Page 15 of Pocket Full Of Posies (Snowberry #2)

I had very different plans for this evening. Mainly not being at my family’s house and exposing Daisy to whatever my mother has planned for tonight. I still don’t want to go, but I’ll do anything to make Daisy happy. I’ll just have to be extra vigilant. Most in attendance aren’t accustomed to having a hybrid at one of their parties.

This is going to be a fucking disaster. I need to convince Daisy not to come. But then she’ll just think I’m ashamed of her, when in fact it’s the opposite. In the beginning I wanted others to see us together to spread gossip to my mother, now I want everyone to know she’s mine for real. Just without the familial meet and greet.

Everything is a mess. I just want to spend time with Daisy and ignore my relatives. Maybe I could at least make the evening more bearable with Endo and Keiko’s help. Endo’s always on my side and Keiko, with her sweet nature, would help anyone.

Running through the forest between Daisy’s place and mine, I use my enhanced speed to return to the house I was hoping not to see until tomorrow.

Dozens of luxury cars line the circular drive and staff in white blazers scurry around setting everything for the party. Ridiculous pomp and circumstance that they roll out at any given opportunity.

I bypass the task focused waitstaff, my nieces and nephews who run around like this is their own personal amusement park, and cousins tapping away on phones who raise a brow at my rapid pace.

I want to spend as little time away from Daisy as possible. Since Daisy doesn’t require twelve hours to prepare like my mother and sister, I only left her with an hour to get ready. More than enough time, at least that’s what she said. So, this trip home has to be quick; change my clothes, talk with my brother, and warn my mother to be on her best behavior. Because once again she’s getting what she wants, no matter how many times I said no.

Endo is in his room getting dressed when I find him. Lots of males, and females, go topless or all natural for the equinox celebration, but for our swanky soirée clothing is not only required but usually high-end brand labeled. Thankfully it’s not black tie. Endo dons a pair of dark brown slacks and an ivory dress shirt with gold buttons. Just enough flash to appease our mother.

“Hey. I thought you were gone for the night. What are you doing back here? You know if Mom sees you, she’ll guilt you into staying.”

“No need.” Leaning against the door frame, I watch as he meticulously buttons the shirt and makes sure the collar lays flat. “I told Daisy about Mom wanting her here for the party and she said she wanted to come. So, looks like we’ll be joining you tonight.”

Endo stops fidgeting with his shirt and turns to face me, a frown marring his face.

“You sure that’s a good idea? It’s not just mom she’ll have to contend with tonight.”

“No, it probably isn’t a good idea, but when I told her I didn’t want her to come, she got upset. Thought it meant I was ashamed of her. Even trying to explain it’s for her own good wouldn’t appease her. She wants to meet my parents. Weird as that is, I couldn’t tell her no.”

Sighing, I run my hand through my tangled hair. I’ll have to brush and style it before I leave to pick up Daisy. I wonder what she’s going to wear tonight, if she’s going to do something different with her hair. I know she likes to wear it down to cover her ears, even though I find them immensely alluring and perfect. She’ll no doubt be shoeless. I never have asked her why she doesn’t wear shoes. With the nights getting colder I don’t want her walking here with bare feet. I’ll have to drive to pick her up. When I first arrived, I rented a luxury sports car to get here. I haven’t had much use for it since arriving but I’m glad I have it so I can pick up Daisy and save her feet from the cold.

“Have you told mom yet?” Endo asks concerned. He should be, I am.

“Not yet, I wanted to talk to you first. Ask you to keep an eye on her if I’m not around. Run interference if needed.”

“Of course,” he answers immediately. I knew I could count on him, and since he already knows Daisy, he’ll be a friend for her to talk to if I get pulled away.

“Thanks. Can you mention it to Keiko too? I plan on introducing them, but I want her to know ahead of time that Daisy will be coming so she can help too.”

“Sure, no problem. Have you warned her about…everyone?”

“She knows enough. She’s not na?ve to the type of people our family associates with. Which is why I found it even more surprising she wanted to come. Usually, she would choose staying home in her gardens over going out.”

Endo smirks and hooks a gold cufflink in his cuff. “Maybe she’s spending too much time with you. Your extroverted ways are rubbing off on her.”

I’d like to rub something else off on her.

“Maybe you’re right. I should attempt to be more antisocial so I can keep her all to myself.”

Not a completely bad idea.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on her, and if she gets overwhelmed, we’ll sneak you out the back. I’ll tell everyone you got food poisoning from the quiche.” He laughs somewhat maniacally. “They’ll all be so freaked out over the quiche and mom pissed at the caterer to notice two people leaving.”

That would be a pretty hilarious cover up, but I don’t want the caterer to take the blame for bad food when it’s not. Especially knowing what someone like my mother would do to them and their credibility if they did give someone food poisoning.

