Page 18 of Curiosity

He walked away.

Just…left.

A moment later, Irina appeared – I already knew to follow her. She deposited me in the car, just like Elias wanted.

In next to no time, I was back in front of my place.

Just as wet and confused as the last time.

Four

The package arrived just in time.

I was standing in the middle of my closet, on the verge of tears when the doorbell rang – Brosia had been the one to go down and answer. While she did, River and I flipped through everything I had one more time, certain that there had to besomethingamong the hangers that felt worthy of dinner with Elias Black.

Brosia came back into the room, standing at the closet entry with the over-sized boxed in her hands – black velvet trimmed with black silk.

As it turned out, Mr. Black knew exactly what he wanted to see me in.

Designer.

From the ultra-soft expensive lingerie to the shoes I’d long coveted, but couldn’t bring myself to purchase. And thedress –my God. I’d never put on anything so sexy that actually felt good.

The delicate straps were barely there and yet, secure. The slinky black fabric clung to me, but didn’t suffocate. The opening at my lower back plunged daringly low, stoppingjustshy of scandalous.

Everything fit perfectly.

“He’s already dressing you?” River commented, pretending to turn up her nose – the obvious delight in her eyes gave her away. “Are we sure that’s not a red flag?”

“Red flags are good in a situation like this,” Brosia laughed, stepping forward to help me comb my silk-pressed hair into the soft, wavy layers that would perfectly complement my look. “This is one of those situations where you have your damn fun while it lasts, and use the memories to keep yourself entertained when it’s done. The wilder the road, the better.”

“Unless my dumb ass gets murdered,” I countered, sitting down at the vanity to pull out my makeup bag. “Y’all keep glossing over the fact that these people are weird.”

River snickered. “He’s a ten, but hemightbe in a secret sex club of weirdos that think they’re vampires. What does that make him?”

“Still a ten,” Brosia chirped. “He looks like that and eats pussy in elevators. Who cares about a little weird cosmetic dentistry?”

“Icare,” I laughed. “I don’t needanyweirdness around me.”

“Or is weirdnessexactlywhat you need,Ms. Always Too Busy Working or Planning Work to Go Out,” Brosia teased.

“Oh, she made time to go be nosy and get slurped up at the Black Gallery though.”

“Shut up Riv,” I gasped. “I wasn’tplanningfor that to happen, I just… let curiosity get the best of me.”

“A little healthy curiosity ain’t never hurt anything,” Brosia said.

I scoffed. “I feel like there’s nowaythat’s true. Curiosity hasdefinitelygotten somebody into some shit before.”

“You’re probably right,” she nodded. “Even more reason to live it up as much as possible, before theshitreveals itself.”

Those were the words I held onto later, as the car passed through the gates that allowed access to the neighborhood Elias called home. It wasn’t that late, but it was dark, making it hard to really see the other homes in any detail.

If something happened, you’d never be able to describe how to make it back here.

Yet another reason it was utterly ridiculous to be going along with… whatever this was.

At the house, the driver let me out, and I halfway expected to find Irina waiting to usher me inside.

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