Page 64 of The Sins of Silas

“You never wanted me dead,” he murmured over my lips. “You saved me, remember?”

My smile grew against him, and then I pulled away. “We're going to be late. Go get dressed.”

He groaned but conceded. I waited on the edge of the bed while Roland changed in the bathroom, him wishing to give me a grand reveal.

I wonder what this Freak Show entails…

I hoped we weren’t falling into some trap. Dani and Leroy had been nothing but kind, but Warlocks and Mages had a history of butting heads. I didn’t want to think the worst of them…perhaps they were just kind-hearted people. Those still existed, right?

I slipped on my black heeled ankle boots, which I had purchased earlier. Well, technically, Silas purchased them. I wasn't used to wearing heels, but thankfully, they were thick enough that I felt mostlyfine when I walked in them. I still feared tripping and humiliating myself.

I sighed as I stood, practicing my walking skills as I made rounds across the room.

Why am I walking like something's up my ass?!

Okay, fine. I didn't walk great in heels. How princesses did this on the regular was beyond me.

“Well? What do you think?”

I turned at the sound of Roland's voice, and my eyes nearly fell out of my head when I beheld him. His hair was freshly styled, and his suit was a dark grey, hugging his body in all the right places. He looked so…elegant.

He looked exceptional.

He tucked his hands into his pockets, giving me a shit-eating grin. “I look sexy, don’t I?”

I bit my lip as my eyes greedily roamed over him. “Gods…sosexy.”

My smile turned playful at the sight of his reddening cheeks. I'd come to learn that when I was shameless about my attraction to him, it made the overly confident man turn bashful, just for a moment. I relished in it, and found it made me even more attracted to him.

He held out his elbow. “Well, shall we go then, Ginger Snap?”

It was dark when Roland and I stepped outside, the stars illuminating the night sky. I thought of Mother as I observed them, hoping she wasdoing well up on the mountain. I couldn't let my thoughts linger on her, or I'd cry.

Elowen's mouth fell open, her eyes lighting up as she admired me. “My Gods, Lena!” she exclaimed. “You look incredible!”

Everyone turned to look at me, Elowen's words prompting their curiosity. My cheeks heated as I met all their surprised faces.

But it wasn't until I beheld Silas that my heart stopped. That the world around me stilled.

My lips parted, a soft exhale escaping me at the sight of him. He was wearing a sleek, raven suit. It was gothic—regal. It was low in the front, exposing his muscular, tanned, tattooed chest and the very beginning of his abs.

His jet-black hair was styled back, and his own lips parted, his gold eyes flaring as he took me in. He trailed his stare over every inch of me before settling on my eyes, never leaving once they locked with mine.

Silas had always been beautiful to me, but as he stood right now, he had never appeared more flawless.

I couldn't look away. I needed to look away.

“…Lena?”

I was vaulted back to reality at the sound of Dani's voice. I whirled my head at her. “Sorry, what?”

She laughed. “I said, are you guys ready to go?”

Dani looked incredible. She wore a flowy blue mini dress with a white stay, the sleeves of the dress off-the-shoulder and puffy, just like mine. The hue of the dress's fabric matched her hair, which was currently tied up in a pony.

“Yes,” I nodded, smiling shyly. “Yes, we're ready.”

She clapped. “Alright, gang! Let's go!” She leaned in close and whispered, “Told ya that corset washot.”

---