Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Twelve

Calin turned into the driveway leading to my home, which was the last house on the block and surrounded by trees so that it remained hidden from passerby's. I saw a sign at the base of the driveway, and I glanced away, not wanting to see the "For Sale" emblazoned on it. Hopefully, if Aiden was successful, it would be taken down before we returned to Wickenton.

"Why are there cars here?" I asked, leaning forward in the passenger seat of Calin's car as we travelled closer to the dwelling.

Nancy and her mother were in the car behind us, and Julian had promised that he would meet me at my house. After checking things were okay, the plan was to go back to Nancy's and have a late dinner, though I had a feeling the food would be delivered here. How was I supposed to leave? There was so much that I wanted to revisit and not knowing what Astrid, Julian's mother, had packed away or discarded made me nervous.

"I don't know," Calin said quietly. "You didn't leave cars here when you left?"

"We only had one," I said. Not for a lack of trying on my part, but that was a moot point now. "My mom's vehicle should still be in the garage."

He pulled the car to a stop outside of the main entrance beside three other vehicles, one of which I knew to be Astrid's. Without waiting for Calin, I got out and started towards the front door, anxious to figure out who was at my house. Was she having a party? I knew that Julian's mother had coveted the space we had with the two lots, but she wouldn't do that, would she? Or was that why I hadn't received any more boxes since moving to Wickenton? She needed my mother's things to entertain people.

If that was the case, Astrid was in for a surprise.

"Nora," Calin rounded his car and jogged to catch up to me on the walkway. "Let's wait for Aubrey-Lynn and Nancy."

"But—"

"They are right there. See?" Calin pointed to the driveway and, sure enough, Aubrey-Lynn was nearly parked.

Behind her was another vehicle, and I couldn't make out the driver. Calin stepped closer to me as if sensing my confusion and placed his hand on my back. I turned my head to look at him and smiled, then gazed back to narrow my gaze on the unknown intruder. Who was it? Why were they here?

Aubrey-Lynn parked beside Calin's vehicle and stepped out, darting her gaze between me and the unknown car. "Nora? Did you ask someone to meet us here?"

I shook my head but didn't say a word. Nancy and Aubrey-Lynn came to stand with us, and I watched the unknown vehicle park beside Aubrey-Lynn. Was it one of Astrid's friends? As the person behind the wheel turned off the ignition, I held my breath, acutely aware of Calin's hand still on my back. Without it, I probably would have gone down to demand who it was. Even still, I was close.

"Hey!" A tall man with dark hair stepped out dressed casually in jeans and a white button shirt with sleeves rolled to his forearms. He appeared to have come from the office, though stopped to change his pants. "Is this the Open House?"

"I—What?" I shook my head. "I'm sorry, the what?"

The man looked between us, settling on Aubrey-Lynn. "The Open House?"

"I'm sorry," she said in a clipped tone. "I'm afraid that you've been mistaken. This house is not on the market."

"But the sign at the bottom of the driveway stated the Open House was tonight from 5-9 pm. My realtor told me to get here no later than eight since it is such a large property."

"She said it's not for sale," I said, gritting my teeth. "This is my home."

I could feel the energy trailing through my veins, and I clenched my hands into fists to keep from throwing a ball of fire or something at him so that the man would stop talking. From beside me, Nancy looked down, her eyes widening as tiny sparks lifted into the air. I stepped closer to Calin. His hand moved from the small of my back so that his arm circled my waist. An infusion of calm seeped into me, causing the boil of my emotions to reduce to a simmer.