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Again, my eyes met Kensington’s, and we both smiled.
“What about you, Cortez?” Kiki’s voice changed from sing-songy to solemn. “I was so sorry to hear—”
“It’s been years, Kiki. No need to offer condolences now.”
“Has it been that long? Well, I certainly hope someone else has snapped you up. Connected to royalty via your father and your mother—goodness, but you’re a catch. If I weren’t already married…Too bad Kenzie is so young. What can I bring you? It’s early for a martini, but you have been traveling so, c’est la vie, as they say.”
I hadn’t seen Kiki in years, but still, I should’ve remembered how she was. I couldn’t regret bringing her daughter here more. Would that I could rewind time and keep her with me in England.
God! What was I thinking? Keep her in England with me? Had I forgotten my resolve to deliver her to her mother and then walk away?
“Thank you for the offer, Kiki, but we cannot stay.”
“What? But you’ve just arrived.”
“Kensington has just arrived. We were merely her escorts.”
“I’ve a mind to figure out a way to force you to stay, but never mind. Go if you must. Kenzie, where are your things?”
“Still in the car, Kiki. I’ll be staying in the guest house.”
Her mother folded her arms. I was anxious to hear what she’d come up with in order to save face. I’m sure where Kensington stayed mattered little to her other than for appearances.
“Perhaps you’ll be able to catch up on your sleep if you do, darling.”
“Thanks, Mother,” she said and turned to me. “If you wouldn’t mind having your driver drop my bags. I’ll walk from here.”
“If you’ll give me a moment to say goodbye to Kiki, I’ll go with you.”
“Not necessary, but thank you.”
She walked out of the room, leaving me unable to follow without making a scene.
“What about your younger brother, Cortez? Wouldn’t he suit Kenzie?”
“He’s happily married, I’m afraid.”
“Disappointing, that one.” She motioned in the direction Kensington had left. “I thought Konstantine von Habsburg was a good match, but she obviously didn’t make much of an impression on him.”
“We really must be going,” I heard Grinder say as I took ten deep breaths in an attempt to stop myself from strangling the woman standing in front of me.
Didn’t make much of an impression? The wanker tried to rape her. Before I could stop myself, I heard the words coming out of my own mouth in a tone that could only be construed as angry. “Did you or did you not contact the Queen and tell her your daughter had been kidnapped?”
Kiki’s eyes opened wide. “I did nothing of the sort! As if I’d have access to the Queen. How absurd. Until I received your message saying you were on your way here with her, I assumed she was off gallivanting the way she always does. What happened with von Habsburg, anyway? Is there any hope things might work out between him and Kenzie?”
“Had we not arrived when we did, your daughter would’ve been brutally raped, or worse.”
“Surely, she exaggerates.” Kiki took a step back, and I took a step forward.
“Time for us to go,” reminded Grinder. “We have a flight to catch.”
There was no flight, but he was right to urge me to leave. Nothing good could come of a confrontation between Kensington’s mother and me.
I turned and walked out without the civility of a goodbye, too angry to do anything but. I waited in the car while Grinder, I hoped, gave his regrets and smoothed things over.
“We have to get her away from here,” I said when Grinder got in the car.
“You were the one insisting she come.”
