Page 180 of The Monster and the Masochist

I’d just been along for the ride.

Now, though, standing in front of the mirror, it was clear that there was a massive difference between my off-the-rack Macy’s discount suit and this literal work of art Cassandra had put together for me.

I looked… like a fucking rockstar or something.

The only thing was… the tie looked super weird for some reason, no matter how many times I redid the knot, and I couldn’t figure out why.

“Oh, sweet girl, you look fucking amazing!” Cass crooned as she strode out of the ensuite she’d been locked in for the last hour.

I jumped at her sudden appearance and twisted away from the mirror to tell her I wasn’t so sure about the tie… but the second I laid eyes on her, my jaw dropped.

Jesus fucking Christ.

If there was a god, the dude really said ‘hold my beer’ the day he decided to make Cassandra.

She was in a sparkling, champagne-colored Chanel dress that clung to her hips like a second skin. The hemline stopped mid-thigh, showing off her long, toned legs and perfect feet, which she’d slipped into a brand new pair of nude Louboutins.

She’d put some sort of lotion or body spray that made her tanned skin glisten and sparkle as she walked, and her long dark hair had been curled into loose, beachy waves.

Stalking toward me, she positioned herself between me and the mirror, and my mouth went dry as I realized the dress was completely backless, except for a thin criss-cross of gold chains that held the sparkly fabric together.

Jesus Christ.

No bra…

How the fuck was I supposed to get through this without ripping that dress right off her?

Completely oblivious to the fact that she’d completely mollified me by simply walking into the room, she frowned, pursing her lips.

“Oh, no, baby. The tie isn’t for this outfit. You need a collar for a tie.”

“Huh?” I rasped, doing my best to pull myself out of whatever trance it was she’d somehow managed to put me in by simply fucking existing.

Gently, she took the tails out of my hands and slipped the black silk tie off my neck before hanging it up and putting it away in the closet.

“Why’d you get it for me then?” I asked, bewildered, as she made her way over to the dresser to scoop up my silver Q-Tip.

“You need a proper tie, Theodora. Your little skinny one is cute and all, but not every event we go to is going to call for 2002 Avril Lavigne chic.”

I blinked at her as she slipped the silver chain for my charm over my neck before standing back to see how it looked.

Straightening the lapel of my jacket, she smiled.

“But you won’t be wearing a tie at all tonight. I went with the crew-neck so you could keep your magic wand with you in case you needed it. There’s going to be a lot of alcohol there, and dealing with the press can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to it. So, I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed to feel comfy.”

“Oh,” I said dumbly, feeling my eyes burn slightly at how fucking thoughtful that was of her. I curled my fingers around the cool metal of my charm. It seemed to tingle in my palm, as if it really was magic, and it had the power to protect me if I needed it to.

“You look fucking stunning. Jesus. I hope you let me dress you up all the time. I don’t think you understand how fun this is for me.”

I grinned, shaking my head slightly as she turned so she could look at us both in the mirror.

“If it makes you happy, it makes me happy, baby girl. Though you might have a bit of a shopping problem. I don’t think you even looked at the price tags for half this shit,” I mumbled, and she laughed.

“Why do you think I worked so hard to become a lawyer? I knew early on that if I didn’t lock down a job with a high salary, I was going to end up living in a damn box somewhere. I like pretty things! And pretty things tend to be a little expensive. Sue me.”

I reached out and pinched her chin between my fingers before drawing her in for a swift kiss. My stomach flipped as her lips curled into a smile against mine.

“I like pretty things too, princess,” I murmured, nipping her bottom lip softly. “And you’re the prettiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”