Cameras flashed as my door was opened for me and I was helped out of the blacked-out sedan. I made sure to smile with all of my teeth at every single camera pointed my way. I wanted them to know I was coming for blood. I wanted them to see I was changed.
Donovan waited for me at the door of the pristine, expensive venue. He wore a cream, linen suit with a tight black V-neck shirt underneath it. He was too busy checking his watch to notice when I was done with all of the cameras. As soon as he lifted his eyes to look at me, his jaw dropped.
“Poppy?” His eyes dragged over me hungrily, in an expression I’d never seen pointed in my direction before. He’d saved these looks for other women, but not tonight. Tonight I’d stolen the show. “You… I didn’t… Wow. I didn’t recognize you.”
My smile was slow and confident— almost lazy but entirely too satisfied. He stepped closer to me and brushed a loose strand of my hair behind my ear before planting a kiss on my neck. It did nothing for me, except make me envision burying a knife in his throat.
He chuckled low, the sound indulgent and pleased. “It seems someone finally understands what’s expected of her.”
You have no idea.
“You wanted to be a power couple, let’s go show them.”
His gaze was dark and devouring as he tucked my hand in his elbow to escort me inside.
His fingers brushed over the edge of my cape. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
“You will from now on,” I murmured with a slight tilt to my lips.
He shook his head as he chuckled again. “My brothers are going to fight over you.”
I patted his shoulder. “Let’s get this show on the road, then.”
Conversations were low, and the kind of engagement parties I’d been to in the past… they didn’t compare. This was nothing like I’d ever been to before. The only music was coming from a mini string quartet and a massive piano in the corner. Even Alexei and Audrey’s engagement party had been more lively than this. Hell, I’d been to more lively funerals.
“Poppy!” A voice cut through the death and decay of this event and almost brought a smile to my face. Amelia was wearing her typical tan cowgirl hat with a bright pink sequin dress and knee-high cowgirl boots. She didn’t fit in at all, and I loved it for her. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed her until she was standing in front of me. “I’m going to be honest, sugar, I had no idea who you were when you walked in. This…” Her bright pink lips stretched into a massive smile. “This is everything.” She wiggled her hips. “I love seeing you step into your power. All that money, it’s about damn time!” She lowered her voice. “I mean, I never thought I’d see the day that you would shackle yourself to such a family, but I’m not at all disappointed. I love seeing you make money moves.”
I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. “What have you been up to? I haven’t talked to you in forever.”
Her eyes danced between Donovan and me. “We will catch up later. I want to knoweverything.”
An ache filled my chest at the thought. Having someone to talk to and divulge all of my secrets was something I desperately wanted, but I knew that I couldn’t tell Amelia anything. In this world, it was very hard to find a close friend, especially someone who wouldn’t run with your secrets to the highest-paying tabloid.
Donovan’s fingers wrapped around the back of my neck. To anyone else, it would have looked sexy- possessive, but I knew it was a warning. I wasn’t supposed to tell Amelia anything. “You two should get coffee next week. I know the best place in the city.”
Amelia’s cheeks flamed. “I would love nothing more!”
Just like that, she was gone. Then it was a long line of people I’d never seen before or people I vaguely spoke to at my father or brothers’ funerals. It was never-ending until the last two people I thought I would ever see again were at the front of the line.
Jade’s hair was styled in loose waves around her shoulders. She wore a dress I’d seen a few times, which wasn’t like her at all, but I knew she hadn’t gotten an inheritance from our father. Had she blown through her trust fund already?Her green eyes glittered as she held her chin up and gazed approvingly at my fiancé.
“It’s wonderful to see you. I’ve been missing our weekly lunch dates.” Her words were pretty lies. The first week after our father’s funeral and the will was read off, I sent her a text asking where she would like to go for lunch. It was read without a response. The following week, I asked again, just in case it was a fluke and she just forgot to reply. Once again, the texts went unanswered. From there, I ended up calling, especially to tell her about what happened in the alleyway. It went straight to voicemail. I’d let it go, but seeing her in front of me now was enough to slice me into shreds.
How dare she?
Donovan pressed his hand into the center of my back, almost as a reminder that he was still beside me. But I wasn’t here to play around. I’d dressed the part; it was now time to show them that I was here to burn bridges when the time arose.
I smiled, with all of my teeth again, and Jade shrank back slightly, right into our mother, who looked less than thrilled to be there. “It’s funny that you say that because I tried to text you and each one went unanswered, and then I tried to call you after I went through something very traumatic, and once again, nothing. How funny that you show up here, of all places, after you wouldn’t even meet up with me for me to tell you the good news about Donovan and me.”
Her face paled. “I tried?—”
“It was obviously about money when you and Motherstormed out of the attorney’s office and left our juvenile sister to fend for herself.”
My mother blinked. “Well, I’ve never?—”
I held up my hand. “I don’t care. Both of you left us on our asses, and for what? Money? You were pissed off about money.”
My mother leaned in, and I noticed the new wrinkles on her face and around her eyes. Not having her Botox and facials was really doing a number on her. “I should have had those men kill you, instead of scaring you, then maybe I would be living it up like you seem to be.”
