The next guest was Senator Mikhail Vross. Kashi saw him before he reached them. He moved through the ballroom with the particular ease of a man accustomed to being welcomed into expensive rooms.
His tuxedo was dark navy rather than black, perfectly cut, a silver mask concealing the upper half of his face. His wife walked beside him in pale gold, one hand resting lightly through his arm.
Vross was smiling.
Tonight, from where he stood, the world must have looked remarkably generous.
A Saints invitation in his hand. Ministers scattered throughout the ballroom. Foreign diplomats drinking champagne beneath crystal chandeliers.
And, waiting at the foot of the grand staircase, the Crown Prince he had spent years trying to get close enough to call an acquaintance.
Kashi's smile settled effortlessly into place. Beside her, Ivar shifted by barely an inch. Grandfather James, blissfully unaware that his welcome reception had become a beautifully decorated political ambush, brightened as Vross approached.
"Senator!"
"Mr Saints." Vross offered his hand.
James took it warmly. "Good to see you. It's been too long."
"Entirely my fault." Vross's smile widened. "Your invitation was a pleasant surprise."
Kashi nearly laughed.
She wondered whether he would find it quite so pleasant by the end of the evening.
Vross turned to her. "Miss Saints."
"Senator." Kashi offered him the same gracious smile she had given everyone else. "Thank you for coming."
"The pleasure is mine." Then his attention shifted. It was subtle, but Kashi saw it immediately. The slight straightening of his shoulders, fractionally warmer smile and an almost imperceptible pause before he addressed the man standing beside James.
"Your Royal Highness." Vross bowed.
Ivar became the Crown Prince without appearing to change at all. "Senator Vross."
"It is an honour to finally meet you properly." Vross straightened. "I've followed your work for some time."
Had he? Kashi resisted the urge to look at Ivar. Knowing her cousin, his most recent work involved avoiding three state dinners and owing Grandfather an unexplained amount of money.
"You're very kind," Ivar replied.
"I hope we might have the opportunity to speak later this evening."
Ivar didn't hesitate. "Of course. I'm sure we'll find a moment." The pleasure on Vross's face was immediate. Not excessive. He was far too experienced for that, but there a little gleam of satisfaction. Access, or, more accurately, the promise of it.
Exactly what Kashi wanted him to believe he'd been given.
"Wonderful." Vross inclined his head. "I look forward to it."
James clapped him warmly on the shoulder. "Go on, enjoy yourself. The champagne is costing me enough."
Vross laughed. "I intend to."
"Please enjoy the ball." James even managed a reasonably genuine laugh this time.
He didn't like the man. That didn't mean he'd forgotten his manners.
Vross and his wife moved away into the crowd.
Kashi watched him go. He looked pleased, she would let him drink, let him shake hands and walk through the ballroom believing he had finally crossed a threshold that had been closed to him for years.
Let him believe tonight belonged to him.
"Charming man," James remarked.
Kashi looked at her grandfather. Beside her, Zarri's mouth tightened.
Ivar suddenly found the ballroom fascinating. Frank remained professionally dead behind the eyes.
Kashi smiled sweetly. "Mm. Delightful."
James glanced between them. "What?"
"Nothing, Grandfather."
His eyes narrowed. Before he could investigate, movement at the entrance caught Kashi's attention. Another group had entered. Her attention found Chaos immediately.
Something inside her lit up.
Oh. Well. That was—
Chaos wore black.
The evening suit fitted him with offensive precision, cut cleanly across broad shoulders before narrowing at his waist. Black shirt beneath. No tie. His dark hair had been swept away from his face, leaving its hard lines unobstructed except for the black mask covering his eyes.
He looked less like a guest at a masquerade and more like the reason one might need security at one.
Kashi forgot the receiving line for approximately two seconds. Her gaze travelled over him, slowly.
God really did give His most questionable creations the best faces.
Chaos's attention moved through the room and found her, even from across the ballroom, she saw the change. His eyes settled on the red dress and stayed there.
Kashi's mouth threatened to curve.
Behind him came Xavier, immaculate and composed in black, looking exactly like a man who could attend a ball, arrange someone's disappearance and still remember tomorrow's meeting schedule.
Alex walked beside him. Also black. Silver mask. Hair swept neatly back. Zarri made a low sound beside Kashi and she glanced at her.
Zarri was staring, not subtly, her gaze travelled down Alex's body and back up again before she slowly ran the tip of her tongue across her lower lip.
Kashi frowned. "Have some dignity. You're failing."
"Look at him." Zarri fanned herself. "He's a snack."
Kashi turned back towards the entrance— And finally noticed the hand in Chaos's and her smile vanished.
A woman walked beside him. Silver caught the ballroom light with every step she took. Her gown clung elegantly to her curves before spilling towards the floor, shimmering like liquid metal beneath the chandeliers.
Dark hair framed a face Kashi recognised immediately. Her grey mask wasn't even on yet. It hung loosely from her free hand.
