Liar Liar Billionaires

4. Strange noises and a warning

A week passed but Chloe had yet to discover a lead regarding the NAG brothers.

Instead, the week was filled with chores and chores in a quiet house because the men were hardly around. Taking care of a huge house was more than she had anticipated. After her second day, Chloe praised the heavens for Lucille’s presence.

This particular day was more tedious as she was helping Madam Lugi with the laundry. Tiredness embraced Chloe so much that she almost abandoned that post. However, she could not leave the elderly woman to handle everything- there were clothes enough for a community of fifty people to wear repeatedly for three years.

But once it was over, she did not hesitate to run away.

Not bothering to take off her uniform, Chloe kicked off her shoes and jumped into her amazing bed, which had easily become her favourite thing in the house ever since she experienced tons of wonderful sleep on it.

Gradually, sleep carried her off, the distant voices from outside entering her subconscious, but not loud enough to drag her out of slumber.

But, moments later, a particular, non-ignoarable sound reached her.

Her eyes flung open.

Alert, she listened carefully for that faint scream to call again and when it did, her sleepy self jumped, wore her slippers and traced her steps towards the strange noise.

As she moved, she reasoned that she might finally be finding a lead.

On cue, the scream returned. This time louder. The voice seemed encroached by pain and Chloe briefly wondered if the NAG brothers ran their trafficking business within the building.

She chose to doubt that thought, but proceeded to investigate the source of the sound.

As she turned away from the floor where all the rooms were, she walked up a short spiral staircase, and into a library. Wondering how on earth she missed this room during her survey of the house, Chloe found herself approaching the shelved books. There had to be about ten huge shelves in the room, all arranged as you would see in public libraries.

Her hand running through a row of books, she admired the collection and wondered if all three men were into reading. If they were, she had found a reason to like them.

“Having sleeping problems too?”

That startled her. She turned, and saw Gabriel tugging his lips into a smile.

“Uh... I didn’t know you were here.”

He was the only one she had not officially met. And she was glad they were not meeting in an unusual situation, like it was with Nathaniel.

“I was at the other side when you came in. So, do you like books? Or did you come to scowl at them?”

“Who scowls at books?”

He tendered his palm. “Amir does. "

Making a fake wince, Chloe said, "Amir doesn't know what he is missing. Books are amazing."

"Finally. Someone who appreciates a rare form of art. Would you like some orange juice?"

Chloe smiled, genuinely. Even though she was meant to be putting up a fake act, this one could not help but be natural. So, she did not fight it. “Yes, please.”

“Alright, let's go have some orange juice.”

She liked his personality. He sounded simple, he sounded like someone who would hardly have issues with the world because of his obvious introvert persona .

'It will really suck to see him in prison,' she said to herself.

On the other side of the shelves was a round table, like those in coffee shops and a few books lay on it. The cosy view gladdened Chloe’s heart. She could imagine herself coping in this space to read books for days. For sure, this place might become another favourite location of hers in the NAG mansion.

Once seated, her eyes trailed Gabriel. There was a mini-fridge right behind them and he brought out a box of orange juice, two glass cups tucked in his hands.

“Thank you,” she gestured when he filled her cup and handed it to her.

He smiled, cuteness overriding his already cute face. As he sat opposite her, he said, “So, I’m guessing you did not come up here because you knew there was a library here.”

"No. I actually just..." Chloe did not see the need to lie. "I heard some noise, it sounded like someone was screaming."

"You heard that? Oh my, I am so sorry if I woke you up. Sometimes I prefer to listen to the audio versions of a novel, it gives the story a different kind of life, you know. The novel is a crime one, hence the screams. I woke you, didn't I?”

She did not miss the apology in his eyes.

"No, you didn't. I was just curious and a bit concerned."

“Hmm.”

Chloe turned her focus to drinking the juice, but as she did that, she felt his gaze studying her. If humans could read about a person by looking at them, Gabriel would have known all about Chloe within those few seconds.

“I am curious about you,” he eventually said, and she almost choked on her juice. “Tell me, what kind of books do you read?”

“Uh…” The slight persuasive yet gentle push in his words were a little surprising. But she didn’t mind it, she was actually glad to be having a nice conversation. “Generally, I like a good story. But to be specifically selective. I would say horror, fantasy, adventure, historical fiction, crime and uh, yeah, romance.”

“No matter the genre, romance always finds a way to shine. I like your taste.” He punctuated his approval with a sip from his drink.

“What about you?” she asked.

“Um... I love all genres. Is that weird?"

"No. It is not."

"How do you find this house?"

Chloe released a peal of laughter that sounded outright ridiculous. "Oh, it’s huge. Very huge for just three men to be living in.”

“Well, five people live here presently, Chloe.” Her brows quirked but she eventually agreed with his statement. Then, he said, “But you are right. This house is huge.”

Chloe found no response. So she sat still, twisting the glass cup in her palm, her eyes anywhere but on Gabriel.

"What do you think of us?" Boy, he certainly had lots of questions for her.

"The three of you?" He nodded. Chloe pretended to think while in reality, what she thought of them was not hard to fetch from her brain. "Well… You… I think you’re maybe cool and gentle."

"Maybe?" His nose scrunched in amusement.

“I don't fully know you yet.”

Chuckling softly, he said, “What about Amir?”

Her insides coiled in disgust. “Honestly speaking, I don't really like him. I mean, he acts like he wants to sleep with me every time he sees me. That makes me super uncomfortable."

“I apologise on his behalf. Amir is…” a little sigh escaped his thin, firm lips. “Well he can be a douche most of the time.”

“That’ss fine.”

“And Nathaniel? ”

The image of the tall man with a face chiselled almost perfectly and eyes so blue they peered through whoever he was looking at, flashed through her mind.

Shrugging, Chloe replied to Gabriel. "I see him as a person with a lot of authority."

"You don't like him?"

"Uh... Like him?"

“As a man.”

That question weirded her out a bit. “Uh… Not really?”

"That's a shame." Chloe frowned, her lips finding the taste of her juice again. "He really likes you." She gagged the juice back into the glass. “As a woman.”

Trying not to have a fit of coughs, Chloe cleared her throat, her eyes glaring at Gabriel who watched on like he did not just make some ridiculous statement.

“I have to warn you though,” he continued. “This is the first time he’s showing interest in a woman. I can't blame him, you are a beautiful woman."

Chloe caressed her throat as she awaited his next words.

“Once Nathaniel shows interest in something, he never stops until he gets it. I don't think you will be an exception, Chloe. The way I am seeing things, Nathaniel will soon act. And trust me when I say..." Chloe's chest stirred as he concluded, "Nathaniel Stone doesn't like to fail."