Page 67 of Cruel King

A few seconds later, I hear her scream when she sees her face and neck covered in hives. I rush into the powder room in the hallway to find her staring in horror at reflection in the mirror.

“Oh my God! Have I looked like this all night?” she asks with tears in her eyes.

I shake my head and lie, hoping I can salvage my plans. “No, not all night. Maybe you’re having a reaction to one of the spices in the dish. I’m sure you’ll be okay.”

She splashes cold water everywhere the hives are, but that does nothing. I watch as she gets discouraged at how she looks, but she doesn’t need to worry. I don’t care about that.

“I need to go home. I’m sorry, Theo. You aren’t mad at me, are you? I feel terrible that you went to all that trouble with our dinner, and I have to leave early.”

When she turns to face me, I take her face in my hands and kiss her softly. “It’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Feel better.”

She hurries out of the bathroom, and a few seconds later, I hear the kitchen door close. As disappointed as I am, I can’t be upset with her. She’s my Ava. So tonight won’t be the big night. It’ll happen and soon.

I know it.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Ava

Lucasand I wait in the office for Matthias, who is now twenty minutes late for our first official meeting as the executors of Mr. King’s estate. I knew he’d pull something like this. First, he delayed us even having this meeting for two weeks by suddenly needing to be away for some reason neither the attorney nor I know about, and now he’s kept us waiting like idiots sitting here staring at each other for almost a half hour.

“Maybe we should give him a little longer,” Lucas says in his professional way.

I look away toward the window and roll my eyes. All I want to give Matthias King is a piece of my mind. He deserves nothing else.

In the short time that I’ve been with Theo, I’ve come to finally understand that whatever I thought I had with his brother was nothing compared to the years of friendship that have grown into a romance I thought might only exist in movies. I never have to wonder if I’ve done something to upset Theo. He’s only interested in having fun, which is so much better than being a moody, broody bastard who snaps at people for no reason, never taking into consideration that maybe they have feelings too.

It's been eye-opening, to say the least.

When it reaches thirty minutes past the time we were supposed to meet here with Lucas, I stand up, tired of giving the oldest King brother any more chances. “I’m going to find out where he is and remind him that we had a meeting.”

The attorney smiles and nods but says nothing. He probably doesn’t feel it would be professional to tell me he’s sick and tired of waiting, but I wouldn’t think he was wrong for not appreciating sitting here for nothing. He’s a busy man, and I’m sure he has dozens of clients he could be working for instead of waiting for Matthias.

I march upstairs to his room and knock on the door, expecting him to fling it open and bark at me, like usual. I swear the man has one emotion. Rage. At least when it comes to me.

When he doesn’t answer after about half a minute, I knock harder a second time and loudly say, “Matthias, I know you’re in there. We had a meeting with Lucas at nine o’clock. It’s very rude to simply decide to stay in bed when people are waiting for you.”

But he says nothing. All I get is silence. So I slowly turn the doorknob and open the door before I step into his room. For a second, everything about those snowy days comes flooding back into my mind, but I push it out, refusing to think about that time or him in any way other than regret now.

“Matthias, I know you’re going to say I shouldn’t be in here, but you should be downstairs in the office for our meeting with the attorney.”

I take another step and then another until I can see his bed, but he’s not there. Where the hell is he then?

By the time I get down to the kitchen, I’m so angry about having to play hide and seek with a grown man to get him to accept his responsibilities that I nearly snap at Eleanor when she offers to give me a cup of coffee. God, this person has the worst effect on me.

“Thanks, but I’m good. I’m looking for Matthias. He and I had a meeting scheduled with Lucas Manion at nine this morning. He never showed.”

Eleanor looks up at the clock on the wall and then at me. “That was nearly a half hour ago. Did you check his room?”

Great minds think alike, obviously. I nod and say, “He’s not there either. Did you happen to hear him say he was leaving and when he might come back?”

She walks over to the kitchen door and looks out before turning to wave me over. “He’s still here. Or at least his car is. See?”

I join her at the window and see his silver Maserati sitting there. “Okay. So he’s somewhere here in the house?”

“Or on the grounds,” she suggests. “I can look in here if you want to go take a walk around to see if you can find him.”

“Thanks, Eleanor. I swear to God this man is the biggest hassle.”