Chapter Nine

Rose Alexandria Sinclair

"I'm sorry I put you through this," I said softly, helping Nathalie clean and bandage her wounds. She didn’t say a word at first, just nodded, her expression distant.

After a long stretch of silence, she finally murmured, "It's okay… it’s not your fault either."

I wasn’t sure if I believed her, but there was no time to dwell. Nathalie suddenly straightened up and said, "It's time for the night route… we’re both up!" She reached out to help me to my feet.

Night shifts. One of the many things I hated about this place.

The rules in this house were ridiculous. No eating after ten in the morning. No talking to the guards under any circumstances. It was stifling, suffocating.

What was Red into? Mafia? Something even worse?

As we walked out of the room and went our separate ways to begin our shifts, I couldn't help but notice the men stationed around every corner of the house.

Dressed in black. Always with those dark sunglasses, even at night. Something wasn’t adding up.

The heightened security. The senseless killing of innocent people. The ruthless, unyielding rules. It was all starting to fit together, piece by horrifying piece.

"Who's there?" I called out sharply, the words slipping from my mouth as I wiped down the surface I was cleaning.

"Who's there?" I called again, my voice trembling slightly as I glanced over my shoulder. The dimly lit corridor was empty, but the feeling of being watched didn’t go away.

This was my first time working the night shift, and I was so scared. So freaking scared, as though someone’s eyes were on me, tracking my every move.

I shook it off and continued cleaning, focusing on scrubbing the stubborn stain on the counter. The rhythmic motion of my hand should’ve calmed me, but it didn’t. Instead, the silence grew heavier, suffocating.

Then I heard it.

A faint shuffle, the sound of a footstep—barely audible, but enough to send a chill down my spine. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. Slowly, I turned my head toward the hallway again, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

Nothing.

But the feeling wouldn’t go away.

“Relax, Rose,” I whispered to myself, trying to steady my breathing. “You’re just being paranoid.”

I tried to focus again, but my hands trembled as I picked up the cleaning cloth. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw something—a flicker of movement, just beyond the edge of the room.

I spun around, my voice sharper this time. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

Silence.

A faint laugh drifted through the air, low and mocking. It sent a fresh wave of fear crashing over me.

I gripped the counter for support, my knuckles white as I tried to steady myself. The laugh hadn’t come from the hallway. It had come from inside the room.

And I wasn’t alone.

Maybe it was a ghost. The thought made my skin crawl. I stood still, my eyes darting to every shadow. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might jump out of my chest. Ghosts weren’t real... were they?

Then the lights flickered.

“No, no, no...” I whispered, backing up slowly.

And suddenly, everything went dark.

I screamed so loud my throat hurt, dropping the cloth as I stumbled backward. My arms flailed, trying to grab onto something, anything, but all I could feel was the cold air.

“Stay away!” I yelled into the darkness, my voice shaking. “I’m warning you!”

Then I heard it—a laugh.

A low, deep laugh that echoed around the room. My whole body froze, fear rooting me to the spot.

The laugh grew louder, and before I could run, something jumped out of the darkness and grabbed me.

I screamed again, my legs kicking and arms swinging as I tried to fight it off. My foot even hit something solid, but then I heard that laugh again.

“Relax, Rose! It’s just me!”

The lights came back on, and there was Edward, standing in front of me, doubled over with laughter.

“Are you kidding me?” I shouted, my hands shaking as I pointed at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“You should’ve seen your face!” he said, laughing so hard he had to hold his stomach. “You looked like you were being attacked by a ghost!”

I blinked, realizing how I must’ve looked—my hair sticking up everywhere, my shirt wrinkled, and my eyes wide like I’d seen death itself.

“You are the ghost!” I snapped, but my voice cracked a little from how scared I still was.

Edward wiped a tear from his eye, grinning from ear to ear. “Come on, it was just a joke! You’re too easy, Rose.”

I grabbed the first thing I could find—a feather duster—and pointed it at him. “Stay back, or I swear I’ll hit you!”

That made him laugh even harder. He leaned against the counter, barely able to breathe. “What are you gonna do, dust me to death?”

“You’re lucky I don’t have a frying pan!” I hissed, still gripping the duster like it was a weapon.

Edward smirked. “Even if you did, I bet you’d miss.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died as he stepped closer. His smirk was playful, his dark eyes locked on mine.

“Are you on night shift?” he asked, his voice low and smooth.

“Yeah…” I muttered, focusing on the statue I was cleaning, but my hands trembled under his gaze.

“Need help?” he offered, moving closer, his scent wrapping around me like a warm embrace.

“No,” I whispered, glancing at him. “Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath against my ear. “Trouble? With a face like yours, Rose, I’d risk it all.”

My heart raced, and heat crept up my cheeks as I bit my lip, trying to suppress a smile. “Your mother will skin me alive if she sees us.”

He grinned, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “Then let’s give her a reason to.”

His hand lingered near my cheek, and our gazes locked. My breath hitched as he stepped even closer, our bodies mere inches apart. His eyes dipped to my lips, and the intensity of his stare made my knees weak.

“You’re blushing,” he teased, his voice a seductive whisper. “Do I make you nervous, my rose?”

Before I could answer, his lips hovered over mine, the tension crackling between us. His fingers brushed my jaw as he leaned in, his kiss stealing my breath and igniting every nerve in my body.

As I deepened the kiss, pulling Edward closer, a faint scent caught my attention—distinct, sharp, and undeniably familiar. My heart clenched. Someone was here.

I opened my eyes, and there he stood. An angry devil cloaked in darkness.

Frederico Grey Di Grazia.

The monster himself.

His stormy gaze locked onto mine, igniting a wildfire of fear and defiance within me. He wasn’t just watching; he was behind Edward, radiating danger.

“Red…” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I shoved Edward away. Panic clawed at my chest.

Edward turned, his expression shifting the moment he saw Frederico. He glanced between us, guilt scrawled across his face.

“It’s my fault, Boss,” he stammered. “I’m sorry, Rose didn’t—”

“I didn’t ask for your excuses, Edward,” Frederico cut him off, his voice like a blade, sharp and unforgiving.

With deliberate steps, he advanced, a smirk curving his lips as if he enjoyed watching me squirm.