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Even with anger thrumming through my veins, I know not to aim it at the other woman in the room. It’s not her fault, and I don’t fault her for seeking comfort. If anything, I’m wholly blaming Kai for giving it to her.
Annoyingly, Kai smirks as he releases Ana and puts some distance between their bodies. “Calm down, Nereid,” he drawls. “I was just comforting her.”
I sniff disdainfully. “I don’t care.”
“W-what’s going on?” Ana asks, looking between me and Kai. I see the exact moment understanding dawns on her face. “You two are involved.”
Although it’s not a question, I nod.
Throwing her head back, Ana laughs loudly. It takes several minutes before she gathers herself enough to speak again.
“I’m happy for you.” Her eyes stay on Kai until he swallows audibly. Then she looks at me. “Really, Acacia. I mean it.”
Ana’s words wrap around me, and like a blanket on a cold night, they make me feel warm. “Thank you,” I croak, as my emotions make it hard to speak. “That means a lot.”
I let Kai take my hand and pull me to his side, even sag against him when his arm snakes around my middle. “It’s only right you hear this from me,” he says. “We married last summer.”
My eyes never stray from Ana. I want to catch even the smallest sign of her discomfort if there are any. Since Kai used to be married to her sister, I won’t hold it against her if she doesn’t approve. I just want to make sure I know.
“I’ve encouraged you to move on for years, Kai, so I’m honestly relieved.” She reaches out and cups my cheek. “Congratulations, Acacia. You’ve found yourself a wonderful man.”
There’s no hint of animosity in her words or actions. She really does seem happy, and it’s making me relax.
Remembering why I came out of hiding, I say, “Thank you, Ana. I appreciate that. But just to be clear, I don’t like him touching other women.”
She nods. “I understand.”
Kai lets out an exasperated sigh. “Don’t talk like I’m not right here.”
“Why not?” I retort. Then I point at the desk behind us. “You hugged another woman like I wasn’t right there.”
While we bicker, Ana’s eyes widen and it’s clear she’s struggling to keep her mirth contained. I can’t blame her. We’re sounding like an old married couple, bickering just for the sake of it. Though, I feel justified in my annoyance. Kai knows I don’t like any of my men touching someone else. At the same time, I feel I should let this one go.
It’s obvious it wasn’t more than comfort, and Ana was in his life before me. I don’t need to know the ins and outs of their familial relationship to know it’s just that. Besides, I get the sense she’s been there for my husband when no one else has. For that alone, she has my gratitude and respect.
“I’m not even going to ask why you were hiding under the desk,” Ana says while shaking her head. “But I want to return your honesty by adding my own. I don’t appreciate being spied on, ever.”
She turns her frosty gaze on Kai, who merely shrugs so I slap his chest.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “For me and my husband.” As I openly declare who Kai is to me, pride and love fills me so much it feels like I’m about to burst. It’s overwhelming and startling.
Now that there’s nothing more to be said, we’re all just standing there in complete silence. I wonder if Ana and Kai are feeling awkward, like me. If they too contemplate what to say while feeling like the ability to string a sentence together is a herculean task that seems impossible to fulfill.
My thoughts are silenced as there’s a knock on the door, and I quickly move away from Kai.
“Expecting more people?” Ana asks Kai.
He shakes his head before brusquely calling, “Come in.”
The door opens, and I gasp in shock as my eyes fall on the man standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Ruler.”
My brain feels like it’s shut down, abandoning me in the time of need. The surrounding voices are distorted, while I fight the murky waters of my mind to make sense of what I’m seeing.
What’s Abel doing here? Where has he been? No one has heard from him since Nikolaos died. Hell, I’ve tried to find him, but even the Drákon guards couldn’t help me. Which makes no sense. But neither does seeing him here. Calling Kai by his status within the Kronos Society.
Sure, Abel’s been with my family forever. Perhaps I should have expected he knows about… well, about everything. Especially with how prepared he was for Nikolaos’ death, and… and fuck. My mind is reeling, piecing stuff together so fast I can’t keep up.
“What are you doing here, Abel Drákon?” Ana’s tone is heated, but the look on her face has me thinking she didn’t mean to ask that. “I mean… I thought it was just us,” she says, clearly backtracking.
