AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Like, mail it?” That will take days, and who knows if I’ll even get a response? But Valentina nods to confirm.
“From what I understand, Darragh is just about foaming at the mouth to get his hands on your dad. Or, in his place, you. He likely already knows we have you, so it’s not like any of us can just go waltzing into his territory right now. I think mailing a letter is your best bet to actually get a message to Willow without everything blowing the fuck up.”
“OK. That works,” I say hurriedly. I don’t want Willow in danger if some of Elio’s men show up at the pub. And now that I think about it, maybe a letter is perfect. If I don’t put a return address on it, there’s no real reason some mail for her would arouse Paddy’s suspicion. She can burn it when she’s done.
I don’t even know what I’ll write. I’m alive? I’m trapped? Save me? Forget you ever knew my name?
I promise myself I’ll figure it out as Valentina tells me she’ll bring me envelopes and paper. She puts a note in her phone about it and then gasps.
“Oh, shit. We’re behind schedule. Time to get dressed and go!” She pins me with a look. “Seriously. Chop chop. No more worrying about the camera.”
It amazes me that she doesn’t worry about the camera. When she sees my look, she groans and runs to the bathroom, returning with a towel.
“Here. I’ll hold this around you.”
I’m grateful for her as she opens up the towel and blocks the view of the camera while I shimmy out of the jeans and T-shirt I’m wearing. “Which dress?” I ask.
She cranes her neck to look at the bed.
“We don’t have time to try them both on. Go with the blue one. That’s the one I really wanted to see you in.”
For a second, I’m not sure what she means. One of the dresses is green, the other is black. But then I realize the black one is actually the deepest shade of blue you can get before black. Deep, inky blue silk. I reach my hand out of the towel and snatch it, then step into it.
There are no zippers or buttons to do up. It’s a simple cut with two straps, a deep V-neckline, and a plunging open back. I feel the air on my exposed back and I’m about to ask Valentina if I can wear the other dress instead when she whistles.
“Holy fucking shit, Irish. That’s the one. Fits you like a glove.”
The word glove makes me think of Elio, and my stomach tightens. I look down at myself, at the cling of fabric at my waist and hips, the long skirt with a high slit up one side. Before I can stop the thought and tell myself I’m absolutely insane, I wonder what he’ll think when he sees me.
As his date. What the fuck is happening?
Valentina flings the towel away.
“Take out your rollers while I get changed! And pick some shoes!” she says. She undresses in a frenzy, and I can’t help but gawk at her confidence while I yank the curlers out of my hair.
“You really don’t care about the camera?” I ask. At least she’s got a strapless bra on, unlike me, so she’s mostly covered.
“I’m used to it,” she says, stepping into her sequined pink dress. In contrast to mine, the skirt on hers is super short. “It’s the same in our house. But the security feeds for the family bedrooms don’t go to the main hub.”
“What does that mean?” I say, running my fingers through my hair now that all the rollers are out.
“My papà’s the only one with access to the family bedroom feeds. He’s a lot of things, but he’s not pervy enough to watch his own daughter getting changed or taking a dump. It’s mostly to make sure I’m not sneaking guys in there or something, especially now that I’ve got this.” She flaps her left hand in the air, and I know she means her engagement ring. “It’s the same here, you know. Only Elio has access to the cameras in here and in his rooms.”
“He didn’t mention that,” I say slowly. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I knew that Elio would have access to the cameras. It’s his house, and he has all the power. But I didn’t know he was the only one who’d see me in here. I can’t tell if I’m comforted or not, and I don’t have much time to think about it, because Valentina is urging me to get some shoes on, stat.
I grab a pair of strappy silver heels in my size and try them on. They seem to fit alright, but the heel is astronomically high. Far higher than I’m used to. A quick look at all the other shoes tells me I won’t get anything lower, and I may as well just stick with what I’ve got.
“Zip me up?” Valentina spins, and I do up the zipper at the back of her dress. Hers is strapless. Once she’s done up, she turns and fluffs my hair a bit.
“You look like a goddess. Let’s go!”
Go. Go to an event. With Elio.
At least it’s in a public place. Nothing bad is going to happen to me surrounded by other people. A small, stupid part of me is still holding out hope that somebody might even save me from all this.
I turn towards the door, ready to leave, when Valentina stops me with a cry.
“Oh, my God! Your underwear!”
