Sera bobs her head.
I hate that things are uncomfortable between us. I always thought I could trust her, but now . . . I’m impossibly alone in my own home.
My sisters are insufferable and my little brother a pain in my rear. Father has also become a completely different person since Lady Astoria arrived. Sera has been my closest friend for as long as I can remember—we practically grew up together, ignoring the typical formalities—but perhaps I’m fooling myself and she means more to me than I do to her. If I’m merely a job . . . I choke back the hurt. There’s no time for this. I’ll figure it out later.
Chapter Seven
KIAN
“Please, don’t make me attend this on my own,” I beg Alex as my valet, Giles, fixes my cravat.
“You expect me to miss watching you suffer through a miserable ball?” Alex quips from where he lounges in my dressing room.
“I wouldn’t blame you for leaving me hanging after . . . everything.”
He laughs. “I’m not that petty, my friend.”
“Good, good.” I grin.
“Plus, I’m dying to see the Astoria girl who’s gotten you all tied up in knots.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Me? Ridiculous? Uncalled for, Ki. Don’t even try to pretend you haven’t been thinking of her. I’ve seen you staring longingly into nothing.”
I snort and roll my eyes, trying to change the subject. “I still can’t believe our king is forcing me to get married this season.”
“All the more reason for me to check out Lady Raelyn and make sure she passes muster,” Alex says, bringing it right back to her as Giles finishes up and I dismiss him.
“I can’t risk her recognizing me.” I grunt my reply after double-checking to make sure my valet has left, even as my mind drifts back to the green-eyed beauty. Alex doesn’t know about our history, and while she didn’t show any signs of recognition that night, I need to be careful.
Alex laughs. “Weren’t you in a dark room wearing a mask? How could she?”
I shrug, reminding myself it’s okay to share details with him—though I’m hardly used to speaking freely. “It’s not as if I was fully hidden from her. She did practically sit on me.”
Alex chokes on his drink, and I pat him on the back.
“You didn’t tell me that!” he sputters.
“It didn’t seem necessary.”
“Necessary, my ass. I had no idea you got that close to her.”
“Did I mention she got close enough to cut me? And with my own blade?” I mutter. It was one of my favorites, and I miss the damn thing; it had perfect balance and was wickedly sharp.
Alex shakes his head. “Well, since you want to keep your distance, you wouldn’t mind if I took her for a turn around the dance floor?”
All the muscles in my body tense, but I try to shake it off. Of course I mind, but I really shouldn’t. I refuse to be hurt again.
“She doesn’t belong to me. Do whatever you want.” I hate myself for lying to him, but I’m fairly certain he’s only baiting me.
“Maybe I will.” He winks.
“I thought you were interested in Lady Erika,” I say as I grab my navy evening jacket.
“I guess I’ll have to wait and see which one catches my eye.”
My possessiveness over Lady Raelyn irritates me to no end. I want to forget and move on, get back to focusing on what matters most.
