The Beast (Wicked Villains #4) - Katee Robert Page 0,57
hands on her generous hips. “You two are acting like fools.”
“Jeez, Tink, tell us how you really feel.” Gaeton smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Somehow, I know that if this situation wasn’t about me, he’d be fully enjoying her attitude.
“Don’t worry, I have an itemized list.” I can’t see her expression from here, but she sounds fearsome. “I’m going to text it to you, and then you and Beast are going to retrieve every single thing on the list for me. I don’t want you back before then.”
Beast is already shaking his head. “No. We’re more than happy to pay your steep fees to get something put together now, but we’re not leaving.”
“Wrong again.” She pulls her phone out and types quickly. Seconds later, both Gaeton and Beast’s phones chime.
Gaeton’s brows rise as he reads. “This list has twenty things on it. Some of this shit, I’ve never heard of.”
“Get familiar. You want to seduce someone who invests as much into their appearance as Isabelle does—that wasn’t a dig, by the way—you need to figure out the products that they need to accomplish it, and you need to figure it out fast.” A sugary sweet edge filters into her voice, one that doesn’t do a single thing to cover the poison beneath. “Get the fuck out, or I’ll leave all three of you high and dry. And don’t think for a second that I’m not charging you hazard pay for this entire day.”
Beast and Gaeton exchanged one of those silent speaking glances. Finally, Beast shrugs. “You get a few hours on the condition that Hook stays.” He looks at the other man. “I’m assuming you have a team in the building.”
“You assume correctly.”
“It’ll be enough.” Beast crosses to me and tips my chin up with a finger. “What do you want, Isabelle?”
That’s a question I still don’t have an answer to. I’m starting to fear I never will. I try for a smile, but the expression doesn’t feel right on my face. “Tink appears to have things well in hand.”
He searches my expression and nods once. “We won’t be long.”
Not a single person mentions that it’d be simple to order the items and have them couriered here. There’s a bit of shuffling around as Hook’s people bring up a sewing machine and a rack filled with wardrobe bags. Then Gaeton and Beast are gone, Hook’s team are sent to secure the perimeter, and I’m left with these two people I barely know.
Hook brushes a soft kiss to Tink’s lips. “I’d tell you to be gentle, but I know better.”
“That’s right. You do know better.”
He drops into the chair Gaeton occupied and pulls out his phone. Seconds later, he seems entirely consumed with whatever he’s reading. Tink turns to give me a long look. “You shy?”
“Not particularly.”
“If you want Hook in another room or facing away, it’s fine, but I need you to try on a few things. We don’t have a time to put together a dress from scratch, so we’ll adjust some of the stuff I have on hand.”
I glance at Hook, but he doesn’t seem to pay us the least bit of attention. I know it’s a lie. If he thinks for a second that I’m a threat, he’ll neutralize me immediately. But I appreciate how respectful he’s being. He has a good reputation, both as a man and as a territory leader, and so far he’s living up to it. “It’s fine.”
“I’ll take you at your word. Lose the robe.”
I shrug out of it and drape it over the arm of the couch. Tink circles me and whistles. “They did a number on you.”
Impossible not to blush. “I enjoyed it.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that.” She stops in front of me and narrows her eyes. “You’ve lost weight. I can see that even without measuring you again. You’re not taking care of yourself.”
“It’s been a rough couple of months.” The understatement of the century.
Tink winces. “Right. I’m sorry. My condolences on the loss of your father.”
I never know what to say to people who offer their condolences or apologies. No amount of words in any combination will bring him back or lessen the pain of losing him. Nothing can combat the gaping hole in my chest, though being with Beast and Gaeton helps distract me. Without their presence in the apartment, the darkness nips at my edges, tearing away bits of my armor and what little peace I found in the arms of the two men