Betrayed (Forbidden #3)(38)
Author: Melody Anne

Coming had been a mistake, but she’d been too tempted by the opportunity to draw in more business. And if she hadn’t come with Byron, she never would have been invited to attend an event at the Anderson mansion. She was just grateful to be there, so she had little choice but to push down the nerves.

Placing his hand on her back, he led her forward to another huge room with six-foot-long crystal chandeliers dripping from the ceiling, music hanging in the air, and a polished waitstaff serving hundreds of guests.

“I can’t imagine growing up in a home like this,” McKenzie said. “How in the world did they ever keep track of their children?”

Byron laughed. “For one, I’m sure they have an army of staff members to take care of the home and keep an eye out for missing children. But any home that you make comfortable is a home. It doesn’t matter if it’s a one-bedroom apartment or a colossal mansion. When it comes down to it, they’re are all the same,” he said, and he accepted two glasses of champagne from a waiter.

McKenzie looked at him for a moment before speaking. “That’s easy for you to say. This is obviously coming from a man who has never had to spend a day of his life in a small apartment.”

“No, I haven’t, but still…” He was wise enough to shut up on that subject before he changed topics altogether. “Do be careful while you’re in this home. There are rumors that the family patriarch, Joseph Anderson, is quite the matchmaker. All three of his boys fell quickly into matrimony, and many who know the family say it had everything to do with their father. And then his nieces and nephews began marrying one by one,” Byron said with another laugh.

McKenzie scoffed. “Say what? Their father —or the patriarch or whatever — can’t make them get married.”

“No. Joseph actually loves his sons, something you don’t often see in wealthy families. Hell, the children are often raised by the nanny. But rumors say he helped…shall we say, prod them along.”

“What do you mean by ‘prod them along’?”

Byron glanced around. “He played matchmaker. He hired the perfect assistant for his oldest son, a cook for his youngest — that sort of thing,” he said.

“Just because he hires certain people doesn’t mean he’s playing matchmaker,” she pointed out.

He looked down at her with such intensity, she found herself barely able to hold on to her glass. “You know more than anyone what happens when too sexually compatible people begin working closely together,” he said, taking her breath away.

“You’re being inappropriate,” she warned.

“Just filling you in on some local Anderson history. Not trying to be inappropriate at all,” he said, but his hand caressed down the length of her partially covered back.

“Do I hear you speaking about me?”

McKenzie jumped at the loud voice right behind her, and then both of them turned, and she found herself looking up, up, up. She had thought Byron was tall — heck, he was six foot three — but the man with the white hair and a groomed white beard seemed a giant compared with Byron.

“Only in the most respectful of ways,” Byron said. “How are you doing, Joseph?”

McKenzie was surprised to see genuine affection on Byron’s face.

“I can’t complain in my old age, Byron.” His attention was quickly diverted to McKenzie, and he gave her an intense look. “And how are you, little missy?”

“I’m sorry, Joseph. I’m being rude,” Byron said. “This is my date, McKenzie Beaumont”

McKenzie was flabbergasted. She didn’t want to correct him in front of their host and tell the man she wasn’t Byron’s date, but at the same time, she also didn’t want him thinking this was going to lead to a happy ending for anyone involved.

Joseph took the choice of her having to say anything at all away when his boisterous voice sounded again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Beaumont. I hope you enjoy the party.” He ignored her hand and gave her a half-hug.

“Um…it’s a pleasure to meet you, too. Thank you for having me,” she said. “And please call me McKenzie.”

“McKenzie has recently opened up Seattle Accounting,” Byron said, “and she supplies temporary or full-time staff if you ever need anyone.”

“Is that so? I’ll have to come in and see you on Monday,” Joseph said. “Most certainly.” Someone called out to him. “I’m sorry to rush off. You know how these parties go. But, I won’t forget about Monday.” And just like that, he was gone.

McKenzie could barely even think, let alone get words out at how excited she was at the prospect of having Joseph Anderson coming in to see her business. “Do you really think he’ll come?” she asked. It was barely above a whisper.

“Joseph never says anything if he doesn’t plan to follow through,” Byron assured her.

“Oh, my gosh, Byron, do you have any idea what that would do for my company if he hired us?”

Byron laughed. “Hey. Am I now chopped liver?”

“Of course not!” she said as she grabbed his arm. “It’s just that it’s the Andersons…The Andersons!”

“Yeah, yeah, Seattle’s royalty,” he said, but with humor, not ill-will. Yes, the Andersons were a force to be reckoned with, but that didn’t make him any less of a force, McKenzie thought.

“You’re just pouting now,” she told him, but her nerves had completely evaporated. Her champagne had evaporated too, she realized, but before she could tell Byron she didn’t need any more of it, another cup was placed in her hand, and she found herself sipping on it.

“Come on. We have more people to meet,” he said, taking her hand and squeezing it before he wrapped his arm around her. Then, she felt almost like royalty as they made their way across the beautiful marble floors and greeted a number of beautiful people in the process.

McKenzie got a rare glimpse into why Byron was such a successful man. Though he told everyone and anyone that he didn’t particularly like his fellow human beings, he was a natural crowd-pleaser, a person who knew the exact words to say to both the men and women. She was in awe of his ability to shine.

“Ah, another important person for you to meet,” Byron told her, and then she was standing in front of none other than Rafe Palazzo. He was standing next to a petite brunette wearing a gown that was worthy of the red carpet, and with emeralds so brilliant they seemed to outshine everything in the room.