by Dani René
Shockingly, the house is warmer than I expected when I enter. The marble tiles underfoot echo with every click of my heels. But with the long, deep red and brown rug that lies in a straight line, leading up to a sweeping spiral staircase, it gifts the enormous space a hint of balminess.
Unless there’s a heating system of sorts, but if I had to guess correctly, my grandmother would never pay for this place to be kept heated. A heavy chandelier hangs above me, with crystals glinting in the dim light.
“Hello,” a voice comes from my right, forcing me to turn toward a doorway that leads off from the foyer. “Welcome to Bardot Manor.” A woman who looks to be in her mid-forties smiles at me brightly.
“Thank you,” I respond. “I’m—”
“Scarlett Bardot,” she says, interrupting me. “We’ve been so excited to have you visit. I hope you had a lovely trip?”
“Yes, it was acceptable,” I tell her before glancing around once more.
Ellington offers me a nod before tipping his black driver’s hat at us and exits, shutting the heavy door behind him. And that’s the final nail in my proverbial coffin. Once the car leaves, I’m stuck here.
“Let me show you to your room,” the woman, who I still don’t know, says.
“What is your name?”
She gushes, holding her hand to her chest. “I’m so sorry. How rude of me. I’m Estelle,” she informs me before curtsying as if I were the queen and she a mere servant. It seems Gran has taught the staff to bow down to her. I’m not surprised.
“No need for formality. I’m not my grandmother.” Before Estelle can respond, I head toward the staircase and take a few steps up before turning to see the woman following without my bags.
“I’ll have Gray bring those up shortly.”
“Thank you.” I face the staircase, and when Estelle reaches me, she turns left, and I follow. The hallway is carpeted, quieting our footsteps as she takes me all the way to the end and pushes open a dark wooden door. The bedroom ahead is prepared with fresh flowers in a vase on the vanity, along with what looks like fresh bed linens.
“This will be your wing of the house. Your grandmother is on the other end. You’re welcome to explore on your own, but just be wary of going out into the garden after dark.”
“Why?” I question, opening the curtain to look out over the lawn that leads toward a mountain that looks like a large black mound. The forest ahead reminds me of those I’ve read as a girl in dark fairy tales. “There aren’t any big bad wolves out there.”
“Oh, no, not at all. We just have the gardener working at night. He sets the traps for the foxes out there, which can be dangerous if you don’t know where they are.”
“And he does this at night?” I spin on my heel, looking at the older woman. Why would someone want to do that at night? It’s rather strange.
“Yes, he feels it’s better than doing it in the day; that way, we can explore the gardens safely while the sun is up,” Estelle says as she waves her hand in the air as if she thinks it’s as silly as I do.
“I see. And how old is he?”
Her gaze snaps to mine at the question, her eyes wide as she regards me. “Oh, he’s not for you, sweet Scarlett. You stay clear of him.”
Her words have me laughing out loud. “I’m not at all interested in a man who works in a garden setting traps, I can assure you of that.” I wave my hand in response, knowing that when I get home, I’ll have a multitude of bachelors waiting for me, and it will all be my mother’s doing.
Her brows furrow at my words, but she doesn’t respond. Estelle only offers a curt nod before she heads for the door. Her reaction to me is strange, and I wonder if I’ve offended her by what I said.
“Good night, Miss Bardot. I trust you’ll sleep well,” she greets before walking out of the room, leaving me staring at the empty space. I want to close it, but only moments later, an older gentleman brings my suitcases, and I guess it’s Gray.
“Good evening, Miss. Bardot,” he says, as he pulls the suitcases through the door and sets them down on a stool near the closet.
“You’re Gray?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nods.
“Tell me something, Gray.” I turn to face him fully, watching as he straightens to full height. “The gardener who works for Gran. Is there something I should know about him?”
The old man’s eyes widen as he regards me. “I… I think perhaps you should meet him yourself, ma’am,” he tells me, his voice shaking as he speaks, which only sets my curiosity alight.
