Page 62 of Savage Little Lies

“She told me specifically not to invite you to the wedding,” I say as I check the next rack, our shoulders briefly grazing.

Cara shakes her head, but she doesn’t look surprised or bothered. “She really doesn’t like me.”

“She’s threatened by you. Probably for good reason,” I reply as my eyes do a brief sweep of her figure. Per usual, she looks incredible. Hard to resist.

Cara purposely bumps her shoulder against mine. “Well, I’m not a threat. Not when you’re engaged.”

“There hasn’t been an official proposal. I never gave her a ring. This is just business between families,” I remind her before pulling out a black suit jacket. “What about this one?”

Cara wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “It looks more like something you would wear to a dinner party.”

I put it back on the rack and keep looking. “No feelings would get hurt if you and I were involved before the ceremony.”

“Annika would stab us both in our sleep,” Cara tells me before pulling a suit jacket off the rack. “What about this one? It’s formal.”

“Too old-fashioned,” I reply with a shake of my head.

Cara puts it back before turning to me. “I’m still flattered, though.”

I can’t help but chuckle as I turn to face her. “Oh, really? Just flattered?”

Cara smiles and shrugs. “Yeah, just flattered.”

Such a damn tease. This woman is going to be the death of me.

“You didn’t seem just flattered when I put you on my desk,” I reply as I turn my attention back to the jackets. Less than half of my attention is truly devoted to that task, though.

“You caught me off guard. It was cheating,” Cara says before pulling another option off her rack. “Classic. Black. How about this one?”

I take a look at it, my eyes roaming over the details. It’s pricey for being so simple, but I can’t go wrong with a classic suit. “I’ll try it on. We need to find all the other pieces first.”

With a nod, Cara follows me around the store to pick up all the accessories to complete a wedding look. A tie. Vest. Handkerchief. Even as I grab everything that I need, this still doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel like I’m truly getting ready for my wedding.

“You keep zoning out,” Cara comments, making me realize that I’ve been staring at the same white shirt for a few minutes now.

“Just trying to come to terms with everything,” I reply before grabbing my size and heading to the dressing room. “I’ll need your help in a minute.”

Cara stops out in the hallway where all the dressing rooms are located.

I head inside the one at the very end of the hallway and catch sight of my frown in the three mirrors.

I pull on each piece of the suit, finishing up with the bow tie that takes me three attempts to tie. With a frustrated huff, I drop my hands and stare at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing myself.

I’ve killed for my family. I’ve almost died for them too.

Yet, this feels like the biggest sacrifice.

“Come in here, Cara,” I tell her.

She opens the door and steps inside, her eyebrows rising as she catches sight of my reflection in the mirrors. “Wow, it looks great. Your bow tie is a little crooked, though.”

“I’m more familiar with ties. Do you know how to tie these?” I ask her as I turn to face her.

Cara hesitates for a moment, but she nods before stepping closer to me. She lifts up on her toes and undoes my bow tie, her chest almost touching mine as she leans close. Her vanilla-and-cinnamon scent nearly brings me to my knees.

I watch her intently, the way her eyes slightly narrow in concentration and how her lips purse. When she’s not thinking too hard, she can be so expressive, even when she’s doing the littlest things. Most of the time, she doesn’t fully project her emotions or thoughts, though.

Like she’s holding them back.