Kiss of War (City of Stars Book 1) by Clara Elroy

Author:Clara Elroy [Elroy, Clara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

Eliana

Was ignorance truly bliss?

The blush tennis skirt, white cotton crop top, and matching vans adorning my body didn’t seem to agree with Thomas Grey’s opinion.

Once again, I reverted to my old habits, molding myself to the image others painted of me—the perfect daughter, brat, spoiled princess, stuck-up bitch, attention seeker. I could go on forever, but it was safe to say that if ignorance was the shit, I wouldn’t be going crazy bathed in it.

Claire invited me to lunch, and while my stomach lurched at the thought of having to see her face again, I had to come. Holding a blindfold over the world’s eyes was a must, even if it meant smiling at the person that didn’t hesitate to plunge a knife in my back.

Astropolis Country Club.

The worn sign, pasted under some shrubs, warned me on my way to the dining veranda. It seemed to scream “enter at your own cost.” Sighing, I pressed forward, past the vegetation. Life was a double-edged sword. It didn’t matter which path I took. Something would eventually come up and bite me in the ass. Why shouldn’t I go for the killer blow first?

Nothing much had changed ever since I frequented the country club when I was a kid. The pleasant scent of the Jacaranda trees wrapped around me, making me nostalgic for those simpler times. They were spread strategically across the veranda, providing shade and making for a beautiful view with long-lasting indigo blooms.

I adjusted my sunglasses when a field of green stretched across the horizon. The sun’s rays glared at the large expanse of land reserved for golfing and some man-made lakes that broke up the monotonous viridescent hue of the lawn.

I didn’t have to look hard to spot my mother. She and her socialite friends seldom changed their designated table, right at the edge of the rail, the best seat in the house.

She didn’t wave or smile when she saw me. No, Claire never greeted anyone first. Everyone else always had to. And maybe it was the indifference painted on her face because people always did. They bend over backward to please her. When smiles aren’t handed out easily, we walk the extra mile to win them.

My eyes strayed to Carter’s as I got closer. His gaze wasn’t as impassive as Claire’s. A steady fire of hatred burned beneath the mask he flicked in place the moment our eyes met.

“Good afternoon, Eliana.” He shot up from his seat, and a hush fell over the table at his greeting. “You’re looking good.”

“Thank you, I’m doing great.” I lied through my teeth, but I wasn’t about to bleed in front of a table full of sharks. A lot of Carter’s lawyer associates were present, and my smile stretched extra thin when I caught sight of Mark. The one that had represented my dad.

“You’re late.” Claire spoke first after I’d addressed everyone but her.

“Well, some may say that I lacked proper attention growing up, so any classes of etiquette were glossed over.” I sunk into her cold hug as one would a coffin to the ground.

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