“Why do you risk your life like you do when it appears you’re wealthy enough to live a comfortable life of leisure and do whatever you want?”
“I risk myself for the same reason that you risk yourself to save women and children from their abusers. Also, the syndicate doesn’t tolerate slackers.”
What the hell does that mean?
Before I could ask, a man with a pair of garden shears grabbed my attention when he lifted them and waved in our direction with a wide toothy grin. Tywin waved back with genuine enthusiasm. I watched the exchange while we continued to cruise along a driveway that spanned the length of a front yard that was acres in the double digits. We followed the path parallel to the fence before a sharp curve led us to the front of the house.
I had to remind myself to close my lips a few times. The driveway wasn’t a circular one. It was more like a highway connected to another path that circled gardens of roses and other pretty flowers I couldn’t name.
At this up-close view, my attention was drawn towards the top of the house where there was a rooftop observation deck with a man roving the area. My gaze dropped to the two guards walking the perimeter of the property, and although I didn’t see their weapons on display, I knew they were armed.
Tywin hadn’t been kidding about the place being secure, that was for sure. Why was his family’s home so heavily guarded? He had warned me that he came with baggage, but I believed I was still missing a few pieces of his puzzle.
When the car came to a stop, the man who had waved at us earlier approached with a quick and energetic gait. Instead of going around to Tywin’s side of the car, he approached my side. He pulled the door open and reached a hand inside to help me out. He had ditched the garden shears and gloves he’d been wearing.
“Hello Ms…” He waited for me to give my name.
I wasn’t a formal person, didn’t know the first thing about how the extremely rich addressed each other, so I decided to give him my first name. “It’s Patrena.”
“Ms. Patrena, such a beautiful name for a pretty lady.” He produced a yellow rose that must have come from one of the many gardens in the manicured yard. “Ms. Patrena, will you accept this rose?” he asked before executing a gentlemanly bow.
His question caused Tywin to chuckle as he exited the car and walked around the front. The older man had me grinning.
I reached for the rose, bowing slightly towards him and not hiding my appreciation for his effort. “Yes. Yes, I will accept your rose,” I replied.
The man blushed. He was at least sixty-five and as happy-go-lucky and youthful as a twenty-year-old.
“I’m practicing for The Bachelor,” he shared with me after I took the rose, laughing.
“Mr. Pachel, will you stop flirting before I tell your wife?” Tywin reprimanded playfully before placing a hand on my back and aiming his head at the big brass-and-glass door he was about to walk me to.
“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Mr. Pachel commented before winking, and I couldn’t tell if he was playing or serious.
From afar it hadn’t appeared that there would be so many, but the house’s elevation added to the count and twenty-five steps in my heels was about to make my calves tighten. The front door snapped open while we were climbing the final three steps.
“Mr. Vallin,” the lady called in excitement, her face was lit with as much genuine enthusiasm as Mr. Pachel’s had been. “You’ve stayed away way too long. It’s been a whole week since we’ve seen your handsome face.”
A week. That was it. The way her face was lit up, she was acting like she hadn’t seen him in years. Were all of their staff members this happy? What the hell were they paying these people with, happy pills?
“Mrs. Smith,” he addressed the lady before leaning in to place a soft kiss on her cheek.
“Where’s my dad?” Tywin asked her.
“He’s in his favorite place in the house,” she replied, brushing a caring hand along his cheek.
Tywin turned, placing a delicate hand on my shoulder while the other was outstretched, palm up. “Mrs. Smith, this is my lady, Patrena.”
His lady?
I fought not to jerk my head back at that introduction. I recalled being his fiancée a few days ago at my job and now I was his lady. Was I reading more into this or was Tywin hinting at something?
“Oh. My, my, my… She’s lovely.” Mrs. Smith’s compliment was meant for Tywin, but her eyes were still on me. She took my hands and glanced up to fully capture my gaze. I swear her eyes were starry like I was famous. I was five-five, so having someone glance up at me was something new.
She drew me in and stretched her body up before placing delicate kisses on my cheeks. Thank the Lord the woman hadn’t hugged me because I had the pistol of the man Tywin had brutally murdered shoved down the back of my pants.
“Finally, a lady of this house again, and you are a beautiful one. And your spirit is so…” She closed her eyes and sniffed at the air. “…warm and inviting. Our young Vallin has done us proud.” She beamed, brimming with genuine pride. I fought hard not to cast a questioning side eye at her.
She stared a moment longer before releasing me. Was I supposed to comment? I had never been received by anyone with so much graciousness. Did she have any idea that Tywin had lied? I was not a lady of their house or whatever it was he had the woman believing with his introduction.