Chapter 5 The mystery Chain

~Vincent~

My fingers tightened around the brass chain.

“The boy you killed?”

Luciano didn't answer.

He simply looked at me for a moment before turning toward the door.

“Your room is in the east wing. The butler should

be here any minute to lead you there.”

I stared at him.

That was it?

“You're not going to explain what you meant?”

He ignored the question.

“Come down for dinner by seven.”

My brows pulled together.

“You're just going to walk away?”

He stopped at the base of the stairs that led somewhere in this ridiculously big house and glanced back at me.

“Yes.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Unbelievable. I wanted nothing more than to strangle the bastard.

Luciano glanced at me again just before disappearing.

“Seven, Vincent.”

Then he walked out.

I stood there staring at nothing in particular.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

The brass chain felt heavier around my wrist.

The boy he'd killed seven years ago.

What did that have to do with me?

Arghh. I'd come here to investigate my mother's disappearance, and now this.

I looked down at the chain.

I'd had it for as long as I could remember.

My mother had given it to me.

At least, that's what I'd always believed.

I didn't know what Luciano was talking about, but I wasn't going to let it distract me.

I'd come here for answers.

And I wasn't leaving until I found them.

A moment later, an older man in a black suit approached.

“Mr. Danio?”

I nodded.

“I am Alfred, the butler.”

He gave me a polite bow.

“I've been instructed to take you to your room.”

“Okay.”

He stepped aside.

I followed him deeper into the house.

The hallway was quiet.

Too quiet.

My shoes tapped against the marble floor as we

walked.

I glanced around.

The Volkov estate was nothing like my father's house.

It was bigger.

Cleaner.

And somehow more intimidating.

There were no loud voices.

No Lucy laughing somewhere nearby.

No Emerald complaining about something.

No one shouting my name.

Just silence.

That almost made it worse.

We passed several rooms before reaching a large staircase.

Alfred started up.

I followed.

“So... how many people live here?”

He glanced back at me.

“Mr. Volkov and his staff.”

“That's it?”

“Yes.”

I frowned.

For a man as powerful as Luciano, I expected the house to be crawling with people.

Maybe that was the point.

We reached the second floor and turned into another hallway.

“The east wing is mostly private,” Alfred explained.

“Your room is at the end.”

I nodded.

As we continued walking, I noticed a large window overlooking the estate grounds.

Guards stood near the gates.

Others patrolled the gardens.

So much for sneaking out.

Alfred stopped in front of a set of double doors.

“This is your room.”

He opened them.

I stepped inside.

My mouth fell open.

The room was huge.

A large bed sat in the middle, covered in dark sheets. There was a wardrobe against one wall, a desk near the window and a private bathroom beside it.

I walked in slowly.

“This is mine?”

“Yes.”

I looked at Alfred.

“Why?”

He seemed confused by the question.

“Because you are Mr. Volkov's husband.”

Right.

That word again.

Husband.

It still sounded strange.

Alfred placed a small key on the desk.

“If you require anything, ring the bell beside the bed.”

I nodded.

“Thank you.”

He bowed.

“Dinner is at seven.”

“I know.”

He nodded, then turned to leave.

The door clicked shut and silence filled the room.

I stood there for a moment, taking everything in.

This was my room.

Not a small room tucked away somewhere near the servants' quarters.

Not a place where I had to listen to everyone else moving around while pretending I didn't exist.

My father had given me a room barely better than the servants'.

And now I had an entire room to myself.

I walked toward the bed and ran my fingers over the sheets.

They were soft.

I sat down slowly.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

Maybe being married to a psychopath had its perks.

I looked around again.

Then something caught my attention.

Another one of my suitcases sat near the dressing table.

I frowned.

I hadn't seen that one downstairs.

I got up and walked over to it.

A small wooden box sat on top of the dressing table.

My heart skipped.

I knew that box.

I picked it up carefully.

It was my mother's.

I opened it.

Everything was still inside.

Her old necklace.

A few photographs.

Some small things she'd kept over the years.

I stared at them for a moment.

Luciano hadn't burned this.

Thank goodness.

A smile slowly spread across my face.

At least someone had the decency to leave my mother's things alone.

I closed the box and placed it carefully back on the table.

Then I turned toward the wardrobe.

I opened it.

My mouth dropped open.

Clothes.

Lots of them.

Shirts.

Trousers.

Sweaters.

And a few things that made me blink twice.

I pulled one of the outfits from the rack.

“When did they even have time for this too?”

I looked through everything.

They were all my size.

And, thankfully, they weren't all....boring.

There were fitted shirts, cute sweaters, shorts and a few pieces I'd never been allowed to wear around my father.

I pulled out a soft black crop top and held it against myself.

okay maybe this was creepy cause how did Luciano know my taste in clothes.

I shook the thought away. A grin spread across my face.

Finally,

I could dress however I wanted.

No Emerald complaining.

No Lucy making some stupid comment.

No Father telling me to dress like a man from his organization.

I could wear what I wanted.

Even the things I'd only ever worn when I was alone.

I put the crop top back and picked out something for dinner.

I showered, changed and fixed my hair.

By the time I was done, I glanced at the clock.

6:54 p.m.

My smile disappeared.

Seven.

Right.

I was actually following Luciano's order.

I stared at myself in the mirror.

I didn't have to.

I could stay in this room and make him come looking for me.

But then again, if I wanted to stay in this mansion long enough to find what I came for, I couldn't afford to start a war with him on my first night.

I'd play along.

For now.

Just long enough to find the truth.

I grabbed my phone and slipped it into my pocket.

Then I took one last look at myself in the mirror.

“Time to play pretend, Vincent.”

I walked out of the room.

Dinner was waiting.

And somehow, I already knew dinner with Luciano was going to be anything but peaceful.