“That’s right.” Callum nodded.
Rory frowned. “I don’t know that I like you two putting on a united front.”
But he was smiling, most likely since it had been such a long time since they’d been united on anything. Not since before what had happened in this room.
This very room. Callum hadn’t recognized it before. The whole place had been redone, but now he could see this was the room where Oliver had nearly been killed.
Was he back to wallow in the past? Or had he truly come back for closure?
“Rory, come here. You’ve made a complete mess of that tie.” Oliver took over while their youngest brother fussed back at him.
One way or another, Callum would get his family back together. Starting tonight.
* * * *
“Is it time, Your High Ass?” Tori kind of coughed the last couple of words. Shortly after her sister had married the al Mussad brothers, Tori had taken a class on protocol and been told that she must always refer to her sister as “Your Highness.” That had not gone over well.
Piper looked utterly luminous as she turned and smiled her way. “Oh, how I’ve missed your smart mouth. I almost thought it was gone.”
“Never.” She was going to miss being on the same continent as her sister. And her nephews. Life wasn’t the same without them. “My sarcasm goes on and on.”
Piper slipped her hand into Tori’s as they ascended the stairs. At the top, they would line up to step down into the magnificently elegant ballroom. The space really consisted of several rooms used for entertaining on a grand scale, including a massive formal dining room, the grand ballroom, and a large reception hall for splashy entrances. All of the guests, including many members of the press, were in the reception hall on the first floor of the public wing, waiting for them. These rooms were far from the other two wings of the palace, one each for business and residential purposes. All led to the amazing gardens that surrounded the palace. Tori planned on smiling and waving, then running straight for the shelter of the magnificent greenery outside.
She would give it an hour before she disappeared to cozy up in her PJs and whatever ice cream she could find. She would turn on the satellite dish and try to find some juicy TV. Anything to make her forget about the three men she’d left behind in England.
“You both look lovely.” Kadir stepped up and winked her way. “You know my cousins are here.”
That was so not happening. “Please tell them I would love a dance.”
She would be gone by the time the music started.
“Liar,” her sister whispered.
“I will tell them. They’ll be very excited.” Kadir turned to Rafiq, who was walking up with Talib. All three men looked resplendent in their formal wear. She couldn’t help but remember how the Thurston-Hughes brothers appeared so masculine and gorgeous in their tuxedos.
Rafe winked her way as he tucked Piper’s hand into his own. “Abdul will be thrilled. He’s done nothing but talk about Tori since he first saw her picture. He’s told his brothers that you’re the one.”
Unfortunately, there was no one for her. Even if she could have the three she wanted, she shouldn’t. She couldn’t handle the complexities of that kind of relationship the way her sister did.
Tori stepped away and took her place at the back of the group.
“A thousand Euros says she dances with none of them this evening.” Talib gave his brothers a superior grin.
They started up the stairs. Ahead, she spotted Princess Alea and her husbands being announced. They entered, Dane leading the way. On either side of Alea, Landon and Cooper surrounded her. She was protected by them.
Her sister’s husbands would enter in the same formation, Talib in the lead.
And Tori would bring up the rear. Alone.
“I’ll take that bet,” Kade said.
“I don’t know. I think Tal knows something we don’t. Do you think our visitor will be a problem?” Rafe asked as they moved toward the top of the stairs.
“Visitor?” Tori asked.
“We have many visitors,” Tal explained. “Tonight we will celebrate Bezakistan’s founding. It should be a wonderful occasion. And very entertaining. Shall we? The boys are downstairs with their nanny. We’ll greet the party and let them make a brief appearance.”
She so hoped her nephews pooped on a dignitary. Or the press. That would be fun. Maybe all her clients from now on should be babies. They were sweeter than most of her clientele and they rarely made as big a mess. Michael and Sabir’s dirty bottoms had nothing on a Thurston-Hughes scandal.