Page 123 of A Fate so Cruel

Rion twisted the knob and paused on the threshold. His lips parted as he took in the dramatically changed female before him.

Selina stood beside the bed, bag already in hand as if she were ready to walk out the door.

She’d pulled the bulk of her hair back, using glittering floral pins full of diamonds that caught and reflected the light. It drew his gaze to the softly curled strands framing her face. She’d outlined her eyes with kohl again and painted her lips a deep, sensual red.

His gaze traveled lower. Just like her other dress, this one had a slit up one side, revealing her beautiful tanned leg and the silver heels buckled around her ankles. The top, sleeveless and alluring, dipped in a V between her breasts, showing off more skin than he’d ever seen on the female.

Gods above, he wouldn’t survive the night.

Rion swallowed hard. Tried and failed to clear his throat. Selina offered a shy smile. Shy, despite the piece of art hugging her body. She spun for him and the ruffles at the bottom of the dress moved as if they were an extension of her body. “Do you like it?”

Like it? He wasn’t sure “like” was a strong enough word for the things he felt. He liked her. Liked the way her eyes sparked with excitement. Liked the way she sought his approval. The way she seemed to crave it.

A slim set of silver earrings dangled from her pointed ears and a silver chain dipped toward the space between her breasts, holding a teardrop pendant at the end.

Rion cleared his throat again.

She frowned. “Too much?”

“No, no,” Rion forced himself to look away.

He saw her smirk from the corner of his eye. “Well, if I have that effect onyou, I imagine it’ll be fabulously distracting for others. With any luck, they won’t even see you coming.”

Rion struggled to form a single coherent thought.The mission, the mission, the mission. “And how do you plan on sneaking around in something like that?” She’d probably skin someone alive if they got a speck of dirt on it.

“I don’t. I’m the distraction. You’ll be the one sneaking.”

“Can you—”Get it together.“Can you move in that?”

She snickered. “Why do you think I always opt for a dress with a slit up the side? It makes running easier. Along with reaching in to snag a blade if I need it.”

Rion slammed down any thoughts about reaching into her dress.

Selina stepped back and gestured toward the bed. “I laid your things out. Try not to wrinkle them. I’d like to appear like a nice normal couple not up to anything at all.”

He scoffed, then eyed the pressed suit. The smooth black fabric. She’d gone out of her way to ensure they had the best.

Rion eyed her dress again. Saw the low back as she turned to rearrange his belongings. He’d be touching her tonight. Talking with her as they’d done in the restaurant. His mind drifted back to Fernsworth and how he’d acted there. That primal part of him was singing now, tainting his blood with power and instinct.

Control. He needed to maintain control, otherwise he’d look like an ass again and she might not forgive him twice. Her dress shifted, revealing the muscles along her thigh. Maybe he’d outright damn the mission and take her up to one of the private rooms, just to ensure they weren’t interrupted this time. Maybehe’d get to see exactly how far she’d allow him to push. Tease her into—

“Come back to earth, Rion.”

His name on those painted lips—

“Right. I’ll get ready then.”

She made a sound of approval and he watched her retreat to the bathroom, claiming she needed to do something else with her hair. She was perfect. A fine wine that had him drunk just from sight alone. Never mind that she smelled divine as well. What the hell was she wearing?

Rion shook his head, but it did nothing to disperse the images flashing through his mind as he stripped of his casual attire and changed into the formal one.

The suit fit snuggly against his chest, yet still afforded him enough room to move should he need to. And he would by the time the night was over.

She waited a full fifteen minutes before inquiring whether he was decent. Not that he would have minded otherwise.

She exited and her assessing gaze roamed over his form. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Even nicer than last time.”

Rion eyed her dress. “What’s the plan when we start running?”

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