I couldn't understand a thing here. should I go back to the airport and leave New York? Or stay at some hotel and try to reach my brother in the mean time? I was in deep thought when my phone rang. It made me happy for a moment only to find kia calling me. I sighed heavily and answered her call. 

I told her the whole story which I was of course, still not able to believe myself.

" Honey, don't worry and please listen to me. I'll send some one to pick you up. He is my brother by the way. He must be able to get you in 10 minutes. I'm giving the address to him" Thank goodness, my racing heart slowed down a little.

" Okay, send an image of your brother to me and what is his name by the way?" I realized I didn't knew her brother's name as kia never talks much about her family.

"It's Ivan" I mumbled a thank you and went back to the taxi.

I leaned to the side of the vehicle and checked the image kia sent me. Oh my my! Ivan is just too handsome. Dark brown hair, bright grey eyes, chisel nose and sharp jaw line. woah! I was busy ogling at my phone when I felt some ones eyes on me.

I lifted my head to find the cab driver staring at me, at my neck in particular. His eyes sharp and body stiff. Gosh! this is making me really uncomfortable.

"Hello! Anything wrong?" I enquired, raising a brow and crossing my arms, though my heart was racing a little.

"Ahem..! Nothing much" He stammered. "Your locket.... He said now raising his eyes to mine" .....looks interesting?"

There is something special about his amber eyes though. Does every one in New York have attractive eyes? Kia also has interesting ones.

" I subconsciously traced my amulet and said " This is a gift from my brother."

" Can I touch it? by any chance?" He asked, stretching his hand towards me and taking a step forward, with me subconsciously taking one backward.

What's wrong with this guy? Why would I let a stranger touch my amulet? He was just a couple centimeters away from touching my amulet when a high speed car screeched to stop just beside scaring the hell out of me. If my heart was beating fast earlier, now its charging miles per minute.

I jumped aside and wondered what was happening when the car door opened to reveal a handsome guy smiling at me. I saw him before. I surely saw him before.

" Hello miss lily, I'm Ivan" Ivan? who's Ivan? The hell with me! Kia's brother Ivan!

"Hello!" I shook my hand with him and his eyes started noticing something behind me replacing his smile with a frown and stern expression. I turned around to catch the same expression on the cab driver's face with his fists clenched beside him. If some one could sense tension in the air then it is present here in more quantity than what numbers could count.

"Ahem..! I'll go get my luggage" I tried to disturb their stares.

"NO!" I heard Ivan half shout at me.

" I'll get your luggage. Sit in the car right now!"

What the heck! He could say that to me a little politely. Why was he shouting? I did as he said though. He went straight to the trunk, lifted it up, unloaded my luggage and closed the trunk with a loud thud.

What's wrong with him and why did the cab driver not mutter a word when Ivan almost broke his car? He's just staring at Ivan and me back to back with a scowl on his face.

Ivan walked back to his car carrying my luggage as if it weighed nothing and placed it in the rare seat. I swear my luggage was heavy earlier! what happened now? Does this guy work out so much ? may be! 

I kept quite not wanting him to crush my throat. It's clear to me that if he wanted to crush my throat it would be as easy to him as crushing a tea biscuit would be to me.

He started the engine and we set off. I could see the cab driver was still staring at us from the side mirror. Though we left him behind, Ivan still has a scowl on his face and he held the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles started turning white. 

The scenery beside me was soon blur! I'm not sure where I was even going. All of a sudden the car halted. I looked around to find two gates ahead and a guy opening them for us with a smile. I see a drive way ahead leading to a mansion.

Oh my god! A quite gasp of awe escaped my lips. It's beautiful! double storied Italian touch mansion. There are a lot of arched windows some accompanied by balconies. Thin column's line the first floor with steps guiding a way inside. 

It is surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers blooming all around. Is this where Kia used to live? I was in awe with the mansion and didn't even notice when the car came to halt.

" I guess you like it" said Ivan wearing a smile on his face. How could he change so quick? was it not just now that he was wearing a scowl on his face? and was it not a moment before that he greeted me with a smile?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you" Ivan said with a sigh. His tone now very soft, quite the contrary to earlier. I just nodded and whispered its fine.

"I'm sorry anyway" I nodded again with a smile this time.

" How did you you meet the guy by the way?" Ivan asked half turning towards me in his seat to face me.

"I called for a taxi and he is a cab driver?" I half questioned and half answered him. what's wrong? Now I'm curious to know more about this.

" Was he trying to hurt you when I arrived?" This time concern filled his voice.

"No, its just that I was a little uncomfortable with him coming close." Ivan nodded and gave me a smile.

" Don't take cab's from now on. You can drive any of our vehicles here if you know how to or I would be more than happy to drive you, okay?"

I smiled at his words, nodded and mumbled a thank you.

I got off the car still gnawing at the beauty. The person to build this home should have had deep interest in architecture.

Thinking about the way here, I don't remember the directions to here. Heck! I've seen flying scenery along the whole drive, which part of New York should this place be? I better ask some one than eat up my own brain.

"Where is this place?" I asked Ivan not able hold my curiosity who was by the time staring me.

"You are about an hour away from New York if your wondering how far you travelled." 

Can he read minds? I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my gaze at him. how can he be so sure about what was I thinking? He chuckled at me containing his laughter that threatened to escape him.

" If your thinking that I read minds, then no, I don't!" I was dumbstruck opening my eyes wide and my jaw dropping down. I should be looking so dumb right now. Sure, I must be! because Ivan here now is laughing hard.

"Ha! ha! ha!" he gave his best belly laugh." you are so easy to guess" he said holding his stomach.

"Let's go in. Mom's waiting. Hello Lily, your name suits you. By the way, I'm Drake, Kia's younger brother." said the guy who was holding the gate open for us earlier coming behind me.

"Hello!" I said shyly, shaking his hand in mine. we head inside with Ivan handling my luggage and Drake by my side leading me in through the double doors.

The interior of the house is just as extravagant as the exterior. It's spacious and modern with a grand staircase leading to the floor above. The area surrounding the staircase leads to other rooms. A large rug placed in the center of the marble floor with a lone table holding a fancy vase of beautiful flowers.

Surrounded by matching sets of sofas and pillows on the three sides and a huge crystal chandelier hanging off the ceiling, prisms reflecting the walls where ever light hits. All in all this house is too good for my liking.

A women, elegant in her way, came down the stairs walking towards me wearing a huge smile on her face.

"Hello Lily" She greeted me warm and sweet. 

"I'm Kia's mother. You can call me Emily.

"Hello Emily" I greeted her

"Come here, have a seat, beautiful." she sat beside me on the sofa taking my hand in hers. 

"You must be tired searching Andrew all the evening ? Andrew is a friend of Ivan and seems like he is out of the place right now." I frowned at her explanation, he used to tell me a lot about his schedule. He does it very often.

"Don't worry dear, He is supposed to be back by tomorrow or the day after. Until then make yourself home" I smiled and nodded to her. 

"That's it! Now come on freshen up, dinner's waiting. Ivan will show you to your room." She signaled Ivan to take me to the room. I thanked her and went with Ivan.

The dinner was quite with me either nodding to them or smiling or humming when ever asked about a thing or two. After dinner everyone got back to their respective rooms.

I crawled up the bed, lifting the covers above my chest thinking I could sleep but I can't. Hot tears fell down my eyes. I can't help it and cried my heart out.