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“Sorry, Daddy.”
“Good girl. Why don’t you go grab that big box over there first?”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I slide off his lap, heading straight for the small pile of boxes at the end of the bed, and pick up the largest one first to lay on the bed before tugging at the beautiful pale blue ribbon tying it closed.
My breath clogs in my lungs when I lift the lid from the box. Inside is a dress, but not simply any dress, the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. Shimmery layers of deep purple satin and tulle are dotted with little stars and moons, and I carefully lift the creation from the tissue paper and hold it in front of me. It reminds me so much of the dress in my daydreams of me and Jasper in Paris it brings tears to my eyes.
I don’t even care that it’s far too short, like the other dresses I tried on at Solene’s. I only care that it’s beautiful. And it’s mine.
“Do you like it?” For the first time in my memory, Jasper looks unsure of himself. “It reminded me of that one dress you had. You wore it to one of your mother’s charity balls, and she had a conniption fit because she’d picked out some pale pink monstrosity and you’d thumbed your nose at her by getting your own dress.”
I can’t quite place the emotion that rises up in me, threatening to choke me as I run my hand over the star-studded fabric. I remember that night like it was yesterday. My mother berating me in the womens’ bathroom, Jasper “accidentally” wandering in and pretending like he’d simply gone through the wrong door, which had pissed my mother off enough that she stormed off and didn’t speak to either of us again the rest of the night.
In that moment, he was the closest thing to a hero I’d ever known.
“I can’t believe you remember that,” I whisper, blinking hard against the tears burning in my eyes. “It was forever ago.”
“It’s one of my favorite memories of you. I’d never seen you laugh or dance the way you did that night. And the way you looked in that dress… well, I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed it quite so much considering you were barely eighteen at the time. Made me feel like a dirty old man, watching you all night.”
“You are a dirty old man. But thank you. I love it, I really do.”
“Good. Now open this one.” He hands me a square box, and though I hate to relinquish my dress, I carefully return it to the tissue paper and accept the next gift.
“Is this… holy shi-crap, is this atiara?” Stunned, I can only stare down at the gold crown inside, adorned with the most perfect amethysts I’ve ever seen in my life.
“It is. Can’t have my princess going around without her crown, now can I?”
Pulling the tiara free, I drop the box with a squeal as I rush over to the full-length mirror standing in the corner of his room. “Can I wear it, Daddy, please? I’ll be so good, I swear!”
His laughter, deep and rich, once again echoes around the room as he comes to stand behind me. “Of course you can, princess. After your bath.”
Chapter Sixteen
Juliet
I’m so caught up in the beauty of my tiara, I miss his words at first. When they register, I wrinkle my nose at my reflection. “I already had a bath.”
“And you’ve had a very big day, with an even bigger night ahead of you.”
The mention of tonight being a “big night” makes my stomach tremble. “Could I at least have a shower, then?”
Behind me, Jasper raises an eyebrow, and my bottom clenches as if already anticipating the punishment to come. “Little girls don’t take showers.”
An argument burns on the tip of my tongue, but the day’s humiliations are still fresh enough in my mind to have me swallowing it down. And, if I’m being completely honest with myself—which I’ll admit is not a practice I engage in often—part of me simply wants to submit. After all, he’s just gifted me the most beautiful dress, complete with a sentimental backstory, and I’m loath to ruin the moment by arguing.
So I watch my reflection nod, instead. “Yes, Daddy.”
I’m rewarded with the brightest smile I think I’ve ever seen on my brother’s face. “Good girl. Put the tiara on the dresser and come with me.”
With a reluctant sigh, I place the crown carefully on the heavy wooden dresser beside me and turn to place my hand in his. Jasper leads me into his bathroom, and for a moment I simply drink in the beauty of it while he turns on the faucet in the bath. While it’s a bit darker than my personal preferences, it’s beautifully done in shades of dark gray with hints of gold and black.
And, I realize with some surprise, little splashes of teal. My favorite color.
Curious, I wander over to where the pretty hand towel hangs, running my fingers over the soft material. “How long have you been expecting me?”
“Longer than I realized, it seems.” There’s a hint of… something in his tone, as if he’s as confused by this unexpected detail as I am. “I had this bathroom finished months ago, well before you called me. Perhaps on some level, I was always expecting you to come.”
Because I’m not sure exactly how I’m supposed to feel about the fact that my stepbrother may have been harboring a secret crush all these years as well, I deliberately turn away from the towel just as he rises to his feet, the water still running behind him. “You’re sure I can’t have a shower?” Stepping closer to him, I slide my arms around his waist, tilting my head back with a slow, sultry smile. “We could share.”