I’ve spent the last decade building my construction business. It’s one of the largest in the city. My clients are mostly corporate jobs these days. And though my staff thinks I work too hard and has encouraged me to take time off for months, I find it hard to relinquish control.
Or maybe I use my work as a way to hide from the world. From the pain of losing Stacy. From loneliness.
If Stacy could communicate with me, she would be disappointed. I’ve withdrawn from life in the last three years. She hadn’t wanted this for me. She’d made me promise I would find someone else to spend my life with. I’ve let her down, but I can’t seem to do otherwise.
As I lead Sabine out of my home office, still holding her hand in mine, I know I’ve made the right decision. This will be good for me. A stepping stone. I’ll help Sabine find herself and then let her go. Maybe the experience will help me pull out of my funk and find a little of my own. Someone closer to my age. Someone seasoned who won’t require as much supervision.
My heart should be lighter at the prospect. Why do I feel heavy instead?
As I reach the ornate winding staircase in the front foyer, I draw Sabine alongside me. She’s twisting her neck around to take in my home. I glance around with her, trying to imagine it through her eyes.
Chances are she comes from a home far grander than this one, but I’m incredibly proud of this house. I designed it and supervised the construction myself two years ago. After Stacy died, I found it difficult to sleep in the home we shared, so I sold it and built this one. Sabine will be the first little to stay here. Hell, she’s the first human other than me to sleep in this house.
“Your home is lovely, Sir,” she murmurs.
“Thank you, little one.” The foyer and stairs are a cream color. Enormous windows above the front door let in a lot of light. I wanted this area to be bright and inviting so that any guest would feel at peace when entering.
Sabine slides her fingers along the handrail. “If you had kids, I bet they would have a blast sliding down these banisters.”
I stop walking to shoot her a stern look. “If I find you gliding down these stairs with your bottom on the railing, I’ll spank you so hard you won’t be able to sit for the rest of the day.”
She flushes. “Yes, Sir.”
We reach the landing and I lead Sabine to the right. The hallway on the left has three guest rooms. The right has the master suite and one other bedroom. That room will be Sabine’s, and it’s the first door we come to, so I push it open and lead her inside.
I step out of the way and release her hand so she can pass more fully into the room. It’s time to lay down some rules and get Sabine settled.
Chapter 5
Sabine
The bedroom Master Kellen leads me to takes my breath away. It’s beautiful. The hardwood floor has a large, plush, white, oval rug in the middle. The twin bed is straight ahead of me. It’s a daybed with three sides of white wooden slats. A fluffy white comforter with frilly lace around the edges and matching shams covers the mattress.
A matching dresser and vanity are to my right, on both sides of the window. Sheer white curtains that match the comforter hang from the rod. The view is of the backyard. I haven’t explored that part of Master Kellen’s home yet, and I don’t spend time looking now because I’m still soaking in the room.
To my left is a bookcase. There aren’t many things on the shelves yet, but I see a few books and dolls. It reminds me of the shelves Lucy has in her playroom.
In the corner sits a white rocking chair.
Master Kellen clears his throat behind me. “I wasn’t sure what colors you like, so I stuck with white. We can add colorful pillows if you want. I’ll let you choose some things.”
I spin around. “You did this for me?”
He furrows his brow. “Of course.”
I wander around, soaking everything in up close. As I trail my fingers along the edge of the bed, my heart rate picks up. This is really happening. I’m going to sleep in this room and be Master Kellen’s little for a while.
Master Kellen strides to one of two doors next to the bookcase. The first one he opens leads to an attached bathroom. He motions me forward, and I join him. The bathroom is mostly white with a marble counter and sink and a tile floor. There’s a built-in bathtub shower combination, but I notice there isn’t a shower curtain. Odd.
Master Kellen takes my hand from behind and pulls me gently back into the bedroom. He opens the other door next. I’m expecting a closet. Instead, I’m shocked to find this door leads to another room, and I quickly realize this must be the master bedroom. “I intentionally connected these rooms when I built this house,” he states as he leads me into his space.
In contrast, this room is done in dark grays and navy. The bed is king-sized and four-posted. The posts are black, as is the rest of the furniture. Across the room, there are two open doors. One leads to a bathroom. The second leads to a walk-in closet.
I don’t know what to say, so I keep my mouth shut as Master Kellen leads me back to my room and closes the adjoining door. He wanders over to the dresser and sets his hand on top. I notice each of the six white drawers has a two-inch number affixed to it in the center between the two knobs.
