King (Alliance #2)

And it takes me a second to realize it’s a voice I recognize. “Ginger?”

She waves at me with one hand, as she uses the other to take a sip of red wine.

“What are you doing here?” It’s probably rude to ask it like that, but…what the hell is she doing here!?

Ginger smiles, “I love a good art show.”

A low whistle draws our attention as her husband walks up to stand beside her. “Damn, Boss Lady can paint!”

I think my jaw comes unhinged. “J-Jamie?”

He does a little bow. “I didn’t really get a good look at that one painting before you torched it. If I’d’ve known how fire they were, well, I would’ve saved it from the fire.”

Ginger smacks his chest. “Where’s Cici?”

“Cici’s here?!” I ask, my throat feeling tight.

“She spotted the charcuterie table and told me to fuck off,” Jamie shrugs.

They continue to talk, but I’m too busy trying to breathe to listen.

What is this?

Did King tell the house staff about my show?

Why would he do that?

Why would they come?

Did he tell them they had to?

“Ooo, this one is perfect!” Another familiar voice comes from the other side of the partial wall.

Slowly I step away from Ginger and Jamie, who have moved on to discussing the hunting patterns of lions, and make my way around to the other side of the wall.

“Payton?”

She smiles so big when she sees me, there’s no doubting that it’s real. “Savannah!” She attempts to pull her arm free from where it was entwined with her husband’s, but he doesn’t let her go. She rolls her eyes at Nero but gestures with her free hand to the giant all-gold painting of a lion before them. “This is for sale, right? Like we can buy it?”

My head is nodding, but my brain is glitching.

“Okay, good! Nero,” she nudges her husband, “get Orlando. I think he’s the one we talk to for this.”

“You know Orlando?” My voice is getting higher with each question I ask.

Honestly, what the fuck is happening?

Payton smirks. “No, but I heard about him.”

My eyes move to Nero, but his focus is elsewhere, his arm lifted to draw attention.

Does that mean King told Nero about Orlando?

I clear my throat so I can try and speak normally. “Did King make you guys come?”

I hate the question even as I ask it, but I have to.

Payton looks genuinely shocked. “What? No. But after the Orlando story I made Nero find out about the show.” She glances around the space. “And I’m so glad we did. You’re amazing.”