Page 51 of Shattered Vows

“Do tell,” Sid says with a shit-eating grin. A grin I’d like to wipe away with my fist.

“All you need to know is that I’ve prepped her on everything, and she’ll be there. End of story.”

Asher stands from the couch, stepping over to me. “If she breathes a word of this to anyone…”

He doesn’t have to finish that sentence. I know what it means. Just as I know I’d probably be the one he asked to do it.

I nod. “It’s not going to be a problem.”

He looks as though he’s not too sure, but he says, “Fine. She can join as long as she knows the consequences if she steps out of line.”

My gut twists, because I’m fairly sure the consequences will be more dire for me than her.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

RAPSODY

It’s the night of the initiation into the sex club, and what was excitement in my belly when I said yes has turned to nerves and nausea.

I don’t regret my decision. I just wonder what Kol is going to do in front of everyone, and if I’ll react properly or if I’ll mess up and embarrass him.

I’m wearing the outfit he left for me—a pale purple lingerie set that consists of a lace bra and panties, along with a thin elastic belt that sits at my waist and attaches to garters that rest mid-thigh. Along the top of the bra and the belt are small flowers that match the color of the lace.

When he said he was going to buy me my outfit, I envisioned leather with grommets or bright red lace, but this is pretty, sweet, innocent. Which is likely why he chose it.

I smooth my hair back into a high ponytail and braid it as Kol requested. It’s heavy on my head as it always is, and I stretch my neck side to side to alleviate the discomfort. Lately I’ve thought about cutting my hair. I’ve always worn it to my waist because it’s what my mother likes best, but it requires so much maintenance. I just think that maybe I’d like to try something different.

The thought of my mom threatens to drag my mood down with guilt, since I haven’t reached out to her yet, but I push it aside. I’m not going to think about her tonight.

I’m walking out of the bathroom when a knock lands on my bedroom door. A moment later, Kol strides through. My arms stretch to cover myself, but the look in Kol’s eyes stops me. There’s a hunger alive in them. Hunger for me. So I force myself to not hide from him.

He strides toward me. “You look… phenomenal.” His gaze rakes over my body like a caress.

“Thank you. You look…” I eye his bare chest and white linen pants. “Different.”

He laughs, and I admire the crinkle at the sides of his eyes and the way it changes the angle of his jaw. It’s not something I’ve seen often enough.

Kol looks down at himself. “The theme tonight is summer solstice. This is what I came up with.” He shrugs.

“There’s a theme?”

“There’s always a theme.” He rolls his eyes as though maybe he and his brothers have had fights about having themes, and he lost the argument. “This is for you.”

He hands me a white robe lying over his arm. I slip it on, noticing that his mask was hidden under the robe, hanging from the crook of his arm. My chest tightens when I think about how I’m the only one who will be without a mask tonight.

“May I?” I gesture to his mask.

He slides it off his arm, handing it to me. It’s heavier than I assumed and resembles the lion tattooed on his arm. It must come down over his nose because it even has the top two canine teeth.

I recall the mask Sid wore, a wolf’s mask like his wolf tattoo on his neck. I wonder if Asher’s is a bear like the bear tattoo I’ve spotted on his hand. Which makes me curious about Nero.

My chest squeezes tighter when I realize something I hadn’t before. “Your brothers are going to be there. Anabelle?”

He nods. “Yes.”

Blood drains from my face, and my windpipe squeezes. I struggle to get air as my heart pounds. The first signs that I’m panicking and going to have a panic attack.

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