Page 46 of Vengeance Becomes Her

Knots tangled Rhiannon’s stomach. She was unreasonably nervous about Tristain seeing her. She took deep breaths as they rounded the bottom half of the spiral staircase that brought them to the entryway.

When her eyes met Tristain’s, his jaw went slack. If she could remember this reaction every time she looked in the mirror, she would never feel self-conscious again. His gaze ran from her feet, slowly making his way up her legs, her waist, and finally back up to her face. Their eyes met again as a smirk crept across his lips that he unconsciously licked.

Jade’s pleased laugh broke their silence. “Isn’t she stunning?” She asked him pointedly.

He nodded and regained his composure as he straightened his black tunic. “She is.”

Heat crept up over Rhiannon’s chest and cheeks. “We should be going. Is thecarriage here?”

“It is.” Tristain went out the door first, determined to open the carriage for them.

When they arrived at the festival, Rhiannon headed directly for the tavern, where she promptly ordered her favorite wine. Tristain and Jade followed closely, ordering their own drinks.

Rhiannon raised her glass. “To the journey of a lifetime…or perhaps the end of one.”

She ignored the surprised stare that Tristain gave her, clearly not appreciating her sense of humor. Her sister onlyglared at her.

She shrugged and tossed her glass back, immediately ordering another. This night was her last chance to have fun. Not to mention she looked and felt the best she had in a long time. She would be damned if she didn’t make the most of it.

They grabbed another round of drinks and found a spot near the outskirts of the open area where people had gathered to dance under the stars.

Jade and Tristain were good company, but Rhiannon couldn’t ignore the whispers and stares when people started taking note of her. One of the downfalls of living in a quiet town is that when something happens, everyone knows about it—or at least they think they do. Finally, one of those stares was welcomed when she saw her oldest friend, Idris, gaping at her from a distance.

All at once, they both sprung toward each other, meeting in the middle in a warm embrace. He was as handsome as ever. The moonlight draped his deep black skin in a silver glow. She gave him a once over. His coiled hair was cropped shorter than the last time she’d seen him, but otherwise he looked the same. The navy shirt he’d chosen for the evening complemented his skin tone and fit him perfectly, hugging his muscled physique.

He only laughed. It was no secret they were attracted to each other. They had tried being in a serious relationship a few months before Silas came along, but they’d agreed they were better as friends who sometimes slept together.

“Hello, Idris.” Rhiannon’s voice had taken on a husky tone. She took a step back so he could see her in her full glory, giving him a spin that revealed the precariously high slit in her dress. A mischievous smile sprung to his face as he devoured herwith his eyes.

“You don’t look like someone who’s taken ill,” he said, an edge in his voice.

Rhiannon wrapped an arm around his neck, her fingers tickling the sensitive skin gently. “That’s because I’m not anymore. You know it takes a lot tokeep me down.”

“We have a lot of catching up to do,” he whispered. His lips brushed against her ear as he swept her onto the dance floor so smoothly, she didn’t even stumble in surprise.

A smile fixed itself on her face. This was her favorite thing about him, he always knew exactly what she needed. She missed this easiness and mutual understanding. She traced her fingers down his neck to his chest, pressing into the warmth of his skin that peaked out of the undone button of his shirt.

Idris pulled her back just slightly, his hand now tangled in her newly dyed hair. A wry smile played on her lips as she looked up at him in anticipation.

“By the way you’re touching me, I’m assuming you’re no longer spoken for?” She could hear the weariness in his voice.

“I’m not.”

“You’re sure?” Lines of doubt creased his forehead.

Confusion wipedaway her smile.

He chuckled, rubbing his hand over hers. “There’s a handsome man staring over here at you longingly. If he shares, I wouldn’t be opposed.” His eyebrows raised as he awaited her explanation.

“It’s not like that, he’s helping me with something. So you can stop looking athim like that.”

“You used to be fun, you know,” Idris teased.

“Just trust me, this isn’t something you want to get involved in. Now, enough about him. I’m yours tonight. Like you said, we have a lot of catching up to do.”

She ignored the heavy gaze that followed her as they danced for several songs, Idris twirling and dipping her until she was dizzy from both the movements and their laughter. She reassured him she’d be back and went off to find them drinks.

She was taking another glass of wine from the barkeep when Tristain cameup beside her.

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