“I guess if that’s my competition the bar isn’t set very high.”
“Exactly.” He bops me on the nose. “Now, do you like this necklace or not?”
“It looks like it’s worth more than all the property in Slate Quarter.”
“Don’t ask me how much it cost, it’ll freak you out.”
“Fly!”
“You’ve got to look the part. Now off with that bra and let’s get this dress on. Thinking about it, you may need to lose thepanties too. Can’t have any underwear showing. It’ll ruin the effect.”
I take off my bra and let Fly help me carefully into the dress. The fabric is fragile and expensive and I do not want to rip or snag it.
It fits like a glove, clinging to all my curves and scooped down at the front to show a hint of cleavage. I twirl around in front of the mirror and decide Fly is correct. The panty-line is a no-no so I slip them off too. Then Fly is strapping ridiculously high heels onto my feet and fastening the necklace around my throat and matching drop earrings onto my earlobes.
“You look like a queen-in-waiting,” he says, hands on his hips, considering the finished effect.
“One who won’t be able to walk in these heels.”
“You have three strong men with you. Just hang on to an arm,” he tells me, unlocking the bathroom door and beckoning me out.
We find Beaufort, Dray, and Thorne, waiting in the main room dressed in dark suits. Thorne has a tie that matches the color of my dress, Beaufort a bow tie, and Dray a handkerchief tucked into the pocket of his jacket. They all look frankly delicious and after every thing that’s happened today – being with Dray and Beaufort together, Thorne touching me – I let myself imagine for the first time what it would be like to let all three of them take me to bed together.
“Fuuuuck!” Dray says, tongue sliding over his bottom lip. His long platinum hair is loose about his shoulders and his shirt undone, showing a flash of sculptured chest, dark inks, and his silver chain. “You look good enough to eat, Kitten. In fact–”
“No time!” Beaufort says. His thick brown hair is slicked back from his face and his silver eyes shine like lightning in contrast to his dark suit. “She may look stunning, but you can’t go perving all over her at this dinner. Save it for later.”
“Sure.” Dray grins at me and winks. I’m not sure he will be able to behave himself.
“Turn around for us, Nini,” Thorne says, “let us see the full effect.” Thorne’s suit is close fitting and the cut shows off his impressive frame. However, the black leather gloves are back on his hands, making him look a little like a well-dressed assassin.
I take a steadying breath and then I spin 360 degrees. It’s strange having my back bare like this. I’ve spent the last few years covering it up and hiding my scars and it’s strange to feel the cool air of the apartment against my skin.
“Perfect,” Thorne growls.
“Are you ready?” Beaufort asks me.
I peer back towards Fly and then I nod my head with determination.
“Yeah,” I say, “I’m ready.”
Ready as I’ll ever be.
Chapter Nineteen
Beaufort
We’re a little late but I don’t mind. I want everyone to see us enter. I want everyone to see the woman we enter with. I want tongues to start wagging. I want to make this situation hard for my mother to ignore.
As we walk along the palace corridor, every gaze is turned our way – from the guards stationed throughout the palace, to the guests and inhabitants. Everyone stares at us.
“This place is like a maze. You could get lost in here,” Briony says. She’s hanging off my arm, sandwiched between me and Dray, Thorne striding along beside me.
Dray chuckles. “This old dude did get lost once. He left his apartment for a meeting and wasn’t seen again for a week. They found him wandering around some closed up wing of the palace.”
“So where exactly are we going?”
“The Grand Ballroom is where the banquet will take place but there will be reception drinks first in one of the adjoining receiving rooms,” I inform her.
