Six

WOODBRIDGE, CONNECTICUT

The Paxton Estate was located in the countryside of Woodbridge, about fifteen minutes away from New Haven. From the outside, Raina could tell it already showed wealth and security, but it was not at all what she was expecting.

The heavily guarded huge electronic iron gate opened and the security guards there nodded as Tyler’s truck passed, but not before he rolled to a stop for a moment for them to check the truck with some device in their hands.

“This is a surely huge and guarded place.” Raina mumbled to herself as she looked around the compound, suddenly curious of how this man was able to acquire a place like this from just being a security expert or whatever term it was they called it.

The drive up to the house was about two minutes, and finally, the house came into view and Raina saw a modern mansion sitting there.

Raina had seen many beautiful houses in magazines, and in movies, surely she had even seen some in real life when she was investigating some rich magnate or something, but nothing compared to this mansion.

It wasn’t even the fact that it was a big place that surprised her, it was the fact that it was all modern that did it.

All the exterior walls of the house were painted white, and surrounded with huge glass windows. It was fancy looking, sure enough, but from the look of it, a bullet could not pass through it.

Tyler had probably made his money when he started his firm, and it must be a big deal because he worked some high profile cases, for some wealthy people and celebrities.

Her eyes darted at the top of the mansion, and she noticed the helipad. Her eyebrows rose, shaking at head at how impressed she was.

Tyler was right, this place was a surely safe place for her and she was glad he brought her here even though she was skeptical in the first place.

“Do you bring all your clients here?” She suddenly asked, unable to stop herself.

Tyler gripped tighter the steering wheel, almost rolling his eyes. “No, I don’t. You’re a first actually.” He said. Fuck, he really shouldn’t have brought this woman here, because now, she was asking him questions about it that he had no answer to.

What if she pressed on with the question? And as if she heard his thought, she asked. “So why me, then? What’s so special about me?” She gave him a look that told Tyler he was in trouble if care wasn’t taken.

He couldn’t tell her she had brought her here because he felt the need to have her closer, and somewhere he could vouch that no one could touch him. He couldn’t tell her it was because there was something about her that made him want to keep her safe no matter what.

“All the safe house P-Securities have in New Haven and it’s surroundings are all occurred at the moment. There was not enough time to set up a new one.” He answered. That might not totally be the truth, but it was something.

Raina nodded and said nothing after that. She made a mental note to google who Tyler Paxton was later when she was settled in, but right now, she had to marvel in the beauty of this place.

Soon, the truck stopped in front of the mansion and Tyler stopped it there, stepping out.

Raina opened the door of the truck and stepped out, her eyes sweeping over the sprawling property. The breeze was cool, carrying the scent of pine and freshly cut grass, and she inhaled deeply as she took in her surroundings.

“I could live here forever.” She whispered as she looked from one place to the other. The estate was enormous, and every inch of it was meticulously maintained, she could tell.

A stone path lined with small garden lights led up to the house, and flower beds bordered the driveway. The mansion sat confidently in the middle of the grounds, as if daring anyone to challenge the safety it promised.

“Well, I definitely won’t be doing that. This place is a haven.” She whispered again.

She noticed cameras discreetly placed along the edges of the building, barely visible to the untrained eye, and she could only notice them because of her work as an investigative journalist. One had to be ready to see things that didn’t seem to be there in the first place.

Whoever designed the security here wasn’t just showing off; they were serious about protection. Raina knew that “whoever” was no other than the owner of the building.

Raina followed Tyler with her gaze as he strode towards two men standing near the entrance. They were both dressed in fitted black security uniforms, with earpieces tucked discreetly into their ears. The taller of the two, a broad-shouldered man with a shaved head, nodded in his direction, acknowledging his presence.

Tyler returned the gesture and began talking quietly to them. Raina could see the subtle authority in his posture and the way both men listened attentively. He wasn’t just a man who owned a security firm; he was someone who commanded respect.

She crossed her arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, waiting by the truck as Tyler wrapped up his conversation. Then, as if sensing her gaze on him, he turned back to her.

