Page 31 of Serpent & Saviors

I groaned at the interruption. Victoria pulled away, and to my surprise, she rushed over to my grandmother.

“Eleanor, I can’t tell you how special this day has been. I thought this piano was gone forever. My grandmother always longed for me to play it again.”

“Well, now you can. Tell me your address, and I’ll have it delivered right away. It’s yours. I was thrilled when I stumbled upon it at the auction house.”

Victoria stiffened in her arms for obvious reasons. Nan ignored it and doubled down on her fierce hug, not letting her go.

“I can hold on to it for as long as you need,” she murmured, and Victoria relaxed.

Somehow, my Nan always knew the right thing to say. I couldn’t have loved her more than I did at that moment.

I smiled softly at Eleanor and followed her to the restroom so I could freshen up. Closing the door behind me, I approached the sink. My face was an absolute mess. Thank God I decided against wearing makeup this morning. My eyes were red rimmed and splotches had appeared across my cheeks.

The flood of memories hit. Eleanor, the piano, even Andrew and his gentleness were overwhelming. It had been so long since someone had been kind to me. I splashed some water on my face and regained my composure. With the story he’d told, things made complete sense. Cameron had always been a cruel man, it seemed.

I caught my reflection in the mirror and whispered, “What are you going to do now?”

Something about seeing the piano left me feeling a small sense of hope. Trying to ignore the reality of my life had gotten me nowhere, and Cameron wouldn’t stop. For the first time since this nightmare began, I contemplated taking Andrew up on his offer of help. I’d be a fool not to.

With one final glance in the mirror, I squared my shoulders and left to join them for dinner. When I walked out, Andrew was waiting. A sheepish grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as I stepped out.

With a quiet confidence, he extended his arm, offering silent reassurance before guiding me down the long corridor. Eleanor’s house was stunning, unlike anything I’d seen before.

“Your family home is quite remarkable,” I said to break the silence. I couldn’t keep the awe out of my voice.

“It’s belonged to our family now for generations. We have the original blueprints from the early nineteenth century. We even have the additions that were done during the Victorian era.”

A grin tugged at his lips, the dimple in his cheek deepening with ease. Something about his mouth held my attention. Demanded it, almost.

“You shouldn’t stare at a man’s lips, you know,” he teased.

A rush of warmth crept up my neck, settling in my cheeks as his words sank in. “I wa-wasn—”

“I thought we established you’re a horrible liar. You were, and I’ll warn you if you do it again—I won’t be responsible for what happens. Now where was I?” He paused, and I tried to focus on the hallway and the beauty of the house. “There are over three hundred twenty-one acres—”

“Seriously? I didn’t realize. I was lost in my head when we pulled up.”

“I see. Well, maybe we can take a walk later, and I’ll show you some of the outside. Although it looks more impressive during the day. We’ve got a former Coach House. It’s now a gym. Nana insisted we upgrade. There are stables if you’re into riding. Are you into riding, angel?”

The way he asked was innocent, but my mind instantly brought forth many inappropriate images of riding him. Every time he called me ‘angel’, it did something to my insides. Not only did butterflies erupt, but years of iciness that I’d used as protection around my heart thawed. He was right. I was a horrible liar.

Don’t look at his lips again.

“I’ve never ridden before,” I murmured.

“Tennis?” he asked.

I shook my head and glanced at the plasterwork covering the ceiling. He, of course, noticed.

“Even though she’s bound and determined to renovate, she is equally adamant about keeping as much of the original beauty as possible, like the decorative ceiling roses and ornate fireplaces,” he offered.

“As well she should. The details are stunning.”

He stopped me, gathered both of my hands in his and breathed, “It is stunning. I could lose myself in it, truth be told.” The deep, intense hunger in his eyes let me know he wasn’t talking about the house.

Needing to fill the space, I asked, “Why is she bound and determined to renovate?”

“Um, yes, that’s quite a bone of contention between us. Nan is old-fashioned, has always wanted me to have a large family—sons, daughters, give her lots of great grandchildren.”