Page 53 of Brazen King

“We have a dinner guest I thought you girls might enjoy having the opportunity to speak topersonally,” Papa says, striding from his office and into the main living room.

Beside him, our mother looks less than pleased, her lips pressed into a thin line, though her hand rests lightly on the inside of our father’s elbow.

“Tatiana, Natasha, I believe you’ve met Killian King before,” he says, gesturing to the figure who steps out of the shadows upon his introduction.

Mouth suddenly dry, I swallow hard at the overwhelming shock of seeing him here, in my house. My heart races as I take in his devastatingly handsome face, the strong cut of his jaw. His blond hair falls into his eyes in that haphazard way that makes it dangerously tempting to comb my fingers into.

And when his light-green eyes find mine, I’m instantly held captive by his gaze.

Thankfully, my arm is linked with Tatiana’s and she guides me the rest of the way into the room as my body goes numb with panic.

Screw Lance, what the hell isKilliandoing here? Is he absolutely insane?

He must be if he’s standing there, smirking like he’s in the middle of some uproariously funny prank. Fury ignites inside me when I think about how this is probably all part of his master plan. Another move in his chess match.

And I hate the way my body responds to his presence when I think of how he’s used me.

Manipulated me.

Blackmailedme into sleeping with him.

I must be the crazy one for entertaining the notion for even a second that a man like Killian could want something more than to toy with me to hurt my family.

“What in God’s name is he doing here?” Tatiana asks, her tone biting as she addresses the elephant in the room.

And to my astonishment, my father chuckles. Casting a look in Killian’s direction, he claps the Irishman’s strong shoulder in an almost commiserating gesture.

“I don’t think that, when you had the brazen notion to come here this evening, you realized how my daughters would eat you alive. But come, let’s enjoy a nice dinner before the entertainment really begins, shall we?”

Giddy anticipation mingles with anxiety as I process my father’s words.We are, in fact, intending to eat dinner with the Kings? What alternate reality did I fall into and when?

Tatiana and I share a baffled look before following our parents into the dining room.

And as we settle into our chairs, Killian ends up across from Tatiana, Lance taking the chair next to him—directly across from me—as my parents take the chairs on their end of the table. I’m painfully aware of the intentional seating, Killian directly beside my father and across from my sister, and I bite back the entirely unreasonable flood of jealousy.

Considering my father’s good mood and the general atmosphere of the dinner, I have an inkling that Killian came to propose marriage once more. And this time, my father doesn’t intend to pull any punches.

He’s ready to unleash my sister on the unsuspecting Irish boss.

And all I wish is that I could have one more opportunity.

Because this time, I’m out for blood.

I’m ready to kill the bastard who’s proven far too good at manipulating me.

“I’m honored that you ladies would let us join you for dinner,” Killian says as one of our staff enters to pour us each a glass of wine. And Killian’s eyes cast first to my mother, then Tatiana, before lingering on me.

Blood boiling, I snatch up my glass of wine and take a generous sip as I try to rein in my emotions. It’s going to take every ounce of self-restraint to behave like I’m supposed to in public—to be the demure young lady that I present as my persona.

But it’s what’s going to get me through this dinner without flinging myself across the table and using my steak knife to murder the cocky Irish scoundrel. So I keep my chin tucked, looking up at Killian through my lashes as I allow Tatiana to speak for us.

“Of course, anyone my father would deem worthy of a place at our table is a welcome guest,” she says with sickly sweet cordiality.

And to those who don’t know her, she’s the vision of a polite young lady. But I can’t miss the sarcasm dripping from her tone. Not one of my family members has forgotten Killian’s crude speech at our charity ball. And only I have stumbled in the ability to loathe him for it.

A hint of surprise flickers across Killian’s face as he gives Tatiana a polite smile before his eyes shift back to me. And a moment later, something akin to disappointment darkens his green gaze.

Bread and salads are delivered as Killian does an impressive job of coaxing conversation from my mother, my sister, even my father, asking about the choice of decor in the house, the upcoming charity ball my mother just sent out invitations for, and how my father must be proud of having surrounded himself by such beautiful and accomplished women.

---