Beautiful Chaos Read online

  His head shook in amusement as I started in on my eggs and sausage. Besides, any man with eyes could tell by the ample amount of ass I had that I didn’t eat like a bird. I was naturally thick in the places that were trending for desired body image.

  A thick coat of silence fell between us as I took in the view across the dining room table and over his left shoulder. The determined rays of the morning sun pushed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and tipped past the sheer white drapes. The shadows of mountains in the distance blurred by the drapes made their presence known.

  “We won’t be getting married on Friday,” he informed me, letting a hint of disappointment flash in his gaze. I had no reply as I didn’t know how to feel about the news. However, my father crossed my mind. Did Arjen not want to go through with the deal anymore? A crease of worry wrinkled my forehead, and my body followed, tensing.

  “We’ll still marry, but I have urgent business that came up, so we’ll postpone until I return.” His update put relief back in my posture and untightened the stress that had traveled to my forehead.

  “There’s a possibility I’ll be leaving the country, and although I assigned Sam to be your protection, there is only one person that I trust to protect you while I’m gone.”

  Eager to know who he planned on leaving me with, I leaned further across the table, my eyes zeroing in on his.

  “It’s my brother, Khane. He may seem a little dark and intense, but I can assure you that for me, he would protect you with his life.” Arjen was confident in what he was saying, and I didn’t miss the hint of pride that flashed in his eyes at the mention of his brother.

  “How long will you be gone?” I asked. The longer he was away, the better. It meant I would enjoy my freedom longer.

  “Shouldn’t be any more than two weeks.”

  I nodded. “I know we don’t know each other, but thank you for helping my father. He’s still a work in progress, but I don’t know what I would do if something bad happened to him.”

  I wanted Arjen to know that I was doing this for my father and that I would support him if it meant saving my father’s neck. I was sure my father had withheld some key information, but for him to take a measure this drastic, I knew that things were dire.

  “You’re welcome, but it’s my pleasure. I left a sat phone on your dresser. It’s unlocked and has my brother’s address programmed in it. Khane lives up in the mountains, nearly two hours from here. He should be back tonight, or early tomorrow morning at the latest. Sam will take you to his place and stay near until Khane arrives. The temperature is a bit cooler up there, so pack a sweater. I don’t want to come home to a sick fiancée,” he stated playfully, making me laugh.

  I could like Arjen, I thought, smiling. He was so neat and expensive-looking, as though he owned a big part of the world. I could always try and refine myself into a more expensive version for his sake, but I preferred to keep things simple. He wasn’t who I would have picked for a husband, but given that I wasn’t dating and the last three clowns I had dated were duds, I wasn’t complaining.

  Small talk carried us through breakfast before Arjen excused himself to go and pack after receiving a phone call that lasted about twenty seconds. I was set to leave later that afternoon.

  The distraction of my pending marriage and the sudden change in my living situation had my anxiety kicked up so high that I hadn’t given much thought to staying with Arjen’s brother. Now that I was making the drive, following Sam, my brain decided it wanted to dredge up all I knew about Khane Vallin.

  The stories had made him a legend. His reputation was something you sat around a campfire and talked about. Rumor had it that he had been the one who earned his family the moniker of animals, and suggested he had killed so many people that he had earned his nickname, ‘The Kannibal,’ ten times over.

  He was his family’s go-to guy for security. In the criminal underworld, the security guy was usually the most dangerous because he was the death-dealer, the hunter, and the assassin: the one that took care of the messy side of the business. Things like dropping bodies and making people disappear.

  Now, I was set to go and live with a man with a reputation that made ghosts hide in dark places. How the hell was I supposed to get through this? Arjen was certain I was safe with his brother, so I shouldn’t have been worried. Right?

  The idea of packing up my car and running away kept crossing my mind, flaring to life in my head as my new Mercedes climbed the inclined roadway with ease.