Chapter Four
Lycan
Being back in Crimson Falls is strange. I’ve only ever been here when I viewed the property before buying. The investment certainly has been a good one as I step through the foyer into the main area of my new home.
The flight back from New York was quick, and the drive up here was refreshing. A change from the city. The furnishings my decorator chose are exquisite—all dark woods, glass and steel in the kitchen, and claret carpets overlying the expensive tiles.
I head up the sweeping staircase and turn left down the hall to the room I’ve had set up for Scarlett. Upon pushing open the door, I find the ornate four-poster bed, a myriad of cushions and a deep red comforter.
On the opposite side of the bed is a vanity with a beautifully intricate mirror. Carved from the finest oak, the frame shows a little girl with a red hood and the wolf right behind her. Reaching for the sculpted scene, I trace my finger over the hood, the memory of Scarlett’s sleek red hair flickering in my mind.
When I planned to bring her here, I wanted the room to feel like home. Even though she’s going to hate me for a while, I figured at least she can hate in comfort. The contract I signed with her father ensures she’s mine and no longer a Bardot, but she will be a Shaw as soon as the ceremony is complete.
A man relinquishing his hold on his daughter because he fucked up is a sad state of affairs. But he did it to ensure I never divulged what he did behind his wife’s back. Yes, she knew about the money, the embezzlement, but she has no clue her husband likes to whip young women before fucking them raw.
Even though she joined him at Heaven a few times, there was no indication that he would cheat, but the man is an addict. And in the end, I had to rescind his membership. In return for his fuck-ups, I gained a beautiful wife who I’m sure will bear me beautiful children. And I can’t wait to get started on a family.
I have two days to get her here. When the Bardot ball takes place, she will be on my arm. And if she tries to escape, I’ll lock her up in this palace until she submits fully, in every way possible. A smile graces my lips at the thought.
“Mr. Shaw,” the man I put in the Bardot home to keep an eye on my new possession calls to me, causing me to return to the present. “I’ve met her.”
“And?” I turn, facing him as he moves into the room. I’ve known Gray since I was a child. From the moment I realized I would never have a normal life, he was there for me. He’s been good to me, obeying my commands without question.
He nods slowly, a small grin on his face, and for a moment, I think he’s going to tell me not to do this, but then he says, “She’s beautiful, I have to admit. You will make a wonderful couple. But there’s something you do need to know.”
“What is it, Gray?” The frustration in my tone has him wincing, and I have a feeling whatever it is he has to tell me, I’m not going to like.
“Your brother is here,” he informs me, and he was right in being wary of telling me. My hand's fist at my sides as I focus on trying not to smash my knuckles into the mirror. I can’t break everything I’ve set up for her.
“Where is he?” The words are gritted through my clenched teeth. I knew he’d come back here, but I didn’t think he would be so close by.
“Uh… he’s working for Mrs. Bardot. She hired him to do the garden, set the fox traps.” Gray looks up at me, and I can tell he’s more fearful of my wrath than my brother’s stupidity. He was around when my brother d
ecided to fuck over the family to join a fucking motorcycle gang.
He became someone different. Someone I didn’t know, and the more time he spent with his new family, the more he’d forgotten about his blood. I never forgot, though, and if he thinks he’s going to steal my payment, he has another think coming.
“Make sure the girl is safe and stays indoors,” I tell Gray. “And if my brother goes near her, I’ll kill him myself.” I have a feeling my sweet little red isn’t someone who’ll obey the order to stay indoors. Only, she doesn’t know just how feral the predators on the outside are.
“Yes, sir.” Gray turns to leave, and I face the mirror once more. I know Darius will do something. I have a feeling the asshole is here to fuck with me. But what he doesn’t know is I have ways and means to ensure he can’t go near her.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and when I pull it out to find an unknown number, I’m certain it’s my brother. Swiping along the screen, I press the device to my ear.
