Page 48 of Reign of Psychos

“OK, I’ll tell him I’ve changed my mind,” she said, not sounding happy about it.

“Thank you.” I huffed out a sigh of relief as she changed the subject to the latest gossip at Abernethy, which involved Olivia getting caught giving one of her tutors a blowjob in a classroom. The college had fired the tutor for misconduct, but dear, sweet Olivia had got off with a warning after her daddy donated a significant sum of moolah to the college to fund a replacement science lab after Dario burned the last one down.

Eden ended the call after promising to keep me posted on her date with James. Despite her reassurances, however, I still had a niggling sense of worry that none of my warnings had made a dent in her determination to meet this James. I loved her to bits, but Eden was reckless, headstrong, and stubborn to a fault.

All qualities that would get her in trouble.

I wondered whether I ought to warn Declan, but before I could decide, Cassian walked in and announced,

“Grab your coat. I’m taking you shopping, sweetheart.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why? You already bought me a swimsuit and nightdresses.” A very expensive, obscenely sexy swimsuit with almost no fabric. I loved the silky slips, too. Mostly because the guys enjoyed removing them.

“A swimsuit isn’t suitable apparel for a night at the opera, darling, and the slips are for bed.”

“Opera?” God, that sounded boring as fuck. “Do I have to go?” I whined.

“Yes. I want to show you off. My father will be there, and he needs to see I’m serious about you, so we’re hard-launching our relationship in front of him and all his cronies.”

I pouted but eventually nodded my agreement with his plan. The thought of Lucian’s reaction when he saw me on Cassian’s arm cheered me up no end.

“Good. Now let’s go. My personal shopper is waiting for us in Harrods.”

I surveyed the racks of designer dresses and frowned. Louise, the personal shopper assigned to help style me, lifted a midnight blue gown and hummed thoughtfully as she cast an experienced eye over my figure.

“Try this one,” she suggested. I fought back an eye roll but snatched it from her. Shopping was like watching paint dry. While I’d happily spend ages perusing knives and guns, swanky dresses left me cold.

Cassian sat on a hard leather chair, legs spread while he read something on his phone. He looked up when he saw me heading toward the changing room, and grinned, fully aware I wasn’t enjoying this.

Sadist. I’d make him suffer later. Somehow, someway.

“I’ll pick you some shoes to try with the dress,” Louise told me before scurrying away. I guessed she was being paid on commission, so the more we bought, the more she earned.

The woman was good at her job and fully deserved that money. She’d listened to me when I told her I hated certain colors. Been accommodating of the fact I didn’t want to wear anything overly revealing. And when I’d whispered how we needed to keep the cost down, she’d smirked and said I should enjoy myself because Mr. Forsyth could afford whatever I wanted to buy.

The suggestion I was one of a long line of Cassian’s female friends who came here to be fawned over like a pampered lap dog did nothing to improve my mood. While objectively I understood he’d had many girlfriends before me, along with a fiancée, I certainly did not need my nose rubbing in it.

And I had no intention of wasting Cassian’s money on dresses I would never wear again. If he wanted me to look the part this evening, then fine, I’d choose a suitable gown. But only one.

The blue dress shimmered in the bright lights of the changing room, the small crystals sewn into the silky fabric sparkling like tiny stars. I turned this way and that while examining my reflection in the mirrors.

“Beautiful,” a gruff voice said. When I looked up, Cassian stood watching me from the doorway. He smiled as my cheeks turned pink.

“Not too much?” I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to wearing such expensive brands. Not after spending most of my life in jeans and tees.

“Definitely not. You deserve to wear the finest dresses money can buy,” he told me as he stalked across the room like a panther.

“Not sure I deserve anything,” I muttered. A life sentence in a maximum security prison was more appropriate than playing dress-up.

“Sweetheart, if I thought that, would I be standing here with you right now? Would any of us?”

“Maybe you’re all suffering from some kind of mental illness?”

“What, like a group delusion?” Cassian scoffed, resting his hands on my shoulders as we watched each other in the mirror.

“I’m sure Milo could quote some scientific studies supporting my hypothesis,” I joked while also not joking because he definitely could and would if he were here.

“I can confirm I am of sound mind and body.” His lips brushed the curve of my neck, triggering a wave of heat between my thighs. This was a public changing room, but the lack of privacy didn’t stop my traitorous body from responding to Cassian.

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