AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The cascading diamond earrings I wore that my mother let me borrow only accentuated my long neck. My hair was pinned up with soft curls framing my delicate yet defined face. Black eyeliner and mascara accented my bright blue eyes. A white mask covered one side of my face. All eyes were on me as I twirled around the room. It was my time to shine, entrancing everyone with my charm as I basked in the attention.
My dad grabbed ahold of my hands and pulled me in to a tight embrace.
“My darling princess,” Dad acknowledged into the microphone, smiling at me with pride and adoration. “I can’t believe this day has come. I’m having a hard time trying to find the words to say to you. Tonight we celebrate your transition into womanhood and honor you with a debutante ball, a tradition that has been carried on for generations in our family. I remember carrying you into this home as a baby as if it were yesterday. How has it been seventeen years since I first held you in my arms?”
I beamed at him and gripped his hands tighter, seeking strength for the emotions he was evoking in me.
“You’re the only little girl in our family. We waited years for you to make your appearance. We couldn’t wait until you were finally here to spoil and love. You’re the angel God sent me from heaven above. I remember every detail of your birth, and often find myself replaying it in my mind. I wish you were still my little girl. Now, here you are, standing before me as a young woman ready to take on the world.
“I want you to know how proud I am of you. I know there are times you wished we wouldn’t protect you like we do, but you’re a treasure. I have high expectations for you, sweetheart. I know there will come a day where I won’t be the only man in your life.”
“Oh, Daddy…”
“No, no, no,” he adamantly responded. “I want all of your greatest dreams to come true. You deserve the love of a man like I love your mother. Someone who will protect you, respect you, and put you above all else.”
“I love you, Daddy.”
He leaned in and tenderly grabbed my face to kiss my forehead.
I didn’t pay the room any mind, too consumed by my desire to see Tristian among them. I was able to convince my parents to allow my first dance be with a friend from school. Except, I lied to them about who it was. It wasn’t the son of a prestigious family like I led them to believe. It was actually family rival.
A Hawkins.
Nobody would know, at least I silently prayed that they wouldn’t. My father released me, and I made my way around the room greeting my guests.
The guy dressed in a black three-piece suit caught my devoted attention. A gold mask covered his face, and he blended in with everyone else. But I’d find him anywhere, among anyone. I felt him there from across the room, staring at me. We locked eyes for several seconds, both of us lost in our thoughts of what could happen this evening.
We were taking a huge risk, one that could change the course of our lives if they found out Tristian was there with us. No Hawkins had ever knowingly stepped foot in any of my family’s homes. Not one. We weren’t just breaking the rules, we were making new ones.
He was the first to take a long stride toward me, his intense gaze solely focused on me.
Once he was standing in front of me, he stated, “You look gorgeous, kitten.”
I beamed. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“That gown...” He smiled. “Nobody can take their eyes off you.”
He tugged me closer to his torso, wrapping his arm around my lower back and holding me at his side. I wanted to kiss him so bad. We disappeared for a couple of minutes, seeking privacy to take each other in. Our time was cut short when I heard my father announce my first dance.
The crowd parted and formed a circle around us. It didn’t occur to me until that moment that maybe we should have practiced, but Tristian quickly pushed away my insecurities, like he always did.
He spun me around a few times until finally bringing me close to his chest. Hugging my body to his, he allowed no space between us. It was what you’d see in a happily ever after movie. Being surrounded by hundreds of people didn’t matter. Our connection made it feel like we were the only two people in the room.
I couldn’t hide my love for him. I wanted to, but there was no resisting it. He consumed me in every sense of the word. The same emotions I felt were mirrored through his captivated stare. We danced together like we’d been doing it all our lives, completely held hostage by our love. Our dance didn’t last as long as I would have liked. I’d dance all night with him if given the choice.
He rasped against my ear, delicately brushing his lips over the delicate lobe. “It’s taking everything inside of me not to kiss you in front of your family.”
I sucked in a breath as he pulled away and took a bow. Clapping his hands, he gestured toward me. I smiled and bowed, entertaining our guests.
My father danced with me next and then passed me around the room. It felt as if we’d spent hours apart when it was probably only thirty minutes. I finally returned to his arms, and everyone proceeded to dance with us. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, happy that we actually got away with it.
Wanting to live in the moment, I was caught off guard when Tristian whispered in my ear, “Kitten, I need to tell you something.”
“What is that?”
His expression shifted into solemness, making my nerves unsteady.
“What’s going on? You’re freaking me out.”
