Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

To his side.

We kept walking, and he didn’t look or speak to me further.

“Where is she?” Kai asked Gabriel. “Vanessa.”

The quivering in my stomach from having him close changed to another fucking knot at the mention of her, and I fisted my fingers.

“Around,” Gabriel taunted and walked into the study.

He stepped over to his desk, and everyone filed in, leaving Hanson to close the door. Will immediately found the leather sofa and planted his ass down, while Rika moved to the side of the room.

Kai took the seat opposite Gabriel on the other side of the desk.

Gabriel tipped his chin at me. “Go check on dinner.”

“She doesn’t work for you anymore,” Kai interjected.

“Actually, she does. Technically speaking, of course.”

No contract. No agreement.

But Kai didn’t take the bait, relaxing in his seat. “I’ll meet the bride first, thanks.”

My father laughed under his breath. “Hanson.” He picked up the cigar sitting in his ashtray. “Fetch my niece.”

The man nodded, quietly slipping out of the room.

I looked out the patio doors, seeing a group of young women sitting at the tables several yards away. I couldn’t make out their faces, but Vanessa’s white-blonde hair was easy enough to pick out as she sat with her back to me.

What if he was attracted to her?

“So, when’s the wedding?” Gabriel asked, and I blinked, seeing him look at Rika.

For a moment, I thought he was asking Kai.

Rika replied, “No specific date yet.”

“And where’s Michael?”

Her eyes flashed to Kai before she answered. “Away at a game for the day.”

My father smiled, the thoughts in his head barely keeping themselves contained as his eyes raked over her body.

Kai rose and wandered to the book cases, placing himself in front of her. My father was eye-fucking her, and Kai knew it. His forehead was creased, troubled, but he remained quiet, not speaking or looking at me. What was he thinking about?

And finally, a light knock pierced the silence.

Everyone turned or looked up as the door opened and Vanessa Nikova entered.

I don’t know what I expected. Maybe for her to be awkward and look anywhere but at him, or maybe for Kai to be surprised and instantly attracted, losing all semblance of thought at the sight of her.

But they locked eyes and just stared at each other for a minute as she slowly closed the door.

That was worse.

I darted my eyes to him, watching him take her in as if he was actually considering her.

She walked into the room, wearing a silver cocktail dress that made her seem ethereal with her blonde hair and big, blue eyes. She had much the same coloring as Rika, but Rika was different. She was alive, and Vanessa looked like a doll kept in a box. Not a fingerprint on her.