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Janice was no more happy to see her here than Bailey was to be here. It was the social lie that mattered, though, the persona, the facade presented to the world.
The Serborne fortune was one of the twelve largest in the world. In more than three hundred years it had never dwindled, only grown. And her family had always remained in the top tier of the social elite. The cream of the crop so to speak. American royalty.
She stared around the ballroom, remembering her mother’s balls here. The exquisite parties, the months of planning that had gone into them. Angelina Serborne had been an exacting hostess. Her parties were always enjoyed, and invitations were always envied.
“You have quite a crowd here.” Janice looked around with a smug smile. “I believe I even saw Sheik AbdulRhamadin and his bodyguard. Not to mention several of this year’s hottest actors.”
“Every invitation was accepted.” Bailey shrugged her bare shoulders.
“Of course they were.” Janice blinked back at her. “A Serborne invitation hasn’t been issued in seven years. No one was going to miss this party, even if it was such short notice.”
In other words, it hadn’t been planned a year in advance.
“I’m home. I wanted to remember the good times,” she stated simply. “Mother loved the parties.”
Janice paused at the mention of Angelina, then finally nodded as though her thoughts were pleasant for a change.
“Angelina and I used to plan her parties together.” Janice sighed. “I’ve missed her.”
Bailey finished her champagne. It was instantly snagged by a waiter and replaced with another. Reminiscing about the past wasn’t on her list of priorities tonight.
“Pardon me, Janice, I see someone I need to talk to.” Bailey excused herself before making her way across to the room to her nemesis.
Some men were so power-hungry that they would do anything to achieve the position they sought. One of those men was Raymond Greer, a former CIA overseas operative.
Raymond had managed to slide into the elite by the way of marriage to one Mary Grace Altman, a widow he’d met on a European cruise while undercover. Bailey wondered if Mary was aware that at one time, she was the former agent’s mark.
Raymond stood an easy six four, but he lacked the breadth and muscle that would have made his height attractive. His face was shaped rather like a weasel’s, and she could honestly say she had never seen a real smile cross his lips.
“Hello, Raymond, I’m glad you could make it.” She stepped up to the former agent and continued softly, “You’ve done very well for yourself.”
“Not all of us are born into wealth.” His smile was tight, almost angry, as he spoke back just as softly. “Some of us definitely have to work for our retirement.”
Bailey’s brows arched as she glanced several feet from where they stood from Raymond’s delicate wife.
Mary was one of the sweetest peopl
e Bailey knew and one of the few who understood the word sincerity. She was a sister to one of the men Bailey hated most in the world and the aunt to the girl who had once been Bailey’s dearest friend.
“Some things should never be considered work,” she stated softly as she turned back to him.
He glared back at her.
“Really, Raymond, I’m your hostess, don’t you know you’re supposed to kiss my ass.” She brought her glass to her lips to hide her own gloating smile. “You’re letting your roots show, my friend. That’s considered impolite.”
“What do you want?” He ran a hand over his thinning brown hair, and his hazel eyes flickered back to her in suspicion.
Bailey shrugged at his question. “We should be friends. We’ve come from the same world in some ways. The same dangers. We could trade war stories.”
Not in this lifetime and she knew it. Raymond despised her for her birth, just as she despised him for his arrogance. But that arrogance had been an inborn trait of his. He was finally where he had felt he had belonged all along. It didn’t matter how he’d had to lie, cheat and perhaps even kill to get here.
Raymond’s gaze narrowed on her at her suggestion. “Funny, you were never interested in discussing anything with me before.”
She smiled at that. “We never had anything in common before. We’re both a part of this society; we see each other often. We should make the best of it.”
“You’re not interested in returning to the agency then?” he asked her, a hint of calculation in his voice and in his gaze. “After a year I’d assume you’ve missed it.”
It was a question she had been asked several times over the past months since returning home.
