Heat creeps into my cheeks, and after thirty-five years, that still surprises me.
Bobby walks toward me and adjusts the necklace at my throat before leaning down to brush his lips against my shoulder. “You nervous?”
“A little.”
His hands settle on my waist. “You don’t have to be.”
I look up at him in the mirror. “People are going to talk.”
“They already talk,” he says dryly. “At least now they’ll be talking about the fact that my wife came home.”
My chest tightens. It’s only been a few weeks since I decided to move back home, but I’m glad I did. I haven’t regretted it for one second. Robert has taken more time to be at home, turning the reins of the Kingston family businesses over to Bennett and Cole too when he and Luna aren’t held up at their house.
I turn in Bobby’s arms and smooth my hand over his tie. “You seem pretty happy that people will be talking about me being home.”
His lips twitch slightly. “You have no idea.”
I smile, but before I can respond, there’s another knock at the door.
“Come in.”
Knox pokes his head inside and grimaces immediately. “Dang. Can you two go five minutes without eye fucking each other?”
“Knox,” I scold automatically.
He grins unapologetically. “Robert, the board members are here.”
Bobby nods once. “We’ll be down in a minute.”
Knox disappears, and Bobby looks back at me. “Ready?”
I take a deep breath and nod.
The second we walk into the ballroom downstairs, conversation shifts, and everyone turns to stare.
I lift my head and look everyone in the eye. I’m nervous, but there’s no way I’m going to let everyone here know that I am. I haven’t attended one of these events in months, and now I’m walking in beside Bobby with my hand held in his. The way he’s glaring at everyone, it’s like he’s daring them to question if I should be here or not.
But none of these people will go against Robert Kingston.
Bobby guides me through the room while people greet us. Some of them look nervous or scared when Robert stops in front of them, but they each put on a fake smile. These are people that have contributed to expanding the Kingston properties. They want us to succeed. Some of them have bet their lives on it.
But by now, everybody knows about Victor Sterling, and they know that everything in the city is changing.
It’s intense really, but tonight, Bobby isn’t focused on business. I can tell. Every few minutes, his gaze drifts back to me like he still can’t quite believe I’m here.
Cole and Luna walk over first.
Luna hugs me tightly. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
Cole kisses my cheek and then looks at Bobby. “You look less homicidal tonight.”
Bobby grunts. “Don’t push it.”
I laugh softly and lean into his side.
Across the room, I spot Bennett and Knox standing with Audrey. Bennett immediately shifts closer to her when a few unfamiliar men walk by, and Audrey relaxes almost instantly.
