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Taking the dress with me, I hurry into the ensuite, closing the door and stripping down. I never thought I’d miss the days with Clamara would be all up in my business while I tried to change, yanking me every which way. If she could see me now, trying to get into some royal number by myself, I’m sure she’d keel over.
“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but I do know the satin slip goes on first, then the corset, then some weird pillow thing, and the rest of the actual dress. At least that’s the reverse order I remember taking them off… I’m assuming it’s the same here.”
Laying out the pieces, I stand back, hands on my hips, mumbling the order Finn said they go in over and over. “Slip first,” I remember out loud, picking up the bright white satin dress that would likely count as a whole outfit on Earth for my old roommate. Charlie has definitely gone out in public less.
“Correct,” Finn says, having heard me talk to myself.
Naked, besides my underwear, I drag the fabric over my body. “Why can’t I just wear my own clothes? They seemed to be just fine in Hell Hold.”
“Because you just stormed their castle, Alice. The least you can do is honor their customs. They’ll take you more seriously if you look the part, than if you look like an outsider,” I hear him yell through the door. “Are you almost done?”
“No. I barely got the first layer on. How am I supposed to do the corset by myself?”
He cracks open the door. “You’re not. That’s why I’m here. Kai is busy barking orders at the guards. Eva and her sisters are taking care of the people you invited to the castle, and that just leaves me. The castle staff is basically nonexistent. The king didn’t trust anyone but his guard. His daughters took care of these things.” Pushing open the door, I find his eyes closed. “Is it okay to come in?”
“Yes. I don’t see how you’re going to help me when you don’t have hands.” He opens his eyes, squinting them into a scowl.
“I have hands. Though small, they are mighty. Now, we’ve tackled worse.”
The sound of the door closing in the main part of the room has me and Finn craning around the door frame to see who it is, only to find Asmo. “I need to talk to you.”
“Only if you know how to tie a corset. Otherwise, you’ll have to come back,” I say, peeking around the door.
He lets out an irritated groan, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Fine.” He storms forward, shoving Finn out of the way.
“Don’t mind me, I’ll just be chaperoning from the corner,” Finn says, taking a seat on the stool the maids would use to help someone wash up. He drags it to the farthest spot he can in the room, staying out of the way, and begins looking through the stack of books near the tub.
Asmo’s eyes land on me, and he swallows hard, quickly dropping his gaze to the floor. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
“I’m not sure…”
“She’s never worn one like that. The corsets she wears–seldomly–in Hell Hold are specially made, and built into her dresses, which maids have helped her into. Otherwise, the closest thing she’s worn to one is her god awful leather pants for her armor,” Finn says, spitting out the words ‘leather’ and ‘pants’ as if they’re the bane of his existence.
I laugh silently, casting a look over my shoulder at him. Finn’s cheeks blush, sharing my thoughts. I’ll never forget the day Kai walked in on Finn, trying to lace me into those things. It was a bonding moment, to say the least. I’ve never had a man tell me my ass was too big until he literally tried to stuff it into that war contraption.
“Let’s hope you can do this without dry humping me, unlike that fool,” I say, tipping a thumb at Finn, who giggles to himself. His eyes stay glued to the book in his hands. One he’s trying very hard to pretend to be interested in, only the title is embossed with gold foiling, and clearly upside down. He fingers the yellowed pages and flips one to sell his act.
Asmo picks up the corset from where I have things spread out on the floor. “Quit your bickering andturn.” The word is a command, laced in power, and I scowl at him before listening.
“We’ve had this conversation. I thought you weren’t going to use yourgiftanymore to make me do things,” I say through clenched teeth, hating the heat that pools in my middle. Stupid power hungry whore… My vagina, not Asmo. I don’t think he quite cares for power the way I admittedly do. Nephilim are drawn to it by nature, but add in my lusty witch mambo jumbo to the kettle and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Giving Asmo my back, he reaches around my middle, covering my torso with the bones of the corset. His body is way too fucking close to mine if I can feel his breath against my ear. I trap the air in my lungs, looking at the flames of the candles burning near Finn to steady myself. At this point, I’d like to zone out until it’s over. It’s what is best for all of us.
“Take it, Mouse,” he growls in a low tone, making me jolt and stare at him with wide eyes.Did he just tell me…He nods to his hand, holding the top edge of the corset and I relax, replacing his with my own. It’s been too long. My magic has officially started to drive me mad.
Rough hands gather my curls, lifting and cascading them over one shoulder, then quickly adjust the bones and the fabric of the corset into place. He jerks me backward as he tightens the laces, over and over, cinching it closed around me until I barely have space to breathe.
“How tight are you? Is two fingers alright?” he asks, and my lips press into a firm line as my cheek flush bright red.
“Excuse me?”
“How many fingers do you want? Two… Three…Four?” My eyes meet Finn’s, who’s smiling, hiding his amusement behind his upside down book.
“I’m not sure I understand the question.”
He lets out a guttural groan, running a hand down his face. “Has no one taught you anything about being a lady? It’s the sizing. If I can fit one finger between you and the corset, it’s tight. The more fingers I can slide in, the looser the corset is. Do you want it tighter, or is this okay? It’s at three, right now.”
“I think three…” I pause, trying to refrain from laughing, but Finn’s watery eyes don’t make it easy. “I think three is perfect.”
