Page 88 of Undying
With my eyes locked on Milo’s green gaze, my nerves melt away, and I decide to embrace my new life. My old life sucked. I scurried from one place to another and huddled in my single-room apartment in fear, wishing for something different.
And I got it.
It might not be what I was expecting, but I’m coming to accept my new existence, and I suspect that it has everything to do with these impossible men.
I refuse to go back to that lonely existence.
I can’t.
It would destroy me.
Something clicks in my brain, and I realize that I don’t want to go back to my old life. I’m not sure why I’m shocked by the revelation, but the last of my reservations fade, and I finally accept my fate.
With a smile, I take a step toward the room, feeling like I’m finally heading in the right direction. As I stop in front of Milo, his shoulders relax, the tension easing out of him.
He gives me a lopsided smile, then grabs my shoulders and gently spins me to face the room.
And I suck in a startled breath.
The room is stunning. Though decorated in white, the black, lavender, and gray accents give the space a luxurious, dark overtone that I adore. The ceilings are over ten feet tall, the wallpaper textured, the dark wooden floors covered in a luxurious gray faux rug.
A giant bed that resembles two king-sized mattresses takes up the majority of the far wall. A single end table is on either side of the monstrosity, leaving massive floor to ceiling windows next to each of them, and a slight breeze ripples through the gauzy curtains. A glimpse out the window reveals a balcony with a fancy stone and wrought iron railings.
As if sensing my curiosity, Milo heads toward the window, then draws back the curtains far enough to reveal a small, hidden button next to the bed. “A panic button. There are a number of them throughout the room. Push it, and metal shields will slam down over the windows. They’re built to keep out the sunlight and intruders. The whole house is set up the same.”
While the option should be a comfort, I can’t suppress a shiver, remembering them being deployed when I was a guest, leaving me with nowhere to run, much like a mouse in a maze, while the vampires hunted me.
I turn away from the windows and banish the ugly memories, taking in the rest of the room. A massive fireplace occupies the wall opposite the bed, the ornate carvings revealing mythical creatures from a time long past.
Overloaded by luxury, I can only shake my head.
My apartment could fit into the space four times over.
A table and two luxurious leather chairs are placed in front of the fireplace.
And scattered across every surface are bags and boxes of every size.
“So many packages,” I mutter, not even seeing a pathway through the labyrinth.
A light blush dusts Milo’s cheeks, and he clears his throat. “I might have picked up a few things to get you started.”
“For me?” I turn and can only blink, not really comprehending his generosity. Then what he said hits me. “Started?”
The red in his cheeks fades as he glances around the room with a critical eye before scrubbing the back of his neck. He picks up his tablet from somewhere and starts tapping away on it. “I’ll get you hooked up to your accounts so you can get more stuff ordered.”
Heat fills my cheeks, and I shuffle awkwardly. “Yeah, about that. I don’t have enough money to cover what you already purchased. In fact, I’m sure my bank closed my account because of overdraft fees by now. Not to mention my landlord no doubt confiscated and sold everything I owned to cover rent for the last two months. I don’t have two pennies to rub together, much less a dollar for a cup of coffee.”
I slump at the depressing thoughts, unable to look at Milo, a mixture of embarrassment and shame leaving me despondent. Then I lift my chin. I’ll just have to start over. “I’ll get a job and pay you back—”
Milo chuckles, and I whirl with a glare, a little hurt he would laugh at my expense. When he sees my expression, he lifts his hands in a hold-up gesture, his expression earnest as he scrambles toward me, tripping over a bag in his haste. “No, here.” He types something on his tablet, his fingers flying, then he angles the device toward me. “Look!”
I reluctantly peer down to where he’s pointing, then I swear my eyes actually bug out of my head. I lean closer, then start counting the commas, and my brain just stalls. “But…what…I…you…huh?”
“You didn’t know,” Milo mutters to himself, his expression softening, then a genuine smile lights up his face. “You didn’t just inherit the house. You inherited his fortune as well.”
When my knees wobble, Milo makes a desperate grab for me but ends up tripping over one of the many bags. Instead of stabilizing me, we both end up crashing to the floor. At the last second, he drops the tablet, wraps his arms around me, then twists, and I somehow find myself sprawled across his lap.
The landing knocks the air out of me…or maybe it’s being the focus of Milo’s intense stare. Our faces are only inches apart, our breaths mingling, and my body comes alive with need. It’s not just hunger for his blood, but a yearning for the taste of the man himself. My gaze slips down to his mouth, and I love the shiver that goes through him.
