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“I guess we’re not that lucky.” I threw open the closet and riffled through the hanging gowns until I found a silk robe. I’d barely tied it around my waist when the bedroom door flew open and Ciara rushed in, a collection of dresses gathered in her arms.
She deposited silk and tulle, satin and sequins onto the bed and turned to me, planting her hands on her narrow hips. “What are you wearing? Why didn’t we plan this out?” She shooed Lachlan away with one hand. “Go glower somewhere else.”
I bit back a laugh as his eyes narrowed, a tattoo winding around his knuckles as he cracked them.
“Try not to corrupt my…”
I waited for him to call me possession or toy or pet, my slitted gaze almost daring him.
But Ciara lost her patience, stomped over, and shoved her brother unceremoniously out the door before shutting it behind him. “Leering, obnoxious creep.”
Sometimes, they reminded me so much of my relationship with Channing it hurt. Except my brother was in a jail cell and I was going to a party. I forced the thought aside, reminding myself that I was only going to the party to protect Channing and get us out of this mess. Eventually.
Ciara returned to the bed, picking up gowns and tossing them to the side. “I have no idea what to wear.” She turned beseeching eyes to me. “And I don’t want to sleep with Bain.”
I sucked in a breath. “Then don’t.”
“You make that sound so simple.” She dropped onto the bed, sending the voluminous fabrics into the air. The dresses settled around her, but she didn’t look at them.
“Isn’t it?” I asked carefully. Despite the time we’d spent together over the last week, she hadn’t talked much about the betrothal. I’d followed her lead. But tonight was the eleventh hour.
“I don’t know. It should be. I’ve had plenty of hookups.” She picked at the hem of one of the dresses. “It’s different because I don’t want to. Not yet.”
Her words squeezed my heart. I sat down beside her and took her hand. “Then don’t. Spend some time with him. Maybe something will change.”
“What if he doesn’t understand?”
My blood ran cold at the fear lacing her voice. “I will shoot him myself.”
Ciera stared at me, blinking several times. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“I do.”
Her fingers tightened around mine, and then she giggled. “Do not fuck with Cate.”
I didn’t feel like laughing, though. Not when I knew how concerned she was.
The smile fell from her face. “Shit. I scared you.”
“I overreacted.”
But she searched my face, as if she now suspected what I was sure Lachlan already knew. “Lach would never let him touch me. I’m safe here,” she said softly, adding, “and you’re safe here.”
“Yeah, I know that.” I’d shown too much, and now she was worried about me, which was the last thing I wanted.
But she shook her head. “Seriously, there’s a code. The fae are a lot of things, but…”
I thought back to that first night in Lachlan’s office, of what had happened to the man that broke that code. Each time I recalled it, my disgust diminished. Tonight, it was nearly gone.
I reached for one of the dresses. “All of these are pretty, and you’ll look beautiful in any of them.”
“I don’t want to send the wrong message,” she said in a breathy whisper. “Not just to Bain but anyone who might be interested.”
“Anyone who might be—” My eyebrows lurched up my forehead. “What exactly is happening tonight?”
“Ever been to a bachelorette party?”
“Yes…”