Page 42 of Explode
The dress had arrived with a pair of silver strappy stilettos that wouldhave been impossible to walk in had I not been well-versed in walking around in insanely high heels, thanks to my time at Club Sin. Sofia styled my hair in curls so it trailed down my back, and had finished off the look with simple makeup.
Her own dress was a gorgeous silver cocktail dress with thin strapsand tucked in at her waist. It had a wide slit at the front which went up to her knees, allowing her to show off her tanned legs. She’d paired the dress with a pair of silver peep-toe heels.
I’d repaid the favor and did her hair and makeup, styling her hair soit was tied up in an elegant braid, and much like she’d done for me, I kept her makeup simple. The only difference was, I’d convinced her to wear a bright red lipstick which made her lips look fuller than what they were.
Even without makeup, Sofia was beautiful, but with makeup, she wasbreathtaking. Miles ought to buck his ideas up, he was fucking lucky to be marrying someone as gorgeous as Sofia. Not to mention, she was actually a decent person.
When I first met Sofia, I didn’t envisage her becoming my friend. Butin the short time I’d spent with her, and over our fury towards Miles and Kai, we’d bonded, and I was finding myself enjoying being in her company.
It was still an alien feeling to me. I’d spent so many years keeping mydistance from other women, focused solely on doing what I needed to do to look after Angel, I’d never allowed myself to have a friend, but it was nice to have someone I could talk to.
We stood side-by-side staring at our reflection in the mirror, all dolledup and ready to party, with the exception of the scowls we both wore. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the evening, but at least I didn’t have to spend it all night on the arm of an asshole.
“Maybe we could run away,” she said glumly, meeting my eye in thereflection.
I snorted. “If only. I doubt we’d get far with your dad and Kai on ourtrail.”
She sighed heavily, and it was something I felt in the pit of mystomach. There was no escaping our lives. Kai had made it clear he wouldn’t let me walk away, and Sofia had grown up knowing she would always have a duty to her family. It sucked, but at least I could try and divorce Kai’s ass and attempt to move on, she couldn’t walk away from her father and brother.
A soft knock drew us from our pity party. Sofia called for whoever itwas to come in, and Rafe opened the door. He was dressed in a tux, his head and face freshly shaven, and the smell of his cologne hit me as soon as he stopped in front of us. It didn’t stir the same feelings I had whenever Kai’s scent wrapped around me, otherwise, it might have been a smidgeon easier to get my husband out of my head.
“Ladies, you look beautiful,” Rafe said, beaming. His eyes met minebefore he raked them over my body, and heat instantly lit up in his hazel orbs. I had an inkling that Rafe was attracted to me, and I knew I needed to shut it down. Husband or not, I was done with men.
“Thanks,” Sofia and I muttered in unison.
“I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, Sofe, but your date’s here,” Rafesaid, his face softening as he shot her a look of pity.
When I spent the previous evening with Rafe, it became clear howmuch he loved his sister. He confessed that he hated the idea of her having to be married as part of her family duty, whether it was to Miles or someone else. But he knew, even when his time came to take over the family, there wasn’t a single thing he could do to change the tradition.
“I can hardly contain my excitement,” she replied before sucking in abreath and composing herself. “I best not keep him waiting. I’ll catch you later.”
“Good luck,” I said feebly, knowing she needed a lot more than luck toget her through the night with Miles by her side. Maybe he’d do us all a favor and self-combust.
“Riley, you look stunning,” Rafe said when Sofia’s door closed.
“Thanks, you look good too,” I replied. He did look good, but therewasn’t even the tiniest hint of attraction towards him.
He beamed at me as if I’d just made his year before holding his armout. “Shall we?”
Knowing I couldn’t tell him I’d rather spend the night sticking pinsunder my nails, I took his arm and let him escort me to the ballroom at the rear of the Bianchi mansion.
I wish I could say the party wasn’t hell on earth, but I’d be lying. Rafespent the evening introducing me as his date, careful not to tell anyone my name. I didn’t like the way his hand kept lingering on my lower back, or how he insisted on holding my hand whenever he led us to get a drink from the bar.
Every so often, I caught Sofia’s eye. She looked as if she wasenjoying herself as much as me, and the one time we’d briefly managed to speak, we’d both reconsidered what our chances were of successfully running away. That was before Rafe swept me away to introduce me to another group of friends.
Luckily, I managed to avoid Miles for the entire evening, but I hadn’tmissed the glares he cast our way every time Rafe’s hand rested on my back, or anytime he brushed a hand down my arm. I felt for Sofia, I really did.
Miles practically spent the entire evening ignoring her, and it hadpissed me off so much that I had to resist the urge several times to go over and slap some sense into him. If I’d been on speaking terms with him, without a doubt, I would have given him a piece of my mind.
“Will you dance with me?” Rafe said, pulling me out of my thoughtson all the ways I’d like to hurt Miles.
“Erm…I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I replied, looking around theballroom. I’d been skeptical when Georgio said Kai wasn’t coming, and half of me expected him to miraculously appear at some point, but he hadn’t.
I didn’t know if I was relieved about that or not.
“Why? It’s not like Kai’s here,” Rafe said, reading my thoughts as towhy I didn’t want to dance.
“Yeah, but Miles is. He’ll report back to Kai.”
