The Ace of Queens ( Ace of Queens #7)

Ch. 1 Goddess

Chapter 1

The villa had a magnificent view of the turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian sea in the late summer afternoon. Clare sighed amongst the rose bushes as she tilted her head back to catch the Italian sun.

Before her, the green grass terrace was filled with friends of Posey and Tobias, all mingling with sparkling glasses of champagne in their hands. Clare spotted her mother and father with some of the guests and a few feet behind them was Exton and Gemma.

The afternoon, from any other point of view, was a serene affair. The live band played soft music as the sounds of the waves below them blew through the high gardens. But to Clare, it was no less overwhelming them attending a sports event in a sold out stadium. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep the emotions in her at bay as she flipped through the countless visions behind her eyes.  

"Clare," A small voice spoke up from the chatters. "Have you seen my mom?"

Clare opened her eyes and looked down at the little boy with his dirty blonde hair. His dark green eyes waited for her to answer patiently. His sharp features were an exact replica of his father, but his smile belonged only to his mother.

"I can't find her," the little boy frowned. Clare gripped her glass of wine as she felt the boy's anxiety mix with her own. It was like a punch to the stomach, especially since he was standing so close to her.  

"Sorry, Heyden," she frowned, letting out a shaky breath. "I haven't seen Maya. But I think your dad is with Paws."

"Can I sit here with you?"

"Sure," Clare smiled as she moved over and made space for the child on the steps. 

She carefully moved as far away from his as she possibly could. Being too lose meant feeling too much. Heyden marched up the two steps and plopped down beside Clare. He began to played with his little pink bowtie as the sun tanned his skin. Clare chuckled as she noticed the little thing.

"You think Posey is having a girl?" She asked Heyden.

"My mom thinks so," Heyder said. "Baba thinks it might be a boy."

"Your baba is wrong."

"What do you think they're having?"

Clare turned her attention to Posey a few yards away. The smile on the girl's face was brighter than the sun as she walked around the grass bare feet in her long ivory silk gown. The crown of daisies on her head stood out against her dark hair and made the queen of the underworld look like an angel.

"I think she's having a girl," Clare said, her eyes on Posey's bump.

"I don't like it here," Heyden suddenly confessed. His little eyes looked around with worry as he picked at his shoes. 

"The party or the country?" Clare raised a brow.

"Both," Heyden pulled his knees up and placed his chin over them. "It's too loud here. Too many people."

"We should leave," Clare placed her wine glass down beside one of the many pomegranate trees in the large terra-cotta tubs. the branches hung low with the red fruit as bees buzzed around them.  

"Mom will get mad," Heyden frowned.

"I'll take care of it," Clare said, as she began to rise. "Are you in or out, little man?"

Heyden looked up with relief in his eyes. He raised his hand but stopped when he heard his mother's voice.

"There you are," Maya said, walking up to the pair. "I was looking for you, baby. Where did you run off to?"