Page 29 of Emperor of Wrath

“So, might as well make the best of it, right?”

She slips her arm through mine.

“C’mon. Let’s find you a dress.”

Okay, not only am I not much of a “makes friends” type of girl, I’m really not much of a shopper. Or a fashionista.

Yet, despite all that, I end up having a fantastic time with Hana.

My soon-to-be sister-in-law is a huge fashion person and knows every single luxury boutique in Manhattan intimately. Every damn place welcomes her with open arms and champagne and treats us like freaking royalty. And hours and about seven boutiques later, long after nightfall, I’ve found the perfect dress for my engagement party, and I actually love it.

Okay, like it well enough. But for me? With a dress? Home run.

After I pay for the dress at the last shop, Hana gives me a hug and swaps numbers with me before saying she’s going to stay a little longer, since she and this particular boutique owner are old pals.

I give her another hug, grab my spoils, and pull my phone out as I walk out the door.

Yikes. Nine missed calls from Freya.

I’m about to call her back when suddenly a familiar-looking black Audi screeches to a stop right in front of me. The tinted window rolls down, and Freya smirks at me across the passenger seat.

“Have fun with your new gal pal?”

She nods past me. I turn and see Hana in the window, gabbing away with her friend and sipping bubbly.

“Jealous, Frey?”

“Of her?” Freya snorts. “Um, yeah. That bitch is put together. She’s like me if I had class. I’m the wish dot com version.”

I snort another loud laugh and nod at Hana inside the shop. “I bumped into her when I went to see Damian earlier. She’s actually pretty fucking cool.”

“Seriously. She looks like the coolest person I’ve ever met.” She smiles at me. “I saw Damian last night.”

“Night nurses okay with you coming after visiting hours now, or did you sneak in again?”

She grins. “Delores and I are cool now. She told me I remind her of her granddaughter.” Her brow furrows. “How’d he look today?”

“Good,” I smile as I lean down and plant my arms on the open window ledge of the door. “The doctors told me they’re confident they’ll be able to bring him out of the coma after this next operation.”

It goes without saying that we’re both just trying to cheer each other up about all of this.

“Wait, so what are you up to? You weren’t picking up my calls.”

I squint at her. “Frey… Did you track me here?”

She shrugs. “Like I said: you weren’t picking up.”

“Okay, we need to work on boundaries again.”

She snorts. “I think we’re well past that, don’t you?”

“What was so fucking important?”

The smile suddenly vanishes from Freya’s face. “You might want to get in.”

I slip into the car, rolling up the window as Freya turns to me.

“Ulkan isn’t letting it go.”

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