Page 38 of Tempt Me

“Or something…” Sasha mumbled.

She gave me a look that said she didn’t buy my bullshit at all but started cutting the black material up and popping off some of the buttons. I kept quiet while she worked, watching myself transform in the mirror, becoming more and more comfortable as she went.

When she was done, I stepped closer to the mirror.

The stuffy, too-tight Victorian vice dress was gone, and in its place was a breathtaking masterpiece.

Sasha had cut a slit down the sleeves, stitching in a beautiful lace fabric she’d taken from one of my old dresses in my closet to replace the scratchy material. My navel was visible, and my cleavage under colorful string from the fringe on one of her bags weaved into a netting.

The black fabric of Pharaoh’s shirt was weaved into a pattern of the bodice, like black oil spilling into an ocean of white, and the milky stains created the illusion of a cloud.

It wrapped around my body in different sections. One big piece used to cover my left breast, another laced around my ass cheek, then further down to my thighs where the dress ended after her cuts and alterations.

“Uh, fuck being a chef. I am going to be a fashion designer, baby.” She hooted, admiring her work. It was gorgeous. There was no doubting that.

Sasha’s phone rang, and it was the girl who was escorting her beautiful ass to the party. I made sure she looked prim and puttogether as beautifully as she was in her red knockout number, and I walked her down to the front door.

She kissed me bye and winked at me before leaving with her date out the door. “Have fun tonight, okay, my secretive, beautiful bestie.”

I smiled and waved to her.

“And tell your weirdo secret admirer that my custom-made come-stained dress is too pretty to rip, so have him take it off ya first, ‘kay? Thanks, hot tits, byeee!”

I blinked at the closed door. Sasha was smart and not shy in the bedroom, so I should’ve known she would figure out what was so obvious.

Still, I felt my cheeks flame in embarrassment.

I didn’t even think Professor Masters would go to the stuffy boat party filled with rich shrimp dicks playing ‘whose dick is the richest.’

The thought made me frown, which was ridiculous. I didn’t want to see that douche canoe.

Fluffing my hair and checking in the mirror on my makeup one last time, I waited for Gio’s limo to arrive in the driveway. He was as punctual as always, and I tried to ignore his gawking look when I smiled and walked out to the car.

“Miss, your dress—”

“Is breathtaking. I am sothankful to my dearest fiancé for his gift. He will be so pleased to hear of my enjoyment of it, don’t you think?”

Manipulating Gio made me feel bad, but I also didn’t have it in me to be scolded for changing the thing into something I didn’t need to put smelling salts on my wrists to keep from passing out during the night.

Gio and I rode in silence, his kind old eyes keeping straight on the road and allowing me to sit and enjoy the ride freely.

The bay with theGrand Charityyacht was near the school. The pompous owner, Grand Charity, was why the school grounds had the stupid name of “Grands Gift Institute.” I suppose every rich asshole named their achievements after themselves. Noah named his boat after his wife Hannah, but I hadn’t seen that boat or Hannah since Noah died.

My sister-in-law was like me, never fitting into this society and always hiding behind the buffet platters.

We used to take turns dodging my parents while the other got scolded by my mother about how the food wasn’t meant for consumption and that we looked like homeless people.

How silly of us to see food as edible.

I wondered how Hannah had been. She was pregnant with Noah’s son, and I feared her pain and mourning would make her retreat to the point that I may never see my nephew.

In other news, my lovely family was returning from overseas tonight, and I wanted to hurl at the disgust that roiled in my gut.

They had been gone for months, leaving my sister to pay for me and my meals. I kept telling her I would get a job to help, but she said the family being part of the working class was embarrassing our parents enough for her to be seen, much less their prized mare they set up for breaking.

At least Ferdinand was away on business and wouldn’t be back for a week. I couldn’t handle his touch, and with how fevered my skin was lately, I gagged at the thought of him liking it and thinking my reactions were for him.

The limousine slowed, and Gio rolled down the privacy screen.

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