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I twirl and Sadie dabs at her eyes.
“You look so cute!”
“Cute isn’t what I’m going for,” I mutter in response and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I do look cute, but I’m a step away from pigtails and sandals.Nope.
We move through seven more dresses, and by the eighth, I can feel Angela’s frustration. It leaks into her smile, no matter how much she tries, but I don’t care.
This is my day and I want to feel as perfect as I look.
The eight dress is a sheath, floor-length piece with an elegant, off-the-shoulder neckline. The lace bodice hugs my torso gently, but nothing pulls when I test a few deep breaths. What really catches my eye is the long column skirt and the sheer cape that attaches to the lace bodice and drapes down my back, connecting with the train. It’s sleek and elegant, and something about the way the material strokes down my body makes me feel light and cared for.
I almost can’t contain myself as I step out in front of Sadie and Kimmy. I expect them to squeal in delight like every other dress I have shown them.
Instead, there is silence.
Sadie lifts a hand to her mouth and Kimmy squeezes her hands together against her chest.
“What?” I say and a prickle of alarm tickles down my spine. I glance down, self-consciously smoothing out the skirt. “Is something wrong? Is it worse than the box dress?”
“Oh honey, no,” Sadie murmurs and there’s a gleam of tears in her eyes. “You lookamazing!”
“It’s so… soyou!” Kimmy exclaims and heat flashes over my chest, creeping up my face.
“Really?”
“Yes!” they both cry, clutching at one another. I lift a hand, pressing trembling fingers to my collarbone as heat stings behind my eyes. Angela leads me to the full-length mirror, and I stand there, admiring every detail as Kimmy and Sadie cheer warmly in the background. The dress is perfect. It’s simple and elegant. Frankly, I need all the help appearing pure that I can get, what with the half-truth I’m keeping from Killian, and the one I’m keeping from my family too.
This dress soothes me and I drift my fingers lightly over the lace detailing around my chest.
This is it.This is my dress.
“I’ll take this one,” I say and a bubble of emotion catches in my throat, muffling my voice. I don’t miss the relief that flickers across Angela’s brow.
“Excellent!” she exclaims and takes my elbow once more, guiding me back through the curtain. “Sienna set this one aside for you, but I was instructed only to show you if nothing else was catching your eye.”
“Of course,” I chuckle softly, bouncing lightly up onto my toes. Everything is slotting into place, and all the stress, all the tension, and the lying will soon be over. Killian and I will be wed and nothing else will matter.
Not my father, not the weapons, and certainly notBlair. She enters my thoughts with a sour twist and I wrinkle my nose as Angela works around me.
Why is she still hanging around? Does she still want to try and get him back?
I wouldn’t be surprised, considering she’d lied to me about him, and she’s always approaching him in such a sultry manner, claiming they have things to talk about. I scoff inwardly.What could she possibly have to tell him that’s of any importance?
Nothing, that’s what.
She’s just desperate, trying to hook her claws back into him when she doesn’t stand a chance and he’s off the market.
We’ll be married tomorrow, and then nothing, and I meannothing, is ever going to come between us.
Yet, as strongly as I swear that to myself, Blair’s smirk lingers in my mind, like she knows something I never will.
18
CARA
It’s almost time. Every choice, every decision, and everydeceptionhas led right to this moment. In less than thirty minutes, I’ll have said “I do” and everything will slot into its perfect place. Our families will be bound in the eyes of the law and the mafia tradition. Everything else that’s happened before this moment will be forgiven and cast aside to be forgotten. Old transgressions righted and hatchets buried.
Clinging to that thought causes nausea to twist in my stomach, fueled by guilt that has assaulted me all night long. I’m stepping into this marriage afraud,wrapped up in Killian’s trust.How did we get to this moment? How did things spiral so fast?If Killian hadn’t opened up to me, I wouldn’t be struggling this way, but can I really lay blame at his feet? If I’d told him the truth last night when he called to see how I was doing, would he have forgiven me?
