One of Them

28

This is insane. 

I don't know how much club owners usually make but I doubt they should be able to afford the monster of a mansion we just pulled up in front of. I can't help but gawk at the place when we round the driveway. Gage had told us that Valen's place was outside the city and was it ever; we drove nearly an hour outside of Manhattan to wind up in Old Westbury pulling into a gated driveway lined with trees that curved upward to arch together above us. The trees thinned the closer we got to the house, giving us a full view of the gorgeous Georgian colonial sitting at the end. 

As we got closer to the front of the building, I saw Valen waiting on the front steps for us. His face lit up at our arrival and I watched as he turned from the man standing next to him and walked down the front porch steps to meet us. He rounded the car to my door, holding it open, and reached his hand for me to take. 

"Oh, uh...Thanks..." His smile was just as breathtaking as I remembered, the same dimple mark beginning to show on his cheek while those stormy grey eyes looked me over where I stood. His gaze moved to met mine again and his smirk grew. He spoke with a deep raspy voice that had that same thick accent as before. "Of course. It's a pleasure to see you again, Skylar." 

Releasing my hand, he moved to assist Ax with the luggage in the trunk. Rounding the car I went to grab my suitcase out of Valen's hand but he stopped me, insisting his grandmother would turn over in her grave if he was anything less than a chivalrous host while we were staying here. 

Leading us up and into the main entrance of the estate, I was once again overwhelmed by the sheer size of this place. I looked over and saw that Ax was looking around the room skeptically almost as if he thought this was too good to be true as well. I turned to look behind me and found Gage watching on in amusement at our shocked faces.

 "Oh you find this funny, do you? You could've at least warned us we'd be staying in a mansion." Gage smirked as he approached me, his free arm slung over my shoulders as he pushed me to turn back towards the group. "I told you he'd have plenty of room, didn't I? Plus, this isn't his main house anyway so we'll be out of his hair while still keeping you safe. It's a win-win."

"THIS isn't his main house? Now I'm curious..." Valen stood waiting as Gage and I rejoined him and my brother in what looked to be an old-timey sitting room. I swear nothing in here was under 100 years old; gorgeous wooden detailing and pristinely maintained sofas sat in the room, classical oil paintings adorned the walls and the whole place felt like I'd just walked into a museum. It was beautiful.

"Curious? About what?" I somehow had gotten so wrapped up in the decor of the sitting room I hadn't noticed Valen approaching us. He had moved in close to my side so I was standing sandwiched between Gage's hulking body and Valen's. Thoughts of their bodies lead my mind down a rabbit hole of images, but as much as I would've loved to imagine how those two would look naked, I needed to give a reply. I looked up at Valen, his gaze full of honest curiosity. "Gage was just telling me that this place is not your main home. I was just curious as to what your other house must look like for you to choose it as your main. This estate is so beautiful, I don't think I would want to live anywhere else if this were my house."

His mouth pulled into a grin. "Well thank you. This was actually my grandmother's home back when I was a kid. My father and I moved from Ireland right after my mother passed away; my father was always working, so to make sure I wasn't on my own much he sent me to live with my grandmother. When she passed she gifted the house to me and I've made sure to keep it as close to how she left it as possible. I also wish I could make it my permanent home but I've somehow taken over my father's footsteps and I'd prefer not to bring business here. It would tarnish the good this house has brought me, so now I use the place as a getaway. Here, I'll show you around a bit before lunch and we can discuss your stay a bit more."

Valen turned and begins to walk down a long hallway toward the back of the room, Gage's arm is still slung across my shoulders and he begins to move us in the direction Valen is heading. Ax comes over to walk alongside us as we head further into the mansion. "So, are you guys a thing?" My breath stills as I take in Ax's question. I glance to look at Gage's reaction and see that he is already looking at me with his brow raised. "Well, are we Angel?" flustered I look away from his intense gaze only to see Valen looking at me with a just as fierce stare like he too was waiting for my answer. Pushing out of Gage's hold I scurried ahead to where Valen was waiting at the end of the hall. "Jesus guys, it's seriously not the time..."

I hear Gage chuckling behind me, his voice lowering as he says "Damn, can't even let a guy dream. Listen Angel, I know you made it very clear that you wouldn't date me, but I never promised I wouldn't stop trying."

I looked over my shoulder and shot a glare at Gage and as we continued down the new winding hall I turned back to face where I was going and I swore I could hear Valen chuckling to himself.