“Boy, watch your mouth. I don’t think I care for your tone.” I’m surprised at the warning in his voice. I thought he’d let Zachary do anything he wanted, and Zach doesn’t bother playing nice with his father. At least based on everything he said before, I got that impression.
I groan inwardly anticipating Zachary’s lash of temper just before we have to go in and meet everyone.
However, instead of bursting into flames, Zachary fists his hands and stays silent.
And that’s when realization hits me.
Despite all his anger… Zachary still loves his dad and craves his attention, just as he did when he was ten years old. But he doesn’t know how to ask for it, because he is blinded by everything his father did for his new family.
Anthony leans back, palms my head, and smiles down on me. “Welcome to the family, Phoenix. No one will ever hurt you again.” His voice deepens, sending shivers down my spine. “Because no one touches the Kings and lives a peaceful life after that.” With this, he finally lets me go into Zachary’s arms and points in the common room’s direction. “Go meet your guests. We will talk after.” His eyes narrow on Zachary. “Don’t think I forgot about the unanswered message.”
How could he have possibly organized all this if he didn’t even talk with his father?
Zachary though already pulls me toward the hall, my heels clicking soundly on the marble, and with a few more steps, we enter the so-called common room, and I can’t help but gasp at the view in front of me.
Ballroom—that’s the first thought that comes to mind when I see the huge space, shining marble with a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling along with small lamps lighting up the place, giving it a majestic yet mysterious vibe, which the soft jazz music played by the musicians on the center stage enhances.
Servers run around holding heavy trays filled with either champagne glasses or small side dishes while around fifty people wearing expensive gowns and suits stroll through the place, dancing closer to the stage where there is a dance floor or chatting among each other, the hum of conversations ringing in the air and mixing with the music.
The terrace doors leading outside are open, allowing the fresh air to get inside, which makes all the scent of perfumes bearable I guess, and several guests to go out to smoke.
Farther on the left is a long opening toward the dining room, since delicious smells are coming from it and I notice the end of an oval table with a lot of chairs.
Probably the elite of the elite are gathered here tonight for their entertainment of the month, and I swallow harshly, willing my rapidly beating heart to calm down. “Wow,” I murmur, “you went all out for this engagement party, huh?”
“Nothing but the best for the Kings.” Zachary bends forward and whispers in my ear, “Don’t be nervous, darling. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” With this, he squeezes my hand with his while the other tips my chin back to meet his gaze. “Let’s start this party with a bang, shall we?” And he connects our mouths.
At first, I’m too stunned to react, but then I gasp at what he is doing in the middle of the freaking party and allow him to slip his tongue inside my mouth, lightly brushing mine, and goose bumps pop on my skin, sending awareness through me.
On their own accord, my fingers grip the lapels of his suit as he brings me closer, deepening the kiss, and I moan into his mouth, meeting him stroke for stroke as he probes inside, ravishing me for everyone to see.
For a second, I forget about everything else and live in the moment with the man whose strong arms hold me so tight I have no doubt nothing will happen to me and that calm the storm inside me that started to brew at the sight of all these people.
They have no power to hurt me as long as Zachary is by my side.
However, the music slowly dies around us along with the hum of voices, and the silence that follows is almost deafening, enough to snap me out of my haze and end the kiss when my lungs start to demand oxygen.
The loud clap makes me turn my head to the audience, who are watching us with their jaws dropped. Even the musicians blink in surprise, but I zero my attention on the pink-haired man wearing a navy blue suit and the most intense gray eyes I’ve ever seen, who after finishing clapping picks up a champagne glass from the tray and lifts it in our direction.
“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome my brother Zachary and his beautiful fiancée Phoenix.” People quickly follow, and whistles along with more clapping follow while Zachary crooks his finger at one of the wait staff so he brings us two glasses as well and orders me, “Smile, darling.” I do, plastering a fake smile on my mouth while it seems everyone rushes in our direction to talk with us.
But more like inspect us under a microscope to see if all this is really true, and the knowledge that the unsub might be among them is enough for me to stay glued to Zachary’s side, his heavy arm wrapped around my shoulders, giving me silent comfort and grounding me in the present.
However, I pay more attention to the five people who don’t rush to us, standing a few feet away in the right corner as each one of them studies us with different expressions.
Vanessa also gave me a guest list with pictures, so I’d have some idea who’d be attending, and I used that opportunity to check Zachary’s relatives, as I didn’t want to be a clueless idiot at this party.
I recognize them all instantly.
Olivia King, the matriarch of the King clan, is a beautiful redheaded woman with brown eyes and only a few wrinkles on her face, and despite her age, she has an aura of youth around her and energy that can be detected even at this distance.
Her only son Charlie teaches art at one of the universities.
Lydia, who winks at me and pops a cherry into her mouth while waving at someone at the other end of the hall.
Sebastian, who watches me in disbelief, the tension coming from him is almost tangible.
And finally, the woman who is standing next to him, his gorgeous fiancée, Felicia.
She has an unreadable expression on her face as if she doesn’t know how to react to me but nevertheless steps closer to Sebastian, staking an invisible claim on him, and I almost smile sadly.
She doesn’t have to be afraid of that. Whatever we had died four years ago, and nothing has the power to glue together the broken glass of our relationship.
But then another thought slams into me so hard I’m surprised I’m not swaying to the side.
The unsub won’t be one of those who comes close for fear of losing control when he or she is next to the object of their greatest hate and adoration.
He’d keep his distance to study his objects before he finds the best-case scenario that will benefit him, and only then will he strike.
And with this, another realization hits me, and I burrow into Zachary’s side deeper.
What if the unsub is… one of the Kings?
Zachary
Phoenix tenses in my arms, going stone-cold in them, and her breathing speeds up as someone snaps another photo of us, the flash almost blinding us for a second.
The guests continue to come closer and closer, their loud voices with different questions filling the air, but all I can concentrate on is the heavy breathing of my woman who pales a little as if she is about to faint.
Even though everything in me roars to bark at everyone to shut their fucking mouths, scoop her in my arms, and get the hell out of here, because I’m guessing all the voices are closing in on her and bringing up some of her nightmares from the past—which she doesn’t share with me.