to love, appear, and I can’t help myself from grinning.
“I don’t know what you do to me,” Damien tells me.
“I think we both make each other feel,” I admit. I’m not saying I love him, and I’m not under the impression he could love me, but I know he cares for me.
“Feel,” he tastes the word on his tongue. His voice rumbles through me like it always does. It’s as if he and I are connected. “I know what I felt when I saw your scars.” His gaze sweeps over my face: from my forehead, to my eyes, down to my mouth, then they snap back to my stare. “Rage, fury, frustration. Everything I couldn’t explain with words.”
“So you… so you punished me?” The air in the room shifts, it’s stifling. I can’t think straight with him so close. The song changes suddenly, which forces me to glance at the stereo.
Andrew Belle sings “In My Veins,” as we move. And it truly feels as if Damien is inside me. It’s the strangest feeling, this connection we have is all-consuming.
“I wanted to do so much more, I wanted to hurt you, to make you cry. I wanted to see you ache and hear you beg and plead.” The words take on a husky tone. “I don’t know how this will ever work.”
“I know it can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re meant to be my stepbrother. My mother will never allow us to be like this. To be together.”
“You’ll have to be my favorite secret,” he tells me, and there’s no hint of a joke in his voice. My mouth opens, then shuts, and I’m flustered at the thought of being with him in the future. I was prepared for this to end in a week. I believed the moment our parents walked in, we would become platonic, even though I had no clue how I’d be able to do that.
“Don’t all secrets come out in the end?” I ask, curiosity lacing my words. His gaze flickers with knowing, we both know this could end tragically. I know I’d be broken, but Damien, he’d be okay because he’s stronger than I am. I think.
“They do,” he acquiesces, with a nod, as he turns us around. We move across the floor to the song. It’s slow, but it’s beautiful. Damien gifts me a smile; it’s not so much sad, as it is worried. He does look like he’s feeling more for me than I originally thought. “Let’s enjoy our time together,” he says, as the song comes to an end. “And when we reach the bridge of no return,” he whispers, “I’ll take you with me.”
My heart skips a beat, and I want to tell him not to make promises he can’t keep, but instead, I smile and press a kiss to his lips. It’s chaste, but it lingers for a moment longer than normal.
I don’t know how I’ll say goodbye to him, but I know he’ll be the one cut that’s too deep to heal from.
27
Nesrin
When I asked Cassian to take me to the store to buy a dress, Damien almost lost his mind. But I did remind him that I needed to do this on my own. Even though I’ve shopped for fancy clothes before, this trip is special. I want to surprise Damien when he sees me in the dress.
He mentioned he’d be buying the masks, so that part is sorted. I glance up, taking in my reflection in all three mirrors that surround me. It’s perfect. The deep royal blue shimmers like a million stars have been sewn into the material.
The back is non-existent, which I’m sure will have Damien telling me I’m not allowed to wear it, but this is my gown and my night. I want to feel beautiful. With most of the back cut out, the gentle material runs in an arch along the base of my spine and up along my sides, leaving my whole back visible. All that holds it together is a short zipper that snakes over my butt, and the long flowing floor-length gown feels as if it’s painted against my hips.
My tanned, caramel skin looks amazing against the dark blue. The front is less revealing, and thankfully, I don’t have to wear a bra. The V that dips between my cleavage is held together by five strips of material. And the halter neck hugs me tightly.
Opening the dressing room door, I step out, and Cassian glances up. His face is a picture; I wish I