“No, don't blame the caterer. No one deserves the wrath of Naomi Kingsley. Especially for something they didn’t do. Just say we got tired and left. Or better yet just say we left. They don’t deserve an explanation.”

Endo nods, but his shoulders still shake with silent laughter. Probably imagining everyone freaking out and spitting out the quiche trying to rinse it out with champagne.

“I’m going to talk to mom and change then go pick up Daisy. The earlier we arrive the earlier we can leave.”

“Got it. I’ll go find Keiko and update her.”

“Thanks.”

I leave my brother to find our sister and head for Mom’s dressing rooms. Because just having a bedroom to get dressed in isn’t enough, she has to have a series of rooms set aside specifically for the laborious task of putting on clothes.

Knocking on the gilded double doors, I wait for someone to answer. No way in hell am I barging in and catching my mother half naked. One of her personal assistants, the one who does her hair and makeup I think, answers the door after a long delay. She ushers me in without a word.

I find my mother standing in front of a mirror that covers one entire wall, adjusting her various expensive earrings. She has many, many earrings to choose from, one pair in particular, handed down from my grandmother, would look especially ideal on Daisy’s delicate ears. A diamond and emerald encrusted floral piece that cuffs around the helix and antihelix covering a large portion of the mid and lower ear and held in place with a piercing at the lobe. Mom barely ever wears it, calling it old fashioned and outdated, choosing more modern, geometric designs.

I wonder if I were to pilfer it and give it to Daisy if she would even notice its absence. Probably. Then she would blame the nearest staff member for stealing it and fire them and maybe even file theft charges against them. No, if I took it, I would have to make sure she knew it was me. Which doesn’t deter me in the slightest.

“Kai, what a surprise. I thought you had run off for the evening to escape my horrible party,” my mother says in a sardonic tone that reveals every ounce of her displeasure, not even turning away from the mirror and her primping.

“Oh, I had, but it turns out Daisy wants to come and meet you. So, here I am informing you that I’ll be attending with a guest.”

She finally turns to face me, far more interested in our conversation, now that she’s finally getting what she wanted.

“Is that so? I’m so glad she changed your mind.”

“She didn’t but I’d do anything for her, even introduce her to you if she wants. But before you enact whatever the hell it is you’re plotting, I have a few rules.”

“Rules? Must I remind you whose house this is? I make the rules here dear,” she scoffs with the arrogant huff of a queen. She is no queen, though she fancies herself one.

“Not tonight, you don’t. Not when it comes to Daisy. You will abide by my rules or we’re not coming.” I stand firm, hands on my hips and spine straight and solid as granite. On this I will not budge.

My mother looks me up and down before her cobalt lips pull into a smirk, a devilish twinkle in her eyes.

“Very well, what are your rules?”

“Do not call her a half-breed. Do not announce her hybrid or human heritage to anyone. If you must say anything, just say she is an earth nymph. You will not ask about her parents or family. You will not make her feel uncomfortable in any way or we leave. Understood?”

Her smirk doesn’t fall, and that fact worries me. As does the fact she doesn’t even question Daisy being a hybrid.

“Of course, dear. Anything you say. I want her to feel welcome in our family, especially if she’s this important to you. This is after all the first female you’ve ever deemed worthy enough to be serious about. She must be very special indeed.”

She is, but I can’t voice that to my mother. Pretending to be promised to another for a mate bond or in a fake relationship to get her off my ass is one thing. She would get irritated and try to talk me out of it, not really putting much effort into it. But being in a real relationship with someone important and special? My mother will try to shred it to pieces, force us apart, because none of her children are allowed to mate for love. Leaving this family permanently is sounding more and more appealing by the day.

“Just behave Mom. Don’t make me regret coming here. Tell dad he has to abide by the same rules, and my brown-nosed siblings for that matter. If anyone even breathes the word hybrid, it’ll be years before you see or hear from me again.”

That at least gets her attention. I’m not joking or lying. I will gladly abandon this family and their archaic beliefs for Daisy without a second thought. Inheritance be damned.

“Very well Kai. If that’s what you require.”

She says she’ll abide by my request, but the tone of her words implies otherwise. Not necessarily malevolent but definitely callous. The glimmer of a secret flickering in her eyes as she continues to smile her plastic smile at me.

“Right. Well, I’ll be picking Daisy up in an hour.”

“Very good. I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Uh huh.”

You ever have that feeling that the person you’re talking to is just saying what you want to hear so you’ll stop talking? That’s what I’m feeling right now with my mother. Like she’s hiding something and just can’t wait to spring it on me and is giddy at the idea of my response.

There’s no backing out now. If something goes wrong tonight, we’ll just have to leave.