“You know, she’s quite the looker,” he tells me, the familiar voice ringing in my ears. As much as I hate him, I love him. There’s a fine line between the two emotions, a very fragile line.
“She’s mine, Darius,” I inform him, only to earn myself a chuckle.
“And you think the Bardots are just going to let you take her. She’s quite curious, isn’t she?” He’s testing me to see what I’ll do. The thing about it is, my brother no longer knows who I am, but I know exactly who he is. I’ve seen him over the years, had people watching him, and I saw him turn into a monster. My intel has been wrong. He must’ve known I had eyes on him. The moment I’m done here, I’ll have my team fired for fucking this up. They should have known he was in Crimson Falls.
“Darius.” His name is a threat on my lips, the tone of my voice giving away just what I’m feeling right this second—pure rage. “I’m not your little brother anymore. I’ve welcomed the violence that you told me I couldn’t find within myself. And as a Shaw, I don’t give a shit about family anymore. I will kill you if you go near her.”
“From the garden, I can see into her bedroom,” he informs me, which certainly doesn’t help my anger. My feet carry me out of her room into the hallway. I’m already pulling the gun from my shoulder holster when I reach the ground floor of my house. “She looks so beautiful in her little tank top.” My blood boils with every word he utters. “I wonder just how she’d feel squirming under me.”
“You’ll never find out. Over my dead body,” I grit, my jaw ticking with feral rage as I pull open my back door and head out into the garden. What I loved about this property is it connects to the Bardot Manor. Our gardens overlook each other, and I can be on their land in about ten minutes. There is a thick outcropping of trees before reaching it, but I’ll get to him, and I’ll kill him once and for all.
“Perhaps I’ll find out sooner,” he tells me. “As you know, curiosity kills the kitten.” A scream pierces the speaker before the line dies. Asshole. I can’t hear anything from where I am, but I quickly make my way down the garden toward the forest that backs up against my property.
I’ll find her, I’ll find him, and when I do, I’m putting a fucking bullet in his head.
Chapter Five
Scarlett
My throat burns from the scream as I race away from the large man who stepped out of the shadows. I’m not sure who he is, but I can only guess it’s the gardener, the one I was told to stay away from.
“Come on, pretty girl, come out and play,” he coos from behind me, his deep voice sending sparks of fear through me, and I push forward, trying to get away from him. “I can smell that sweet fear of yours.” His deep voice drips with malice, causing my heart to skitter wildly against my chest.
My long, flowing red hair tangles behind me as thicket and branches snag in my wavy locks. The cool ground beneath my feet causes me to shiver as I race toward the large, looming mansion on the other side of the forest.
A howl in the distance forces a squeal of surprise to tumble from my lips. My mother always told me not to go into the woods when I was a kid, but right now, I need to just get away from the man behind me. Another screeching howl comes from somewhere in the darkness, and my heart leaps into my throat. My lungs burn, and my legs ache. I push forward, seeing a looming house in front of me with golden light streaming from a few of the windows.
I’m so close. The neighbors will help me. I’m sure they will. I’m not sure if the staff heard me screaming, but someone would’ve heard. A crack of a branch behind me has another squeal pealing from my lips as I race through the darkness. My skin scrapes and scratches as tears slowly drip from my lashes, making the path blur before me.
I can smell something akin to candle wax, which is strange. And as much as I want to stop, to take a breath because my stomach aches and my chest is tight with exertion, I don’t. My feet hit the edge of the forest, and suddenly, I’m ripped backward, my feet flying into the air as strong, thick arms wrap around my waist and haul me back into the gloom of the trees.
“No!” My scream is silenced by a heavy hand covering my mouth, and the more I fight, the tighter the arms hold on to me. My muffled shouts dissipate into the forest as I’m dragged through the murkiness.