“Raina,” he called, gesturing for her to come over.

That was the first time he had actually called her name since they met. She loved the way he called it, and they way it sounded against his mouth, but why was he calling her?

“What is this?” She grumbled, and hesitated for a moment, then made her way toward him, her boots crunching lightly against the gravel. When she reached him, Tyler gestured to the two men.

“This is Matt,” he said, nodding toward the taller one with the shaved head. “He’s the head of security for the estate.”

Matt gave her a brief but friendly smile, extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, miss.” He said.

“Likewise,” Raina replied, shaking his hand.

His grip was firm, though not overly so, and she noticed the careful way his eyes scanned their surroundings even while they spoke. A professional through and through.

“And this is Scott,” Tyler continued, motioning to the shorter man beside Matt. Scott was younger, probably mid-twenties, with brown hair peeking out from beneath his cap. “He’s one of my guys from the firm.” He said.

Scott flashed a quick smile, looking more relaxed than his superior. “Welcome, miss,” he said as they shook hands.

“Thanks,” Raina murmured, still trying to process the magnitude of the place and the people connected to it. She was about to ask another question when Tyler turned back to Matt.

“Have you seen Alex yet?” Tyler asked, his tone shifting slightly.

“She should be somewhere around the house.” Matt said.

Raina raised an eyebrow. “Alex?” She hadn’t heard that name before. Was this Alex another member of his team? Or… her mind snagged on the thought… was Alex someone more important to him?

The curiosity nagged at her, but she bit her tongue and waited.

“Alex is right here, Tyler,” came a voice from behind them, smooth and self-assured.

Raina turned toward the front door, and her gaze landed on the woman stepping out. The door itself was enormous…solid wood with intricate carvings, wide enough to make anyone feel small beneath its frame. And standing in the doorway was Alex.

The woman was striking. She had long, dark brown hair that cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, and her sharp hazel eyes glimmered with confidence. She wore a fitted black blazer over a simple white blouse, paired with dark jeans and ankle boots that clicked softly against the stone as she approached. Everything about her… her posture, her expression… exuded ease, like she belonged here without question.

Raina’s stomach twisted at the sight of her.

The way Alex moved toward Tyler with familiarity made something flicker unpleasantly in Raina’s chest. Was this his wife?

Larry didn’t mention anything about him being married, not that that topic was something that would come up naturally.

She looked at Tyler to see he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but that didn’t mean much. She suddenly felt foolish for not considering the possibility that a man like Tyler would have someone like Alex in his life.

Alex stopped in front of Tyler, her lips quirking into a playful grin. “You look like you’ve been in the sun too long,” she teased. Then, to Raina’s surprise, Tyler ruffled Alex’s hair like an older brother would.

The affection in their eyes for each other though. She remembered Larry mentioning that while they were in college, Tyler always spoke about how he was sorry he never had a sister, so Alex couldn’t be his sister.

“Knock it off,” Alex muttered, swatting his hand away with a laugh, but there was warmth in her voice.

Tyler chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Raina, meet Alex Paxton.” His voice was casual, but he offered no further clarification about their relationship.

The surname didn’t escape Raina’s notice; “Paxton.”

Raina forced a smile and extended her hand to Alex. “I’m Raina McNamara,” she said, keeping her voice neutral.

Alex accepted the handshake, her warm brown eyes studying Raina with a polite curiosity. “It’s nice to meet you, Raina. I can call you that, right?” she asked, her brows pushed up in question.

Raina’s first instinct was to say no, but instead, she nodded stiffly. “Sure.”

“Good,” Alex said with a smile that was just a little too friendly for her liking. “I’ll take you to your room.” She turned without waiting for a response, her boots tapping against the stone as she headed back toward the mansion.

Raina glanced at Tyler, who gave her a small, reassuring nod, as if to say she was in good hands. “Go on,” he murmured. “She doesn’t bite.”

Raina exhaled slowly and followed Alex toward the grand entrance, her mind spinning. Oh, damn! This might actually be hell, and not the haven she thought it was.