His voice lowered even further. “My cousin’s family, and my family, to a lesser extent, are bitter rivals with all the founding members of Alstone Holdings. Sometimes, you have to do things for your family that you may not want to do, because they’re your blood.”
Drawing back, I peered at him, trying to see his eyes behind his mask. “I get that, but no. You don’t have to. If it goes against your beliefs and morals, you say no. And you know what?” I waved my arm in the direction of the dance floor. “Those four boys? They’re my family. Yeah, we’re not related by blood, but the fact remains that we’re a family. And while I’d do almost anything for them, I wouldn’t blindly follow orders that went against my instincts, and not only that, I know they’d never ask me to compromise my beliefs or standards.”
He shook his head. “Count yourself lucky, then, but you wouldn’t be saying that if you were in my position.” Straightening up and moving away from the wall, he stared at me again. “That’s all I can tell you. I’m sorry, but I want to stay out of it as much as possible. Just…try and do the same, okay? Stay away from trouble.”
I couldn’t help laughing, a low, bitter laugh. “Trouble seems to follow me around, ever since I came to Alstone.”
“Be careful. Goodbye, Winter.” With that warning lingering in the air, he strode away, beckoning to Bea, who returned to his side, and they were swallowed by the crowd.
Cassius was in front of me in an instant, and I gave him a rundown of the situation.
“As I thought,” he muttered. “Another fucking complication we could do without.”
“Do you think there could be any connection between this shit with James and Joseph, and my mother?” I voiced the question that had been bugging me since the boys had alluded to past issues with them.
Cassius paused for a moment, thinking, then shook his head slowly. “No. there’s no way. It wouldn’t make any sense.”
“Okay.” He was right. It didn’t make sense, not really. I was just grasping at straws, sick of not having any answers.
“Come on. I’ve had enough dancing for one night.” Taking my hand, he led me towards the doors at the back of the room.
I was halted by a manicured hand on my arm. “Winter. Come and dance with your stepfather.”
I stared at my mother. “Sorry, what?”
She huffed, pursing her red-painted lips. With her delicate silver mask, her mermaid-style silver gown covered in hundreds of tiny crystals, and her dark hair, so similar to mine, falling down her back in soft waves, she was stunning. “Come and dance with Arlo.” Stepping closer to me, she lowered her voice. “Remember what we spoke about on the way here.”
Right.
She turned to me, the privacy partition up so the driver wouldn’t overhear our conversation. “Winter. Tonight is important for us, and for Alstone Holdings. There’s been some…gossip regarding your little incident at the Wilson Lounge. You know how people are. I’ve managed to smooth things over, for the most part, by explaining that you’ve been having a difficult time adjusting to living here, and you’re having trouble dealing with the loss of your father.”
I sat silently, my teeth gritted, my nails digging into my palms. I didn’t trust myself to speak.
“Winter,” Arlo cut in, a slight frown on his face. “As you’re well aware, I’m in the process of negotiating this business deal, and it’s important that we present a united front. This deal is worth a huge amount of money, not to mention the additional employment opportunities it will create.” He leaned forwards. “Your mother and I aren’t asking for much. Be polite, be seen interacting with us during the evening, preferably somewhere prominent. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes.” Despite my relationship with my mother, I wasn’t about to purposely try to ruin things for Arlo. Especially since he wasn’t the only one who’d be affected.
“Good girl.” He leaned back in his seat, dismissing me, and my mother smiled at me, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Caiden seemed more than happy to be taking Miss De Witt to the ball as his date. Lovely young lady, isn’t she? Very pretty.”
“Lovely,” I gritted out, picking up my phone and making a point of unlocking the screen and scrolling to my messages. This conversation was over.
At the sound of a throat clearing I came back to the present to see Arlo holding out his hand, a brow raised expectantly. “Shall we?”
Nodding once, I placed my hand in his.
“Christine, you’re a vision of loveliness.” Cassius laid on the charm, and my mother lapped it up. Their conversation faded away as Arlo led me back to the dance floor and placed one hand on my waist, keeping a respectable distance between us as he spun us between the dancing couples. He didn’t try to speak to me, either, which I was grateful for.
Our dance was interrupted by a man dressed in a black suit with an earpiece, who tapped Arlo on the shoulder.
“Sir? We have a situation.”
“Excuse me, Winter.” Arlo nodded to me, then strode away, and I stared after him, debating. It could be nothing, but I wanted to follow him. I made my way off the dance floor in the direction Arlo had gone, passing my mother, who was dancing with an older man with white hair. I vaguely recognised him from the party at her house. Cassius was deep in conversation with a man and woman, so I decided to take my chance while he was occupied. I knew I shouldn’t disappear on my own, but really, what was the harm? I mouthed bathroom to him as I passed on my way to the back of the ballroom, and he gave me a half nod before returning to his conversation.
Stepping outside the doors, I headed down a corridor at a fast walk, keeping an eye out for Arlo. I caught a glimpse of a suited figure turning into a room up ahead and slowed my pace, not wanting him to be aware of my presence.
Reaching the room, I bent down, pretending to adjust my shoe, listening intently to the conversation I could hear snatches of through the partially open doorway.