The fourth man, handsome and imposing, went over and embraced Shaundra, who was still glaring daggers at him. There were kisses and murmured greetings between the couples, making Max feel out of place. It sharpened his sense of loss, and he had to look away.
Alex spotted him and greeted him by name, and he shook hands with all the men, wondering hopefully if in the spirit of brotherhood any of them would step in and help him in his quest.
“What brings you here?” William asked politely.
The women squirmed and exchanged looks.
“I came to speak with Sienna, if that’s all right with you, William,” Max responded, wondering belatedly if, after all the years that had passed, he wouldn’t have been more polite to address his former childhood friend as Count.
Of one accord, the men all turned to look at their wives. Dustin asked, “You didn’t tell him?”
“We were getting to that,” Chantelle responded sweetly to her husband.
“Tell me what?” Panic shot through his system.Had something happened to Sienna?
Jacyn was defiant. “He’s a liar! He broke Sienna’s heart!”
William sighed. “Does anyone want a drink?”
“I don’t want a damned drink! Where is Sienna?” He began shouting her name.
“Calm down, Max,” Alexandre said as he took an offered glass of scotch from William. “We go back a long way. Even though we’ve drifted apart over time, my brother and I have always liked you, and respected your family.”
Max wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that; that kind of preamble could only mean some bad news was on the way.
William agreed, and joined in, “Which is why we feel honor bound to tell you: Sienna left on a flight to America last night. I suspect you were invited here not by Sienna herself, but by our wives.”
Max felt as if he had been punched in the jaw. And yet, the news made sense. He hadn’t come to see Sienna; he’d come to be hauled over the coals and threatened. And to be honest, he couldn’t even be mad at the ladies. He’d seen how they acted in each other’s presence. He’d seen their bond. In their eyes, he’d broken their friend.
He needed to fix it.
He looked Willian square in the eye, not the least bit intimidated now by his title or power. “Do you know where I can find her?”
William’s gaze dropped to the ice clinking in his glass. “There, my friend, I am afraid I cannot help.”