Page 22 of Daddies of the Underworld

This was not me, and yet from the moment the dress touched my skin it was like coming home.

I could be this person, if only for one night. I lifted my chin the way I’d seen others do, and Rosa gave an approving snort.

“You look beautiful.” She helped Elspa gather the garment bag and their accessories before leaving me with matching smiles.

Luca stood in the doorway, stepping back as they passed.

The midnight blue suit jacket cut close to his body, and he wore that infuriating grin that must be his form of body armor.

Matteo stood to his right, once again in black, so still and controlled he might have been cut from stone.

Dante stood slightly apart, all broad shoulders and dark eyes, his black suit somehow making him look more dangerous.

Matteo’s and Dante’s conversation died the moment I stepped out of my room.

Luca’s smile widened to an impossible stretch, and he stepped forward with his arm outstretched, elbow crooked. “Well then. I had prepared an entire speech about how you would stun every person in attendance, but now I’m afraid words have abandoned me.”

“You just said quite a few for them to have done that.” I started to pop my hand onto my hip but stopped.

Matteo’s gaze moved from my face to the dress and back up again. “You look lovely.”

A word should not feel like a hand sliding up my spine in a delicious arc.

I turned away from him and faced Dante. “Will you tell me the truth?”

He shook his head, mouth flat and grim. “If I say what I’m thinking, we won’t make it to the gala.”

Heat flashed through me so fast I almost stepped backward to the door.

Luca coughed into his fist. “Look at that. Words came back just in time to be murdered by Dante.” He offered me his arm a second time, and I took it.

Dante fell in step behind us, with Matteo moving close enough on my other side that his knuckles brushed mine with every step.

Being escorted like this should have felt ridiculous.

But the fairytale remained firmly locked in place.

If the wolves owned the forest, then the safest place to be was on their good side, and at their sides.

Luca paused at the top of the staircase and let me take a long look.

The gala had taken over the largest terrace and spilled down wide stone steps into the gardens.

It looked like the stars had been pulled down from the heavens and sprinkled across the villa.

Strings of lights looped through branches. Candles floated in bowls of water on every table, and the air smelled of jasmine and lemon, the potency of the scent clinging to the back of my throat.

Music drifted from somewhere near the fountain, violins and piano twining through conversations.

My fingers tightened on Luca’s jacket when every head turned our way.

He ducked his head so his words brushed my ear. “You are the most beautiful woman in the room. Remember that. They cannot touch you.”

My chin lifted, the trapped air escaping my lungs in a rush. “The women are looking at me like they might stab me with their heels.”

“Because they’re jealous. Remember that too.” He patted my hand and we descended the steps.

I only had to look down once to make sure I didn’t miss a step and stumble and fall.