“I’m so glad you could make it,” she gushed.“I can’t believe you finally accepted.And with guests.”
Kaya’s smile, a gentler more polished version of her real one, let me know they weren’t close.“Annice, this is Abbye and Sophia Elmantas.This is Annice Wellborn.”
I recognized the last name immediately.Old money.
“Elmantas…it sounds familiar.”Her expression shifted from confusion to delight.“You were on the news a few days ago, weren’t you.Something about setting fire to your house?”
Her volume drew everyone’s attention, and I kept my expression neutral as Kaya slipped her hands from Annice’s rather forcefully.
“You’re several days behind on events, Annice.The man who set fire to their house was taken into custody yesterday.Someone with more money than sense paid him to start it.”She shook her head.“Of course, I feel responsible now.If not for that horrible article claiming poor Sophia was trying to social climb and that I was paying her to keep away, no one would have targeted her.”
She gave me an apologetic look and looped her arm through mine.
“As soon as I heard what happened,” she continued, “I insisted they stay with me.A home is much more comforting than an impersonal hotel.”
“How humanitarian of you,” Annice said.“Housing the displaced in their hour of need.”
Kaya scoffed.“Their need?Mine was much greater.You know how busy Balak and Drokonnen are.I was desperate for company in that rambling estate.In fact, I’m enjoying our time together so much that I’m trying to convince them to stay until the authorities find the person behind the arsonist.It’s so much safer with me at the Steele Estate.”
Annice glanced at me, then Mom, her gaze settling on her cast.I could see the gleam of interest and excitement there.
“Someone is truly targeting them?”she asked as if we weren’t standing right in front of her.
“It appears so,” Kaya said.
“What does Balak think of you risking your own safety for people you don’t even know?”she asked.
Kaya’s mouth curved with genuine amusement.“Balak wouldn’t dream of denying me what I want.He’s the perfect husband in every way.”
Several of the women frowned and turned away to resume their own quiet conversations, either not liking Balak’s devotion to his wife, or that he wouldn’t stop Kaya from fraternizing with “the displaced.”
“That top is lovely, Sophia,” Annice said, reclaiming my attention.“Wherever did you get it?”
I said the store’s name.
“Really?Do you shop there often?”
The woman had the same level of entitlement and passive rudeness as Lianna.
“If she hasn’t been, she will in the future,” Kaya said without missing a beat.“It’s on my list of favorites in the downtown area.We spent our morning there, shopping.They lost so much in the fire that it’s going to take some time to replace everything.Coming here is a nice break from that.”She glanced at Mom.“Let’s find a table.I don’t want your arm to start hurting.”
She released me to take Mom’s good arm and lead her away.
“You’re very fortunate to have met the Steeles,” Annice said.“Not everyone would be so willing to make amends for something that wasn’t their fault in the first place.Try not to overstay your welcome.”
I gave her the same polished politeness Kaya had.“I think that would be impossible to do.She’s already talking about remodeling a set of rooms into a suite for my mom.”
With a nod, I walked away.
Konni was waitingat the door when we returned home at four-thirty.
“It’s not your turn yet,” Kaya said as he flipped me over his shoulder and started for the stairs.
Trying not to laugh, but still grinning like a fool, I braced my hands on his ass to look up at our Moms.
Neither looked upset.
“You’d better let her come down for dinner,” his mom called before we reached the second floor.