  With Sam’s guidance, I made the trek to the address Arjen had put into my satellite phone. Was it the only type of phone that worked up here? I’d driven an hour away from Arjen’s pristine neighborhood and had been traveling up a curvy inclined road for just as long, taking me away from anything resembling the civilized world. The last homestead we had come across had been at least forty minutes ago.

  Thick, strong trees stood like it was their honor to be there. Beautiful rock formations flexed their strength, and peeking creeks pouring over and between rocks could be seen at a glance. Water from distant river canyons sparkled against the sunlight, winking as I snapped photos of its beauty in my head. The elevation made you aware of the height difference as it took more energy to breathe.

  I drove on when my GPS started to get as confused as I was, thankful that Sam was leading the way. Like in Arjen’s neighborhood, I cracked my window and drew in the refreshing air. A deep whiff had me wanting to close my eyes as I sighed against the pleasant feel of it surrounding me.

  When a large stone Victorian-style house came into view, my brows lifted, and I stretched my neck and leaned into the windshield checking it out. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, the sight leaving my lips parted in awe and my eyes scanning.

  Sam turned his Jeep around so that his driver’s side window was in line with mine. I lowered my window to see what he wanted.

  “I’ll be about a mile up the highway. There is a guard’s shack hidden from the view of the roadway. Phone me if you need anything. The front door is open.”

  “Okay.” My brow lifted, but Sam took off before I could question him. In my car’s side mirror, he flashed me a thumbs up as he drove away, and just left me sitting there staring at the place.

  Did Khane make a habit of leaving his door open, or did he even need to lock it since other humans didn’t exist here? Why had Sam left? Was he not invited into Khane’s house? Why was he hanging out on that lonely road, in a hidden guard shack, waiting for me to call if I needed him?

  My roaming gaze went back to the house, chasing its beauty. It was a sight that couldn’t be ignored as it also presented itself as something to be respected. However, the idea of who I was set to meet climbed to the surface of my brain. This was not the place you wanted to be alone with a man that was rumored to be a people eater. I suppose the reason they called him “Kannibal” was why Sam had decided to leave me in the driveway.

  The house drew me in once more. It appeared to be a part of the mountainous landscape. Was it built into the mountain? To someone like me with a taste for art and a deep appreciation of design, this house captivated me.

  I sat in my car with the engine running, taking in the splendor of it and the way it sat poised, reminding me of a mini replica of a castle. This house had class and sophistication, descriptions that were in contrast to the reputation of its owner. The setting sun and landscape of the mountains in the background formed a picture of perfection, one I wanted to paint.

  It didn’t appear that old, although a few vines had started their climb up the outer walls in areas. There was something mysteriously intriguing about the place. I liked it. A lot.

  I drove farther along the wide driveway that overlooked a steep drop off and parked near the front door before popping my trunk.

  There wasn’t a welcoming committee, not that I expected one, so I slung my purse across my shoulder and tugged the one suitcase from the trunk that I had decided to bring. The wheeled luggage made a loud thumping sound again
st the cobblestone driveway, casting light echoes as the sound bounced off the house.

  By the time I had carted my luggage up the first of the four steps that led to the door, it had popped open, making a lazy moaning sound. A pale face peeked past the rustic mahogany door. It was an older woman who didn’t offer a hello. She stood at the door, observing as I dragged the bag up the final step, struggling and cursing under my breath.

  My small accomplishment was dampened by the waiting and now frowning face at the door. “Desiree Evans.” I extended my hand, and hoped my forced smile appeared genuine.

  “I know who you are,” her gruff voice uttered as her big light gray eyes raked over me. “Khane isn’t here right now. I’ll show you to your room,” she informed me in a clipped tone. Her irritation with my presence was noted. Why was she irritated? It hadn’t been my idea to be there. I could have stayed with Mecca and been just as safe as Arjen believed I would be with his brother.

  When I hobbled past the threshold, my breath caught at the first sight of the interior space. Where the outside presented hints of mystery and intrigue, the inside was a modern-day metropolis of gothic and medieval design. It was dark sophistication displayed in the best possible way.

