Page 69 of The Caress

"Definitely all good," I say, blushing as his hands move over my body.

"Easy, you two," Saffron wrinkles her nose. "I just ate. And I’m pretty sure there are a couple of impressionable kids running around."

I hold up a random stuffed animal. "They’re here somewhere. They’ve left a trail of evidence."

Keir plucks the toy from my hand and sets it aside. "You should let the household staff take care of that stuff, darling. That’s why we hired the second housekeeper." He gives me a sideways look. "Or did you give her the day off again?"

"I just feel bad when it seems like we’re making their jobs harder than they need to be. There’s nothing wrong with Joy’s arms and legs. She can come out here and pick up her toys."

"Isla can, too," he grins. "But that still doesn’t explain why you and Saffron are the ones picking up the toys."

"He does have a point," Saffron shrugs, tossing a princess doll over her shoulder. "Let’s make the kids pick up after themselves while we go do something fun."

"Yes. Anything your heart desires. Hell, after being in divorce court in Scotland, almost anything else seems like a dream."

I squeeze his arm. "I’m sorry. I know that has to be a drag."

"It is. Did you know that having money actually makes the issues of divorce and custody more contentious, not less? Kinsley is trying to drag my name through the mud and make me miserable."

Saffron pulls a face. "I could see how a few million either way might make everything more complicated, yes."

"Aww." I kiss his cheek. "Soon enough, you’ll be free of her."

"And ready to remarry." Saffron gives me a meaningful look.

"Okay. That’s my cue to change the subject," I say. I shoot Saffron a long glance, trying to communicate that she’s not being helpful right now. Keir sees the looks between us and fidgets, uncomfortable.

I could kick Saffron for that.

Thank god, in the next second, we’re saved by the literal bell. The chime from the private elevator makes us all turn and look as Keir’s parents step into the foyer.

"Damn," Keir grumbles, pulling me in close as he turns to face them. "Please come in," he calls out, then adds, "Oh, I guess you already have."

"We tried calling," his mother grumbles. "Several times."

Saffron moves over next to us and gives her parents a funny look. "Do you always drop by Keir’s apartment unannounced? Is this why you’re always trying to get me to move to the city?"

Her father makes a dismissive gesture. "Not now, Saffron. We’re here because of an emergency." Turning to Keir, he nods toward the office. "Can we speak to you in private, son?"

"This isn’t a convenient time for me," Keir says, shocking all of us. "You’ll have to say whatever it is in front of Saffron and Ella."

"Not me," Saffron says as she begins walking toward the elevator. "I’m out of here. Call me later, Ella. We still need to go out and do something fun."

I look up at Keir as everyone else says goodbye to Saffron. "Do you want me to leave you alone with your parents for a few minutes? I don’t want to intrude if it’s something private."

"You aren’t intruding, my darling." He presses a kiss to my forehead. "They’re the ones who barged in here unannounced with some kind of supposed emergency. That’s the definition of intruding."

His mother is glaring at us, but it’s his dad who is doing most of the talking for a change. "Stop making all those rude comments over there, Keiran," he huffs. "We came here to get your help. You need to get on the phone with someone at the police station immediately."

"Is that what Ineedto do?" he smirks. "And here I thought I was getting too old to be told what I needed to do by my father." He pauses, then adds, "In my own home."

"I told you to stop with the rude comments. They’re trying to arrest your mother, for God’s sake. Someone needs to be held accountable!"

My mouth falls open, but Keiran doesn’t seem to be surprised at all. "Sounds like Mother is going to be held accountable," he says, nearly sending his father into cardiac arrest.

Even his mom looks uncharacteristically worried. "You don’t mean that," she gasps. "You wouldn’t dare let them arrest me. Think of how that would look."

Again, Keir doesn’t seem bothered. "You should have thought about how that would look before you conspired to commit murder."

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