Page 36 of Ruthless Savage

I’ve only known him for a couple of days, and he already has me seething.

I pick up the mask Adam sent over, the one I’m supposed to wear tonight. Mine is gold and hits the bridge of my nose, with an intricate loopy black design that glistens with tiny clear stones.

Karen’s is red with the same black design. Both are beautifully crafted and clearly expensive. We’re not allowed to put them on until right before we reach the penthouse where the event is being held. I don’t know who the place belongs to, but I’ll be finding out shortly.

Nerves skitter in my stomach. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I don’t know exactly what to expect, but part of me is…dare I say, excited?

I run my hands down my hips, the material silky soft. And I imagine Devlin’s palms running down my dress, his body pressed to mine from behind, fingers discovering places laid dormant.

My nipples grow taut, scraping against the material. I probably should’ve worn a bra, but with this dress, it’s impossible. The back is completely open, exposing my entire spine.

If Devlin saw me in this, I don’t know what he’d do.

“If this idiot cares about your virginity so much…” Karen interrupts my thoughts. “…maybe you should tell Devlin to fuck you so Mason doesn’t marry you.” She grins, completely serious.

“Yeah ’cause he’d be so willing to deflower me.” I roll my eyes.

“Well…” She quirks a brow. “Maybe you can find someone else to deflower you. Then you can tell Mason, ‘Hey, jerkoff, I fucked a random dude just so I didn’t have to marry your loser ass. How does that make you feel?’”

“Ew. No.” My face twists. “I’m not sleeping with some random dude just to avoid marriage.”

Or maybe I should, because what other option is there?

“Fine.” She shrugs a single shoulder. “Marry Mason. Have his babies and let him treat you like shit.”

I narrow a glare. She makes it sound like this is so easy to avoid.

Iseult could kill him… All I have to do is ask, and she’ll do it, no problem. And if I tell her what he’s said to me, she’d kill him without my having to ask.

Ugh, what am I thinking? I can’t be responsible for someone’s death.

I settle back on the bed and shake my head. “This is hopeless. I guess you’ll be my bridesmaid in two months.”

“Of course. I’d be honored. As long as you don’t put me in some ugly-ass dress.” She makes a gagging expression and laughs.

When I drop my face into my palms, I hear her moving closer.

“Look…” She places a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, okay? Let’s just have fun tonight. Don’t think about anything else.”

I nod and peer back up.

“I want you to pretend you’re someone else when you’re there. Do things Eriu wouldn’t do. Pretend you’re me.” A big grin spreads across her face.

“You just want me to screw someone.” I squint knowingly.

“Would that be so bad? Then we could swap stories. The first time sucks anyway. Might as well get it over with and save the good time for Devlin.” Her lips thin with a smirk.

“I thought we already established that Devlin doesn’t want me.”

“Not yet.” She rubs her palms together like she’s a master planner of fate. “We just haven’t motivated him hard enough.”

I shake my head at her resilience. “If me marrying someone doesn’t wake him up, nothing will.”

Karen and I arrive at a four-story contemporary glass building with masked people in expensive cars driving us, so many of them I lose count.

The valet drivers all have masks on too, taking keys and parking the vehicles in the multi-story adjacent garage. We park here, though, up the gravelly road, the building yards away before us.

Hordes of bodies strut toward the front double doors where a tall, scary-looking security guard with a red devil’s mask greets them.

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