Fabiana looked to the last woman remaining, but she only shook her head. “No sad history, but my sister,” she motioned to the blonde, “had it bad enough.”
“I don’t … I don’t really know how to be part of a pack.”
“I’m Billie,” the short woman responded before she pulled Fabiana into her arms.
It was odd being comforted by someone smaller, but when Fabiana rested her head on Billie’s shoulder, she let out a relieved sigh.
“Blondie over there is Kate, and her sister is Ashley,” Billie continued. “Don’t worry, we all pick on their names.”
Fabiana got it then, as in Mary Kate and Ashley. She chuckled. “Took me a minute.”
“You don’t have to try to fit in. Just be yourself. We’ll watch out for you now that we know and we’ll spread it to the women. They didn’t know how to take you, and your man packs a bit of a … you know what I mean. No one wants their partner getting hurt for pissing you off.”
Fabiana rolled her eyes. “Adonis is overzealous. I don’t need him flying off the handle on everyone.”
“Guess you should stop him then, shouldn’t you? Keep letting him and he’ll figure that’s what you want, the visible display of his protection.”
Billie’s words, so close to Raphael’s, made Fabiana feel worse. They’d all been waiting for her, and she was so stuck in her head she couldn’t see her way out.
She took a deep breath. “How pretty can you make me?”
“Woman, I’ll make sure your man can’t even make it out the door. You just let ol’ Billie take care of everything.”
***
Fabiana stood in the foyer waiting for her mate to get her.
“Stop fidgeting. You look amazing,” Kate whispered.
“Girl, he won’t want to leave,” Ashley agreed.
“Not that it was a lot of work, but a dress that pretty needs to be seen before it ends up on the floor,” Billie added.
Fabiana couldn’t argue with that. The dress, makeup, and hair were spectacular. She’d been in plenty of formal dresses, but this one was in a class of its own. The body of the entire garment was made of sheer material and cut low in the back. Gold studded the bodice and around her hips before it cascaded and played peek-a-boo with her legs. Depending on how she moved, one would see a good amount of thigh or none at all. Diamonds lined the arms from her shoulders to wrists before some dangled down the end of golden tethers.
They’d pinned the longs strands of her hair up and away so it wouldn’t get caught in the jewels, wrapping it in curled ends so her hair looked shorter. The mass of ringlets hung barely to her shoulders. She wore diamond studs and her makeup was neutral, with a dusky rose for smokey eyes.
In a word … magnificent.
Fabiana had barely recognized herself when she looked in the mirror.
Her eyes twinkled with mirth, and the curve of her lips was a taunting smile promising delight. Where was the terrified woman who wanted to hide? Billie, Kate, and Ashley ensured she disappeared under a vision of sensuality and poise.
And Fabiana knew how to play the part.
She tossed her head back, straightened her shoulders, and fixed her posture.
Be their fantasy, Fabiana.
She shook her head. No, her father had no place here.
Behisfantasy.
“Dios mio.”
She looked over her shoulder and froze at the sight of Adonis.
The women must have known what he was going to wear. He had on his familiar black slacks and jacket, but his shirt and tie were golden. The pin on his tie ended in a single diamond and the napkin in his breast pocket was the same dusky rose around her eyes.
