“I’d pick Fabiola over Mayra any day,” I said through the fake smile.
“I’m sure she’d be pleased to hear it.” He introduced me to some of the attendees, some it was obvious he knew, but others, like the man we were shaking hands with currently, seemed to be taken aback by his presence altogether.
“Mr. Sir. Mr. Caliban.” The man shook his hand. “Carson Emerson. I’m an old friend of your father’s.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Emerson.” River smiled and turned to me. “This is my date, Penelope Guzman.”
“Guzman?” Mr. Emerson’s brows rose. “As in . . . that Guzman family? From Pan Island?”
“Yes, that family.” I kept a tight smile and let go of River’s hand.
“I’m sorry to hear about your father,” he said, but he was looking at me like there was a lot he was leaving out.
“Thank you.” I looked around. “I’m going to go find a drink.”
“Call over one of the waiters,” River said, waving someone over before I could. He let go of my hand and turned to a young man who tapped him on the shoulder.
“The man, the myth, the legend,” the guy said with a chuckle. “I haven’t seen you in a while, man.”
“Always a pleasure, Alistair,” River said, greeting him.
Mayra appeared in front of me with a tray in hand. She handed me a champagne flute. She wasn’t glaring at me, but she also wasn’t smiling. She was still wearing all black, but this time instead of a black long-sleeve shirt and skirt, it was a nice, long black dress.
“Thank you,” I said, taking the flute.
“Of course.” She grinned. “I do hope you’re enjoying yourself.”
“It’s not my scene.”
“I would think it was. Being the center of attention and all.”
“Shows how little you know about me.” I brought the flute to my lips and took a sip.
“Maybe I pegged all of you Guzmans to be the same. Your cousin lurks these grounds with his hollowed eyes and his empty heart.” She shook her head. “All he does is complain. You have the entire world in the palm of your hands, yet you seek more; you leave the island you practically own and in search of what?” She shook her head again. “I will never understand it.”
“Nor do I expect you to understand it.” My eyes narrowed. “You say my cousin lurks here, but that’s wrong. Legend has it that the only lost souls that haunt the island are the ones who died here.”
“Obviously.” She shot me a look. “You’re going to preach to me truths about my own birthplace?”
“My cousin didn’t die here.”
“Didn’t he?” She raised an eyebrow. “Have you considered why you’re here at all?”
“Because your boss chose me to be.” I shot her a look.
“Right.” She let out a laugh, and seemed truly humored by this. “Have you not questioned the accident at all? How it was, in fact, that seaplane would have gone down on a perfectly sunny, cloudless day?” She raised an eyebrow. “Unless . . . ”
“Unless what?”
“Unless someone caused it.”
“What are you saying?” My heart thumped louder, in my ears, in my chest.
“Exactly what you think I’m saying.” Mayra raised an eyebrow, smiling as she walked away.
I looked at River, who was talking to his friend. He couldn’t have caused the accident, could he? How? And my cousin? How would he have died here? I shook my head. Mayra was untrustworthy. I wasn’t going to take her word for what actually happened with the accident. She’d wanted me gone from the moment I got here. After a moment, I walked over to River.
“Oh please, all of us are immigrants here. Our ancestors all arrived from someplace else.” That was River, still speaking to his friend behind me.
“Some of our ancestors didn’t have a choice in the matter,” I said.
“Here we go.” River shook his head. “So, now you’re blaming me for something some of my ancestors had a hand in?” River raised an eyebrow.
“Not blaming. Simply pointing out facts.”
“She’s not wrong.” The guy smiled, giving me a slow once-over. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Penelope and I’m not a sweetheart.”
“She’s not wrong. This one bites,” River said, bringing his hand down to mine and threading his fingers through mine again.
His friend’s brows rose. “Just when I think River Caliban can’t do something that surprises me, he goes and gets himself a girlfriend.”
“I am not his girlfriend.” I tried taking my hand from River’s, but he held on tighter. I glanced up at River and smiled. “You can try to hold on as tight as you want, but I’ll still slip through your fingers.”
“I have no doubt that you will, but I won’t let that happen until I’m done with you.” His mouth pulled into a slow, lazy grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “And I’m not done with you yet.”