Page 81 of Cruelly Fated
Ness waved him off. “What you mean is that it’s not suited forhim. I’m a big girl, V. Besides, it’s a formal ball. What could possibly happen?” She rolled her eyes, spritzing perfume around her perfectly styled hair and curve-hugging dress.
“This might surprise you,” Valor muttered, “buthehas a knack for getting into trouble and putting women in compromising situations.”
“Ugh, he’s your friend, V. I think he can manage a little restraint out of respect for you. If he’s even remotely as bad asyou claim…” Ness twirled in place, then dashed out of the room at the sound of the doorbell.
I averted my gaze from Valor’s bloodshot eyes. Their spat wasn’t mine to witness, yet here I was, smack in the middle of it.
“I’ll get changed. What time are we leaving?” I asked, trying for a change of subject.
“As soon as you’re ready,” he growled, still simmering over his sister’s choice of date.
I slipped behind the folding screen and carefully eased into the dress. Ness had left a pair of strappy silver heels behind, clearly meant for me. I stepped into them to complete the look. My stomach began to tango with nerves. Was I making the right decision? There was only one way to find out.
“I’m r—” I choked mid-sentence, nearly twisting my ankle at the sight of Rhylan propping himself in the doorway, one arm braced high against the frame. His black suit looked like a last-minute choice, but the designer cut and how it hugged his muscular frame made it work.
The wolf grinned. “Well, well, well. Had to see it with my own eyes. Ballsy move, mind reader.”
Slender fingers curled around Rhylan’s bicep, and Ness’s sultry voice purred something as she pulled him away.
And just like that, I understood Valor’s frustration. His baby sister had fallen for a forever-jock flirt with a rotating list of one-night stands. Valor didn’t want Ness to become another name on it.
I joined Valor in the front hall, where he silently extended his elbow. Without a word, he escorted me down the steps to his sleek Lambo.
Dark exhaust fumes lingered in the cool night air.
“Fucking wolf,” he muttered. “Couldn’t even offer my sister a proper ride. Shows up in that gas-guzzling truck.”
I clicked my seat belt into place. “I’m sure they’ll be fine,” I said, more to ease him than because I believed it.
Valor scoffed. “I owe you an apology for dragging you into this mess. I know Kyon’s the last person you want to see tonight. I planned on skipping the ball until I found out who her date was. Maybe I’m a little overprotective.”
“I think if I had an older brother, I’d want him to care about me as much as you do about her.”
He nodded, eyes on the road. “Sometimes she looks at me like I’m the enemy.”
“Perhaps you can ease off a little. Helicopter brothers aren’t exactly in style.”
“Wise words, mind reader,” Valor said, a smile ghosting across his profile.
I blew out a breath. “Wish I could read minds.”
“If you’re referring to your own situation, Kyon is the opposite of subtle. He doesn’t hold back.”
Yet that was exactly how I’d felt in the past few days; he’d been holding back physically and emotionally. He must have had a reason.
“I’m going to ask him tonight,” I said.
The car swerved slightly before he corrected it. He glanced at me, curiosity and awe flickering in his eyes. “I’ll support you. You’re good for each other. And if it doesn’t go as planned, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”
I inhaled deeply, my anxiety kicking in again. I needed to brace myself for the possibility of rejection. And so what if Kyon rejected me? I’d survived worse, hadn’t I? I’d walk out with my head held high. At least I’d try…
Thirty-Six
ALLIE
Valor flashed his smile at the guard in lieu of ID. The man gave a grunt and jerked his thumb, motioning us through.
The driveway curved upward, winding past meticulously trimmed gardens bursting with vibrant colors. Hedges shaped into various shifter forms, predominantly dragons, lined the path like silentsentinels.
