The Initiation (Filthy Rich Americans 1)

I gave her the best smile I could manage. “Yes. I think I’m okay.”

“Good.” She looked relieved, but her grip on my wrist tightened. “It’s over now. You don’t talk about what happened, not with me or anyone else. It stays in that room. You understand. Some people might find it . . . upsetting.”

I would think so. Like, maybe the board member’s wives. How was she okay with this? I wanted to ask her a million questions. And I wanted to tell her how her husband hadn’t participated in the initiation, but I couldn’t.

“I understand,” I said.

“Good.” She released me and scrutinized my face. It was impossible to tell if she was checking my mental state, or if my makeup needed a touch-up. Her voice went low. “The last thing I’ll say is no one was waiting for me in the kitchen afterward, and I did not handle it as well as you seem to be.”

“Oh.” My heart ached for her.

“When the time comes, I hope you’ll be there for whichever girl Vance chooses.”

I went still. Several thoughts ran through my head, and the selfish one was the loudest. Royce was a board member now. Would he be one of the men to ‘show his gratitude’ to the next woman the board wanted to approve?

I couldn’t think about it. One ordeal at a time, and right now I was facing down a party with a guest list of five hundred people, most of whom I’d have to talk to. The next five hours or so I’d have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t, and that was going to take all my remaining energy.

Alice seemed satisfied when I nodded, but then she gave me a final discerning look, her gaze trailing over my necklace. “Luc is in the hall. Go see him about fixing your lipstick.”

Royce clasped my hand in his as we assembled with the rest of the Hales in the sun room at the back of the house, waiting to make our announced entrance. Macalister’s gaze landed on the diamonds draped around my neck and his lips went thin, but he said nothing. I squeezed tighter beside Royce, our joined hands buried in the folds of my skirt.

Vance didn’t have a date. When he got the nod from the event coordinator perched at the door, he flashed a carefree smile and went out. We heard the announcement and the smattering of applause, like he’d done something worthy of it rather than simply being born.

Alice took Macalister’s arm and lined up in front of us, but not before glancing over her shoulder at me. “Remember to smile with your eyes, Marist.”

I let out a tight breath when they stepped out onto the stone balcony and headed for the party, which was already fifteen minutes into the cocktail hour.

Royce squeezed my hand. “When we get out there, we’ll do a round and then you can go find your family.” His smile was sort of sweet. “Don’t run off on me or anything, but if you need some time to get away, I get it. I have to mingle with some old board members, and you probably don’t want to be around for that.”

“No,” I said.

“Have you been in the maze?”

I stumbled at his question. “The hedge maze? Not in years.”

“It’s closed tonight because alcohol and disorienting mazes aren’t a great combination. But,” his tone turned smooth, “since I have special privileges tonight, you’ll meet me at the fountain in the center in forty-five minutes.”

My chest tightened, and a flush raced through my body. He’d acted like he was issuing an order, but it was absolutely a request, and one he was hoping I’d agree to.

“All right.”

His smile was devious and sexy as hell.

But the excitement in me died as the event coordinator waved us through the door.

“Ready?” Royce asked.

“Nope.” But out we went.

Attached to the back of the Hale house was an enormous stone balcony, and steps led down to the gardens where tables had been set up on the grass lawn. Strings of globe lights hung overhead, an artificial glowing spider’s web.

We strolled across the balcony, moving as quickly as my dress and heels would allow, and when we reached the top of the stairs, Royce pulled me to a stop. I looked down at the kingdom before us while my heart raced in my chest. There were a million faces staring up at us, all dressed to the nines and glasses of champagne in their hands. It wasn’t just the cream of the crop of Cape Hill, it was celebrities and socialites from across the globe.

“The man of the hour, and the newest addition to the Hale Banking and Holding Company’s board of directors.” The voice boomed from speakers discreetly hidden behind potted plants that had been brought in. “Mr. Royce Hale, accompanied by Miss Marist Northcott.”