He ripped the placket from my gown with a single, ruthless tug.
I gasped, my hands flying to my exposed skin.
But before I could protest, his hands clamped down on my shoulders, spinning me to face the mirror.
“Look,” he whispered into my ear, his breath curling against my skin like warm silk.
My reflection was no longer the modestly dressed woman from before.
I looked daring. Seductive. Unrestrained.
His fingers glided over my skin, tracing a path down my cleavage.
Heat pooled deep in my stomach, igniting something I refused to acknowledge.
“This,” he purred, “is perfect.”
I jerked away, stepping back with a glare. “You promised I wouldn’t partake in any of the ‘festivities.’”
Malik chuckled, low and dark. “Oh no, amore. But you must look the part.”
His gaze lingered on my reflection, thick with something both possessive and knowing. From his pocket, he withdrew a diamond necklace. When he clasped it around my throat, the pendant settled between my breasts like an unspoken invitation.
“Are you ready?”
A flash of fear shot through me like lightning.
Malik must have noticed because his hands squeezed my shoulders, grounding me. “Don’t worry, amore mio,” he murmured into my ear, his breath curling against my skin. “I shall be with you every step of the way.”
I found comfort in the intensity of his gaze and nodded. “All right, then. Let us depart.”
Near the front exit, two elaborate masks rested on a polished table.
Malik picked them up, studying mine for a moment before stepping behind me. “Allow me.”
He tied the ornate lace mask into place. One side curved elegantly along my left cheek, while the other coiled toward my forehead like a snake poised to strike. Tiny, embroidered stars sparkled in the moonlight, shimmering like distant constellations. The fabric was soft and luxurious—almost as if it were protecting me from the world I was about to enter.
Malik turned me toward a mirror hanging on the wall. His voice was a quiet command. “Look how beautiful you are.”
I stared at my reflection, stunned.
Who was this woman staring back at me?
Malik handed me his gold mask, his expression unreadable. “Would you tie mine?”
I rose onto my tiptoes, securing the silken cords behind his head, my fingers brushing the nape of his neck. His skin was warm beneath my touch, starkly contrasting with the cool night air drifting through the open window.
We stood side by side for a moment, gazing at ourreflections—two masked figures bound together by something searing, unspoken, and utterly undeniable.
The breeze carried the lingering sweetness of summer, tinged with something almost… otherworldly. A whisper of magic, fate, and the unknown waited just beyond this moment.
I was ready to face Raul Costa.
My hand trembled slightly when I reached up to adjust my mask.
A sudden clatter of footsteps broke the silence. I turned just in time to see Rosie dashing down the stairs, her dress fluttering around her ankles.
“Livia!” she cried, eyes wide with awe. “You look like a princess!”
