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My sneakers back, saved from the dump.
A new phone.
A new life.
And all I have to do is let him slip this ring down my finger.
Slowly, I extend my hand.
And he slides it on, admiring me the whole time. It’s a perfect fit, an impossibly perfect fit.
“Good girl,” he whispers. “Now, when I get back, we are going to have dinner with my family. I hope you’re prepared.”
Just like that, we’re engaged, and I’m tumbling down the rabbit hole.
Chapter23
Evander
The meeting with the freight company goes well. I head back into the house, feeling decent for the first time in days. I’m solving my shipping problem, I found the damn shoes, and Camille didn’t fight me about wearing the ring.
I feel good as I step into my room and spot her standing out on the balcony.
She’s wearing a black, lace cocktail dress with a modest neckline and a fitted waist that shows off her lovely curves. I stand and stare at her, heart racing with surprise as she holds the ring up to the dying evening light and watches it glitter. That’s my fiancée, and my guts twist with excitement, and my heart flutters in my chest, and I’m having a reaction I’ve never felt before—
It’s desire, but it’s also joy, pure and unbridled excitement. Camille looks incredible, absolutely fuckingstunning, with understated makeup and her hair in a simple twist, and she’s wearing my ring.
Myring.
She turns and catches my eye—and grins at me.
That’s when I look down and notice the shoes.
The fuckingsneakers.
And all my good feelings are gone just like that. Of course, she’s wearing a cocktail dress with those ratty old sneakers. I close my eyes, take a steadying breath, and open them again.
“Hello, future husband,” she says and gives me a twirl, making sure to shove her foot out so I can’t miss thosefuckingsneakers. “How do I look?”
“Like a zebra blissfully wandering into a lion’s den.” I turn and gesture for her to follow. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
She skips up to my side and takes my arm. I glare at her but don’t speak as I lead her through the halls, taking my time. I don’t trust myself to say anything right now, and I’m not sure she’d listen anyway.
She doesn’t know my family and has no clue what she’s getting into, but at least I invited Lycus to attend this little get-together. He doesn’t normally show up for family gatherings, but occasionally I’ll drag him along when I need to discuss business afterward.
In this case, I need him there as a buffer.
“Listen carefully,” I say as we pause outside of the dining room doors. “For the love of everything you hold dear, please follow my lead. Don’t engage anyone. Theywillmake comments. Let it slide off you like water.”
“Who is they?” she asks, frowning at me.
“My Aunt Anissa and my cousin Sophia. Their uncle was the former lord of the Kazan family before I took over, and they still hold thattransitionagainst me. They are the enemies here.”
She nods slowly, staring at me with a serious expression, and I wonder how much she knows about how I took power. But now isn’t the time to go into that story.
“Who else is coming?”
“My sister, Helen. She’s almost as bad as Anissa and Sophia, but she’s on my side. And my mother, Dimitra.” I pause and take her hand in mine. “This will be fine. Don’t worry.”
