Page 20 of Break Her Heart
“Dress me for what?”
This time he smiled. “To meet the family.”
* * *
I was going to meet August’sfamily.
Until today, I had never once considered that there was more than just him. He told me about his mother, loving but ripped away from him far too soon and his father—who now I knew was Carrow—had shown him nothing but disdain.
But he had siblings. Knowing August had kept far more from me than he’d told me just angered me more. He had forced meinto this arrangement and yet he had the audacity to keep things like this from me.
I had felt bad for what I had done to him. But after today, that guilt was entirely gone.
So here I was, sitting on the edge of the bed and waiting. The handmaiden had already come and gone—a young, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who seemed more than content with her place in this strange world. She had smiled easily, moved with purpose, and insisted on handling every detail herself. She bathed me, braided the top half of my hair into intricate knots, and painted my lips red. Then she dressed me in a gown that clung to my shape like it had been made for me.
The dress was made of some thin, silky fabric that clung to every curve like a second skin. Thin straps wrapped over my shoulders and tied in a delicate knot behind my neck, leaving most of my back bare. The neckline plunged scandalously low, barely containing my breasts, and the sides dipped enough to reveal the edge of my ribs. The skirt fell fluid and sheer around my legs, slit high on one side to reveal too much thigh with every step. It shimmered faintly with every breath I took, catching the firelight like it was meant to be watched.
It was beautiful. Seductive. Dangerous.
And of course it was red.
I hated how much I liked it.
I had tried to tell her that August—to which she quickly corrected me:King Augustus—didn’t care what I looked like. That he wouldn’t notice. But she only smiled and said, “He will tonight.”
She wouldn’t take no for an answer.
And, truthfully, I hadn’t minded the warmth of the bath or the gentle tug of the brush through my hair. It reminded me, distantly, of something soft. Something normal.
Now, the quiet pressed in around me as I sat, waiting to be summoned.
Like a prize. Like an offering.
August stepped in, quickly closing the door behind him. He was dressed in black from throat to boots—an embroidered high-collared coat with silver filigree that shimmered faintly in the candlelight, tight gloves tucked into a wide belt at his waist, and polished boots that made no sound against the stone floor. His icy blonde hair was swept back from his forehead, just slightly tousled, like he’d run a hand through it in frustration or distraction. The starkness of his pale skin only made the deep brown of his eyes more unnerving—ancient, unreadable, and locked entirely on me. I stood and tried my best not to show him anything other than indifference, though the pounding of my heart betrayed me. He slowly dragged his eyes up my body like he was memorizing every inch of it. My skin prickled beneath the weight of his stare, heat curling low in my belly no matter how tightly I clenched my jaw. And then he smiled. Like nothing had changed. Like he hadn’t ruined me and I hadn’t let him.
“Can we go?” I asked, anything to keep from saying something I’d regret.
“No.” He stepped closer, nostrils flaring slightly. “You have no idea what you smell like to them. Tome.”
“Like food?” I taunted.
“Like temptation and sex and everything I was never supposed to touch.” His voice dropped. “But I did. Didn’t I?”
His words only made my blood heat hotter, fury clawing up my throat. I snapped my arms across my chest, glaring at him. “Unfortunately.”
He laughed. “I’ve already heard enough whispers since we arrived. I’d hoped that knowing you were mine would be enough for them to control themselves. But it seems they need… reminders.”
“I do notbelongto you.”
“Debatable.”
My jaw clenched. Now wasn’t the time to fight him. I needed to see the castle, meet everyone I possibly could to ensure I knew what I was living around. So I took a deep breath. “And how do you plan to remind them?”
“You need to smell like me.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You need to have my scent on you.Allover you.”
