Page 39 of Nothing to Deny

“You tell me,” Roxie said. “You’ve been avoiding us.”

“Avoiding you—I have not. Why would I be avoiding you?”

“Where have you been? I miss you. What’s the gossip? Are you on a tropical vacation? Planning world domination? Because if it’s that last one you’ll need a number two and I’m available.”

Roxie Kyst. They hadn’t known each other long, relatively speaking. Yet the woman was already integral in her life. If anyone would understand her internal struggle, it would beRoxie. The words, the truth, lodged in her throat. There just wasn’t time. If she opened the floodgates, she may not be able to close them again. And she couldn’t be more than a few blocks from her waiting grandfather. Showing up agitated would provoke him to shut down the city, hunting for the man who’d hurt her, regardless of her attempts at appeasement.

“I’ve been busy with… things.”

“Things?” Her friend’s curiosity was piqued. Talk about being good at reading people, Roxie was another one with the uncanny ability to sense unsaid meaning behind words. “More. More. More. I need more. Come to the club… or I can come to you.”

“I’m having dinner with Truman tonight.” The truth. Just not the full truth. “I’ll come over soon.”

“How soon?”

How did Roxie do it? The woman had a vast network, she should be overwhelmed with her new life and experiences. Amazingly, Roxanna Kyst had slid into her role as Zairn Lomond’s better half without missing a step.

Freya had lived in this world her whole life, the world of decadence, luxury, easy living with plenty of money always backing her up. Yet it frequently overwhelmed her. Not Roxie, she was a pro, not ostentatious, she cared about people. Calling just to check in proved that. Did Roxie call all her friends to make sure they were okay? How did the woman find the time?

“I’ll answer that after I get through my dinner with Truman.”

“You in for a grilling? What does the old man know that I don’t?”

Nothing. She hoped. It would be naïve to forget Truman had a way of finding things out. He loved her, adored her, of that she had no doubt. She adored him too; they were all each other had. Family. Blood. There was nothing she wouldn’t do forthe man who’d raised her with love and care. When growing up, friends recounted horror stories of absent parents, of forgotten birthdays. Some friends suffered neglect, and yes, it was possible to be neglected even with all the money in the world.

Truman wasn’t like that. He’d been present, involved. Which was an achievement with her at an all-girls boarding school. He called every evening. Every morning. Was there for every event, never missed a parent-teacher night.

“Freya?”

“Sorry.” She’d lost herself again for a second. “I don’t want to lie to him.”

“Then don’t lie to him.” Her friend’s curiosity had become concern. “Do you want me to join you? Nothing pressing going on here. I can be there tout suite.”

“Thank you.” In that moment, she found her smile again. “Your support means everything to me.”

“You want me to come?”

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“Truman loves me!” Roxie declared. “He won’t mind me hanging out.”

“But if I bring a human shield, he’ll turn on the third degree for sure.”

“I can deflect.”

“Oh, he’ll wait until you’re in the bathroom, or until I’m home for the evening. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s shown up on my doorstep with his eyebrow crooked.”

“We can have a slumber party. Or you can spend the night here, Zairn won’t mind, there are beautiful women traipsing in and out of here all the time. He so used to it, it’s blasé.”

She laughed. “Unless I plan to live with you forever, Truman would get to me eventually.”

“What are you so worried about him finding out?”

On a sigh, her shoulders dropped. “I’ll loop you in as soon as I know.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come over here?”

“Not tonight,” she said. “But thank you for asking. Honestly, Rox, thank you for calling.”

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