They haven’t explicitly stated their plan, but I can hazard a few guesses. “I need clothes.” They want to make a statement and Tink’s designs are sure to do that, though I don’t know what she can accomplish on this timeline. None of us have thought through things as much as we need to.
“You need a whole lot more than that.” She shakes her head. “Damn men. We’ll take care of this. Trust me.”
Strangely enough, I do. Tink and I have never been friends. She’s snarly and brilliant and all of our interactions have surrounded her measuring me, making suggestions, and then delivering stunning clothing items when she says she will. That said, I know plenty about her reputation. Anyone who can go toe-to-toe with the power players in Carver City, both in and out of the bedroom, is not someone to be taken lightly. “Okay.”
She leads the way back into the main room of the apartment. The men are more or less exactly where we left them. Hook lights up like Tink has been gone a week instead of a few short minutes. Gaeton and Beast just look guarded.
Tink props her hands on her generous hips. “You two are acting like fools.”
“Jeez, Tink, tell us how you really feel.” Gaeton smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Somehow, I know that if this situation wasn’t about me, he’d be fully enjoying her attitude.
“Don’t worry, I have an itemized list.” I can’t see her expression from here, but she sounds fearsome. “I’m going to text it to you, and then you and Beast are going to retrieve every single thing on the list for me. I don’t want you back before then.”
Beast is already shaking his head. “No. We’re more than happy to pay your steep fees to get something put together now, but we’re not leaving.”
“Wrong again.” She pulls her phone out and types quickly. Seconds later, both Gaeton and Beast’s phones chime.
Gaeton’s brows rise as he reads. “This list has twenty things on it. Some of this shit, I’ve never heard of.”
“Get familiar. You want to seduce someone who invests as much into their appearance as Isabelle does—that wasn’t a dig, by the way—you need to figure out the products that they need to accomplish it, and you need to figure it out fast.” A sugary sweet edge filters into her voice, one that doesn’t do a single thing to cover the poison beneath. “Get the fuck out, or I’ll leave all three of you high and dry. And don’t think for a second that I’m not charging you hazard pay for this entire day.”
Beast and Gaeton exchanged one of those silent speaking glances. Finally, Beast shrugs. “You get a few hours on the condition that Hook stays.” He looks at the other man. “I’m assuming you have a team in the building.”
“You assume correctly.”
“It’ll be enough.” Beast crosses to me and tips my chin up with a finger. “What do you want, Isabelle?”
That’s a question I still don’t have an answer to. I’m starting to fear I never will. I try for a smile, but the expression doesn’t feel right on my face. “Tink appears to have things well in hand.”
He searches my expression and nods once. “We won’t be long.”
Not a single person mentions that it’d be simple to order the items and have them couriered here. There’s a bit of shuffling around as Hook’s people bring up a sewing machine and a rack filled with wardrobe bags. Then Gaeton and Beast are gone, Hook’s team are sent to secure the perimeter, and I’m left with these two people I barely know.
Hook brushes a soft kiss to Tink’s lips. “I’d tell you to be gentle, but I know better.”
“That’s right. You do know better.”
He drops into the chair Gaeton occupied and pulls out his phone. Seconds later, he seems entirely consumed with whatever he’s reading. Tink turns to give me a long look. “You shy?”
“Not particularly.”
“If you want Hook in another room or facing away, it’s fine, but I need you to try on a few things. We don’t have a time to put together a dress from scratch, so we’ll adjust some of the stuff I have on hand.”
I glance at Hook, but he doesn’t seem to pay us the least bit of attention. I know it’s a lie. If he thinks for a second that I’m a threat, he’ll neutralize me immediately. But I appreciate how respectful he’s being. He has a good reputation, both as a man and as a territory leader, and so far he’s living up to it. “It’s fine.”
“I’ll take you at your word. Lose the robe.”
I shrug out of it and drape it over the arm of the couch. Tink circles me and whistles. “They did a number on you.”