Page 139 of Hate to Love You

But I will not surrender the control of my wardrobe to a man again. And certainly not so that Roman can look like some big powerful business CEO, shaking hands with the rich and awful…with some prized piece of candy on his arm.

A business CEO with demons.

My CEO.

No. Stop that.

If I’m being forced to go to a snobby gala, then it won’t be a repeat of how it was with my husband. I won’t go as a ghost who isn’t seen or heard.

I refuse to just be his arm candy.

Instead, Roman will be the candy on my arm.

Winking at the camera, I turn back to Mimi.

“I’ll take the red one.”

“Miss…”

“I’ll take the red dress, or I’ll take nothing.” I state firmly, leaving no room for discussion. “Mr. Antonov requested I find a dress. And I have. If he doesn’t like it, I can go naked. Or he can go alone.”

Mimi chuckles softly.

“Would you also like the matching…support items?” She asks, wagging her brow and smirking at me.

“Support items?”

Mimi blushes.

“Lingerie, Miss Wayne.”

A deliciously wicked grin skates across my face.

“Oh, I think I need all of that as well.”

“Lovely!” She says, clapping her hands. “I think you will love it, it’s all sewn custom to support each individual dress, so no one will ever see it, or know you’re wearing anything at all!”

Excitedly she dashes back behind the curtains as I deliberately turn back around, facing the camera.

“So that no one will ever see it,” I say firmly, narrowing my eyes at the little red dot. “What a fucking shame.”

As Mimi reappears, carrying a few boxed items, I pull the black card from my wallet.

Roman’s card.

“And you can charge them with this card,” I say with a smile. “It’s Mr. Antonov’s and will save him a trip down here to pay for them.”

“Of course, Abby.”

Game on Roman.

Dropping down at my desk, I take a minute to catch my breath. I was nearly an hour late back from lunch, and I didn’t even eat a single thing.

Which makes me grouchy at the best of times.

Clicking into Roman’s schedule I see that Boris is due onto the floor at any minute. My stomach clenches as I remember what he said in that monster meeting.

…And the fact he was willing to go after someone’s wife and children to get whatever they wanted.