Hello lovely people!
Back to the immortal estate we go.
♪ ♪ ♪
The estate was as massive as Enid remembered from her first visit.
Dante helped her climb out of his car as Theodore pulled up behind them.
The front foyer was not empty like she had expected.
Alexander stood in deep conversation with the man she had met at the charity event, Graham.
At the sound of the door closing, the two men glanced up.
"Good, you're here. We've got lots to discuss." Graham said before noticing her small frame hidden behind their large ones.
"Ah, I didn't realize your little one was going to be joining us. Lovely to see you again, butterfly." His smile friendly.
All three men glared at the nickname.
"Enid is going to stay with Alex while you fill us in. And I recommend you call her by her name and nothing else." Theodore spoke through gritted teeth.
"Of course... Well, shall we begin?" Graham responded, muffling his chuckle and Dante gestured toward the hallway on their right.
Theodore's austere expression the last she saw as the trio disappeared down the hallway.
Alexander exhaled as their voices faded.
"Hey there pretty girl." He smiled warmly at her.
His long legs guided him gracefully toward her, diminishing the distance between them.
His arms wrapped around her waist and he dragged his nose back and forth across hers.
A blush warmed her cheeks as she smiled up at the golden-haired man.
He was wearing a burgundy cashmere sweater over his button down.
Enid thought he looked wonderful.
"It's been far too long since I've had you in my arms, angel." His cool, minty breath washed over her flushed skin.
"I missed you." She whispered in response.
A grin lit up his face and he pressed a kiss on her forehead.
"Come with me, there's something I want to show you." He grabbed her hand before turning to walk down a hallway she had not yet been down.
Their short walk brought them to a spacious chamber bright with light from the tall windows on the wall.
The ceiling was high, and the walls were accented with gold trimming.
Enid's lips parted in awe as she took in the innumerable instruments displayed throughout.
She recognized his violin stored proudly in one corner.
At the center of the room was a gorgeous piano, one she couldn't even start to imagine the price tag of.
"This is my music room." Alex's voice echoing slightly in the grand room.
"It's incredible." Her voice soft, as though nervous to disturb the beautiful instruments around her.
He walked to the slightly raised platform that the piano stood upon and ran his fingers along the keys.
The warm sunlight streamed through the window onto the piano and her professor.
His hair practically glowed, his brown eyes like melting gold as he looked at her.
Enid wondered for a moment if they maybe really were immortal.
She would not have been surprised if angel wings had unfolded from his back in that moment.
"Come sit with me." His command barely spoked before her trembling legs were carrying her toward him.
She sat carefully beside him on the bench and held her breath as he pulled her to sit between his legs.
His fingers brushing along the skin just below her skirt as he helped her rest against his strong torso.
Resting his chin on her shoulder, his long, slender fingers came to rest on the keys before them.
"Do you know how to play?" His question spoken directly into her ear.
"Only chopsticks." She admitted, giggling lightly.
"I'll teach you, if you'd like." His offer sending her heart aflutter.
"I'd love that." She turned slightly to see him better, her wide smile bringing a grin to his own face.
"There's so much I want to teach you, angel." He said lowly, his eyes dark.
"I'm a pretty good student, I think." Enid responded sweetly, her fingers brushing a stubborn curl from his forehead.
"The best student." His arms tightened around her.
"Will you play something for me?" She asked the man, her eyes pleading.
"Hmm. What do you want me to play?" He asked, pressing a kiss on her shoulder.
Enid thought for a moment.
"Your favorite song to perform." She responded.
Alexander paused for a moment; his eyes distant as he seemed to get lost in a memory.
"My grandfather was the one who taught me to play the piano. He's the one who trained me in violin, too. He was extremely talented. He's the entire reason I ever started playing music. This was his favorite song to have me play." He spoke softly, his hands leaving her sides to return to the instrument before them.
Enid's chest tightened at the pain in his voice and she turned around to press a chaste kiss on his cheek.
Settling back against him, she let her eyes drift shut as he began to play.
His talented hands danced across the keys as if they had been crafted to do so.
