CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kiara was slow to get moving the next morning because that was just how it was most days anymore. Physically, she might have found starting the day challenging, but emotionally, she felt much more settled than she had the night before.
She’d ended up watching three of the pastor’s sermons. Two were ones she’d heard already, but in browsing through the available videos on the church’s website, she’d found another one that had a title that had piqued her interest.
That had been the one that had given her the clearest understanding of how to become a Christian and what it meant to become a child of God. At the end of that sermon, several people had walked to the front of the sanctuary to commit their lives to God.
While she watched the response to that sermon, Kiara had also prayed, confessing her sins, and asking God to take control of her life. She hadn’t suddenly felt less alone, but there was a part of her that now felt like she had somewhere to turn when those emotions got the best of her.
She’d called Angie to let her know what she’d done, and her sister had become super emotional. Though Kiara hadn’t called her with the plan of distracting her, Angie had been so happy with the news that she hadn’t asked detailed questions about how the evening had gone.
At some point, she figured that Angie would want more details about the gala, but hopefully by then, the sting of the evening’s events would have eased.
Hunger finally drove her from the bed, and she got up and changed out of her comfy pajamas into a pair of maternity jeans and a loose-fitting shirt. She pulled her curls up into a ponytail, then went through the steps of her morning skincare routine.
When she left her room, Kiara found Lucy was already up and dressed in her usual uniform of a black T-shirt and black cargo pants. She didn’t have her guns on, but Kiara had no doubt they were nearby.
“What would you like for breakfast?” Lucy asked.
Kiara sat down at the table and rested her hand on her bump, considering the question. One day something would appeal to her that wouldn’t interest her at all the next.
“I’d like some waffles with whipped cream and berries.”
Lucy chuckled. “Sounds good.”
Kiara stared out the large windows at the skyline of New York City. It was a cloudy day, and unlike the sparkling lights of the night before, everything was a blah shade of gray.
“Julian stopped by last night,” Lucy said once she’d placed their breakfast order with room service.
Kiara schooled her expression before turning her attention to Lucy. “What did he want?”
“He wanted to check on you. I told him that you were tired. He did ask if I’d heard the conversation between you and that woman.”
How had he known about that? “What did you tell him?”
“That I’d heard a bit, but he didn’t press for more information.”
Kiara was glad to hear that. “It wasn’t anything noteworthy.”
Lucy gave her a look. “Oh, I think it was, and clearly Julian seemed to think it was, too. Otherwise, I’m not sure why he would have asked about it.”
The last thing Kiara wanted to do was relive that conversation. “It really wasn’t anything.”
“She didn’t look like she was being particularly friendly.”
“She wasn’t,” Kiara admitted. “But she isn’t the first person who’s told me that I don’t belong in this world.”
Lucy scowled but didn’t say anything more. She set a cup of coffee on the table in front of Kiara, correctly deducing that she’d want one that morning.
“Thanks.” She added some cream and sugar, then picked it up and took a small sip. Coffee wasn’t something she completely denied herself, but she never had more than one cup a day, if that.
It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door, and Lucy opened it to admit a person from room service. The man rolled the cart over to the table and unloaded several plates.
“Are you super hungry this morning?” Kiara asked, eyeing the plates on the table.
“I figured you might decide you wanted something else besides the waffles.”
Kiara chuckled. “Baby changes his mind frequently.”
“I know how it goes,” Lucy said as she sat down across from Kiara.
“Really? Do you have kids?” The two of them had gotten to know each other more since she’d been assigned as Kiara’s permanent bodyguard, but Lucy had never mentioned kids.
“No. I don’t have kids, but I’m the eldest of seven. I have clear memories of my mom’s last four pregnancies and how her appetite fluctuated, even within the span of a meal.”
Kiara had just taken a bite of her waffle, so she just nodded her understanding. Already, the bacon on one of the plates was calling her name.
When there was another knock on the door, Lucy glanced toward it, then got to her feet. It wasn’t a huge surprise to see Julian in the doorway.
“Why don’t you join Anthony in my suite?” Julian said as Lucy stepped back to let him in.
Though Lucy glanced at Kiara, she didn’t hesitate to return to the table to pick up her plate and mug of coffee. Without a word, she left the suite, closing the door behind her.
