Annalise seems to know everything going on in town—and what to wear for it—so I’m assuming her social calendar is pretty packed outside of the shop.
“Sort of. My family watches it from the castle,” she replies without fuss.
“The castle?” I blink.
“Yes.” She smiles. “I don’t go often, but Halloween is my favorite holiday to spend there. The cook makes the most delicious little cupcakes with pumpkin icing.”
Watching my expression, the shop owner chuckles. “I’m the queen’s niece. Not that it matters, as I’m technically disowned by my parents, but my aunt doesn’t care.”
“That sucks. Why were you disowned, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She shrugs. “I like simple things. Such as owning my shop. Making my own money.Notmarrying some old guy on command for a title.”
I’ve spent enough time in her world to know that’s not unusual. “I’m so sorry.”
She snorts. “Don’t be. I do really well. Before I put my foot down, I was a stylist for the elder royals, and trust me, I much prefer the lanes. At least here, I get to play with wonderful dresses such as this one. I do have a wonderful lingerie set you might want to try with it, by the way.”
Her store doesn’t carry much lingerie—just a few iconic pieces—but she pulls it out of the back.
A cupless bra attached to what looks like a collar. Matching panties—or, rather, strings attached together.
I swallow.
Shedefinitelygets the vibe of the royals, doesn’t she?
It turns out, I likely didn’t need to spend that much time trying to explain what I was after for Callum’s orgy, after all. I wonder if she has an invite. Probably.
“Does it come in red?”
CHAPTER 23
callum
She’s trying to kill me, there’s no other possibility.
Objectively, by this point, I’ll admit that my hobby might seem a little strange. I got the girl. I got the girl in my house, in my bed, and it’s only a matter of time until she admits she’s never walking out of it. So you’d think I’d stop stalking her. But I just love watching her when she’s by herself. I’m also fully aware that I could tell her about it; she wouldn’t mind. My delicious little doll is as twisted as me. But her not actually knowing is half the fun.
I had to cut back my hours at the office because I’m following her every day, as soon as she’s out of school. Good thing I don’t technically need a job.
I picked law because there’s a contract shoved in my face every week, and it’s always useful to know what the hell they’re saying, and I founded my firm because I had nothing better to do. Now I do, so I work from ten to four. Fuck anyone who has anything to say about it. I’ve hired a handful of grunts who can hold down the fort when I’m busy. I represent artists and authors, anyway, so the hours are flexible.
Today, I took the afternoon off to watch her go to her favorite shop in the lanes, and get her hair and makeup done, before heading back home.
And my place is her home. She knows that deep down. Why would she go there and not her dorm, otherwise? We’re officially meeting at six for the parade.
The Halloween parade, like all other events in the streets of the capital, starts in the park, circling it before walking up to the avenue leading up to the palace.
Temporary bleachers have been set up at their end point, where the true spectacles will happen, and I have seats reserved every year. Most of the time, I don’t bother to show, but Olivia was so excited when I mentioned it.
“I’ve never actually seen it properly from up close! There’s always such a crowd. To have the best view, I had to watch it replay on TV.”
No one really goes unless they’re under twelve, but if my girl wants to see the circus outdoors, we’re seeing the circus.
God, I’m so whipped.
I know I could just cross the road and join her, but instead, I watch her walk, that tight ass downright sinful in her leather mermaid skirt. Everyone turns to watch her in the street; she causes whistles, blatant second looks, and shelovesit, slut that she is.
My cock tightens in my pants. I know she wants to be watched. Some of the guys shamelessly checking her out aren’t safe, but she doesn’t care. If she could get away with stripping and spreading her legs right here in the street, she would. She wants to beprey. That’s an instinct that calls to me. I really can’t get over how fucking perfect she is for me.