With Nik.
Oh, God. I needed to hurry.
I bolted to the bathroom, shedding my ratty shirt mid-sprint. The shower hissed to life, and I scrubbed like a woman possessed—shaving, exfoliating, conditioning twice, and even using the fancy rose-scented body oil Aria slipped onto the counter like a secret weapon.
Somewhere between wrapping towels around my hair and body and brushing my teeth, I shouted to her, “What should I do with my hair?”
Entering the bathroom seconds later, she instructed without hesitation, “Wear it down. Nik loves your long blonde locks.”
I froze mid-stroke with my toothbrush. “He said that?”
She smiled and shrugged, then casually placed a matching blush-colored lace bra and panty set on the vanity. “He did.”
Wow.
Nik had actually said that—to this stunning, confident woman who clearly knew him well. I stared at myself in the mirror as I dried and curled my hair in soft waves. I wondered what else he had told her. What did she know about me?
But I didn’t have time to spiral. I turned my focus to applying my makeup. When I stepped back into the bedroom wearing only the lacy bra and panties, Aria paused halfway throughunzipping the dress she’d picked out for me. “Ooo, that set on you is the sexiest thing I’ve seen in ages. I’m definitely getting myself one.”
Aria held the dress up for me to see. I barely suppressed a gasp. The fabric looked as if it had been woven from moonlight. Ivory silk, bias-cut, impossibly luminous in its shimmer. When I slipped it on with Aria’s help, it flowed over my body like liquid—sophisticated, sensual, and unlike anything I’d ever worn.
The low neckline hinted at my cleavage without begging for attention. The long lace sleeves brushed past my wrists, and the sheer lace panels along the sides revealed just enough skin to make my breath catch. Tiny silk buttons trailed down the back like something out of a vintage Parisian dream.
The heels were just as breathtaking—ivory satin, slim ankle strap fastened with a pearl button. And the little mother-of-pearl purse? Though it was a tiny little thing that could hold no more than a lipstick and phone—if I was lucky—it was nicer than anything I’d ever owned.
I stood in front of the mirror, stunned.
“I look…”
“Beautiful,” Aria finished for me, fastening the final button. “Nik’s going to be pleased.”
A warm, breathless laugh bubbled out of me. “This outfit probably costs more than my first car.”
“Probably,” she said with a wink. “But worth it.”
As she adjusted the sleeves and smoothed the skirt, I said hesitantly, “Can I ask you something?”
Her eyes flicked up to mine in the mirror. “Of course.”
“What’s Nik really like?”
She paused, resting her hands lightly on my shoulders. “Private. Intense. Brilliant. I’ve worked with the owners of Club Xyst for years—Nik took over Ana’s share recently after her arranged marriage went sideways.”
“Arranged marriage?” I turned toward her, wide-eyed.
She nodded, folding a lace shawl that hadn’t made the cut and setting it to the side. “It’s not uncommon in our world. Power, alliances, control—it’s business before love, especially for women.”
I frowned. “That’s awful.”
“It can be,” she said carefully. “But Ana’s lucky. She got out. And Nik…well, let’s just say he doesn’t let things slide when it comes to people he cares about.”
I swallowed. “Have you ever seen him with someone? Like…has he ever brought someone around? Dated anyone seriously?”
“Never,” she said gently. “You’re the first. And I’ve gotten to know him pretty well.”
My cheeks burned. “Oh.”
She hesitated, then added with a small smile, “The only woman I’ve ever seen him truly care about is his twin sister.”
