“To what?”
Looking at me like I’m a complete idiot, she slowly drawls, “The party we’re currently shopping for?”
I return her confusion. “Why would I be going?”
Her eyes widen before she claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh shit, Bo hasn’t asked you yet, has he? Fuck.”
“He was going to on their date this weekend,” Cinjin calls from the other side of the door with a breathy laugh. “Way to go, Ems.”
Chagrined, Emmy raises her hands in front of her and gives me spirit fingers. “Surpiiiiiiise?”
“I couldn’t even keep my mouth shut around Slade, and you guys want to bring me around your friends? That’s a horrible idea!”
Cin instantly counters, “It’s a fantastic idea! I’m already picturing Victor’s face when he tries to flirt with you and you couldn’t give a shit.”
I turn to Emmy. “Who’s Victor?”
She attempts to smother her smile, failing epically. “Exactly. Honestly, Sabrina, you’re going to be the only thing that gets me through this, youhaveto go.” Puffing out her bottom lip in a pout, she widens her eyes, begging like a puppy.
“What the fuck would I even talk to anyone about?”
“Whatever you want! And you’ll be at our family’s table, so you won’t be alone.” She claps her hands on my shoulders, holding me hostage in her pleading gaze. “It’ll be like going to a wedding reception. You get to dress up, mingle, and even better, a free meal.”
“You are a master of peer pressure, do you know that?”
She squeals in excitement and pulls me in for a hug, knowing she won. “And I didn’t even have to offer you drugs to get you to do what I wanted. Really, Sabrina, at least make your horrible influences have to work for it a little.”
Chuckling, I hug her back. “Then I suppose when we’re done here, we’ll be swinging by my apartment so you can help me pick something out so I don’t stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Sound good to you, Cin?” Em calls through the door. “We’ll help find Sabrina something to wear?”
“Already did,” he declares, tapping on the door, “so she might as well try it on since the cat’s out of the bag. I told Bo before he left that I’d pick something out while we were here, but we were gonna lie and slip it in your closet so she could ‘borrow it’ since she’s weird about gifts.”
Emmy covers up before opening the door a crack to reach through and take it from him. “That’s genius.”
“Obviously. It was my plan, after all,” he declares and I shake my head at the both of them.
“You guys, I can buy my own dress, it’s not like I’m broke. This place is just a bit out of my comfort zone, but now that you’re giving me time to prepare, I can go shopping this week.”
Emmy scoffs, hiding the dress behind her back as she closes the door. “Oh please, you think Cin is paying? He’s not that benevolent. Now, come on, strip. Bra, too.”
Reluctantly, I shed my clothes, following her instructions to close my eyes and nearly falling on my ass as she helps me step into the short, flowy skirt. Back bare, the front is held in place by a choker that fastens in what feels like a metal infinity loop that’s missing a notch at the top to hook the fabric in.
“Okay, open ‘em,” she declares, clapping her hands in excitement.
“That’s... a lot of skin.”
Pitch black, it hangs halfway down my thighs, the skirt swishing when I turn. Two thin straps hold the far edges of the dress to the collar, and there’s a series of matching crisscrossing straps over my cleavage. It offers both a modicum of coverage, and draws the eye since it’s the most decorative part of the dress; even the choker is a solid black strip across my throat.
“It’s hot,” she counters. “And absolutely perfect.” Tossing her shirt back on, she grabs my hand and drags me to the door. “Cin! Why the hell have you been holding out on me all these years?”
“What are you-” he cuts off mid sentence as he turns our way, simply staring at us, at me.
“See?” Emmy snickers. “It’s perfect. Now you don’t need to worry about making conversation at the party; just leave them stunned speechless and slink away before they can recover.”
Cheeks heating, I pivot, grabbing her hand. “Okay, now let’s get back to why we actually came here and find yours.”
“Woah, woah, woah, hold on a minute.” Cin shakes himself out of it, withdrawing his phone from his pocket. “Gotta show my brother what he’s missing out on.” Before I can object, he takes a couple of pictures.