The acoustics of the room were perfect, the notes drifting above them and floating in the sun rays like dust.
The melody was sweet purity, like falling in love for the first time.
It wove from between his fingers and captured her heart all over again.
She imagined a young Alexander sat beside his grandfather on a piano bench.
Then she thought of watching him perform at the Royal Albert Hall when she was barely ten.
The awe that had filled her then was nothing compared to how she felt now.
She had idolized him.
Listened to his pieces on her record player over and over again until she knew them by heart.
And now she sat in his arms as he played just for her.
Enid resisted the urge to pinch herself.
The man playing was so far from the small boy she knew he must have once been, she wished she could see what had happened in all of the years between.
She wanted to know everything about him.
About all three of them.
The tempo increased, his fingers racing down the piano.
She was astonished by the amount of talent in one being.
By the time it was over, Enid knew she was deeply in trouble.
She was falling for this man.
For all three of them.
And she had no idea what to do about it.
"That was... It was incredible." She gushed, her small hands reaching out to rest on his.
"Thank you, angel." His said, brushing her hair onto one shoulder before pressing a kiss on the sensitive skin just behind her ear.
She shivered.
"It's embarrassing to admit, but I was really a huge fan of yours as a child. Still am, I guess." Enid bit her lip.
"Don't be embarrassed, love. I'm your biggest fan." He smiled at her endearingly.
"No way, stronzo. I'm our little bird's number one fan. No doubt about it." Dante's voice echoed loudly in the room and Enid spun around quickly to find her two other professors standing in the doorway.
"Well, I've heard her play the most, so I win." Alexander responded snidely, his arms pulling her back more firmly against his chest.
"Gentlemen let's be adults here. It's ridiculous to argue over such a childish thing. I'm obviously her biggest fan." Theodore said and Enid couldn't keep from giggling.
He sent her a wink and she was astonished by his uncharacteristic playfulness.
Enid watched with amusement as the other two men immediately objected.
Their argument only lasted for a minute before a buzzing noise interrupted.
Enid stood quickly, reaching into her backpack to retrieve her personal phone.
Emilia's contact lit up the screen and Enid smiled apologetically at the men as she answered the call.
She padded over to the huge windows that looked out on a beautiful garden.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the grounds in warm oranges and reds.
"Hello?" She answered before yanking the phone away from her ear at the loud response.
"Enid!! I have been struck by absolute genius. We have to investigate that boy who has gone missing for our article!" Emilia practically yelled into the phone.
Enid's heart stopped.
"Um, I don't know..." She choked out, her clutch on her phone loosening as her hands began to shake.
"It's perfect! We'll be like Sherlock and Watson! And Jessie's dad is the police chief so we can ask him questions!!" Her friend rambled excitedly, and Enid knew she probably hadn't even heard her worried response.
She scrambled to think of a way to change Emilia's mind, but came up with nothing.
Besides, she did really want to know what had happened.
Even if the boy had assaulted her.
No one deserved to be missing.
"Yeah, okay. We can meet up tomorrow to start planning if you want." She said, nerves winding around her ribs.
"Yes! Yay!! I can't wait. Text me about a time and place. Mwah!" Emilia made the smacking noise of a kiss and was gone.
Enid stared at her phone for a moment, trying to collect herself after the whirlwind conversation.
When she turned back around, she found three pairs of eyes trained firmly upon her.
"Who was that?" Theodore's voice serious.
"Oh, my friend Emilia. We're working on a project in Dante's class together." Enid responded distractedly, her mind drifting back to the image of the boy's face on the newspaper cover.
The men's rigid postures relaxed slightly.
"What are you two writing about for the campus newspaper?" Dante asked, his eyes tracking her as she walked back toward their end of the room.
"She... She wants to do an article on the boy who went missing. The one who, um, yeah." Enid stumbled over her words, her fingers twisting the ends of her hair anxiously.
Her answer was met with tense silence.
♪ ♪ ♪
Stronzo - Asshole
What are your thoughts on Alexander?
Comments fill my heart with joy.
All my love, Sappho ♪