1927: Redemption

Another Secret Condo

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

2021-DECEMBER-FLORIDA

“What’s in here?” Asked Adeline, standing at the entrance of the room as she resisted the urge to look down at what she was wearing. Minus a bra, she had a white v-neck top and pair of cheeky shorts and a pair of socks. His eyes flickered down to her bare legs for a split second, and she watched as he forced them away.

“What are you looking at Mr Beast?” Asked Adeline, smirking at him, walking into the bedroom.

He was silent, of course.

Her insides fluttered when he raised his eyebrow at her comment.

Turning around, the beast took steps in her direction with a curious look in his eyes. Adeline gnawed on her lips, stepping back with each step in her direction.

Looking here and there, Adeline stuttered, asking, “W-What a-are you-”

She got cut off when her back collided with the cupboard as she was trapped between him and the freaking closet.

Ignoring her, the beast closed the distance between them, his eyes on her face. Adeline titled her head to the right when their faces were an inch away, feeling the awful amount of heat between them and she was entirely sure he could hear the erratic beating of her heart.

Well, she was not completely sure, but she heard a small chuckle when he asked:

“Look.”

Adeline did as asked, and let her eyes lock with his as his left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his side as he himself stepped back, simultaneously sliding open the door of the closet with his right hand.

“What the-”

“Shh.” That was it, only one sound from him and Adeline was quiet, maybe the effect of alcohol in her system.

“See.” He said again.

Looking away from him, her eyes flickered towards the closet. He slid the clothes away as her eyes found a circular button which he pressed and let go of her in the process.

Okay, weird.

The beast closed the door of the closet and moved towards the bed, with the force of his one knee, he slid the bed backwards. And took off the carpet looking like cloth from the floor.

These movements were enough for Adeline to know what he was trying to show her.

Another freaking secret condo!

Great! Majestic!

So, this is the place he was hiding all the time without her knowledge, thought Adeline.

Life might be full of ups and downs, and whenever we think that we have seen or experienced everything, a new surprise comes around the corner. However, when it comes to the people you love or the places you always go to, you don’t really expect a surprise. Now imagine if the most surprising and secretive thing in your life is actually hidden right under your nose and somewhere in your house? This happened to Adeline who had discovered an unusual space in her own home, twice!

Grabbing the handle, he slid the movable wooden plate on the floor, revealing a flight of stairs down into the condo just like her room. The beast indicated to her to go down first, which she did and entered the condo.

“The lights are switched on,” muttered Adeline to herself.

After her, he entered and pressed the button on the wall beside the stairs, which was connected to the bed on the floor upwards as it slid back to its original position.

Adeline was mostly shocked by the size of the room, it was 6 to 8 feet wide and about 15 feet long, so it was definitely a pretty decently sized room. She suspected that that place was built before the rest of the house.

While her room was a cacophony of pastels and white, this room was the complete opposite. It was tinged in dark Colors, bold shades of blue were scattered about. Adeline wondered whose secret room was this- her father’s or grandfather.

Various things were scattered all around the space, container of basketball/ football, a stack of books:

“William Blake, poetry?” Asked Adeline.

“Romance.” Replied the beast, descending the stairs.

He crossed to a desk covered with science equipment, reports, a laptop and many more things.

But, what caught her eye were THE DOCUMENTS, seeing them, Adeline whirled around and looked at him, asking, “How did these get in here?”

“When you were in your attacking mode, I took them in here. It’s not safe leaving these out in the open.” Replied the beast.

Adeline was done for today as she ignored everything and plopped down on the black so she sat on the other side of the wall.

While the beast grabbed a tall bottle from one of the tables and brought it over to her, sitting in the armchair beside the couch.

He poured some more of the amber liquid into the glass, keeping his dark eyes on her face.

Adeline held the glass generally and took a couple of sips. She always drank wine, but she was never introduced to any kind of liquor.

Looking down at the bottle, Adeline read the fancy label.

“Whiskey. Do you like this brand?” Adeline tilted her head and asked him.

Set on the armchair in silence and she took the opportunity to her eyes roam his body. Again, he was wearing a black tank top and some loose shorts, her eyes followed the curves and dips of his biceps all the way down to his fingertips. The veins in his arms stood out, and she found them oddly alluring. His dark hair was messy, yet it gave him that sexy bedhead look.

He nodded, answering her question in the only way he allowed.

Letting out a tired sigh and taking a gulp, her mind wandered back to the information she received from her mother’s diary.

But, being in his vicinity her thoughts always wandered around him.

“Talk.” His gruff voice filled the silence between them.

Her honey browns examined his half-covered face, then locked her eyes with his forest greens.

Whenever she looked in his pools of immeasurable depth, Adeline always forgot the problems lurking around her.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew, nothing would happen to her, she would always be safe and sound in the care of this man, her saviour, the beast who saved her life.

What did the beast want her to talk about?

Will Adeline voice her questions?

Why did the beast show another hiding room to Adeline?