“Did you want some coffee?” Kiara asked. “I think there’s still some left in the carafe.”
Julian turned to the buffet against the wall, where there were several drink options. As he poured himself some coffee, Kiara took in his appearance.
He looked different from the previous night. More relaxed in a white cotton button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tucked into a pair of blue jeans. As handsome as he’d looked the night before, she preferred this look.
She was most comfortable with that version of him because it brought him closer to her level.
She’d always been most comfortable in leggings or jeans and a T-shirt, though recently, she’d begun wearing dresses more frequently. The looser, the better. Her growing bump didn’t like anything too restrictive around it.
As Julian sat down across from her in the chair Lucy had vacated, he stared at the plates of food before looking at her. “Hungry this morning?”
“A little,” she said. “Lucy ordered more than I actually asked for because she thought I might decide I wanted something more.”
“She certainly got you some options.”
“Help yourself,” Kiara told him. “I’m not going to eat it all.”
He seemed content with just his coffee, but Kiara was still hungry, so she returned her attention to her plate of waffles… after she’d picked up a couple of pieces of bacon.
“How did you sleep?” Julian asked. “Lucy said you were tired.”
“I was. It’s been a busy couple of days.” She contemplated sharing what she’d done the night before, but for some reason, she just couldn’t find the words.
“It has been, and it’s not over yet for me, with meetings all this week.” Julian took a sip of his coffee. “Were you planning to stick around and do some sightseeing?”
Kiara didn’t even have to think about her response. She shook her head. “I miss home.”
“Is it because of what happened last night?”
“Last night just showed me that I don’t really know how to move in your world.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Julian said. “And just because someone says you don’t belong, that doesn’t mean they’re right.”
“What do you mean?”
“How well do you think Elizabeth fit in when my dad first married her? She was a nanny. I’m pretty sure if you asked her, she’d tell you that she wasn’t welcomed with open arms either. My mom still had friends in this world who likely made Elizabeth’s life miserable.”
“But she seems so at ease now,” Kiara said, remembering how elegant and graceful Elizabeth had been the previous evening. “A natural.”
“She’s paid her dues,” Julian said. “But also, my dad’s wealth helped. And that will be the case for you as well. Emilia will pay a price for what she said to you.”
Kiara lowered the forkful of waffle she’d been about to eat. “What?”
“She had no right to say the things she did to you. For some dumb reason, she thought she was doing us a favor or something, acting like she knew things that she didn’t.”
“She seemed very confident.”
Julian gave a shake of his head. “Only because she really knows nothing about our family. And even if she knows me, she doesn’t know my dad at all. Attacking a member of his family will never lead to anything good.”
Kiara wanted to say she wasn’t part of the family, but technically, she was. For now.
“She wasn’t completely off the mark though,” Kiara said. “She correctly determined why we’d gotten married.”
“Yes, but she also claimed that you were in love with me, so she doesn’t know everything. Though I’m not sure why she thought that.”
“I’m pretty sure I know,” Kiara said, figuring she might as well be upfront about it rather than pretend like she had no clue. Denying knowledge might make Julian think it was true… and she couldn’t have that.
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So why did she think that?”
Kiara took a sip of her coffee before responding. “She told me that I was so lucky that you’d married me, because of how handsome you are.”
“Okay?”
“I told her there was more to you than your looks, like how you’re hardworking and determined. Stuff like that.” She gave a shrug. “I guess she thought that because I appreciated those qualities in you, I must be in love with you.”
Julian didn’t seem to know how to respond to that. He stared at the table as he lifted his mug for another sip.
“The thing is, I could say the same for Cole, Jude, and even your dad. All three of you are attractive, but it’s your character traits that make you good men.”
“I guess I can see how Emilia might have come to her conclusion,” Julian said. “For some people, how a person looks or their wealth is what makes them most attractive.”
“I don’t happen to believe that,” Kiara said.
Kiara watched him carefully as she took another bite of her waffle. She needed him to believe that her words had come from a place of friendship, and nothing more.
“You are a bit of a rarity with that viewpoint in this world.”
“I think Elizabeth, Annie, and Angie all feel the way I do.”