Kaya scowled at him.“Stop it.Don’t scare them away before they move in.”
“Abbye should know what she’s signing up for.Dragons are notorious for multi-generational living.My grandparents are still at the estate at least forty percent of the time.That’ll probably change once you move in.They’ll come back and start asking when the next generation will arrive.”
His mom’s frown grew.“Konni.”
The warning in her tone had me smirking as I glanced at Mom.She looked amused, too.
“Thank you for the warning,” Mom said.“I’ll still accept, though, if the offer stands.”
“It does,” Kaya said emphatically.“Why don’t I help you pack?”
Konni waited until the two of them went upstairs to say, “The one your mom saw was one of ours.A reporter was taking pictures from another angle.”
I was grateful they hadn’t been crass enough to ask for a statement from us while our home was burning.
“What now?”I asked.
“I’ll have my people comb through any security footage from houses nearby.Hopefully, one will have caught someone coming or going.”He paused to pull me into his arms.“I’m surprised you agreed to move to the estate.”
“I can’t stop thinking that, if whoever is behind this is willing to commit arson, what’s next?”
He held me just a little bit tighter.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight from now on.”
“What about my mom?”
He chuckled.“You don’t have to worry about her.My mom won’t let her out of her sight either.”
I tipped my head back to look up at him.“Is your mom really that lonely?”
“My dad brought her home the day he found her working at an Italian restaurant in town.Since that moment, she has had my dad and his parents around, and then me.After I moved out to focus on Steele, my grandparents also started traveling.My dad travels for work, too.Despite my joke about never letting you move out, she wouldn’t hold anyone back from doing what they wanted.And I don’t think she’s lonely as much as I think she’s ready for the next step.”
I didn’t ask what he meant.I knew.
He studied me.“What were you just thinking?You made a face.”
“I want to focus on my career.”
“And?”
“And I don’t want to have any kids for the foreseeable future.”
He kissed the tip of my nose.“Good.I’m not ready to share you.Let’s go pack.”
It took me less time than it did for Mom due to her recent shopping spree and Kaya admiring everything.
By the time they finished, Edi was calling Konni about a new article.
I pulled out my phone to read the latest about Motan’s newest social climber, me, who was seen “posing” outside her burning home to gain public sympathy after the backlash from her sordid dating scandals and ostracism by Mrs.Steele.
It was amazing how something so simple could be skewed to fit the narrative they wanted to sell.And the worst part?People believed it, commenting that I’d gotten what I deserved.Divine karma.
“This confirms you’ve made the right choice,” Kaya said.“You’ll love the Steele estate.”
She was already towing Mom’s suitcase toward the door.
I glanced at Konni as he hung up.
