Things were getting more complicated than I wanted

Violet’s Pov

The moment I took off my shoes at the fancy restaurant, I felt like I didn’t belong. It wasn’t the white tablecloths, the soft talking around me, or the fancy glasses, it was because I really didn’t want to be here. I wasn’t here to impress anyone, especially not Mr. Kingsley or his perfect sons.

Mr. Kingsley was doing his best to impress Mum, though. He couldn’t stop looking at her, holding her hand like she was the only person in the room. He was trying to be the perfect gentleman. And Mum? She loved it. She leaned in close to him, laughed at his jokes, and smiled so wide. She seemed happy, but I wasn’t sure why. She had been with a few guys before, but none of them had worked out.

But Mr. Kingsley was different. He was older, way older. But we weren’t just having dinner, this was more serious. We were moving into his house. That meant meeting his grown-up sons. They weren’t kids. They were men. I looked across the table at the brothers. Michael was laughing with the waiter, joking around like he had nothing to worry about. He was easygoing, the kind of guy who could invite you for a drink without thinking twice. He didn’t bother me much.

But Richard... Richard was different. He sat back in his chair, all stiff and serious, with that look in his eyes like he was studying everyone in the room. He didn’t smile much. He just looked... cold. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his shirt and tie neat, like he stepped out of a fashion magazine. And those eyes of his? They were strange. One minute they were grey, then blue, and then maybe even amber. It felt like he was looking right through me, like he knew everything about me already. But how could he? He didn’t even know me.

While Mr. Kingsley went on talking, I picked at my food. The crab legs were good, but I wasn’t really hungry. I didn’t eat much anyway. Once we moved into Mr. Kingsley’s house, it’d be all about Mum’s “comfort food,” the same boring meals every day. I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to put up with it. I saw Michael glance over at me. He smiled and raised an eyebrow.

“You sure you don’t want any dessert?” he asked, looking genuinely curious.

“No thanks,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’m good.”

He nodded and went back to his dessert, no more questions. He seemed like the type who didn’t think too hard about anything. The rest of the meal went by slowly. When Mr. Kingsley paid the bill, I couldn’t wait to get out of there. The drive back to Mr. Kingsley’s house felt way longer than it should have. His house wasn’t as fancy as I expected, though. It wasn’t a mansion, but it was big enough. A huge yard, a pool that sparkled even at night. Everything looked perfect, but I felt out of place. This wasn’t home.

“Mum, I’m fine,” I said, as she put a hand on my shoulder when we got inside.

She looked at me, concerned. “Are you sure? You don’t need anything?”

I smiled back, trying to sound normal. “I’m just going to take a shower and go to bed. I’m good.”

She smiled, already looking for Mr. Kingsley to chat with. “Thanks for being so easy, Kath.”

I quickly walked away, eager to get out of the conversation. Upstairs, I found my room at the end of the hall. I had unpacked my things earlier, clothes in the dresser, my laptop and journals on the nightstand. It felt strange to be in someone else’s room. But it wasn’t like I had a choice.

I grabbed my toiletries and walked to the bathroom. The house was huge, but the bathroom was nothing special. It wasn’t fancy like I thought it would be. It was just... normal.

I noticed Mr. Kingsley’s stuff on the counter, two electric toothbrushes, razors, body wash with a strong smell. I grabbed one of the bottles, wondering if it was Richard’s. The smell was strong, almost too much, and it made me think of how he looked at me earlier, cold and unapproachable. I quickly pushed the bottles aside and put my things down. I wasn’t interested in whatever Richard was doing. I just wanted to get through tonight.

After a long, hot shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and headed back to my room. The bathroom mirror was foggy, so I wiped it with my hand to see my reflection. I was here now. I had to deal with it. I changed into my favourite pyjamas, a soft green camisole and shorts. It felt good against my skin, a small comfort after the hot shower. I let my long hair dry as I sat on the bed, looking at my phone. But when I stepped out of the bathroom, holding some dirty clothes, I bumped into someone. Someone hard.

“Whoa, careful,” a deep voice said. Strong hands caught me before I could fall.

I looked up, and there he was, Richard. Shirtless. His chest was right in front of me. I froze for a moment. He was tall, with muscles, and his tattoos made him look even tougher. He wasn’t smiling. His eyes weren’t warm. They were cold, like he was judging me. For a moment, I couldn’t move. All I could do was stare at him.

“See something you like?” he asked, his voice low and teasing.

I snapped out of it. “Not really,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “Goodnight, Richard.”

Before he could say anything else, I hurried past him and went into my room, quickly shutting the door behind me. My heart was racing. I didn’t know what to make of what had just happened. Things were getting more complicated than I wanted.