  The house had already left an impression as I had started to build a collection of snapshots in my head. There were Toscana-garden statues, antique reproduction furniture, and sculptural wall décor that drew an instant smile. Framed classic art had me eager to get a closer view. Animal statues, angels, fairies, dragons, and gargoyles had my eyes bouncing around the room like a cat chasing a pin-light.

  The items weren’t cheap knockoffs bought at wholesale. Some were clearly antiques. At a glance, I could tell that time had been spent on creating each piece as they were hand-crafted, carved, and painted.

  There was enough vintage galore that it threw my mind into a feeding frenzy. Darkness kissed light, caressed it, and held it up so that it complemented everything it touched. A little darkness could be the easiest way to play up the light in any room, at least that was my take on it.

  My head tilted to the side as I stared at Khane’s living room. There was something familiar about it, like I had been there before. The design and intricate placement spoke to me, whispering a secret my mind wasn’t going to let go of until I figured it out.

  The loud clearing of the lady’s throat sounded, popping the bubble of artistic bliss that had surrounded me. She hadn’t bothered with an introduction, so I couldn’t call her by a name. Since she’d been so rude, I was content to call her Lady for now.

  My luggage slid across the dark ceramic tile with ease as I followed Lady. We turned into a hall, and I was stopped in my tracks when she made an abrupt stop at the first door.

  After the lady pointed to a closed door and left me there, I creaked the door to my bedroom open and stepped inside. There was so much to admire that I had already decided that I would be roaming the house to feed my fascination.

  Across the hall from my room was a fully stocked gym with a glass wall that opened to the sky. The closer you stepped into the view, you were able to see the steep drop down the mountainside. The view made you want to be in the room.

  There were big double doors at the end of the hall, and what was likely the master bedroom was unfortunately locked. I spied, touched, crept in and out of rooms, admiring, and exploring the vast depth of the designer’s mind.

  The setup and the color schemes played into a gothic theme so intricately woven, it would take weeks, if not months to devour the exquisite artistry of each picture, sculpture, and precisely placed piece.

  I continued to soak in Khane’s home until I was drawn to the door that sat on the lonely hall off the kitchen. The space surrounding the door wasn’t wide enough for it to be another room. The closer I stepped to the door, the tighter my skin drew on my bones. The hair on the back of my neck stood and waved as if a finger had brushed with a feathery touch across them.

  The chill in the air had me shrugging and folding my arms across my chest, but the power of my curiosity kept me moving. Thankfully, I hadn’t run into Lady while I was snooping. Was she hiding and spying on me? What was she to Khane and Arjen?

  My hand wrapped around the ice-cold doorknob and turned it with no success. Like the master bedroom door, this one was locked and determined to keep me in suspense. A breeze whistled in through the dark crack, teasing my curiosity and spiking my anxiousness to know what was beyond that desolate door. I placed my hand atop it and lingered, staring into the glossy white finish of the thick wood.

  When the whistle of the wind sweeping through the crack shifted and stopped, I froze, and the air stilled like ice in my lungs. The rest of the hair on my body joined the hairs that had risen on the back of my neck. The prickle of each strand came alive on my skin. Goosebumps peppered my arm—my spirit attempting to warn me of some unknown threat or horror.

  Cautious back-steps moved me away from the door, as if I needed to be careful not to disturb the something unknown that I’d wanted to be nosey about. Once I was a few feet away, I turned and walked away, but my curiosity had been piqued.

  What was behind that door? What was Khane hiding?

  6

  Desiree

  I jolted awake, a sharp invisible nudge from beyond acting as my alarm clock. The ticking hands that I narrowly made out on the old-fashioned wall clock displayed 5:05 a.m. A sense that I was being watched lingered over me, making me rub my hands up and down my arms more for security than warmth.

  After dragging myself into and out of the restroom, I padded down to the kitchen. Since I hadn’t had dinner last night, I was hungry enough to eat my own liver if it was seasoned right.

