Page 95 of Speak No Claim

“You look nice too, Tío.”

He reached for my hand, pulling me toward him to wrap his arm around my back. “I’m going to walk in with the most beautiful women at the party. What a lucky man I am.” He kissed the top of my head. “Thank you for coming, Hennessy. It means a lot to us that you’re going to be there.”

Gesturing to the food, I acknowledged, “I cooked these dishes for everyone.”

He beamed, completely taken off guard. “You cook?”

My eyebrows pinched together. “Yeah, you bought me groceries a while ago.”

He thought about it for a second, asking Elizabeth, “Did you buy Hennessy groceries? I can’t recall doing that.”

“Honey, I don’t even know where the grocery store is.” She laughed in that pretentious kind of way.

If neither of them bought me groceries, then who did? And how did they know what I ate?

Before I had too much time to contemplate it, Elizabeth ordered Douglas to handle the food.

I intervened, saying I could take it, but she quickly objected, “Hennessy, you’re the funniest girl. Take over the food… so many jokes!”

Despite the Devereaux estate being right next door, Alfred drove us. I thought Elizabeth was going to shit a brick when I sat in the front seat with him. My uncle, on the other hand, hid a smile. I think he enjoyed me getting a rise out of his fiancée.

At one point, our gazes connected through the rearview mirror. I could tell that he was worried about something. His expression was that of a man who was maybe being tested.

It didn’t make any sense, but I felt his anxiety. Elizabeth was none the wiser, too wrapped up in fixing her makeup. I tried to compartmentalize everything I was thinking and the emotions that it stirred, but it was hard. I kept thinking about what my uncle said and how I knew the truth.

Under his breath for only me to hear, Alfred murmured, “Looks like you’re fitting right in, Miss Belladonna.”

Following his lead, I had to know, whispering, “Did you cut their security cameras when Mr. Devereaux was out of town?”

He didn’t answer me. Instead, he ordered, “Don’t run away this time. It’ll only be your demise.”

“What was that, Jones?” Tío chimed in.

“Sir, I was just telling Miss Belladonna how lovely she looked.”

I went to open my mouth, but we were already there, driving through huge iron gates, entering the enormous property. Luxury vehicle after luxury vehicle lined their courtyard driveway. There were millions of dollars parked on the pavers, staring back at us.

Once again trying to find my Zen, I inhaled a deep breath, instantly feeling so anxious about what I was about to encounter. I couldn’t help but stare into the eyes of the serpent crest on the peak of their home as we walked up to the front door.

“Oh!” Elizabeth grabbed my wrist, took off my grandmother’s bracelet, and insisted, “This doesn’t match.”

Before I could object, she was tucking it into her purse. I should’ve never let that happen, stepping into the lion’s den without protection.

“Don’t worry, Hennessy,” she proclaimed. “I’ll give it back.”

“It’s not that. It’s just⁠—”

“Those are gorgeous.” She linked her arm into mine, walking next to me. “Where did you get them?”

I didn’t want to arrive empty-handed, so I picked a few roses and flowers from the greenhouse earlier and made them into a beautiful bouquet.

I lied, “The florists this morning when I went to buy the food.”

“They were open?”

“Mm-hmm…” I inhaled another deep, steady breath as the doors opened for us.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” their butler greeted.