Page 15 of Sinister Engagement

“So,” he started, looking over at me, “what's flitting through that head of yours?” I ground my teeth, not trusting myself to say anything. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t any of his business. To stay silent. Hell, to follow Jackie’s advice she’d given me about focusing any talk about him, but in the end I knew that wasn’t going to happen.

The landscape whooshed past, startlingly close to my dream and I felt myself quickly losing hold of that sliver of control I’d found. I wanted to keep a portion of myself secret. A piece only for me, but with a man like Gaven, I already knew he’d know every piece of me inside and out.

“You know, you're going to have to tell me eventually,” he challenged, as if he knew what I was thinking.

“I just…” I stopped, trailing off when the signature burn of a flush flared on my cheeks. I wasn’t embarrassed or scared, not really anyway, after seeing his anger. If I was honest with myself, a part of melikedseeing it. To know he was protective of me turned me on, and that was what I was struggling to come to terms with. I had to come up with an explanation of what I was thinking and fast, but I was drawing a blank.Think, dammit. I shifted in my seat, fiddling with the hem of my shirt. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Gaven asked. His attention never left the road, yet I somehow felt like all of his focus was on me instead of where we were going. I didn't know how he did it, but it made my body ignite while somehow making my stomach turn.

“I just don't want to ruin it, you know?” I lied, shrugging halfheartedly. Gaven didn't seem to understand what I was saying, so I huffed. “I just don't want you to see the dress before the wedding. Okay? I like that traditional aspect. And seeing as how this is not a traditional marriage by any means, I would like to have that. Is that all right with you?” I snapped.

It was a lie; I didn’t give two shits about tradition. What I did give a shit about was that my resolve was crumbling ever so slowly when it came to Gaven Belmonte. But I refused to give myself over to that temptation. Not to a man I barely knew no matter how attractive or protective. I had plans and a life I wanted to live, and if I gave in to him… then I might as well kiss those goodbye.

I expected Gaven to get angry with my sass, but instead he just laughed. “Don't worry, Angel. I won't ruin the surprise for you. I would like to see you on our wedding day in your dress. Not before then,” he explained, confusing me as to why he would go along with it. “I'm not that bad of a guy, Angel.” I stiffened. I knew he was observant, if he was truly a hitman, then he had to be, but the fact he could read me as easily as an open book made my lips thin in annoyance.

Glaring at him, I focused all of my building irritation from the day at him. “Yeah, like I'm going to believe that,” I whispered under my breath. A sexy smirk grew into a wide grin as we reached the dress shop.

“I mean, Iama bad man, but not to you. Do you understand?” It took everything within me not to roll my eyes at his stereotypical statement but I held back. He already could see right through me and I refused to give him any more of a reaction than I already had, so I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my face void of emotion.

There was a long pause in our conversation as he pulled in and threw the car in park. As soon as we were stationary, Gaven reached over to capture my chin between his thumb and forefinger, angling me so I would face him. The irritation melted as he stared, hesitation and curiosity growing the longer we stayed that way. I might not have been the best at picking up who was lying or who was playing me, but it seemed like he was telling the truth, and a part of me grew a little bit more at ease with the hardened man before me.

“Okay,” I murmured. Gaven smiled, anactualsmile, not a little half grin or a sinful smirk, his white teeth bright against his tanned skin.

“Good. Now, come on. We have some dress shopping to do. But before we go in...” He pulled an object from the back seat. It was a small gift bag, the crinkling of tissue paper from inside rustling in the silence of the car as he held it out for me. “Put this on.”

Gingerly taking the gift, I set it in my lap. I had no idea what it could have been, and my curiosity was getting the better of me as I started picking out the pink tissue paper. Within the box was a scrap of lace, a dainty pair of panties in white. My face burned even hotter, the heat spreading and likely turning my cheeks a molten red.Holy shit, I can’t believe he bought me lingerie.

“I want you to wear them once we go inside and you start changing,” he commanded softly. I tried to protest, but he cut me off. “Please.”

While he said please, I could hear the thread of steel within his voice. There is no way a man like Gaven Belmonte was going to take no for an answer. I gulped, taking the fabric the rest of the way out of the bag and tucking it in my pocket.

“Fine,” I huffed. “I'll put them on.”Why did he want me to wear them if he wasn’t even planning on seeing me while I was changing?He arched a brow when I glance up at him, irritated. Smashing my lips together, my body reacted to the dominate waves practically flowing off of him. I knew when I changed into this pair of panties, my current pair would be slick.

“Thank you,” I bit out, glaring at the lace as if it was the cause of the entire situation I was in. It was suffocating in the small interior of his car, especially with the intensity of his focus centered squarely on me. The longer I sat there, the more unusual my thoughts became. I squirmed as images flashed into my mind. I tried to force them away, but it was difficult. He was so close, so near, and he smelled … like something wild and deadly.

Looking outside the car, I watched my bodyguards filter out into the parking lot and toward the dress shop. I felt so exposed sitting there even though we weren't surrounded by shoppers or watchful eyes. And yet, it was as if my entire life was on display, that everyone around me could see what was going on in the car and what we were discussing, even though I knew it was silly.

“Good.” Gaven captured my jaw once more, leaning over and placing a kiss against my lips. It was short and made my already slick core pulse. It wasn't a sweet, chaste kiss. It was filled with passion, even if it only lasted a moment. My toes curled inside my shoes, a sense of absence that I hated filling me when he pulled back. “Let's get inside, shall we?”

I had just started opening the door when he appeared holding open the door for me. I eyed his outstretched hand for a moment, still reeling from the emotional roller coaster I’d been on since waking. After a brief pause to collect myself, I flashed him a polite smile.

“Thank you.” Placing my hand in his much larger one, I enjoyed the rough calluses on his palm against my fingertips as we walked into the dress shop.

8

Angel

Istood in the bathroom of the bridal shop and shifted restlessly as I washed my hands and tucked my original set of underwear in my purse. The ones Gaven had given me molded to my pussy and cupped me in a way that I expected he'd planned.

Dirty man,I thought to myself, but at the same time, a shiver chased down my spine as I shut off the tap, dried my hands, and headed for the exit. Every step reminded me that they were there. That, too, had likely been part of his plan. Gaven Belmonte was more dominating and possessive than I thought others realized. He liked knowing that I was wearing something he'd purchased for me. More than that, I think he liked the idea that it was such anintimatepiece of clothing.

"Dear, are you feeling all right?" I stopped in front of the attendant as she frowned my way, examining my face. "You appear quite flushed."

I coughed, my face heating even further. "I'm fine," I lied. "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" She was a matronly woman, and it was clear that she'd likely mothered many young women as she didn't hesitate to step forward and lift a hand to lightly touch the top of my forehead.

Behind her, I saw Gaven's barely hidden smirk as he took us in, and I glared his way as I stepped away from the attendant and nodded. "I swear," I insisted. "I'm fine."

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