Page 7 of Uncrowned

It didn’t matter. The color wasn’t the issue, my life was. This party was the last thing I wanted to think about. I wasn’t even sure I’d be here by the time it rolled around. But if I left…

I split the clothes on the rack, feeling myself fade away as I mindlessly scooted the first dress forward.

America? Spain? Where could I go? Where could I hide? My father would come for me. He wouldn’t let me get out of marriage. But what if I did marry? I might have access to money then, and then I could run from John. Would he come after me, too? Would Pauly help me hide?

I blinked hard, pushing a pale blush dress down the rack.

That was unfair to Paul. John was his father. I had to come up with a plan on my own. Money. I needed money to at least help me get out of the country.

“That’s not yours.”

I jumped at the male voice directly behind me. I turned, feeling my head tilt back at the tall man whose head was cocked to the side. He was studying my face. Hazel eyes were more green than brown. They penetrated my very soul as his gaze locked to mine. Black hair was cut short on the sides, but the waves from the curls on the top didn’t escape my notice. The air of danger emanating from him as he stepped in even closer had clothes falling off the rack behind me as I countered his step to put distance between us.

“I’m sorry?”

“Pink. That’s not the one.” He reached over, pulling a deep crimson dress free from the rack to hold up next to me. His eyes seemed to take in my body longer than they should have. Heat filled my face, but for the first time, I didn’t cower. “Yes. This is better,” he breathed out.

My lips parted as I took in his handsome features. The hard angles of his cheekbones went down to a defined jaw and chin. His good looks clashed with his aura leaving it almost impossible to speak. The innocent girl in me fell in love at first sight.

“Red isn’t appropriate for the occasion. I’m looking for black.”

“A funeral, then?”

I laughed, not able to stop myself.

“Would it be horrible if I said I’d prefer it over this party?”

“Not at all. Whose funeral would you like it to be?” His smile exposed perfect white teeth. Where it was beautiful, I felt myself shift under the heavy, threatening energy that didn’t leave him.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Enlighten me. Tell me a name.”

For seconds the words got trapped in my throat. My name sounded in the distance and my pulse jumped. The man looked over his shoulder, his lids narrowing in anger the smallest amount. He didn’t move despite I knew my mother was headed our way. If anything, he got closer, stealing even more space between us.

“Tell me.” It was soft but full of so much authority that I felt the admission tumble from my lips before I could stop it.

“John.”

Something shifted in his gaze. “Very common name.”

“A dangerous one. …Excuse me.”

I took the dress he was holding, reaching over to grab the first black one I saw. I didn’t look back as I headed for my mother, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was following the man as he headed for the doors to leave the store.

“Who was that?”

“I have no idea. He was asking for directions.” I glanced over, watching the man step around a couple. “It was nothing. I like these.”

There was a reluctance as my mother’s eyes finally lowered. “Red? Bold color.”

“Too bold for John?”

Lies. Calculations. The need to protect the stranger—myself was all I knew. A smile appeared from my mother as she scanned the dress, and her head nodded in approval.

“Perfect for John. Perhaps a private dinner. I knew you’d come around.”

Her arm shot up to one of the workers, but my eyes found their way back to the large glass doors at the front of the boutique. Back to the disappearing mystery man who’d scared me just as much as he intrigued me.