is a lot less confident now, and the tone of his voice is not welcoming at all. These are things we all know the Constantines would rake him over hot coals for.
I raise an eyebrow to Ashley, and she just shrugs as if to say, ‘he should’ve known better.’
“I’m Grayson Hughes,” I inform him. “And this is Ashley Lema.”
He taps his finger at the screen and visibly swallows hard. “Sir, the Constantines welcome you to their estate. Feel free to roam the property as each wing has been purposely designed with our guests’ enjoyment in mind.” He turns to Ashley. “Mrs. Constantine has advised me to notify her when you arrive; she’ll be with you shortly.”
I lean into her and whisper in her ear. “Is this the adult version of getting sent to the principal’s office?”
We chuckle at the same time; a server stops in front of us with a tray of drinks.
“Champagne?” The woman offers with a smile. We both reach for a crystal flute, and Ashley throws down the liquid and grabs a second one before I even have the chance to raise my glass to my mouth.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Just the usual prep before a Caroline Constantine meeting.”
If it was anybody else, I’d be worried they couldn’t handle themselves in front of the formidable woman, but not Ashley. She’s a shark. Bringing people to their knees is her favorite pastime, and for some reason unknown to me, they tend to love it.
She wraps her hand around my bicep and leans in to kiss me on the cheek. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
I watch her walk away, and every head turns to stare at her gorgeous retreating figure. When she’s out of sight, I pull my phone out of my pocket and check in with Kai.
Me: ETA
When he doesn’t respond immediately, my nerves begin to rattle as I second-guess the events of this afternoon and whether sending him to lure our father to me was really a good idea. I knew if I laid eyes on the man, I’d kill him on the spot, and I didn’t want that.
I want the show. I want the theatrics. I want Kai by my side while we slice through him, gut him, and watch him take his very last breath.
It’s something I should’ve done a long time ago, but there was something about me stripping him of everything he worked so hard for that was much more appealing at the time.
While my mind continues to plot, my eyes can’t help but dart from wall to wall taking in all the elegance and opulence surrounding me. As I separate from the crowd, I notice a huge gold picture frame resting on a wrought iron easel in between the two-way staircase. Standing in front of it, I see they’ve dissected the layout of the mansion and named every corner of the house.
Two steps at a time, I walk up the stairs, knowing it won’t be long before I bump into someone I know. When my feet hit the landing, I’m taken aback by the elegance and extravagance of the scene before me.
Like a front row seat to Cirque de Soleil, aerial acrobats dressed in white and gold grace the ceiling, twisting and swinging in sync to the bass of the music playing in the background. In awe, I watch them perform as I stride down the excessive corridor.
Just as the two-dimensional layout depicted downstairs, the long stretch of walkway splits off into themed side areas, each filled with an endless stream of dressed-up guests.
Just as I’m about to enter a room that looks like a white wonderland, covered in nothing but white lights and fake snow, my cell vibrates in my pocket.
Looking down, I quickly swipe at the screen to read the text from Kai.
Kai: Come to the Green Room.
He’s already here?
After hastily ducking in and out of a few areas, I finally come face to face with what I’m sure is the Green Room. With all the wildflowers decorating the ground and all types of vines woven in and out overhead, it’s like stepping outside without having to leave inside.
It’s packed with people, and I try to slow myself down, pretending to appreciate what’s around me and not tip anyone off to my crazed, frantic movements. I scan the room, hoping to spot Kai.
Just as I’m about to start my search for him from scratch, I receive another text.
Kai: Look up.
It’s then I notice the spiral staircase splitting the room