Page 37 of Wicked

As we walk on, I try to keep an eye on Raven. I must be losing my edge, because Bianca pauses, confused. “Is some minx stealing your focus?”

I look toward Raven so she can follow my eyeline. “One o’clock. Cream and gold ball gown.”

Bianca stands close, leans on my shoulder, and lines her eye up. “Got her.”

We watch Raven far across the lawn, and something inside me hungers.

“Wow, she really is stunning. Is she with you?”

My sister gives me a look, and I ask, “What?” Bianca raises a brow, and it’s time to contain things and set her straight. “Okay. She’s a sweet American girl and staying at the villa. She’s new to the game,” I say, feeling protective.

“Well, keep an eye on her, Dante. There are plenty of cheeky young Italians who will jump at the chance to tear her panties off.” I clench my jaw and darkness clouds in fast. Bianca shrugs, and she is playful. “Not that there’s much we can do about it.”

The hell there isn’t.

Bianca’s name is called from a table, and we turn to people waving. As she kisses me on the cheek, she talks fast. “Call me and we’ll see each other in a few days.”

I nod as she looks to Raven. “And careful with her, she looks sweet.”

As my sister runs away, Raven heads towards me, her long gown swaying, her step light.

I watch her as if she is a moth traveling towards lethal light. Like a princess heading for a disaster.

This is going to end badly, very badly indeed.

When she is feet away, she raises a brow. “What?”

“Nothing,” I say, “Let’s get some real drinks.”

We find a bar under a tree,and we decide to compare incredibly old whiskeys. We order six in small crystal glasses, and we ask for them to be labelled and delivered to a small table next to roses and statues.

Raven borrows a pen and paper from the waiter, and I decide the best way to do this is to have a blindfold, then for each person to guess which whiskey is which and ultimately the absolute best.

We start and Raven goes first. Seeing her blindfolded makes me iron hard, and fast. After she licks wet whiskey from her wet lips, I pull at my black tie and try to breathe. It is hard, like my thick cock.

I want to do bad things with her lips, and I want to force something between them. We eventually finish the game, and because it is a draw, we decide to do it again.

After the second round of blindfolding, whiskeys, and me imagining doing wicked things to her, we are both clearly drunk.

“Yikes,” Raven says, standing awkwardly. “I think I’m feeling the effects.”

I am also, and as I offer my arm, Raven takes it. “We better slow down. Champagne flows hard and fast at these kinds of events. It’s also good for taking pants off.” Raven looks my way as we start walking. “Just be careful,” I say, passing Italian men eyeing her.

“What do you care?” Raven asks, slightly flirty, or is it slightly confrontational?

As she leans against my shoulder, she places a playful finger on my nose. “Ah, so sweet.” As she spins away, she is part crazy woman, part free energy.

She dances on the spot, and her stunning gold gown fans out. She spins back around to me, and she beams, full of pure energy. “It’s so great to feel free, to dance, and to dress up.”

I watch her closely and it’s confirmed.

She is drunk and totally adorable.

I just need to keep people from getting in her pants, and that means getting her home, fast. I direct us towards the cars when someone calls my name.

Shit!

It’s one of the overbred society women my parents were trying to set me up with, and this one comes from old money.She is dripping with diamonds, and as she trots up, I notice her face and all the work she’s had done to it.

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