die
hornets in the grand ballroom. I took another slow sip of my champag
erfectly practiced, fake sympathy. "Poor thing," Victoria sighed, her voice carrying effortlessly over the music.
me. "Oh, darling," she cooed, her voice dripping with sugary v
r my ears-vibrated deep within his chest. His scent spiked violently. The smell of cedarwood before a thunderstorm and a burning bo
pull me behind him and unleash his
th a microscopic, almost imperceptible movement, I shook my
his neck strained against his collar,
me authority of the fashion world and a formidable older she-wolf, stepped into the ba
Valentina's path, blocking her way. "Valentina! What perfect timing," Clotilde announced, ensur
ating gaze swept over the silent cro
to touch the glittering, crystal-encrusted fabric. She sim
tongue, the sound echoing lik
lked straigh
ch me. But Valentina ignored his lethal aura. With her leather-gloved fingers, she gently brushed the fabric of my cuff. Reachin
'P' hand-stitched in platinum thread
na lowered the loupe. She took a step b
tionable authority. "Hand-stitched by the late master designer Pierre himself. The 20
p rippled throug
ling. "And what you are wearing, Miss Sterling, is a factory-line replica. T
hat followed
uching her lips. "Exquisite taste, Elodie. I
of a bruised plum. Her chest heaved, and I could see her eyes flashing, her inner
hampagne glass and lo
clouded his eyes were entirely gone. In their place was a burning mixture of shock, awe, and a dark, consuming fi
he thought he needed to protect. I was th
/1/112165/coverbig.jpg?v=b7bbcd1e886e2e07190d7d5fb0231079&imageMogr2/format/webp)