Chapter Thirty-Three
Greetings and Salutations
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It was silent within the car, but not awkwardly so. I was busily admiring the clean and comfortable interior while Luke seemed engrossed with his driving. Yes, he was driving manually. I was used to it, seeing as Liam had done the same and Ernst had always needed to drive a little faster than the law-abiding autodrive. But it seemed that Luke didn't always do so, his concentration was so completely on the road that I wasn't even sure that he was blinking. I didn't dare speak, in case I distracted him and he turned off the road. But why was he doing this? Trying to impress me? That was unlikely, he always seemed sort of cocky and he'd be better off impressing me by actually giving me his attention rather than being fixed on the road ahead. Not that I wanted him to attempt to enthral me.
Luke was an enigma. I don't know what he felt about me, besides me being a tool for his investigation. At our first meeting, he had been the smooth model-like teenager who had leered at me confidently, and then he'd gone and helped me out with James' bullying situation with a cool and calm aura. On our 'date' he'd been charming and funny but there was also a serious edge to him at the same time and he hadn't been focused on me as a possible lover, to my absolute relief, but more as a workmate. And now he just seemed so... adult. Way too mature for his age. The way he held himself so rigidly and gave off the air of authority. I wondered if he did it on purpose or whether being a leader at such a young age had simply been in his blood.
And I wondered if he enjoyed the burden. He had seemed stressed by this 'blood-sucking' incident.
Suddenly he relaxed his grip on the wheel and his posture eased. "We're here."
I looked up, through the huge metal gates, to see a small castle-like building. "Nuh-uh," I murmured.
"Ha. Yeah, this is mine. One of the perks of being the Lion, I guess."
I shot him a bemused look. "Are you seriously treated like a king? Maybe I should specialise in this shape-changing and whip your ass. I could get through the boring leadership role if I had the chance to live in a place like this."
He shrugged. "You could try but I'm known for having the element of surprise. Everyone underestimates me. I'm not so easily beaten... and you'd need several years training in changing your form anyway." After passing through the gates, he switched off the engine. Instead of opening the doors, he leaned across the gearshift and grinned, his pointy incisors showing. "You'd be better off marrying me to get a spot in this place."
Despite my blissful love for Liam, I blushed at his suave veneer. If I hadn't been adept at sensing feelings coming from an aura, I would've totally fallen for his words. He was so smooth-talking.
"Good one. But then, I suppose, I'd actually have to have some sort of feelings for you." I snorted. "That's not gonna happen anytime soon, kitty-cat."
He laughed, loudly and unselfconsciously. It rather ruined his stunning looks and usual nonchalance. The doors hissed open and I jumped out, excited to see the inside of this great mansion. The door opened as we made our way up the porch steps and a suited man stepped out, lowering his head respectively toward Luke.
"Sir, you've a visitor."
Luke glanced at me as if determining whether I should be hearing anything about this guest.
"Who is it, Kent?" He seemed almost nervous.
"A female who wouldn't give her name. She's a pretty one, sir."
Luke blushed, looking at me sheepishly. I glared at him. "Another one of those 'perks', huh? You get a couple of girls who like to throw themselves on you? Anonymously, of course!" I was not jealous, not in anyway. I was simply horrified that he was somewhat like one of those rich men from a bachelor television show. One of those jerks who got paid to stand there and be smothered with females. I really did not like those shows.
