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“Yup,” I lied.
“Well, give them a few minutes to finish the soup then you can go collect their bowls and bring out the antipasto.”
I went to the sink and began washing the pans. Why would Seren sneak into my room to steal my ring? What would he gain from having it? I exhaled a long breath. Maybe I was just jumping to conclusions. Maybe, despite our disastrous interactions thus far, he was just being nice for a change and noticed my ring. It wasn’t like I’d been wearing it since it went missing.
“Head back in, Grace,” Chef said after a few minutes.
I put down the clean pan on the drying rack and walked back into the dining room. I avoided eye contact as I made my way around the table, removing the empty soup bowls in the same order I’d delivered them and finishing with Seren.
“My girl?” he whispered as I leaned in to pick up his bowl. “Interesting sentiment.”
A cold chill rushed up my spine. That son of a bitchhadtaken my ring.And, he’d snuck into my room to return it—whileI was sleeping. I hurried back to the kitchen with the bowls.
Was he trying to scare me? Was he trying to show me he could get into my room whenever he wanted to? Get tomewhenever he wanted to?
“Grab the antipasto,” Chef said.
My entire body quivered with anger as I picked up the antipasto dishes from the center island. I balanced all four in my hands and carried them into the dining room, circling the table and serving Maureen, Sawyer, and Saint. I was about to place Seren’s dish down when he whispered, “Did some Coopersville loser give it to you?”
That did it. I tipped the dish so the antipasto slipped off it and right into his lap.
He jumped up with lettuce and dressing dripping down the front of his shirt and jeans. “What the fuck?”
“Language!” Maureen ordered.
My hands cupped my mouth, concealing a smile. “Oh, my goodness.”
Seren tossed pieces of antipasto back onto his plate.
“Let me get you another one,” I offered.
“I don’t want it,” he spat.
“You sure?” I said, leveling him with my eyes. “Everyone should get what they have coming to them.”
He glared at me and, for the first time since I’d arrived at Grayson Manor, I felt like I held the upper hand.
“Honey, it was an accident,” Maureen assured him, as if apologizing for me. “That isn’t the first accident we’ve had, and it certainly won’t be the last.”
“I really am sorry,” I said to Seren with a smirk that only he could see. Then I grabbed his dish and went back to the kitchen.
“What happened?” Chef asked as I emptied the remnants of the antipasto into the garbage.
“Just a little accident,” I assured him as I put the dish into the dishwasher.
“Well, I’m done with dinner, so wash the rest of the pans and I’ll serve the main course.”
“You sure?” I asked.
“Positive,” he said.
I tried not to giggle as I started cleaning the pans. And as the high from putting Seren in his place slowly began to wear off, the realization hit me. I’d won the fight, but I might’ve just started a war.
CHAPTER 11
Seren
“What are you doing?” Sawyer asked, startling the hell out of me.