  When I stepped into the kitchen, I was stopped in my tracks, my feet shuffling from the ongoing momentum. My leg jolted blindly after the slipper that had slipped off my foot, but my eyes were aimed at the figure before me.

  The man’s face, part of it, was cast in shadow from the position he sat in behind the table. I was unable to see his eyes clearly, but based on what I saw, his dark beard surrounded a set of tempting deep pink lips. The hair on his face was short enough that it didn’t hide his pronounced jaw line that gave a hint at his handsomeness. His features, the ones I saw, was a vision I allowed to soak in. He was as interesting to observe as his house.

  “Good morning. I’m Desiree,” I greeted, fumbling around my scattered brain for the right words. I was sure he already knew my name, but I introduced myself anyway.

  Had my presence frozen him in shock? Was I imagining it or was he more surprised to see me than I was to see him?

  His brow lifted before his eclipsed gaze strolled over my body and reminded me that I had left my room in a strange house without a robe. In nothing but my thin blue cotton sleep set that hugged everything, I was giving him a peek at all of my goods. I crossed my arms over my chest and folded myself into my shoulders as much as I could.

  “Good morning. Khane,” he finally spoke. Although his tone was low, his deep voice vibrated across my skin. I sensed his shadowed eyes observing every part of me.

  I was too far into the situation to run now, so I decided to step forward. I pointed at the chair across the table from him. I attempted to, but failed to push out the words waiting on my tongue. Sitting would allow me to hide at least a part of my overexposed body.

  “May I join you?” I asked. Why was I feeling shy all of a sudden? I wasn’t as bold as I had been in my younger years, but wasn’t timid either, until now. His eyes on me sent a lively vibe through me that I’d never experienced and couldn’t find the right words to describe, but I think I liked it.

  He nodded, and I sat quickly. Lady, the grumpy woman from yesterday, must have cooked the delicious-looking food displayed on the table. The table was pre-set with place settings, enough for four people, although I don’t believe Khane was the kind of man that entertained guest.

  Although my gaze was aimed at his chest, I sensed that his eyes had never strayed a
way from me. Stuck in indecision, I had to drop my arms to reach for the plate sitting in front of me. I needed to do anything but sit there like an idiot.

  Fuck it.

  I reached for the plate, aiming my chest at the table’s edge to do so. As I suspected, his gaze had dropped to my tits where my hard nipples pressed against my shirt were saying hello to him.

  “I didn’t think anyone would be down here this early in the morning, so…” I said, glancing down at myself, ashamed now that I’d been caught underdressed.

  “Understood,” he replied. “I’m an early riser,” he added, for my benefit, I’m sure. Thankfully, he had planted his gaze on my face. I may have been raised by a street savage, but I still had some modesty left in me.

  Now that I had a clear view of his face, I noticed an oddity in his eyes. Were they different colors? I fought not to aim my face closer as I projected my gaze to see him clearly. He didn’t recoil or move as I allowed my curiosity to make me rude.

  Was he blind in the left eye? I couldn’t tell. Where one eye was brown, the other was a greyish-brown, a touch of death among a live canvas.

  The eye fit him. It gave him an unnatural pop of liveliness that made him unique, different, uncommon. Of course, I didn’t tell this man what my outside-the-box brain was thinking.

  He was a good-looking man for someone who supposedly ate people. I’d expected a man with his reputation to have developed into a wrong turn reject with sores all over his face, an extra arm, and a hump on his back. Anything but the difficult to describe man in front of me.

  He had a wild look about him. Hard as forged steel and deadlier than a fired bullet. Intensely all male with a strong, solid frame he’d covered with a black, long-sleeved button-up. He had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows, his skin a landscape of tattoos on the exposed areas. I adjusted in my seat, my eyes refusing to part from him.

  His nose had a small crook in it, but it fit his bearded face. His good eye at a distance was a noticeable reddish-brown that reminded me of hot ambers. His skin, the part that wasn’t covered with ink, didn’t hide that he was nicely tanned. My fiancé was sun-kissed, but Khane was much toastier. Did they have a different father or mother?