Chapter 31 Thirty One
His brow lifted slightly.
Then without waiting—he opened the door and stepped inside.
The curtains were still drawn shut.
The room is dim.
Mira was buried halfway under the blanket, one leg tangled in the sheets, her hair a complete mess.
Still asleep.
Salvatore stood there.… for a second… he just looked at her.
She looked peaceful asleep.
Softer.
His gaze drifted briefly toward her ankle resting carefully against the pillow.
Then back to her face.
“…Your noziness nearly got you killed,” he said quietly, more to himself than her.
Mira shifted slightly in her sleep. A faint wince crossed her face. Then slowly… her eyes opened.
It took her a second to focus.
Another second to realize someone was standing in her room.
And when she did— Her entire body jerked.
“What the—?!”
She sat up too quickly and immediately regretted it.
Pain shot through her ankle.
“Ah— shit—”
Salvatore didn’t move.
Didn’t help her.
He simply stood there holding the tray while watching the panic flash across her face.
The exact reaction he expected.
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
“…Good morning, Miss Zoss,” he said intentionally calling her surname wrongly again.
Mira blinked at him.
Then at the tray in his hand.
Then back at him again.
Completely confused.
“You—” she stared. “What are you doing?”
Salvatore walked further inside calmly.
“You twisted your ankle,” he said, as if it explained everything.
“That doesn’t answer my question. Why are you in my room so early?”
He paused, staring at her, then spoke, “It's not that early it's 10am you should be awake already, and besides I brought you breakfast.”
Mira looked genuinely disturbed by that.
And honestly?
He enjoyed it.
“You brought me breakfast?” she asked slowly, like the words physically hurt to say.
“Yes. I made it especially for you.”
“You made it for me…” she paused. “Thats …concerning.”
A low chuckle escaped him before he could stop it.
Mira noticed immediately.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Wait.
Did he just laugh?
Salvatore placed the tray down carefully beside her bed.
“Eat,” he said.
She stared at the food suspiciously.
Then at him.
“…You didn’t poison it, right?”
His gaze lifted slowly toward her.
“If I wanted to poison you, Miss Voss…” he said calmly, “I wouldn’t waste good eggs doing it. You must really think I'm out to kill you or something why is that?
Mira opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
And somehow… that almost made him smile.
Almost.
She looked down at the tray again, clearly unsure what to do with this version of him.
Honestly, she looked more comfortable when he was terrifying.
This confused her.
Good.
It was supposed to.
“Why are you being nice to me?” she asked finally.
There it was.
Salvatore leaned slightly against the edge of the desk nearby, watching her carefully.
“Maybe I’m in a good mood.”
“I don’t trust that answer.”
“You don’t trust anything.”
“That’s because everyone in this house acts weirdly.”
A pause.
Then—
“Fair point,” he admitted.
Mira stared at him again.
Even more suspicious now.
“…What are you up to? Did I do something wrong? I'm about to lose my job?”
His eyes held hers for a second longer.
Then slowly—
“Relax your job is safe. And you talk too much in the morning.”
“And you’re weirdly domestic for a suspected serial killer.”
That made the silence fall for half a second.
Mira realized what she said immediately. She mistakenly blurted it out.
Her eyes widened slightly.
“…I didn’t mean—”
“You did.” His voice stayed calm.
Mira swallowed hard.
But instead of anger… Salvatore only looked amused.
Which was somehow confusing her more.
He pushed off the desk slowly and stepped closer to the bed.
Close enough for her breathing to hitch slightly.
“You should be more careful what you accuse people of, Miss Voss.”
Mira held his gaze.
Trying not to react. Trying not to notice how unfairly handsome he looked this early in the morning.
Trying not to remember how safe his arms felt last night.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said quietly.
His eyes drifted briefly toward her lips before returning to her eyes.
Brief.
But enough to make heat crawl into her face.
Then he stepped back again as nothing happened.
Like he hadn’t just made her hold her breath and her heart beat so fast.
“Eat your breakfast,” he said smoothly. “And stay out of abandoned buildings tonight. The west wing is off limits there are ghosts there you don't want to piss off.”
Mira froze.
Her eyes snapped toward him instantly.
Salvatore was already walking toward the door.
Her heart skipped.
“…What?”
He paused near the doorway.
But didn’t turn around.
“You heard me.”
Mira’s stomach tightened.
How did he— Before she could ask—
He walked out.
Leaving her staring after him in complete silence.