Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“I just need to put on my dress.” I spent entirely too much time on my makeup and hair, fighting my straight tresses into some semblance of waves and pairing subtle smokey eyes with crimson lips.
She frowns like she doesn’t believe me. “What dress are you wearing?”
“I don’t know now. You’re going to show me up,” I say teasingly.
“Yeah, yeah, I show everyone up.” She closes her eyes, and I get the distinct impression that she’s going through my closet by memory. Michelle has inherited her mother’s fashion sense, but not the desire to create clothing for other people. “The sheath dress. The black one. Don’t wear anything under it but your best lingerie. We’re getting you fucked tonight, my friend.”
The dress she’s talking about actually is sheer. The cut is loose and high along my throat, but it barely hits the tops of my thighs, and while it hangs dramatically wide, it’s meant to be worn with a shift underneath. “Bold statement.”
“On all counts.” She grins, completely unrepentant. “Also, Zayne is coming out. I couldn’t convince Guinevere to join us, and Cassim never returns my calls, so he didn’t get an invite. Jo is busy doing . . . something . . . with Kiley and Sunara. Probably playing checkers with how boring those three are. Talia said maybe.”
“Talia always says maybe and then doesn’t come.” The heirs and spares of Carver City all attended a private school on neutral territory in our formative years. I think the goal was to create a bond between us so that the peace would last past our parents’ generation. It worked with me and Michelle—and Zayne, though he’s a spare. The rest? We’re friendly enough when it’s required, but I wouldn’t call us friends.
“Hope springs eternal. I called you a car. It will be there in ten, so you better be ready. Love you, see you soon.” She hangs up before I can curse her out for being bossy.
I grab the dress she recommended, though. And while I throw on my best black lace panties, I bypass the bra entirely. Instead I take a minute to use some makeup to make my nipples appear like hearts. Michelle wants to get me fucked tonight? I’m going to make sure it happens.
What happens if Wolf kills them?
I shove the thought aside. I can’t even prove he killed Rafe, for all that he acted like he’s responsible. He might have been bluffing.
The reasoning feels flimsy, but I don’t let that stop me from yanking on sky-high heels and hurrying down to the sidewalk to meet the car Michelle called. As it pulls from the curb, my phone dings with a text.
Wolf
Going somewhere?
I glare at my phone. So he was watching me today. He just decided that I didn’t deserve attention. Well, fuck that. If he won’t give me attention, then someone else will. I snap a picture of myself, ensuring he can clearly see my heart-shaped nipples. I send him the photo.
I’m going to get fucked.
Wolf
Baby, you try my patience. Friday is tomorrow.
I grin even as my heart beats faster.
I already told you I’m not showing up.
Wolf
Liar.
You’re just my stalker. You don’t get to tell me what to do.
Wolf
Wrong on both counts.
Do you like my dress, BABY?
Wolf
Flashing your tits at anyone who looks. You’re about to make me have to blind the whole damn club.
I snort.
Wolf
Don’t try to call my bluff tonight, Ruby. You won’t like what happens.
I stare at my phone. This is the first time he’s called me by my actual name. The warning is a big flashing neon sign. It makes me wet.
I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me. At this point, I’ve made my peace with it. I’ve spent my whole life unaware of how deep my well of recklessness truly goes—at least until recently. Now I’m in a speeding car with no brakes. Crashing is the only way to stop.
You could ask for help.
“I’m not ready for it to be over,” I whisper. I send a quick reply.
I guess we’ll see, won’t we?
I drop my phone into my purse without waiting for a response. He left me hanging all day. It’s only polite to return the favor. I decide to ignore the small voice pointing out that I’m treating my stalker like there’s something between us. There’s not. Or at least nothing I want to explore. He’s bringing out something toxic and dangerous in me, and if I had any sense, I’d cut him out of my life the way I’d cut rot out of an apple.
It’s a quick drive to the Tower, a club that brings in an interesting mix of college students, businesspeople lingering after happy hour, and a scattering of people in the life. I don’t know that we consciously picked a club in Jasmine’s territory as the place to congregate, but this choice ensures there’s no friction with the various territory leaders. My parents never feel perfectly comfortable when I end up in Ursa’s part of town. They haven’t forgotten the threat she represented in the time after my grandfather died.