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“Why force your grandsons to get married? Isn’t that a bit antiquated?”
He’s kind enough to ignore my rudeness completely. “Family is rooted in tradition. It’s there for a reason. Without it, everything would be chaos.” He points toward several men standing in a semicircle around Damon, who keeps glancing our way, concern growing in his features.
“Each one of those men is the head of their multigenerational household, but look closer.”
I examine them more. Each one of them is wearing the identical silver pin I saw earlier on their lapel. I bite my lip as I concentrate on them more. I jolt at the realization that their heads are slightly lowered to Damon. As if they’re bowing.
“What do you see?” he asks.
“I think…are they bowing?”
“Smart girl. Our society is old, and our customs are deeply ingrained. Each one of these families is part of the hierarchy. A different rung on a ladder.” He points toward the group again, and that’s when I see another row standing behind the men speaking with Damon. Then another row behind them. They’re concealed by their chatting wives, but once I spot them, I can’t unsee it.
“When you say society…you don’t mean just the social construct, do you?”
He doesn’t bother to answer. “Tradition fosters power. If you want to lead, you must first prove yourself as someone to respect. Now, there are many ways in which that can be accomplished. Many have tried to earn it with bloodshed.”
Mr. Everette turns to me with cold eyes. “They did not walk away from the attempt.”
My skin prickles. Did he just allude to people killing each other?
“And Damon getting married solves that issue?”
He gives me a long look. “We’ll have to see.”
“Okay, but sleeping in the same bed rule. Is that really a necessary part of your tradition?” I ask.
His mouth twitches up in the corner. “I can’t say much about that rule, to be honest.”
I give up on that line of questioning and ask what I really want to know. “And your grandsons just do whatever you ask?”
That’s the part that never sat well with me. Even the idea of Damon following blind orders is laughable.
“The Everette family has been at the top of society for generations, and my boys will do what it takes to keep it that way. They just needed a little push in the right direction.”
“And I’m the right direction?”
“Of course. You’ve obviously enraptured my grandson.”
“Oh…no. It’s not like that… You told him to get married, and I was…convenient.” I snap my mouth closed because it’s not like I can tell him I was coerced because I need a visa.
His eyes glitter in the dim light, and he chuckles softly. “That’s interesting.”
“What is?”
He glances up at someone before looking back at me. “That you haven’t realized that everything Damon does is intentional. I assure you, Mrs. Everette, it is not because it was convenient.”
Reeling at his words, I try to sort through them. Damon married me because he needed to and I was easily manipulated into the terms he wanted. Right?
“I’m sorry to cut this short, but there’s a man I need to speak with. Please, stay here until my grandson comes and finds you.” He’s gone before I can tell him that I’m working and not here as Damon’s date.
I’m still reeling from my conversation with the patriarch of the Everette family when two men approach me, who I recognize instantly.
“Hello, sister.” Sebastian Everette gives me a lopsided grin and winks while throwing his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer, as if we really are family.
“Be quiet,” I warn, eyes darting around to see if anyone heard him. “I work for your brother. Remember?”
“Ah, yes. You’re his employee only. Our mistake. I guess we’ll need to bring you into the family another way.” Bash lifts my hand and places a delicate kiss on my knuckles.
