Page 83 of Spark

“Of course, I did,” he said smoothly, almost triumphantly.

Bastard.

“I supposed you’ll want a medal.”

A light chuckled rolled up Darren’s throat, igniting my skin in goose bumps.

“Just a thank-you would be nice.”

I dug my heel into the floor of the deck. I didn’t want to thank him, but it was just another bullet I needed to bite. My arms crossed over my chest, I turned around and looked him dead in the eyes, ignoring the smugness that lingered.

“Thank you,” I said sincerely, and it left a sour aftertaste in my mouth.

“You’re welcome,” he replied with a smirk. “But this isn’t the end of the surprise. There is still so much more to show you.”

I lifted my brows. “There’s more?”

“Much more”—he nodded—“come on.”

Darren took my hand and led me back around to the front of the house, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off the beauty around us, even if it was dark out. But when we did reach the front of the house, the trees around me were forgotten. The house before me was like nothing I had ever seen before, and I couldn’t help but gasp at its architectural beauty. The house was a massive log cabin, with wide-open windows, cobblestone walls, and at least a foot of snow covering every inch of the roof.

“Like it?” Darren asked as he watched me, that smug smile returning.

“It’s… gorgeous,” I said. I couldn’t lie. It was definitely a dream home.

Darren then put his leather gloved hands over my eyes and held me still. “Last time. Now, keep ‘em shut.”

“Okay.” I groaned, my voice a little shaky. I didn’t like the vulnerability he was creating, but I went with it.

“Follow my steps,” he ordered.

Again, I followed every move he made, stepping where he told me, even up the steps to the door. I listened to it open, and a welcoming blast of warm air that smelled faintly of cinnamon immediately greeted me.

We walked further, my boots connecting with stone floor until it transitioned to wood. With each step, the sound of Christmas carols playing in the background grew louder and louder until the unmistakable “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” strung itself through my ears. Darren then finally stopped my advancement.

“This was all for you, Jaden. Merry Christmas,” Darren said softly and pulled his hands from my eyes.

It took a few blinks for my eyes to focus, but when they did, it was like Christmas had vomited itself all over the house. A massive Christmas tree decked out in lights, beads, and ornaments stood tall in the center of the room, surrounded by more Christmas decorations covering nearly every inch of the giant room I stood in. Christmas carols played over the speakers in the corners of the ceiling, and the bowl of Christmas potpourri companioned with red candles confirmed my suspicion of the scent of cinnamon.

The room we were standing in was a grand foyer with a gray slate stone tile floor, the walls stacked with large wooden logs, the furniture consisting of antique yet comfy looking burgundy red couches facing each other in front of the biggest stone fireplace I had ever seen. A fire had been lit, giving off a wave of soothingly warm air while a rustic chandelier glittered above me, together cascading the room in a soft, warm glow.

The scene was nothing short of breathtaking, and it made me forget that Darren was even standing in the room while the guards busied themselves behind us. It suddenly dawned on me that he had done all this for me, to make me happy. I knew it was another form of manipulation, but… goddamn was it working.

I turned around to find him standing a few feet behind me looking perfectly pleased with himself, his hands in the pockets of his black pea coat as his eyes devoured my reaction. I was smiling. I could feel the pull on my cheeks, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Christmas was my favorite holiday, and Darren was going to exploit the shit out of that for his benefit. And I was totally content with letting him do it. I wouldn’t fall for his tricks, but he was welcome to try, especially if they resulted in this kind of effort.

“You did all this for me?”

“I did,” he admitted with a short nod. “I know how much you like Christmas, and I thought you might like this.”

“It’s just…perfect,” I said, turning back around to admire it all. “How long are we staying?”

“Until New Year’s Day.”

That’s it?

I dreaded the idea of going back to the estate, the place where my life felt like it was at a standstill, never moving forward from a place I had once escaped from.

“Come on. I’ll show you to our room,” he said, reaching out for my hand.

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