Page 2 of These Wicked Desires
Sterling searches my face before sighing. “I can’t say no to you, Ellis.”
Excitement swoops through me at the prospect of doing something normal for a change. “So, what are we going to do?”
“I have an idea,” Cade says, slowly. “But it will take a few days to organize. In the meantime, we’ll keep working on fighting and magic lessons.”
I slump backward against Sterling and grumble. More lessons. More magic. More wings. I could cry.
Cade chuckles and leans forward to kiss me. “Soon, love. It will give you something to look forward to.”
Three days later I’m sitting on the couch in the cabin, enjoying the book about the witch with all of her men—which by the way, she has even more men now—when Cade enters the cabin, arms loaded down with bags. He and Kai had gone off to do something top secret, and they wouldn’t tell me what. Sterling kept his mouth shut all evening, only smiling at me when I asked what they were planning.
“What’s all of that?” I ask, setting my phone in my lap.
He grins at me. “A surprise for tonight.” The bags and boxes thump onto the kitchen table and he digs through them, pulling out a garment bag. He holds it up by the hanger and gives me a wink. “Go take a shower, get ready, and put this on. Meet us down here in two hours.”
“Cryptic,” I drawl, but snag the bag. It’s heavy, and a sneaking suspicion worms through me. His gaze burns into my back as I head upstairs, and I make sure to sway my hips a little extra just for him.
In the bedroom I hang the bag over the bathroom door. My fingers shake slightly as I gather the bottom and slowly lift it up, revealing red satin fabric. My breath catches as I remove the bag completely, unveiling a stunning evening gown.
Biting my lip, I dart into the bathroom and turn on the shower. This seems like the appropriate time to actually wash and fix my hair, so I spend the next hour doing that. The guys have made sure to buy things to make me comfortable here in the cabin. I haven’t really had the chance to leave and do any shopping, besides online shopping, because it’s not safe. The lavender shampoo isn’t something I’d typically use on my curls, but they tried. Same with the make-up. I forgo the concealer Kai bought that is two shades too light, and go with a dramatic eye.
When I’m finished with my hair and makeup, I return to the bedroom and stare at the dress. I wore plenty of evening gowns during my time as Thomas’s daughter. All of the stuffy parties and events he’d dragged me to, and then again on Sam’s arm as his girlfriend and fiancé. But none of them compare to the dress before me.
I let the towel drop to the floor and take the dress off the hanger. I realize it’s not one piece, but rather two. A skirt and bustier. Black lace forms the bustier top, with boning lining the sides and under the breasts. By the time I get the dang thing hooked, my breasts are sufficiently pushed up and on display. The pattern of the lace is thick, but a hint of nipple still peeks through, and I hope wherever we’re going it’s either really dark or private. It’s quite possibly the most revealing thing I’ve ever worn, and I love it.
The skirt is heavy. The red satin is full and thick, and the fabric glides over my freshly shaved legs making me shiver. It sits high on my waist, over the bustier, and a slit opens almost to my hip. Grinning wickedly, I toss the underwear I had planned to put on. I know where this evening is headed, so why bother with more clothing the guys will have to remove.
I walk to the full-length mirror, the skirts swishing with every step. I feel like a princess as I run my fingers over the smooth fabric. In the mirror I gasp. It’s been a long time since I actually looked at myself. I had gotten so used to seeing broken Ellis, this version of myself shocks me.
My amber eyes are practically glowing. There is no overwhelming despair in the depths of my irises. My skin is smooth and unblemished, aside from a few light freckles across my nose. No bruises, no cuts. No dark circles. I’ve been gaining back the weight I lost, and my cheeks are no longer sunken in. I look happy and healthy. For the first time in years, I look like myself. Powerful. Sexy. Confident.
I blink back the tears that burn the corners of my eyes and take a step back. The dress is stunning, and I look—and feel— incredibly sexy in it. I can’t wait for the guys to see me.
“Ellis, love, are you ready?” Cade hollers from downstairs.
I take one last glance in the mirror, fixing a curl that’s laying the wrong way, and head for the door. For some reason butterflies erupt in my stomach as I reach for the handle. This is as close to a real date as I’ve ever had. Growing up with Thomas, he always vetted my boyfriends and I always had a chaperone go on every date with me. Then there was Sam. I guess things started off normal enough, but those memories are tainted now. This will be the first time I’m with my guys, just the four of us, nothing to worry about, nothing to think about. I’m not even sure how to act in this situation.
Taking a deep breath I step through the door and make my way down the stairs, the heavy skirt trailing behind me. Half way down, I stop. All three of my guys are standing at the bottom of the steps, and I don’t know who to look at first.
Kai is dressed in black jeans with holes ripped in the knees, black boots, a black shirt, and his black leather jacket. As always, his hair lays in artfully messy waves across his forehead. My beautiful, dark vampire.
Cade is wearing a nice pair of jeans, white sneakers, and a gray long-sleeved Henley. His brown hair is styled to perfection, swept to the side away from his face. My sweet, adorable mage.
And Sterling. My mate. He’s wearing a pair of worn jeans, boots, and a black and red flannel shirt, unbuttoned over a white t-shirt. I barely refrain from making a comment at the fact he’s not naked for once. His silver hair has been brushed and it gleams as it lays over his shoulders.
My breath catches as I take in each of them. I am, by far, overdressed compared to them, but they look distinctly themselves. And I love it. I swallow as I take the final few steps down, and I notice their expressions. They range from straight up desire from Kai, to awe from Cade, to joy from Sterling. None of them say anything, and I suddenly have this fear I’ve done something wrong.
“Um, I didn’t have any shoes?” I nervously run my hands down my stomach and over the sides of my skirts, looking back and forth between them.
Kai starts and steps forward. He’s holding a pair of strappy black heels, and he kneels on the ground in front of me. I lift my skirts and raise my foot, noticing Kai’s gaze traveling the length of my leg, up and up to the top of the slit. His eyes are the darkest gray imaginable, and for a second, I get lost in them. Then he runs his hand down the back of my calf, and his touch draws me out of the hold he had on me.
He slips my foot into the first heel, making sure to let his fingers brush my skin at every opportunity. When he’s done, he places a soft kiss above my knee and stands. “You are so fucking beautiful,” he says, his voice rough.
I expect him to kiss me, but he doesn’t. Instead he backs away and heads for the front door, keys jingling in his hand. I blink, thrown off and left wanting. Where is my kiss?
Cade smirks. “Are you ready, love?”
“Where are we going?” I ask, taking his outstretched hand.