I’m not expecting Cadence and her friends to shop at a high-end boutique. And I definitely don’t expect the VIP treatment when I get there.
“You must be Grey,” a woman with platinum blonde hair and a bright smile says to me. Her eyes slide down my frame. “Yes… mm… oh, he gave perfect measurements.”
“Excuse me?”
“Zane called ahead. I was admiring his accuracy. I think we picked the perfect dresses for you to try.”
“Zane?” My fingers curl into fists.
Cadence gives me a secret grin.
“You younger ladies can’t drink wine, but we have some liquor free champagne if you’d like.” The clerk gestures to a table. “Miss Jamieson, follow me please.”
Breeze and Serena fall into the stuffed chairs near the front of the shop.
Viola goes straight for one of the dress racks.
Cadence heads to the shoe section.
For the first time, I notice no one else besides our group is in the store.
“Grey?” The clerk gestures. “This way…”
“Hold on just one minute,” I say a little harshly.
The clerk’s got a great poker face and barely blinks. Grin in place, she nods. “No problem.”
I stalk over to Dutch’s wife. “Did you girls already buy your dresses?”
Cadence looks startled. “Uh… what?”
“You have, haven’t you?”
She doesn’t bother lying to me. “We’ve known about the masquerade ball for weeks now. Why would we try to buy dresses the day of?”
The truth clicks in my head.
“This is Zane’s idea,” I mutter.
“He thought you wouldn’t accept a gift from him.” Cadey gives me a friendly smile. “I brought Breeze and Serena because the point of tonight is for you to blend in with us.” She quickly tacks on, “Not that you don’t look as young and pretty as an eighteen year old. But your style tonight can’t scream ‘teacher’. So I have four different opinions to help you out, since I’m not the fashionista here.”
Annoyed, I stomp over to the side and haul my phone out.
Zane answers quickly. His voice curls around me like smoke. “Hey, tiger.”
“You shut down a store?”
“I can’t have anyone recognizing you tonight. That means even the dress you buy has to be a secret.”
“Is that all it is?”
There’s a pause. And then, he says calmly, “I want to be the one to pay for your dress, since I’ll be the one tearing it off you later.”
I can’t control my body or the heat that floods between my legs. “That’s never happening.”
“It will. Soon.” His voice has a dark thread of promise. “Now, why don’t you enjoy my little present? Georgia is a friend and my card is already in the system.”
I glance back at the perky-looking blonde. She’s older, maybe in her forties, but still very pretty. “What kind of friend?”
“Is that jealousy I hear, tiger?”
I dig my teeth into my bottom lip.
“Why does that get me excited?” Zane breathes hard. “I like you jealous.”
“You’re disgusting.”
He laughs, the loud cocky laugh that I’ve sometimes heard bouncing around the hallway. Whenever I heard it, I’d stop walking and look to see who made him laugh that way.
It would always be a girl. And I’d always grip my books tightly in front of me, ignoring the black, inky fury that threaded through my soul.
“I told you already, tiger. I don’t screw women I like.”
I open my mouth.
As if he can see me, he says, “You were the only exception.”
I almost roll my eyes.
Like I believe that line.
“We don’t have a lot of time. You better pick out your dress.”
“I’m going to spend all your money,” I threaten.
He makes a satisfied little sound. “I think that’s going to be my second favorite thing. You spending all my money.”
“Second? What’s the first?”
“The sound you make when I lick your—”
“I’m hanging up.”
His laughter bounces in my ears as I hang up the phone and toss it in my purse like it’s on fire. When I turn around, the girls are watching me.
I clear my throat. “I’m leaving.”
“But the dress!”
“I’m not buying a dress today.”
Cadence pouts. “Grey, wait.”
I stalk to the door.
She slides in front of me. “Don’t think of it as a gift from Zane. It’s for the plan. And the plan is more important than anything else, right?”
My nostrils flare.
The clerk surveys us. “Are you ready?”
I grit my teeth and resist the urge to run out of the shop. Cadence is right. The plan is more important. And I have a feeling that if I don’t accept this, Zane will find a bigger, more outrageous way to corner me.
“Fine.” I turn. Since Zane is paying… “Show me your most expensive dresses first.”
I lift my face to the mirror, feeling slightly frightened by the way this five-thousand dollar dress hangs off my shoulders and hugs my curves. The material is shimmery and light, even though the skirt is voluminous. It has a low front and a built-in, custom bustier that pushes my chest up and sets my cleavage front and center.
It definitely does not look like a teacher’s dress.
“This isn’t one that Zane picked,” the clerk says, zipping me up. “Are you sure you don’t want to try those on?”
“No.”
She nods. “Actually, this works too. The light tone goes so well with your darker complexion.”
I slide my hands down my waist as she continues her assessment.
“Your shape is gorgeous. I just knew a strapless would dazzle on you. The pleated skirt is a little avant garde, isn’t it? What do you think?”
“I think…” I choke up. “That this dress was made for me.”
She gives me a proud little smile and helps to gather up my hair.
When we walk outside, silence falls.
Cadence’s jaw drops.
Serena blinks and blinks.
Breeze gulps.
Viola is the first to break the quiet. “You’re stunning.”
“Do all the teachers at Redwood look this sexy or just her?” Cadence’s best friend Breeze asks.
Serena slow claps. “If I wasn’t such a fan of black and leather, I’d want to borrow that dress.”
Cadence rises slowly. “Everyone is going to be looking at you tonight.”
“Then I don’t think I should—”
“Zane is going to hate it.”
I freeze, swept up in a fantasy of Zane grinding his teeth in anger as I dance without him.
“Is that a yes?” the clerk asks, a note of hope ringing in her voice.
I smile villainously, touching the delicate fabric. “We’re taking this dress.”
Jinx: Every Wicked Kingdom Needs A Royal Ball
In just a few short hours, all the Cinderellas will appear in masks, ready to steal the hearts of the royals. Snare King is the rumored favorite now that he’s warmed his bed with Redwood’s most beautiful governess.
As all the over-worked and underpaid fairy godmothers turn their entitled Cinderellas into princesses for the gala, I wonder who Snare King will steal away with tonight?
Until the next post, keep your enemies close and your secrets even closer.
– Jinx
