Lucky I hadn’t sliced his dick off.
Exceptionally lucky I’d agreed to attend this gala with him.
I step into the scarlet dress and smooth it over my hips. The sleek lines of the dress suit my new curvier figure. Silky fabric drapes over my breasts, offering a tempting glimpse of cleavage.
The stylist has pinned my restored blonde hair up, adding small, jeweled pins that sparkle in the light. I almost smile. In another world, I’d feel like a princess.
One who’s locked in a tower.
I pull my game face on, along with the heels Fina left for me. They’re too high, but I figure Angelo must have good health insurance, so if I break my neck, he’s got it covered.
With one last glance in the mirror, I head downstairs, where my lovely husband has probably ground his teeth into stumps while waiting for me.
As I teeter at the top of the staircase, I wonder why he’s not come to find me. I’m at least twenty minutes late.Oh well. Not my problem.
When I gaze down, he’s standing at the entrance, his back to me, busy tapping away on his phone, tux stretched over his broad shoulders.
I begin my descent with one hand clutching the banister to make sure I don’t stumble. Before I’m halfway down, he looks up. His eyes widen. Part of me wants to preen, but I force my expression into a bored glare.
He doesn’t deserve the best of me. Yes, I’ve agreed to play the dutiful wife tonight, but only because in return, he promised to fulfill my Amazon wishlist.
If I’m to spend months locked up in this mansion, I need things to occupy my time. And books are my thing. Specifically, textbooks so I can exercise my brain.
I jumped into a new coding language a few months back, and without access to a computer, I’m stuck. As well as textbooks, Angelo has agreed to let me have a laptop with restricted internet access.
It’s a small concession, but one that will make my life easier.
“You look…lovely,” Angelo says as I approach him.
I admire his black tuxedo and fight back a swoon. This man may be the husband I don’t want, but I can’t deny how attractive he is. It makes me wonder why he wants me around this evening. Surely I’ll cramp his style.
“Ready?” The other asshole I hate appears in the doorway, a smirk on his face. Kane’s wearing a dark suit rather than a tux. No doubt he’s carrying a full armory of weapons underneath his jacket.
“Are you coming with us this evening?” I ask while fluttering my eyelashes.
He frowns. “Yes, of course. I’m head of security. This is a big event.”
“Oh. I wasn’t sure if you’re allowed out in public, given you’re not housebroken.”
“Funny.” He grins, not at all bothered by my jab.How disappointing.I’ll have to try harder to piss him off. He gives me a once-over, and I don’t miss the heat in his eyes when his gaze lingers on my tits. Interesting.
Then he turns to Angelo. “Is Luka coming with us?”
“No, he had plans. Fina’s meeting us there. Father arranged a date for her.”
“Date?” Why would she be dating when she’s in love with someone else? Then the penny drops. Of course. Like me, Fina has no say in who she’s involved with romantically.
Angelo forces a smile. “Travis Marconi. His father owns a media company. A useful addition to the family.”
“How lucky for Fina. I’m sure he’s a real catch.”
Kane snorts. “In the market for a new husband, kitten?”
“No, still trying to get rid of the old one.” I smile sweetly, and he laughs.
“If you two are done flirting, we’re already late.” Ice coats Angelo’s voice. He doesn’t like it when Kane talks to me. I file that nugget away for inspection later.
“Pretty sure nobody will be surprised if we’re late,” I point out with an eye roll. “I’m mentally unwell, remember? Just say I had a meltdown and started hearing voices or something. Let me know if you want me to go full exorcist during the event. My acting skills are rusty, but I’m good at improv.”
