[Neither of them promised forever, yet it hurt all the same.]
River Hamilton cannot afford to fall for just anyone. To continue the legacy of her family the only way she can, she must eventually marry someone she may not want to spend the rest of he...
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R.HAMILTON
To no one's surprise, London saw rain that evening.
River sat in the back of her car while Anthony, her driver, went into great detail about what they did for his little son's third birthday. It broke River's heart to miss the gathering but she spent the week in Milan, in the front row of Versace's latest fashion show. The pristine white dress she wore beneath her long white coat was a piece from the runway she fell in love with immediately.
Though, as she followed the raindrops slide down the blackened windows of her Rolls Royce, she wondered if wearing such a bright colour was a good idea.
"Is your family inside already?" Tony asked when he parked. Their eyes met in the rear-view mirror.
River looked down at her phone as she said, "Let me check," then continued to look for the app on her phone that allowed her to spy on her siblings' whereabouts. Always intent on keeping track of them like a mother, she grinned when their locations updated, all two of her brothers and their significant others grouped in one little circle. "Yes. They're here. Which is a surprise, isn't it?"
Tony smiled and nodded in agreement. "Will you be needing a ride home, or are you staying the night?"
"Ride home, please," she said as she made her decision. River didn't know at first but given how the rain was only going to get worse, she wanted to be in her own bed tonight. "I will text you in advance."
"Please do," he gave her a knowing look. The unsaid remained between them for a moment or two, simply communicated in their glances. River had the tendency to find some alternative ways around getting home if the night extended into later hours, for she felt guilty when having to drag Tony out. Granted, the man got paid to do just that but River couldn't help it.
After a quick goodbye, and Tony wishing her a good time, River was out of the car and in the lobby of the hotel. Walking through, she was greeted by name and she'd done the same. Owning hotels came with such pleasantries.
The dread she thought would overwhelm her had been taken over by joy at the sight of familiar faces. Dorian's, first and foremost. The grin on his face stretched wide, reaching the corners of his ever-green eyes. He was out of his chair before anyone else to embrace his sister, and the gesture never failed to calm River's racing heart. Dorian, out of everyone, had always been the softest. The cold exterior he presented crumbled to pieces around River.
"New perfume?" she joked after they pulled apart and she assessed the black turtleneck fitted to his chest, the dark shade of his grey trousers. The contrast of his clothes to what Kaia wore—a white silk dress that scrunched up on her thighs, tight and fitting, with loose, long-sleeved arms—made for the perfect match.
"Kaia's new obsession," he laughed and made way for River to sit down on the empty chair. Dorian to her left, Jade to her right in a magnificent deep sea blue dress. Kaia to her left diagonally, Alden to the right and Harry—right across from her.
