Beautiful Lies (Breaking Belles #2) - Alta Hensley Page 0,4

they all wore. I was to make a show of it. Add some flavor and spice to the ritual.

I was supposed to take this act seriously. I was choosing the belle who would change my future forever. I was supposed to honor and value this time of “pearl touching” as if it were one of the most important decisions of my life.

But let’s be real. A whore is a whore regardless of what color dress she wore to conceal that fact.

I quickly walked the line and touched the pearls so the Elders couldn’t say I didn’t and, therefore, fail my Initiation before it even truly started.

Once I had, I stood back and observed the line of women. They all watched my every move, and frankly, they all looked the same in my eyes. Pretty faces, hopeful eyes, and everyone dolled up with makeup, oversized eyelashes, hairspray, painted nails, and everything I hated.

Fake beauty.

If I had walked into a bar and been presented with the same women, I would leave alone, or maybe pick up the bartender because at least she would be real. But I didn’t have that option here, so I would have to choose someone.

“Sully VanDoren, you are to choose a belle,” an Elder prodded with a bang of his cane. At least he wasn’t calling me “Sullivan” which I fucking hated.

All right then, fine. Which of these ladies was the most deserving? Who was the epitome of what this Order and our entire wealthy society of pricks and princesses stood for? I needed to pick the poster child so I could be the Golden Boy.

I needed to pick the complete opposite of who I would choose in my normal life just to constantly remind myself that this sick nightmare wasn’t normal, and it was all a guise… a game. So, I would play their game.

Let me find my Barbie since I was their Ken.

My sick sense of humor gave me some pleasure as I scanned the women again and focused my attention on the female with the classic Southern Belle appearance. Long blonde hair, blue eyes surrounded in thick lashes, pouty lips with peach lipstick that shone beneath the chandelier lights, and to top it all off… she wore a pink dress. Yes, she was the perfect vision of a Georgia Peach.

My mother would be so proud.

Drinking her in from head to toe, I also came to an important conclusion.

I could fuck her.

In fact, I might actually get some pleasure out of it since she did have a rocking body.

Not wasting any more time, I walked up to where she stood and locked eyes with her.

She held my stare and seemed to stiffen her spine as her posture improved. Her eyes narrowed, and I saw her jaw clench.

It almost seemed as if she was silently daring me… yes, that was the feeling I got. She didn’t smile or play coy. She didn’t flutter her eyelashes or lick her lips. No… I was pissing her off as I examined her like she was a piece of meat.

“I dare you, fucker.”

“All right, bitch.”

“Game on.”

“Game on.”

I yanked the pearl necklace hard, not caring or looking as the pearls scattered all around us. Her eyes narrowed even more, but she remained in place and didn’t show any emotion other than one of challenge.

Breaking the necklace. An act to show just how easy it is for The Order of the Silver Ghost to give you riches only to take them away. What you believe to be yours can be ruined with such ease. But in my case… it was also to show her I was in control.

Not her.

She better figure that out real quick.

Not wanting to play this game any longer under the eyes of the Elders, I replaced the white that had been on her neck with the color black. Locking eyes, I crossed the ribbon at her throat and pulled tightly… tighter than someone normally would. In fact, I got great pleasure in tugging on that ribbon to the point where her narrow eyes widened.

It was my warning.

Montgomery had told me the key to completing the 109 days was to find a teammate, but I was never good at taking advice. I was different. I saw this Initiation as if I were going to war.

There would be no us.

Simply me.

I was the General, and this little Barbie would be my soldier. She better stay in line and follow my orders if she knew what was good for her. I certainly