Trying to gain control of my features, I nod. “Yes. All ready,” I say stiffly.
“Good. Constantine is here. He wanted to say goodbye,” he says offhand.
Frowning at him for lying. I wonder if CK will also neglect to inform me of this conversation. I make my way into the sitting room where my sire is standing casually, flicking through his phone.
“Ah, Aefre. I just came by on my way to work to wish you a safe flight,” he says, looking up.
“Work? As in your actual job? There’s a first.” I laugh at him as he pulls his face at me.
“I don’t employ thousands of people, so I have to go in every day, you know,” he says haughtily.
“I do,” I say smugly, and he smiles one of his more patronizing smiles.
“You will learn, my little butterfly, that kingdoms are seldom run by just the king.”
“Humph,” I mutter. Trust him to compare himself to a king, but there again he has precedent. “Speaking of work, I do want to run something by you. Can I talk to you about it next week when I’m here?” I ask to see if he will mention his and Cole’s little conversation.
“Of course, my sweet. I look forward to it,” he says and leaves it at that. “I must go now. I have a meeting that I cannot afford to miss. I will see you on Tuesday.” He kisses me long and hard before he pulls away. He has to stop fucking doing that. Next time he kisses me that way, we are ending it with a fuck regardless of who is in the room. He gives me a smirk, knowing exactly what I’m thinking, and then leaves via the door with Nico in tow, who nods at me.
Hm, was Nico privy to that conversation? I don’t have much chance to ponder that as Devon barges in unannounced and declares it’s time to go.
We head out to the airport for the long drag back home.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
“So, what is Constantine’s real job?” Cole asks curiously as we buckle up to take off.
“Investments, mostly,” I answer.
“Oh. What did you want to talk to him about? An investment?” he probes.
“Of sorts. I’m struggling to get a client to sell me a property they have in France. I thought he might be able to help,” I explain.
Devon’s ears prick up at that nugget of new information.
“What property? What client?” he demands, but then he connects the dots as I knew he would. “Oh,” he says flatly.
I didn’t tell him about this because I knew he would pull this face. For some reason, he doesn’t want me anywhere near the first real home I had with CK.
Cole looks from him to me and says, “Well?”
“It’s just an old property in France that he owns that I want. CK always gets his way,” I add pointedly.
“So I’ve noticed,” Cole mutters darkly, but still fails to mention the conversation.
Giving up, I down my drink and tell the boys I’m tired after only an hour’s sleep and a stressful couple of days. I’m going to bed. To sleep.
Cole’s face falls in disappointment, bu
t he doesn’t follow me as I head to the back of the plane. Pulling my mini dress over my head and slipping out of my shoes, I climb into bed and I’m asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow.
“L iv! Liv! Baby, you need to wake up.” I hear Cole’s urgent voice and ignore him, grumbling to him to go away. “Liv! We are about to land at JFK, you need to wake up.”
JFK? What?
Forcing my eyes open, I struggle to focus on Cole’s worried face. “Liv. Thank god. Are you all right? We haven’t been able to wake you since you crashed after we left Milan.”
“What?” I ask, failing to follow what he’s saying. My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton wool.