Beautiful Lies (Breaking Belles #2) - Alta Hensley Page 0,43

knew what I could and couldn’t handle?

When I’d first walked through those doors, I would have said I could take anything, no matter what. For my family, I would endure anything. Any pain, any emotional torture, anything. For family, one could endure it, because that’s what love was. Real love.

And now?

Now… well, I was counting the cost. My flesh was burned, and I remembered the sound of it sizzling and the feel of the arms holding me while I screamed. It was a mark I’d carry with me forever.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

Would I do it again?

…

Probably.

But I was also glad there were no time machines. I was glad it wasn’t a choice I’d ever have to choose again.

Except for the fact that we’d just been graced with another Invitation.

We were cordially invited to another night of sin and debauchery downstairs and the question ringing through my head was—how much of my blood would it require this time?

The Fox Chase really could have been so much worse. I’d gotten out of it with just a few scrapes. The branding would scar me for life.

What did tonight’s little soiree have in store for me?

Sully had been withdrawn ever since we’d gotten the invitation, last night’s amazing primal sex notwithstanding.

But right before we headed downstairs, he reached out and grabbed my hand. I was surprised and I must have looked it.

“I won’t let them hurt you again,” he said. The determination in his brow said he was very serious.

I melted inside. And I wanted to tell him no, not to make that sort of promise, it was one he couldn’t keep, one I wouldn’t let him keep, but then he was pulling me out the door and down the stairs.

The dress code on the invitation had just said “Elegant Evening Attire + Carnivale Masque”—so Sully was dressed in a black suit with the top few buttons of his pressed white shirt unbuttoned. It was sexy, but then I suspected I’d find the man sexy even if he was dressed in a sackcloth and ash.

I was wearing a tight red dress that hugged my curves with enough cleavage on display that Sully hadn’t been able to take his eyes away after I’d put it on but not so much that I’d be embarrassed if I wore it to church. Not that I ever would, cause red on a woman was the devil’s color, I’d been informed many a time by my sexless Sunday School teacher as a small child.

As we came down the stairs, I realized “Elegant Evening Attire” was being loosely interpreted by everyone in attendance. Oh, sure, most men were in suits and tuxes, but the ladies on display, well, they were a whole other story.

Sure, they were all elegant, to a one. And everyone had a mask on. Some sparkling with jewels, others, simple black silk masks. Most had some sort of elaboration. Feathers. Ribbons sewn in. One had a large honking nose extended as if it were a plague mask. A couple of men wore masks that were grotesque in other ways, satanic almost.

The women wore masks that were almost all just strictly beautiful. White. Red. Peacock colors and features. Probably from a real peacock, knowing this crowd.

But as far as the rest of the women’s attire… Well, elegant diamonds dripped off of one dark brunette who was sitting as the centerpiece in the center of a round table. A sparkling necklace dripped diamonds down between her exposed breasts, almost all the way to her belly button. Her legs were open wide and the only other thing she had on was a string of pearls around her waist, looped with another strand that dipped down between the lips of her pussy.

Masked men took turns playing with the pearls, tonguing them against her clit and lapping at her cunt. Sometimes another player would pour champagne down her body and multiple men would lap at it, like dogs all fighting for the tastiest morsel.

Everyone in the room seemed to be in another world. Not like people usually looked when they were drunk, but not exactly sober. Their bodies were so loose, their eyes so bright.

“Absinthe, sir?” A beautiful waitress with an elaborate golden carnivale mask paused in front of Sully. She held out a tray of little cups filled a third of the way with bright green liquid, along with a few other objects.

Sully started to say no thank you but the woman leaned in, whispering in Sully’s ear. I wanted to