Page 80 of The Mistake

I nod. What else can I do?It doesn’t really matter if I think I’m prepared. The truth is, I’m not.

I’d met Aurora and Adelaide at the wedding, it was an introduction and then I was moved on to the next person. There had been a lot of people at the wedding, most of whom I didn’t know.

None of the MC that had been present had come to say hello to me or hug me. Just Rage and Cassie.

Reaching for the dress, I tried to settle my nerves, but that was next to impossible. I felt sick to my stomach.

Ive doesn’t go anywhere. I’d dressedin front of him a couple of times without any worries, but this was different. Tonight I was dressing to go as his wife, by his side, and meet other brigadiers, and that was terrifying. I didn’t want to embarrass him.

With my underwear on, I reached for the dress. Ive had already lowered the zipper, so I stepped into it and wriggled my way to holding the bodice against my chest. Ive stepped close without me even asking and he eased the zipper up. It did require a few tugs, but he eventually got it worked up. Glancing behind me, I thanked him.

I’d never been good with makeup, or with handling my hair. I used one of the hair grips that Ive had gotten for me, and Ipulled some of my hair back, pinning it up. That was as good as it was going to get.

The dresswas lovely. It didn’t have any sleeves or straps, and molded against my chest. My breasts and the tightness of the zipper was what kept it up. There was a great deal of support there. The corset ended at my waist, and then flared out to hit the floor.

Ispotted the shoes that went with the dress in front of me and I stepped into them. In doing so, I lifted to look my husband in the eye.

“These are high,” I said, feeling the panic sweep over me.

Ive stepped close and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Then I’m going to be here to make sure you don’t fall.”

Now this made me smile.

“We could stay in?” I was hopeful.

“Ivan would come and visit.”

“I could pretend to be sick and you could take care of me.”

He chuckled. I loved the sound. Ive didn’t laugh a lot and I knew for a fact he never did when anyone else was around. He kept his humor and his caring to me and me alone.

“Trust me, he would concoct some other evil way to deal with us.” He winked at me. “Are you ready to leave?”

No, I wasn’t, but there was no reason to stall. I was dressed and ready to go. Might as well get this humiliation over with before they figure out they made a big mistake in picking me. Cassie would have been the better choice. She knew what she was doing. I didn’t. I was the biggest loser going.

I didn’t say a single word, not as we left Ive’s home.Hubert was driving us. I sat in the back of the car and was relieved that Ive hadn’t let go of my hand. This was a welcome relief. Taking a deep breath, I look outside of the car window at the passing scenery.

Ive tugged on my hand and held up his cell phone. There was a picture of a couple. “This is Slavik and Aurora. They currently have one child, and I believe they have a second on the way, but I’m not sure of those details as they’re keeping everything close before announcing.” He swiped across the screen. “This is Andrei and Adelaide. Andrei was supposed to marry her sister, but before the big day, he discovered some truths about the sister, and Adelaide took her place.”

“Her sister, isn’t she the one that…” Crap. I pressed my lips together. Being captive I might have heard a conversation or two that I shouldn’t have.

“Yes, she turned against us and went with Oleg in the hope of taking out Ivan.”

“And they still allowed Adelaide to live?”

“Adelaide had sworn her loyalty to Ivan and she proved herself with him.Her life was also put at risk as her sister hired hitmen to kill her.”

“Wow,” I said.

I was thankful for Cassie.

“They’re going to be at the dinner tonight. I’mnot sure if Victor or Peter will be joining us.”

“Who are they?”

“They’re Ivan’s other brigadiers. We’ve all sworn our loyalty to him.”

“Does he do these … meals often?”

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