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“Lenore was taken,” I said with a shrug, laughing softly, my face just inches from hers.

“Asshole.” She pushed me away.

I laughed.

I pressed two fingers to my lips, then moved them to hers. “Shhh. You’ll get yourself in trouble.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

I pulled her closer. Her small body pressed against mine just as my back touched the closet door. She was so light, I could lift her with one arm. So fragile, you’d want to cradle her and never let go. But her mind? That was another story. Heavy. Dark. Beautiful and terrifying.

Sometimes I wondered what she really thought of me—but her body always told me more than her words ever did.

“I want to teach you all the things I was too afraid to ask that night,” I whispered. “Back when we played Memory Lane. I’ll make you tell stories you’re too embarrassed to admit.” I leaned in closer, voice lower. “Tell them you fucked your stepbrother.”

She shoved me hard. “Dream on, lover boy.”

I laughed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back. “Nah, Trouble. I can only promise you one thing…”

She stared at me, breath caught in her throat.

“…I’ll make you live in a nightmare.”

NINE

DORIAN

TWO YEARS BEFORE

Ifsomeonehadtoldme I’d end up in a black suit, I would’ve laughed in their face. Yet here I was, staring at my reflection in the dusty attic mirror. The glass was cloudy, the air colder than it should be. Nagi hissed from her perch up in the rafters.

I turned to her. “You like it?” I asked.

As if a snake would answer.

“No words?” I smirked. “Fine. I like leaving women speechless.”

On top of the box lay the black mask Mother had given me. It was clear they wanted every face hidden. Just as clear, they didn’t want me there. But I was too damn useful to leave out.

I scooped up Nagi in my hand, she tightened around my hand, and I grabbed the mask, and headed down the creaking stairs, straight to Lenore’s room. I didn’t bother knocking.

She stood in front of her mirror in a red dress—thatred dress. It clung to her like it had been sewn onto her skin. My mother’s dress. Her bare shoulders caught the light, and the dress cinched her waist so tight she looked thinner than she was. On her feet were red heels. Bare arms. No necklace. No shame.

I’d never seen her breasts look full before.

Her hair was curled, her lips red like blood, and a black lace mask wrapped around her eyes. Through the cutouts, those blue eyes stared at her in the mirror.

“You look like a whore,” I said, leaning against the doorframe.

“And you look like an idiot,” she snapped, not even turning.

“They’re not gonna let you go down like that,” I said, stepping in. I laid Nagi on Lenore’s bed and yanked the blanket off it, draping it over her shoulders.

“Better,” I muttered.

She peeled it off and dropped it to the floor. “Don’t be ridiculous, Dorian.”

“I’d rather die than let you walk around like that,” I said, picking it up again and wrapping it around her. “You have boobs,” I whispered, dead serious.