic. I bought five dresses from him last time he came.”
“That sounds amazing.” My mind went for a second to the restaurant where we’d eaten. It had been a crazy experience, but I’d love the chance to actually pick out my own things. I’d never had that chance with Brayden. Although that was in the past, I doubted Hendrix was going to agree to me working to make some money.
“Perfect timing for his next visit. He’ll be here next week!” Eliza’s smile was contagious, and I thought again how much I liked her. “I can always lend you some of my clothes if you want?”
“Thank you. If I need something new, you’re my girl.” And we continued our tour.
We reached another staircase at the end of the hall. Not as elaborate as the main one near the front door. This one had black railings and a red carpet running up the middle of the steps that lead to the next two floors.
“The mansion has two wings,” Eliza explained. The main one is occupied by the Alphas, and only they are permitted there, unless we are delivering something to them, or we are called. And this wing,” she pointed to the one ahead of us, “is for guests.” She leaned in towards me, whispering, “But it’s never used.”
“I thought there were guests all the time for business?”
“Oh, they come for dinners, but they’re never allowed to stay over,” she explained.
She raced up the steps, and I hurried to keep up. “I come up here sometimes to just get away, and when I need alone time. No one visits these rooms.”
On the next floor, a circular corridor surrounded the stairs, and when I glanced down, the hallway came into view. I counted four rooms.
“This is my favorite one.” Eliza pushed open the door of the one behind me, and she entered a room drenched in bright sunlight. Through the arched windows, the view overlooked the forest behind the mansion, and the ocean glimmered blues and golds in the distance. Warmth engulfed me the moment I stepped inside. A bed sat against the far wall below a beautiful tapestry of two stags mid-battle, their oversized antlers clashing. A faux white fur blanket lay bundled at the foot of the bed, and I could picture myself falling asleep there with the sun on my face.
“It’s so relaxing here.” I strolled inside, running my fingers along the mahogany desk, complete with a red, velvet-covered chair. The chandelier dripped in crystals. There was no doubt that Hendrix and his brothers were worth a lot of money.
I joined Eliza, who stared out of the window. “You really like this island, don’t you?” I asked.
“It keeps me close to my mother, and the world out there scares me a lot more, to be honest. Until I find my fated mate, this is the safest place for me because I don’t want to end up on Reject Island. I’ve heard some dreadful stories from there.” She paused for a moment, lost in her own thoughts like she’d experienced a lot more than she let on. “So, what about you? If I can be so bold as to ask, how did you end up here? All the rumors mention Hendrix stole you from your fated mate.” Her eyes meet mine, brimming with curiosity behind them. Her smile, though, was authentic like she truly cared.
“My fated mate didn’t want me,” I said, then chewed on my lower lip. “But he kept me around to do all the chores and work like a horse. Hendrix took me the night he arrived at the bar. It had something to do with an arrangement for my fated mate’s father to pay off a debt.” I shrugged, and lowered my gaze, not wanting to think about the bar. There was nothing I missed about working there.
The next thing I knew, Eliza was hugging me. She had her arms around my middle and strangled me with how strong she was despite her size. “I’m so sorry that you had such an asshole of a mate. Was he blind?” She broke away from me, eying me head to toe. “I mean, look at you. You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.”
I half-laughed because no one had ever said that to me before. Plus, if Brayden was blind, I could’ve run away sooner.
“It’s his loss and our gain. I love that you’re here and I’ve got someone to talk to. Many people are so serious, and any females who aren’t mated are sent off by their family to Reject Island or matched with another pack. I’m just lucky my mother begged Hendrix to let me stay. Anyway, enough about that. Come, let me finish showing you around.”
The tour went fast, seeing that at least half the rooms in the mansion she didn’t have permission to enter, or were locked. And the basement was completely out of bounds, which had me intrigued.
We stepped outdoors through the kitchen rear door, and the sun heated my face. The gardens lay out in front of us, and a tall, lanky man was shoveling dirt near the row of carrots.
“Hi, Joe,” Eliza called out.
He paused and glanced our way, lifting his cap out of his eyes. He had short, dark hair, was cleanly shaved, and looked to be in his forties.
“Morning, ladies,” Joe said with a perfect row of white teeth.
When his eyes swept to me, something shifted behind them… it went as quickly as it came. I wasn’t sure what I’d seen, but I put it down to him not expecting a stranger to be interrupting his work.
“Are you here to collect vegetables?” he asked.
“No, I’m giving Syn a tour. Not sure if you’ve heard but Syn just recently moved to Isla de Sangre.”
Joe wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. “Sorry, I’ve been too busy.” He crossed the rows of garden patches and stuck his hand out my way. “It’s a pleasure. And so good to see Eliza with a friend for a change.”
I shook his hand, and it was soft, not aggressive at all. Maybe the problem was me seeing everyone as malicious and out to hurt me when this guy was perfectly nice.
“Thank you. I’m still getting used to the place.”
“Well, I’ll tell you this. You ever need any fruit or vegetables, I’m the man you come to.” His grin spread from ear to ear, and his brown eyes glinted beneath the sunlight. He had an easy expression, the kind of man who looked like he wouldn’t hurt an ant if he could help it. Maybe there was hope for the compound after all, especially if Hendrix loosened his control over me a bit more.
“Sounds perfect.”
He stared at us, then said, “I’ve got something for you both.” Quickly, he hurried into the garden and vanished into a dense patch of trees. Moments later, he rushed out on fast steps, carrying two large apricots.
“They’re ripe and delicious.”
I took mine, our fingers grazing, and he paused for a short moment, staring at me strangely again. I lowered my gaze and drew my hand back with the small gift. “Thank you. It looks amazing.”
He cleared his throat. “I better return to work. The soil won’t work itself.” He bowed his head in my direction, tilting his hat. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Syn.”
Eliza dragged me by the arm. “Let’s go before someone sees us wasting time.” She already munched on her piece of fruit, and I did the same. Flavor burst across my tongue. I might have moaned at how good it tasted.
“He seems so nice,” I said between bites, then quickly discarded the seed into the yard as we headed around the mansion toward the front.