Page 141 of In My Heart
“I love you, Raffy.”
“I love you too,Tesorino, very, very much.”
I moved up the rest of the stairs with Cal close at my back. When we got to the top, where there had once been an open landing, there was a smaller landing, walled off with a double width doorway.
“The doors lock and there are keys for each of you inside, but it’s open right now,” Rafe spoke, and when I turned to look for him, I found him behind Cal and I, with Dio, Dante, and Arran.
“Are the doors reinforced?” Dante asked.
“Obviously, and they’re double barrel deadlocks too. The place can be alarmed from downstairs on the house system, but there’s also a separate system just for your duplex. The panel’s just inside the door.
“Panic room?” Dante went on and I groaned. Of course he wanted our new space to be more secure than Fort Knox.
“Do I look like an amateur?” Rafe asked with a roll of his eyes. “In the back of the dressing room in the main suite, and there’s also panic buttons on each floor that send signals to our men, and to each of us. The new windows are bullet proof too.”
“New windows?” I asked excitedly.
“I made some big alterations. You’ll see if you open the door and step inside,” Rafe laughed.
“Come on, babe,” Cal urged as he turned the door handle and opened the door.
We stepped inside and I just… stopped. We were in a small entrance vestibule with built in cupboards down one side, presumably for shoes and bags, and a bench seat with coat hooks on the other. In the centre before us was a table with a huge vase of fresh flowers atop it, and beyond that, well that was what had me truly dumbstruck.
The open plan family room was visible beyond the table and it was stunning. Cal urged me forwards and I was like an owl as we walked forwards, my head turning side to side, just trying to take everything in. The room was vast, zoned into areas with the furniture. The lounge area had luxurious and inviting looking leather sofas, all surrounding a large coffee table, before which sat a vast fireplace with a roaring fire lit. It looked like a real log fire with a cast iron fender, but I suspected it was actually a living flame fire, like the one I loved downstairs. Two beautifulchunky bookcases had been built into the alcoves at each side of the chimney breast and they were filled with books. Off to the right was a dining area, with a large eight seat dining table. All of the furniture was white, and in a classic, timeless style that I loved. It wasn’t too modern. It just felt warm and comforting.
The kitchen area was at the back, and it was a good size, with white shaker style cabinets and chunky dark wood counter tops. There was a breakfast bar, around which sat five comfortable looking tall chairs, upholstered in the same fabric as the cushions on the sofa, and the heavy curtains at the windows. And the windows. They had been replaced, almost the entire side wall of that enormous space covered with panoramic picture windows that allowed so much light into the space and gave us a beautiful view over Kensington. The older, sash windows were on the other walls of the space and it was so bright and beautiful. The walls were painted in varying shades of grey that made the whole place feel warm and in keeping with the age of the house, without being too imposing.
It was like a home tucked inside the home I already loved, and it was perfect. It was as though Rafe had plucked these images of my dream home from my head and had them realised.
“There’s underfloor heating, as well as central heating in every room, including the utility room, just off of the kitchen. Hopefully, it’ll be warmer than the drafty rooms downstairs,” Rafe said, and I looked at the floor for the first time.
It was light wood parquet, and I loved it so much. The whole place was a piece of me, in keeping with and respectful of the history of the house as much as possible, while also being modern enough to be comfortable. It was so warm and welcoming. It already felt like home.
Arran made a slow whistle and I looked over to him where he stood looking as shocked as I felt.
“You’ve been busy, Rafe,” he told my brother.
“I had time,” Rafe said with a shrug. “And many work men. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy scaring the shit out of every one of them.”
“You didn’t!” I laughed.
“You know terrorising people is my favourite pastime, Cara,” he told me with a smirk.
“It seems secure, but I want to run my own checks,” Dante grumbled, but there was almost a smile on his face as he glanced all around himself.
“Run all of the checks you want, but any changes come through me. This is still my home and I take my responsibility of keeping you all safe very seriously,” Rafe reminded them all. “Especially my sister.”
“We all take it seriously when it comes to Cara,” Dante argued.
“Glad to hear it,” Rafe nodded approvingly.
“You’ve thought of everything, Rafe. Thanks, man. It’s an amazing place,” Cal cut in from where he stood by a small study area with more bookshelves and a built in desk. It would be perfect for Cal to study, and me too.
“Aye. I agree. This’ll definitely work fer us all. Cheers, pal,” Arran added.
“What do you think, baby?” Dio asked me as he came to my side and placed his hand at the small of my back.
“I love it,” I squeaked out, trying not to allow tears to escape. “I’m so overwhelmed right now, but it’s perfect, Rafe. It’s like my dream home.”
