Page 21 of Falling Hard
Just as I was about to answer, a knock came at my door, saving my ass. "Come in."
Soda entered, spotted us, and with a sweet smile that didn’t fool me, slipped between us to kiss Luke like I wasn’t even there. They kissed like Luke was going off to war, or both were rehearsing for a soap opera audition. My stomach churned.
Finally, Soda stopped assaulting his mouth and asked, "Luke, what are you doing here?"
"I’m here for Olivia, what else? I was hoping to take her out to lunch."
Soda gave me a smile. "Well, is it okay if I third wheel?"
"Absolutely not," I yelled.
Both looked at me for an explanation.
"I haven't been at the office all morning. I’ve got a lot to catch up on."
Luke pouted, and man was it annoying. "Really? Liv, I wanted to apologize for the other day."
"You already did. I got it. Maybe next time," I said and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Olivia, you have to let us take you out for a meal soon so we can all catch up," Soda said.
With the corners of my lips still curled, I lied, "Can't wait."
Thankfully, Hector, one of my designers, came in to speak with Soda. "Solenne, can you remind me when you'd like the dress to be ready?"
"Spring," she said, tightening her claws around Luke.
"Oh, then I have all the time in the world."
So did I. Anything could happen.
"Can you guys do this someplace else?" I gestured to the door. They walked out, but Luke gave me a weird expression. Once the door was closed, I hurled my bag on the couch. Why was this woman stomping through my company so damn often? Fox & Cie was the one place I should be free of her.
Using the back door of my office, I walked the halls and went to the showroom. That's where we usually fit our exclusive brides in their gowns. As soon as I entered the showroom, I knew which dress she'd chosen. No surprise, it was one I hadn't approved initially. To me, it was too tacky, with all the cutouts and cleavage. Nobody would call me modest, but for a wedding, I didn't care how much lace or pearls you covered it with, the dress was too raunchy. I shook my head in disgust at the fact that this was what the newEye on Fashioneditor in chief wanted. The season would be flooded with fashion houses catering to her tacky taste.
The gaudy dress was front and center in the showroom, mocking me. It sat under the lights like it had also beaten me and now stood in the winner's circle. It was arranged on a mannequin, but earlier it must have clung to Soda's ill-shaped figure. I rolled my eyes. Nothing made sense anymore. This dress shouldn't carry the Fox & Cie label. That woman had no business being a fashion stylist, much less the editor of a prestigious magazine, and she certainly had no business kissing Luke in front of me. Nauseous, I thought of her wearing the dress at the wedding, kissing him in front of a whole castle’s worth of people. And me, right beside him, smiling through the pain.
I let my fingers drift over the bodice, pausing just beneath the too-low neckline. Right where the custom embroidery curled like a vine.
I gripped it.
A clean, sharp pull.
The lace tore in a jagged line. Pearls popped and scattered like hail onto the marble floor. I didn’t flinch.
There, that was better!
I couldn’t help myself. One of the designers or seamstresses must have left their lighter on the windowsill after their smoke break. Reason had flown out the window. I picked it up and rolled my thumb over the spark wheel, then held the flame under the hem. Not for a second did I intend to endanger the people in the building or burn my dad's business to the ground. No, I simply wanted the silk to pucker, darken.
When it began to hiss, I watched it burn in silence. That would be enough. The silk was discontinued, the pearls no longer available. No way was this dress going to be a part of Luke and Soda's wedding.
"Olivia! What the fuck are you doing?"
I jerked the lighter back, heart slamming against my chest, and stared at Jacqueline. Then back at my handiwork. "I …"
Just then, footsteps approached. Jacqueline hurried to my side. I dropped the lighter on the table.
Tense, we stared at each other. Only now, when it was too late, did I worry about the fallout from what I had done.