“If you keep fighting, little red, you’ll make my cock hard. I like it when little girls squirm,” a deep voice barrels through me, sending ice through my veins, and I still all movement. The man carries me as if I’m weightless, and soon I see a clearing up ahead.
It’s not the same voice from earlier, and I wonder who’s caught me. The nickname little red is what Mr. Shaw called me, but I know it can’t be him. He’s not anywhere near Crimson Falls. The house I saw in the distance becomes clearer, and my captor allows me to my feet, but his hold on me stays strong as his arm snakes around my waist, and when I finally get a glimpse of his face, a gasp tumbles from my mouth.
“What are you doing here?” The shock is clear in my tone, but Mr. Shaw just offers me a sly grin that has dread sluicing through my veins.
“I’m here to keep you safe from the predators out there,” he informs me, gesturing with his head toward the forest we just exited. And that’s when I take in the house before me. Three floors of pure opulence. Similar to Gran’s house, but this one is massive, with old brick that looks like it’s been there since the eighteenth-century, and I’m sure it has.
The windows are lit up, just like I saw from the woods. “Why am I here?”
“Because it’s not safe for you to be out there,” Mr. Shaw tells me as he leads me into the house via the kitchen door. A similar layout to Gran’s and has all modern appliances, along with a gas cooker that looks like it’s never been used.
A table is sprawled along the window, overlooking the garden, and when I look out toward the property line, I see the dark shadow of my hunter standing there, watching.
“There…” I point, but by the time Shaw looks out, it’s gone. “He was right there.” My gaze snaps to his, and I see something flickering in those depths of blue. “How did you—”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to,” he warns before turning on his heel. I watch him move to the fridge before he pulls open the heavy metal door and asks, “Do you want something to drink?”
“I-I… No, I mean, I need to get home.”
“You’ll stay here tonight.” His tone is no-nonsense as he grabs a bottle of wine and finds a corkscrew in one of the drawers. When he sets two glasses on the breakfast bar, he meets my inquisitive gaze. “I don’t want you out there while he’s looking for you.”
“How do you know he’s looking for me?” My curiosity has piqued, and I wonder if Mr. Shaw will offer me the answers I need. I doubt it from the look on his face. He opens the bottle with a pop and pours two generous glasses of white wine before handing me one and taking the other for himself.
“I know things that will cause you to be sick, little red,” he tells me. “Now, drink up, and I’ll show you to the guest ro
om.” My stare is locked on his movements, how he brings the glass to his lips, and sips the alcohol. Once again, I’m stunned by just how handsome he is. For someone who was racing through the forest moments ago, he doesn’t seem at all perturbed.
“Fine, if you won’t tell me how you know, at least tell me your name.” I set my glass down, meeting his stare.
His mouth crooks into a wolfish grin as he regards me. “Lycan Shaw,” he says, holding out his free hand to mine. “It’s lovely to meet you again, Scarlett Bardot.”
My gaze falls to his strong hand, and I finally accept it after being at war between wanting to touch him and wanting to run in the opposite direction. We shake, and his thumb circles my skin, sending goose bumps dancing across every inch of me.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Lycan.” His name tastes like sin on my tongue and poison on my lips. “Why am I here?” I want answers, even though he seems adamant on not giving them to me. But he has to at least offer an inkling.
“Everything will be answered when you get to your room,” he informs me before setting his empty glass down and turning for the door. “Follow me.”
My mouth gapes then shuts quickly as my feet move behind him. “What do you mean my room?”
He doesn’t respond. His steps are long strides, showing off his tall frame and how his slacks and shirt fit him perfectly. There’s no doubt this man is breathtakingly gorgeous, but my fight or flight instinct has taken over, and I glance at the front door as we pass it.
But Lycan anticipates that and says, “You can try to run, but there are only two evils you have to deal with, the hunter outside or me.” He takes the stairs slowly, waiting for me to make my decision. “But make no mistake, little red,” he says, stopping to glance at me from over his shoulder. “I will find you. No matter where you go.”