AllFreeNovel
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“Why are you here, Emeri?” I slump back in my chair, because it’s the end of a long day, and my posture has officially given up. “Also, you look like you got in a fight. You have black eyes.”
She pulls her fingers from her ears and stands to scowl at me. “It’s called makeup, you unsophisticated swine. It’s called style. You’d know that if you had turned up to your appointments.”
Crossing my office and sitting her sparkly ass on the corner of my desk, she takes out her phone and uses the reverse-camera as a mirror. “Have you reconsidered going yet? I know the mayor is expecting you.”
“The mayor isnotexpecting me.” Switching off my computer, then the screen, I open my desk drawer and collect my phone and keys. “He knows I’m not coming, because I told him with my own words. Then later, when he emailed me, I responded again to reinforce my boundary. I’m not going.”
Sliding my chair back and making room for me to stand, I look into Aubree’s eyes when she puts her phone away. “Besides, even if I wanted to go, I can’t.” I drop my lips into an exaggerated pout. “My dress isn’t ready. And my makeup isn’t black like yours.”
“Yeah, and you sound super cut-up about it.” Unimpressed, she moves to her heeled feet and turns to meet me when I circle my desk. “I’ll walk you out. You can go home to your lonely existence, and I’ll spend the evening with some dapper men in sexy suits. NoTimsallowed.”
“Good for you. Genuinely.” I match her pace as we leave my office and move toward the elevator. “You can spend the night in heels you hate and a dress you can’t breathe in.” I smack the elevator call button when we’re close enough. “It’s a beautiful dress, by the way. Very sexy.”
“Hmm.” She purrs and runs her hands along the torso of the gown. “You really think so?”
“Uh-huh. But while you enjoy that torture, I’m going home to fat pants andLove Paradise.”
“Iknewyou liked that show!” She follows me into the elevator and hits the button for the lobby, then the one for the parking garage. I’ll be exiting on one, and she’ll use the other, I suppose. “Reuben is the sexiest, right? He’s got that arrogant flair, and everyone knows he waxes his entire body every single week, but he looks good, right?”
“Sure. If you prefer a man who stares at himself more than he stares at you, then Reuben is the man.” I lazily glance up and watch as the numbers count down. Seventh floor. Sixth. Fifth. “I prefer a man with more substance. You know, a man who knows how to be a little rough and a lot bossy.”
Aubree only rolls her eyes. “Yes, and you speak from experience—considering you’re single and lonely because you’re unwilling to make up with the arrogant, rough, and bossy man.”
“It’s not a matter of making up with anyone. We’re not broken up because of a stupid fight.”
Third floor.
Second.
“We’re just…”
“Not compatible,” she scoffs, parroting my words and making them sound ridiculous. “Yup. Everyone knows.”
“You don’tknowanything.” Once the elevator stops on the lobby floor, I huff and step forward, even before the doors open. “Go to the party, Aubree. Have fun. Don’t make a dick of us in front of the mayor.”
Charging ahead the moment the doors begin to part, I attempt to step left when a crowd works to file onto the elevator, but then a set of strong hands clamps onto my forearms and shoves me back.
“What the—”
Seraphina’s eyes are the pair I see first. Then I search the rest and find people I don’t know.
“What are you doing?” I demand.
Instead of answering, the moment everyone is onboard and the doors shut, Seraphina swings a violent arm out and smacks the emergency call button to shut the elevator down. “Get undressed.”
“Uh, excuse me?” My head swirls with confusion. “What the hell do you m—”
She grabs my coat and shucks it off. The way she does it reminds me of a lover, but the violence with which she tugs proves none of this is consensual. “You’re going to the ball, because if you don’t and the mayor decides to hate us, we’re going to rebel.”
“Seraphina!”
“You have a dress. You have—”
“I don’t have a dress! I never picked it up.”
“I have it.” Stepping into view, Aubree holds my gown on a hanger and grins like the Cheshire Cat. “Seraphina collected it before Lori’s closed.”
“I’m not—”
