CHAPTER 2: WAY TOO SEXY LANDLORD

Elena's pov

I threw myself onto the soft mattress, sighing into the scented pillows. My room was beautiful, vintage style. It felt like the kind of a place a haunted poet might live in. Which exactly fitted my vibe.

After a few hours of unpacking my things and pretending I had my life together while in reality I hadn't. My stomach grumbled like it was waging a war inside,but that was bound to happen, because I hadn't eaten anything since last night.

I walked quietly through the mansion's hallway until I found the kitchen. I thought the kitchen might be dark, with antique furniture and a mysterious vibe just like the rest of the mansion. But to my surprise,it was huge,class , marble countertops,golden handles and a large fridge that looked like it came from a cooking show.

Perfect!! I clapped my hands, already feeling excited.

I started rummaging through the cupboard. Boxes,cans,tins, everywhere. My hands moved fast, opening and tossing things aside until I found a pack of cereal. I searched for the bowl and spoon.

The kitchen did not look like it did ten minutes ago!

but I was too hungry to care about anything! I'll care about this later, after I fill my stomach.

“Are you trying to start a war?" A deep annoyed voice snapped behind me.

I jumped and spun around,when I saw him.

Tall,sharp jawline,jet black long hair tied in a man bun, barefooted, dressed in black shirt and loose pants and he still managed to look like he just stepped out of a forbidden fantasy novel.

Not only his body stunned me,but also his eyes!

I never saw anyone with such pretty eyes like him. Silver gray eyes that seemed to penetrate my soul with a single gaze.

Damn! If sexy was a person,then it is this guy. The cereals were long forgotten and now I was busy thirsting over this man. But who can blame me? This man was the definition of sexy and attractive.

“Will you stop looking at me?" He snapped me out of my daydreaming.

I blinked. “Sorry,I…uh… I didn't think anyone was home”. Damn! He was so sexy!

" Clearly” he said his voice turned cold " You destroyed the kitchen".

I looked around. Okay! Maybe it did look like a raccoon had gone through everything.

“Who are you?" He asked again with his deep, husky voice that sent chills down my spine. Honestly, I've only seen this guy a few minutes ago,but the way he was making me behave was concerning.

Quit thirsting over him Elena! I mentally scolded myself.

“I'm Elena,I rented a room here. And who are you?"

“You rent a house without knowing who your landlord is. I don't know if you're just naturally stupid?’ he said, his lips curving into a smile.

“Landlord? So you're Noir Cruor?”

" It's Mr Cruor to you. We're not close enough to call me Noir. And clean my kitchen before I do anything,you will not like”. He smirked, taunting a smile.

I looked around once more," I was going to clean up after I ate” I said defensively while pouring milk into my cereals. " No need to be an asshole about it”.

He stepped closer,the tension increasing in the air. He knew he was attractive and he used that to his advantage. I couldn't seem to concentrate as he continued to come closer to me.

“This isn't a college dorm. You're not here to treat my house like a playground".

“Oh, your home," I scoffed. “Right. Because people who invite tenants usually write scary bedtime rules and then treat others like trash".

He narrowed his eyes. “You're too loud".

“And you're grumpy!’ I retorted.

" Do you ever stop talking?” He sighed like talking to me was draining all his energy.

" If you want to stop me from talking then you can start by being decent and not an asshole”.

He glared at me and I returned it with full force. We stood there for a long second, staring each other down. The only sound was the clink of my spoon against the bowl.

" I expect this mess to be cleaned in five minutes," he said, his voice turning low and dangerous. “Or you can find another mansion to destroy".

He turned on his heels, and left the kitchen without waiting for my response. I glared at the doorway after he just disappeared.

God! He was the worst.

He was rude, arrogant, and way…too attractive for my own good. Which made hating him ten times more complicated.

I grumbled as I wiped down the last bit of cereal I’d spilled, mentally cursing my stupid crush on the grumpiest man alive.

How could I find this arrogant man attractive? He was insufferable,but painful beautiful too.

When I turned to throw the cloth into the sink, something outside the kitchen window caught my eye.

Movement which was Faint, quiet, almost… poetic.

I leaned closer.

There he was Noir, my sexy landlord standing in the garden under the moonlight, shirtless now, with his head tilted toward the sky. His long black hair was down, brushing his shoulders like ink over porcelain. He looked… unreal. The silver of the moon caught in his eyes, giving them an ethereal glow.

He wasn’t yelling now. He wasn’t smirking.

He looked… lost. Lonely. Beautiful.

My breath got caught in my throat.

Who even was this man?

And why did my heart stutter like it had just been whispered to?

God, I was in trouble.

I didn’t move from the window for a long second, frozen in place like I’d just stumbled across some forbidden scene in a movie. Noir stood so still beneath the moonlight it was like time itself bowed to him.

He exhaled, slow and deep, like he was carrying something heavy in his chest. Something too big, too broken. And despite everything the way he snapped at me, the coldness in his eyes I felt a tug inside me. Curiosity... Fascination.

Because even when he was silent, that man was loud.

I quickly ducked when he turned his head slightly, heart jumping in my throat. Did he see me? God, I hoped not. Peeking at your landlord while he’s having a broody moonlight moment probably counted as creepy.

I scurried back to my cereal bowl, suddenly not hungry anymore. My brain was too busy replaying the image of his bare chest and the way the moonlight kissed his skin. He wasn’t just attractive. He was a whole problem wrapped in silk and shadows.

And worst of all ...I wanted to know him.

“Get a grip,” I muttered to myself, picking up the now soggy cereal and dumping it in the sink. “He’s rude. Unbearable. Probably a vampire.”

Though the last one didn’t feel as much like an insult anymore. Just a theory I was way too okay with.

I was halfway to my room when a soft creak behind me made me freeze.

"Didn’t I say five minutes?” His voice was lower now, quieter dangerous in a different way.

I turned, meeting those silver eyes again. “Kitchen’s clean,” I said, lifting my chin. “You can chill.”

He stared at me for a beat too long, then said, “You don’t listen well, do you?”

“Maybe you don’t speak clearly.”

Something flickered in his gaze was that amusement? was he thinking of something funny?

He stepped closer, the air thickening with every inch he closed between us. I swear my pulse was doing parkour at this point. “If you’re going to survive here, Elena,” he murmured, “you’ll need to learn boundaries.”

“I’m not scared of you,” I said.

A slow, dark smile crept over his lips. “You should be.”

And just like that, he turned and vanished into the hallway again, like some walking enigma straight out of a twisted fairytale.

I stood there, heart hammering against my ribs, knees slightly weak, mind screaming:

Girl, you are definitely in trouble.

Big, tall, silver eyed, shirtless, possibly dangerous trouble.

And I wasn't sure if I wanted to run away…Or run toward it.