Serena
I turned, my heart pounding, to find him standing by the door, sleeves rolled up, expression unreadable, that same air of control he usually exuded.
He leaned against the doorframe, one brow raised.
"I didn't take you for the curious type, Serena."
I swallowed, stepping back from the mirror. "You left me alone in a mansion that looks like it hides secrets in every corner. What did you expect?"
He smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in it.
"Careful what corners you open here, Mia Cara, some of them hold things you won't be able to understand."
The words lingered in the air long after he turned and walked away. And for reasons I couldn't explain, I suddenly didn't want to be alone in that room anymore.
I ran out of the room trying to catch up with his pace.
"What's the deal with that place?" I asked inquisitively.
"If you want to know so bad, why not stick around and find out? I'm sure that you'll find enough things to satisfy your curiosity."
He said with a taut expression on his face.
I couldn't ignore it anymore, I opened my mouth to blast him for being so annoying and rude but something told me that would be a very bad idea.
"Why are you so mysterious Damien?"
It looked like the question caught him off guard because his expression changed. He still hadn't answered my question but it didn't surprise me. It was typical Damien behavior.
We were heading towards the outdoor pool which I was yet to explore and I couldn't contain the feelings of excitement that pooled in my stomach.
It'd been ages since I last took a swim and I made up my mind that even if Damien was going to be annoyingly difficult, I was going to swim today.
The courtyard opened up like someone had carved a private sun into the house. I followed Damien down the stone path and the noise of the mansion fell away; muffled, distant, until the only sound left was the water.
The pool sat in the middle of a mabicured terrace, long and rectangular, but like a black mirror. It wasn't flashy; no neon lights or ridiculous statues, but it had a kind of restrained arrogance that matched the rest of the place.
Pale tiles framed the water, each one laid so precisely the seams were almost invisible.
A shallow ledge ran the length of one side, perfect for sitting and letting your legs dangle while someone poured champagne into the dusk.
I couldn't tell if that thought came from habit or from something I'd seen in movies, but it stuck anyway.
Around the pool were low loungers with thick cushions and umbrellas that looked like they'd been chosen by people who hate chaos. Potted palms stood spaced like sentries; their leaves whispered in the breeze.
One corner held a small bar, marble-faced, with a stack of clean towels and a tray of citrus infused water that smelled like summer and felt a little insulting given everything that had gone down last night.
The weather was still so very chill but I could tell the pool had a heater. A pool that looked like a literal dream had to have one.
Glass walls separated this courtyard from the rest of the house in some places; in others, clipped hedges made a living fence. The whole area felt intensely private. More like a treasure you weren't supposed to know about than an amenity.
That privacy made the pool feel dangerous in a different way: not because it threatened you, but because it made you feel safe. Secrets liked places like this.
The water itself was that impossible color—deep, almost light green in the shadowed morning, brightening to a clear, honest green where the sun hit it.
Tiny ripples moved across the surface as a breeze skimmed past, and light skittered like quicksilver over the titles. I stepped closer and the cool air hit my wet skin, making goosebumps rise on my arms.
A flight of shallow steps led down into the pool, and the first one looked dangerously inviting. I imagined slipping off my sandals and letting my feet test the temperature, this was the kind of place that made simple things feel decadent.
A few decorative lanterns hung from the eaves; their glass held flecks of gold that would look ridiculous if this were summer and the sun went down but right now, they were just pretty.
Damien watched me watch the pool with the same steady, unreadable look he gave everything.
"It's private," he said, as if that explained everything.
"No reporters, no unwanted guests. Just the family and whoever the family allows."
I nodded and ran my fingers from the stone ledge. It was smooth, slightly warm from the morning, and the scent of chlorine was faint; clean, sterile, oddly comforting.
Behind the loungers, discreet speakers hid under planters, but there was no music now; the silence was almost loud enough to taste.
For a second I let myself picture the place in a different life: laughter around the bar, a towel thrown over a shoulder, someone handing me a glass without ceremony. It felt like a lie.
The pool wanted to sell a version of calm and indulgence that didn't belong to me.
I walked to the perimeter, heels tapping softly against the stone, then stopped and looked back at the house.
"I would like to take a dip in the pool."
Damien's eyes met mine in an 'Are you being for real right now?' glare.
"What? You said it was open to family and whoever the family allows. Technically, I am family…well almost family." I said, making sure to recognize my place.
I and Damien weren't married yet even if our wedding has been moved to a much closer date.
"I don't know if that's a good idea Serena."
"Why is it not?"
He looked away. His jaw tightened and I wanted to reach forward, grab him and shake him like a maniac, screaming in his face and asking him why he couldn't simply be normal. But of course I had to close those thoughts away.
"Fine then but you'll be supervised."
"By who?"
"Me, who else?" He said sarcastically.
"You're not going to join me?"
"No."
He turned around and headed towards the shade. I went in, showered and headed back.
Immediately I stepped into view, I noticed Damien tense.
I could feel his eyes burning into my skin but I had to pretend, feigning ignorance. I couldn't risk looking at him or else I would feel too shy to enter the pool.
I muttered a prayer hoping that the hardness of my nipples against the flimsy fabric I wore, does not betray my act.