Page 60 of Ruthless Legacy

I smile tightly and nod. I can’t help feeling like there is a double connotation to his words. Chester strolls in at that point, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and Wilbur’s attention thankfully turns to him as he tells him coldly that there is no smoking in the house.

Dinner is painful. Archer takes the seat beside me, and this has Chester smirking like the Cheshire Cat. What is his problem?

Wilbur asks Kit about his football practice, and he listens to Kit’s avid chatter and seems genuinely interested in him. I jerk slightly when I feel Archer’s hand on my thigh as it snakes under the spilt in my dress and climbs slowly and tantalisingly up. I reach under the table and grip his hand with mine, stopping him in his tracks, and he fights a smirk, squeezing my hand in his before he returns to his meal. Two can play that game, arsehole. So, when my grandfather turns his attention to Archer and asks him more about his plans for when he finishes college, I move my hand up his leg and I see the muscle in his cheek tighten. Keeping my eye on Alexis, who is droning on about some charity ladies evening she is helping to organise, I creep my hand up higher until I feel the bulge in his pants. Bingo! I rub my hand over him and feel him grow and harden under my touch. His poker face remains on point, but I can see be the way he grips at his knife that he is struggling to hold his composure. I purposefully clear my throat and squeeze his thigh before pulling my hand away.

“What do you think, Eliza?” Alexis asks me and I look at her blankly. I was totally not listening to a word she has been saying.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“I said you could be one of our auction dates,” she repeats, giving me a hopeful smile.

“Ah, I’m not sure anyone would pay to date me.”

“Nonsense. I’m sure Archer here would bid,” Alexis suggests, with an encouraging wink at Archer.

“Of course,” he says. “Anything for charity.” No one else notices the undertone to his voice when he says the word charity, but I don’t miss the double connotation he aims at me, and I glare at him from over my glass as I take a drink.

Dinner is painful, but having Kit and Archer there makes it bearable. Kit loves it when Wilbur pays an interest in his football training, and he clearly wants to impress him. It pains me how desperate he is to belong here, to have that sense of a place to call home.

“Well, gentleman, shall we retire the lounge for drinks and leave the ladies to fuss over dresses,” Wilbur suggests, standing to his feet and waiting for the others to follow suit.

“I have homework,” Kit announces, looking apologetic.

Chester gestures to his phone. “I’ve already made plans with friends.”

I didn’t know Chester had any friends here in the Bay. Considering he’s only just started at school, he has moved fast.

Wilbur sighs and looks at Archer. “It looks like it’s just the two of us.”

Archer stands and smiles warmly at my grandfather. “Lead the way, Wilbur.” He can really turn on the pleasantries when it suits him.

Alexis claps her hands in excitement and comes round to my seat, ushering me up and linking her arm through mine. “I can’t wait to see what Christian has picked out for us. He has such an eye, you know. He knows what suits my body better than I do.”

“Can’t wait,” I say with a forced smile. I look over my shoulder as we climb the stairs just as Archer looks back before he enters the lounge and I give him a pleading look that has him grinning, as if he knows that this is not my idea of fun.

“Ah, beautiful ladies,” greets a man with a goatee beard manicured to perfection, as he rushes towards Alexis and kisses her on both cheeks. He’s wearing grey tailored trousers and a fitted white shirt with a pair of designer shades resting on his black, smoothed back hair. “You must be Eliza.” He leans in and kisses my cheeks and then stands back and circles me a few times as he looks me up and down. “We need to emphasise that tiny waist and show off the girls, I think.” He taps his chin with his finger, looking deep in thought. “Size eight, yes, and a c-cup?”

“Yes,” I answer, looking at him in amazement.

He reaches out and runs a piece of my hair through his fingers. “Darling, I love your hair. I am thinking a deep burgundy dress or maybe purple.”

“Actually, I am thinking black. It’s kind of my go-to colour.”

Christian shakes his head, the silver chain at his wrist jangling as he waggles a finger at me. “No black. We want you to shine, not blend into the background. You have a face and a body that needs to be seen.”

He dismisses my protestations and heads over to a clothing rack that has many dresses in garment bags. He lifts one down and holds it with such delicateness, like he is holding a new-born baby. “Alexis, darling, as soon as I saw this dress, I thought of you. It’s by Lola Rose, an up-and-coming designer. The pale pink will complement your hair perfectly.”

Alexis unzips the bag and pulls the dress out, holding it against her. It’s full length but fitted at the body with loose chiffon that falls to the floor with a deep split on one side to show off a bit of leg. Alexis gushes over the dress and rushes behind the dressing screen to try it on.

“Now, my little jewel. How about this one? It’s purple silk, simple but so elegant, and will accentuate those curves.” He holds out a dress and I have to admit when I unzip it, it is beautiful in a classic and elegant way. “We’ll need to use titty tape as it hangs too low at the back for a bra.”

I study the dress, but I’m unsure and he must see my hesitation as he takes it from my arms and pulls out another one. “How about this stunner?”

The dress is a deep burgundy. Its satin like the previous dress, with simple straps it drops into a low ‘v’ showing some cleavage without being too revealing. I lift it out of the bag and take a look at the back. It’s more or less backless and drops into a ruched ‘v’ towards the top of my backside. It clings to the body and hips area but then finishes with a floaty fish-tail, giving room to walk comfortably. Christian can see that I like this one, so he ushers me towards the other dressing screen to try it on.

As I am undressing and climbing into the dress, I hear him gushing and fussing over Alexis. She asks him if he can take the hem up slightly on the dress for her. I come out from behind the screen and Christian turns his full attention to me.

“You are a vision, Eliza,” he tells me, placing his hand over his heart. “That dress is perfection on you. No panties when you wear it, though, my dear. I think my work here is done,” he states, clapping his hands together. “Okay, Eliza, dress off and zipped away safely. Alexis, my dear, let me help you up onto the stool whilst we pin the hem.”

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