Page 53 of Loyalty

Coraline flashed her daughter with a wide, brilliant smile. It was her mother’s best defense, and one of her few distractions. Anything could be made better, or ignored entirely, with a single beautiful smile.

“You’re here now, and the Christmas party will be lovely because of it,” her mother said.

“Sure, it will.”

Siena seriously doubted her mother’s annual Christmas party would be any better or worse despite her presence, but she didn’t argue the point. Whatever kept her mother happy and pleased, or so their father liked to say.

Usually a nice fur coat or diamond was enough to keep Coraline happy.

Or a good party.

“What did you get your father for Christmas?” Coraline asked.

Siena worked on weaving another fir garland through the banister. “A custom-made watch from the jeweler he likes.”

“Is it ready?”

“I have to pick it up in a couple of days,” she said.

“Cutting it close, Siena.”

Like she needed to be told.

Christmas was only five days away now. The jeweler was cutting it terribly close.

“And your brothers?” her mother asked.

Siena gave her mother a look.

Coraline laughed as though she knew without needing to be told. “Money, then?”

“Money,” Siena echoed.

It was the only thing her brothers loved more than their father, after all.

“Oh, you did that wrong … Here, give it to me.” Coraline took the rope of garland, and shooed Siena up a couple of steps with a single wave of her hand. “It has to wrap around the top like this, Siena.”

“Yes, Ma.”

She wasn’t even paying attention.

Everything she had already done, her mother would redo, anyway.

So was her life …

“So, have you been seeing anyone lately?” her mother asked.

Siena instantly said, “No.”

She didn’t consider mentioning Johnathan. She hadn’t spoken to him since that night two months ago when they slept together. He didn’t leave her with a way to contact him, and she left the rest up to him.

The whole three strikes thing, after all. He hadn’t contacted her again, and he didn’t try to seek her out.

Siena figured that spoke for itself.

Despite the way it hurt at first—rejection always hurt—the pain ebbed. She threw herself into work, and forgot the darkly grinning man with his lost hazel gaze.

She clearly hadn’t been anything to him.