Scorch (Virtues & Lies 2)

This is a bad idea. I know it before I even attempt it. But Freddie is a big problem, and I don’t have the time to get into an argument I won’t win. Not with him. He makes everything impossible when he sets his mind on something. A wolf would sooner drop a bleeding carcass than he would relent.

“Why do you want to sneak around him? Why would he care if you want to drive yourself to the dinner or not?” Georgina gives me another one of her assessing looks. “Why did you change?”

“It was in the box.”

“And?”

“And the note said to wear it.” Narrowing her eyes on mine, she takes a step closer. Her fingertips trail over the heavily beaded bodice of the dress, the red crystals casting crimson tinged rainbows around us. “New beginnings, right?”

My heart hasn’t moved from my throat. My chest is aching with its displacement.

“I never had Christopher pegged as a bling king,” she muses, her fingers still perusing the detail. “It looks heavy. Your boobs look amazing though.” Looking down to the deep plunging V, her eyes bulge. “If his way of getting to the top is by killing off the competition…he’s onto a winner with this one. The old boys might keel over and drown in their own spunk.”

“Seriously?” I take a step back from her fawning.

“What? Have you seen yourself? The hair, the dress…wow, where is my sister gone?”

“Can you distract Freddie or not? All you have to do is break a cup, scream, and he’ll go off on the hunt. I just need a couple of minutes. My Uber will be here in ten.”

“This is a bad idea. He’s a fucking psycho.”

“Oh come on, he’s not that bad.”

Her disbelieving stare meets mine.

Fuck, she’s not going to help me.

“I’m fucking crazy stupid for helping you. I don’t get why you can’t just tell Christopher you’ll meet him there and let Freddie take you. I really don’t want to be left here with him. There’s only so many creepy stares I can take.”

“He’s not creepy. His social skills just need a little brushing up on.”

“He was watching me eat. Like full on gawking at me. That’s fucking weird.”

“Maybe he likes you.”

She laughs at that. “I don’t think so. I don’t do psycho freak.”

“Please?”

Looking between me and the doorway, she shakes her head. “Ugh. You owe me. If I ever need a kidney, you better be the first to volunteer yours.”

“Done.”

“I mean it.”

“I promise.”

“God, did you just promise me your kidney so you can go surprise your husband? That’s kind of fucked up. Just saying.”

“That’s what you wanted, right? So what’s the problem?”

“Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?”

I sit on the edge of the bed, the thigh-high slit of the satin skirt falling open around my legs as I slip my heels on and buckle the ankle strap.

The black lace tops of my stockings peek from beneath the shiny red fabric. I have to swallow down the vision of blood-soaked tulle before I sputter my panic over the memory.

“Give me five,” Georgina sighs, her quiet footfalls distancing as she walks out of the room.