Chapter 45: IT’S TOO DANGEROUS
"Kai has something important to discuss with you. That’s why I’m taking you there." Dominic went further to explain.
Violet didn’t question him further.
The night sky stretched into infinity, dotted with stars.
The car stopped in front of two large iron gates. About five seconds passed before they parted slowly, revealing a long gravel driveway.
Violet’s eyes stayed locked on the tinted window, taking in the view beyond the glass. The old stone walls were covered in patches of climbing ivy that stretched along the perimeter.
"This is the place I was instructed to bring you." he said.
This was the estate Kai had built behind the mask of those ageing walls.
They’d driven for a good two hours before reaching it. The place was tucked away from civilisation, hidden behind tall trees whose canopy did a perfect job of concealing it.
No one would ever believe a building of this size existed out here.
Dominic killed the engine and turned. "We’re here."
He stepped out and opened her door.
Violet stepped out, purse in one hand. She stood straight, scanning the building. A water fountain sat off to the side.
"Every inch of this building and the surrounding land belongs to Kai." He watched her suddenly composed face, wiped clear of any emotion.
"Let’s go inside, there’s someone who’s been waiting for you."
"Who?"
Who else knew about her? Who else had she failed to fool? she wondered.
At this point, even if she saw a crowd of people pointing and calling her a fraud, she wouldn’t be surprised, or even bother questioning how they’d found out.
Dominic started walking, and she followed.
The doors parted, and he stepped aside, gesturing one hand toward the space. "Ladies first."
’Pretending to be a gentleman?’ Violet scoffed as she walked in through the wide glass door.
Once inside the warm, glass-walled foyer, the ceiling stretched high overhead, a chandelier hanging from it, its diamonds glinting and emitting a warm glow.
There were frames scattered all over the walls. The couches were black, and so was the very little design in the sitting room.
Staring ahead of her, Violet immediately caught sight of a familiar figure.
Jen tapped her foot repeatedly against the floor, casting one more glance at the grandfather clock ticking slowly on the wall.
Violet squinted. Jen was here? Why was she here? Did Kai bring her here? Or did she also work for him, part of the people he had set up to make her plan go smoothly?
Jen turned around at that moment and rose to her feet the instant she saw Violet.
Her heart swelled with relief as she crossed the space between them. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around Violet, pulling her into a tight, warm embrace.
Violet stiffened, caught completely off guard by the hug, her arms hanging limply at her sides. "You’re safe, I was so worried."
Dominic stood behind them both, hands tucked leisurely into his pockets, watching from a distance.
After about thirty seconds, Jen caught herself. She pulled away from Violet, taking a step back. Warmth spread across her face, and she lowered her head. "I’m sorry... I was... that was... um," she let out a strangled breath, "I was just so excited to see you, I lost my composure for a moment."
Violet tried, and failed, to stop the warmth blooming in her chest. She kept her face neutral, even though some part of her was genuinely glad Jen had worried about her. ’Doesn’t that mean she wasn’t working with or for Kai?’
"It’s okay." was all she could manage before Jen led her to the couch.
"Would you like something to drink?" Dominic asked. She shook her head.
Then to Jen she said, "I wasn’t expecting to find you here."
"I didn’t know I’d be coming here either." Her eyes flicked toward Dominic, who’d perched himself on the couch across from them, his suit jacket removed and lying idly beside him.
His hands worked at his tie, and as if sensing Jen’s gaze on him, he lifted his head.
"He brought me here from the hotel." She’d returned to the hotel by noon and had been trying to reach Violet ever since.
She continued, "Dominic told me you were here, waiting for me. But when I got here, he told me about your abduction, and why it happened." Her hands twisted together in her lap, her eyes glassy, guilt written plainly across her face.
’What did Dominic tell her?’ Violet wondered.
"It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t left yesterday, or if I’d come back when I planned to, I would have driven you myself." Her voice cracked on the last word. She pressed her hand to her chest as though trying to hold herself together.
She inhaled sharply. "I’m truly sorry." she apologised again, dipping her head to hide her red, misty eyes.
"It’s not your fault, there’s nothing to apologise for." After all, it had been her own father who’d had her abducted.
Still, she didn’t offer Jen any comfort, or try to stop her from crying when her shoulders began to tremble.
Carrying a burden that wasn’t hers to carry had been Jen’s own choice.
Violet turned to Dominic, who’d made no move to give them any privacy. "How much longer do I have to wait for Kai? What’s so important that he has to say to me? It’s getting late, I need to get back to the hotel." The drive back would take another two hours. She crossed her arms over her chest and her jaw tightened, her patience wearing thinner by the second.
"There’s no need to go back to the hotel. Your things are already here." Dominic said. He turned to Jen, who was too busy wiping the tear streaks from her cheeks to catch the conversation. "Didn’t you tell her you checked out?" He asked, as though he genuinely didn’t know she hadn’t been informed.
Violet lifted a brow. "Checked out? What do you mean?"
"You can’t stay there anymore. Kai said it’s too dangerous, so he’s had rooms prepared for you and Jen here. If you’d like, I can take you to yours now."