Page 32 of Bound By Ruin

Rebel nods, not the least bit disturbed that his eldest brother just saw me half-naked and dripping with his cum. “You’re starting the night with me, remember? Is that your dress?” He fondles the skirt before smacking my ass. “Damn, you’re gonna look so good in that color.”

Swatting his hand away, I shove him toward the open door. “Rebel! I need to get changed, or we’ll be late!”

With a groan, he turns on his heel and wanders to the kitchen island where our shoes are laid out. The only ones left are my heels and Rebel’s Oxfords. He brings them back to the bedroom and sits at the edge of the bed to put his on. After flicking ash from his cigarette, he points the tip at me. “A few minutes aren’t gonna kill us. Relax, baby. We’re gonna have a good time.”

I get him to help me zip up, then I strap my heels and follow him into the living room. Thanatos is shaking car keys in his hand, his heel bouncing on the floor while he waits for us. “I’ve got your bag,” he says flatly, shoving a clutch against my chest. “Lipstick, wet wipes, ibuprofen, tickets.” He rattles off my list of requested items like it’s a chore, moodily staring at my feet. “You forgot the shoes.”

Huffing, I slam my heel down so that it clicks loudly. “I’m wearing them, Than.”

He shakes his head. “No,those.” Grumbling, he pushes himself off the counter and crosses to the cage, grabbing a pair of heels I’ve never seen before from its base. “Size eight, diamond shimmer with a blue sparkle. They match your dress.”

They’re taller than the ones I was planning to wear, the wide-base heel a solid three inches high. Who picked all of these things for me? Was this Rage’s surprise?

“Put them on so we can go.”

There are no straps, so they’re an easy fit. I lean on Rebel’s shoulder as I slip them on. They actually fit like a glove, with a padded insole to make the night more bearable. Wearing brand new shoes to an event like this is going to be killer on my feet, no matter which pair I go with.

“Great,” Thanatos deadpans, narrowing his eyes at me and Rebel before storming over to the front door. “We’re finally ready. Let’s go, lovebirds.”

Grinning with excitement, Rebel takes my hand and leads us through the door, then down the hall to the grand staircase. Once we’re at the top, he releases my hand and steps back to admire me from afar, whistling as he crouches for a better look at either my ass or my calves. “Damn, baby, you’re a fucking bombshell in that dress.”

I blush at the compliment, smoothing out the front of the gown. It’s tight enough to show my curves, including the bump from my stomach. The bodice cuts a sweetheart neckline, with a selective strip of lace crawling up both sides of my chest and over my shoulders, trailing crimson petals down to my wrists. I was in such a rush to leave that I didn’t check my reflection in the mirror, and now I regret it.

Shifting my skirt to peek at my heels through the high slit, I twist them in the light to admire the sparkle. Thanatos was right—there’s a hint of blue every time I move, from both the dressandthe shoes.

I glance back at Rebel from over my shoulder. “You coming?”

“In a minute,” he murmurs, still staring at my ass. “I want to watch you walk away.”

Rolling my eyes, I laugh as I carefully descend the stairs one at a time, keeping my skirts lifted and my chin held high. I don’t have an audience, but feeling confident is key to our success tonight. I need to be as carefree as a young woman riding the highs of budding love should be, smiling and laughing and having the night of her life.

Once I’m halfway down the stairs, I realize that not only is Rebel watching me walk away, but Thanatos is staring up at me from the ground floor. Pinned between them, I feel my face flush with embarrassment. It’s one thing to be confident in a room full of strangers—but catching the eye of not only your lover but his grumpy half-brother feels more intense.

Thanatos meets me at the last few stairs, gently taking my hand once we’re at eye level. There’s a bewilderment to his gaze, almost like he can’t believe what he’s seeing, much like how I can’t believe what I’m feeling.

Butterflies.

My lips curve into a shy smile, the warmth of his hand sending tingles down my fingertips. “Care to give a girl a compliment?” Part of the plan for tonight is to spend time with each of them, Thanatos included, so that there are pockets of time when I’m alone in between transitions. I’m most nervous about being alone with him, honestly, especially after what happened in the armory.

We haven’t talked about it, and I haven’t told the others.

If I look close enough, I can almost see it in his eyes—that spark of wildfire desire that’s close to catching, threatening to spread throughout his entire body. He swallows, takes a quick glance down my body, and exhales a broken chuckle. “You don’t need a compliment from me, Princess.” As I take another step, he murmurs, “you’ve already got one dripping down your legs.”

I snap my eyes to his, catching the flash of burning need before he can hide it. We stare at each other for as long as we dare, neither of us moving. “Maybe I want one. From you.”

He sucks in a breath, his gaze flicking to my lips. “I can’t.”

My heart pounds as I squeeze his fingers. “Why not?”

He leans closer, gently brushing his lips against my cheek in a whisper of a kiss. His warm breath tickles my nose as he rumbles his answer. “You’re not mine.”

In the next instant, everything except my beating heart and shaking knees is back to normal. Thanatos helps me down the last few steps, then releases my hand to make way for his younger brother.

Rebel tromps down the stairs with about as much grace as an elephant, more eager to get the night started than to play the role of sophisticated society man. He slips his arm around my waist and curves inward to press a kiss to my neck, a chuckle on his lips. “I saw that,” he murmurs, clutching my hip. “And for the record, you have my blessing.”

As Thanatos walks away to bring the car around, I grab Rebel’s shirt and tug him into my chest. Searching his eyes, I try to puzzle through his thoughts—or, hell, my own. “Everything with you boys is complicated.”

He laughs, genuinely sounding happy. “There’s nothing complicated about love, baby.” Tracing my lips with his fingertip, he smiles. “Let it in.” Kissing me, he licks into my mouth with a contented sigh, like he genuinely believes that addinganotherperson into our bed—and our relationship—is a good thing.

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