Jaden Laurent.
Kashi went completely still. She was holding Chaos's hand. Not walking beside him or accepting the polite arm normally offered between acquaintances.
Holding. His. Hand.
Something unpleasant twisted beneath Kashi's ribs. Her eyes dropped to their joined hands, then rose to Jaden's face. "Who invited this thing?"
Frank, standing behind her, didn't even ask whom she meant. He raised the tablet in his hand and began scrolling through the guest list.
James followed Kashi's stare. Recognition brightened his face. "Isn't that Laurent's daughter?" He gestured towards the approaching woman. "I sent an invitation to their house."
Kashi slowly turned towards him. Her teeth came together.
"My fucking thanks, Grandpa."
James blinked. "Eh? What did I do?"
Zarri clicked her tongue. Long and disappointed. Somehow carrying the weight of profound personal betrayal.
James looked at her. "What?" Zarri only shook her head. Ivar was staring at him too.
James's bewilderment deepened. "Why is everyone looking at me?"
Frank lowered his tablet. Wisely, he offered no assistance. Kashi turned back towards the ballroom. Chaos was getting closer. So was Jaden.
"Positions," James muttered.
Kashi almost told him exactly where he could position himself and his invitations. Instead, she straightened. Shoulders settled. Chin lifted. The irritation disappeared beneath years of training so quickly it might never have existed.
Beside her, Zarri rearranged her expression with considerably less enthusiasm. Ivar resumed his princely composure.
James smiled, still clearly uncertain why his family had collectively decided he'd committed a crime.
Chaos reached them first. His gaze went directly to Kashi, the ballroom seemed to recede beneath the orchestra, conversation and crystal. His eyes moved over her and Kashi held his stare, then Jaden stepped forward. She released Chaos's hand.
Kashi's gaze flicked down.
Noted.
Jaden turned towards James first and smiled warmly. "Mr Saints."
"Miss Laurent."
She leaned forward and kissed one of his cheeks, then the other.
James accepted the greeting easily. "It's good to see you. How is your father?"
"Very well, thank you. He sends his regards."
"Good man. Tell him I said he's becoming impossible to get hold of."
"I will." Jaden moved along the line. Ivar received a graceful curtsy. "Your Royal Highness."
"Miss Laurent."
Zarri offered her a perfectly polite greeting, then Jaden reached Kashi, their eyes met.
Jaden's smile changed. "We meet again, Miss Saints."
Kashi regarded her.
Jaden Laurent, of course she remembered her.
Kashi lifted two fingers. Frank immediately stepped forward and bent towards her. She leaned just enough for her voice to remain between them.
"Who is this?"
There was the smallest pause and Frank, loyal creature that he was, did not embarrass her by questioning the sudden deterioration of her memory. "Miss Jaden Laurent, ma'am. Mr Laurent's daughter. The French automobile family."
Kashi's expression bloomed with insulting recognition. "Ah." She returned her attention to Jaden. Of course. How silly of her.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Laurent." Kashi's smile was immaculate. "I was expecting your father." Amusement flickered behind Jaden's eyes.
"My father was unfortunately occupied, so I came in his place." She slipped the grey mask between her fingers. "A Saints invitation can't be missed."
"Is that so?" Kashi's gaze drifted away from her. To Chaos. He was watching her.
The bastard, for half a heartbeat, neither of them said anything.
Kashi returned to Jaden. Her smile remained flawless. "Please enjoy the ball." She gestured towards the ballroom. Dismissed politely.
Jaden's mouth curved. "Thank you, Miss Saints."
Chaos gave James a brief greeting before moving on with her. As he passed, Kashi caught the clean edge of his cologne beneath the heavier perfume surrounding the receiving line.
She did not turn around. She absolutely did not watch them walk away.
Kashi Saints had dignity. She had self-control.
She had—
"Are you all right?" Zarri murmured.
Kashi continued staring straight ahead. "Never been better."
Zarri made a sound that suggested she believed precisely none of that. Kashi's fingers tightened around the folds of her gown. She noticed and released them.
Ridiculous.
She had no reason to care. Chaos could arrive with whomever he pleased. Hold whichever hands he pleased.
Walk around looking offensively attractive beside whichever silver-wrapped nuisance he—
Another guest approached.
Kashi straightened immediately, the thoughts gone, shoulders back, chin lifted with a smile.
"Miss Saints." The approaching man bowed.
Kashi's expression was gracious enough to belong in a portrait. "Thank you for coming."
Zarri was suspiciously silent.
Ivar greeted the guest and Grandfather James summoned another increasingly exhausted laugh.
Kashi performed every movement perfectly.
Nobody looking at her would have known anything was wrong. Which was fortunate. Because somewhere behind her, Chaos Riegrow had walked into her ball holding Jaden Laurent's hand and Kashi was not bothered.
Not even slightly. Her jaw ached.
Completely unrelated.