Forcing her mind to think fast, she quickly let off a laugh. “Well, looks like you’ve got me there. I really shouldn’t have tried to fool you, babes. But then, how could I tell you the truth when it sounds so silly now? It’s pretty simple though: I was mad with Nick for getting me to marry him against my will, and I decided to teach him a small lesson, just to let him know he couldn’t have it all his way all the time. I let him stew for a little bit and then I called to let him know where I was. You can bet the make-up sex was explosive,” she finished with another one of those hollow chuckles.
Natasha smirked. “Hmmm. Well then at least, take the time to warn your parents first before you go pulling stunts like that. I’m not sure what Nick must have done to convince them, but eventually they returned home with deep reluctance. They were this close to calling the cops on that hunky hubby of yours.”
“I can imagine,” Keyonna said, smiling tightly. “But thankfully, I called them soon after to fill them in. Everyone was cool with it. I’m sorry I gave you any cause to worry, though. But anyway, I’m back, and I’m glad I’d already taken off time from my business or I’d have had some serious crap to deal with now that I’ve returned. All in all, I’ve been able to convince everyone who cares to listen that I never planned to cause a major scandal with my wedding. But phew…I never knew marriage to a billionaire was such a risky affair.”
Natasha made a face, and then laughed. “It has to be, when that billionaire’s Nick Vitale. I mean that guy was one of the most sought-after men in the country. Hell, he still is, even with that ring on his finger. So if I were you honey, I’ll watch out and not let any of those gold-digger home wreckers sink their fangs in him, okay? There are lots of pests around, believe me.”
And then Natasha paused, before asking mildly, “And speaking of pests, what’s up with Mark?”
Keyonna shrugged, sighing as she stared into her coffee. “I don’t know. He wasn’t at the wedding and I haven’t heard from him since. But I’m sure he’s well over me now, especially with little cousin Trisha.”
Keyonna stopped short, jolted by a fleeting memory crossing her mind – but then it faded away before she could grasp it firmly.
“You mean that brat?” Natasha scoffed, unaware of Keyonna’s lapse. “I haven’t heard of her in a while either. But then even from way back I could tell she had her eye on poor Mark. Only back then she was a pimply, overweight teenager with attitude. She’s shed some weight and the pimples, but obviously still kept the attitude. I ran into her at your wedding and…”
“She came to the wedding?” Keyonna croaked, and lifted a hand to her throbbing temples which felt like they were knotted in tight bands of steel. That niggling memory was back, but still no clearer. Why was this bugging her?
“Of course she was – don’t you remember? Oh shit, yeah, you probably don’t, what with your partial memory loss,” muttered Natasha apologetically. “To tell you the truth though, I was surprised to see you two having a conversation at the reception. I knew how you two didn’t get along when you and her cousin were heartthrobs. In fact, it was like you both were sworn enemies. I was dying to know what you both could have to talk about.”
Keyonna chewed hard on her bottom lip, telling herself she was dying to know the exact same thing. She had the damnedest conviction that it was very important.
“Anyway, she was the last person I saw you with before you vanished. I couldn’t help thinking right then that she had something to do with your disappearance. We were so close to declaring your ass missing that day!”
Keyonna laughed along with her friend, but the sound was weak to her own ears. Nothing added up, and she was done being lied to and having to lie to hide whatever must have gone wrong that day. It was about time Nick gave her some real answers this time.
Nick noticed that Keyonna was in a quiet mood when he returned home from work. Her absentminded kiss on his cheek was hardly the warm welcome he’d been expecting from his newly-wed wife either.
“You cooked dinner?” Nick queried, sniffing the air and inhaling the aroma of some delicious home cooking. Even with Nick being ready to maintain a staff of private chefs, Keyonna had insisted she could prepare whatever meals they needed. And any housekeeping she couldn’t handle, she ensured that the cleaning help only came around on weekends. Nick was used to having a full load of staff especially when he was staying here in his pricey open-plan mansion but he’d been only too happy to let Keyonna have her way – especially when he discovered his woman could cook up a storm in the kitchen.