Page 40 of Climbing Everest

In the end, it doesn’t matter. Because she’s loyal to Kato and will do what’s in his best interest. Which, I suppose, includes making sure I don’t show up a complete mess tonight.

“Fine,” I snap, handing her the glass and wincing when a little splashes over the sides and onto the floor. “Sorry.”

She gives me a look that might have made me recoil if I didn’t feel so…loose. Alcohol is good like that.

“Almost done,” the woman currently holding up a bottle says. “Close your eyes and hold your breath.”

I do as I’m told while she spritzes my face with setting spray. I haven’t even asked for a mirror yet. I don’t want to see the complete look until I’ve got the dress, shoes, and accessories on.

I didn’t even bother taking a peek inside the garment bag Kato hung in my closet with the dress he picked out for the evening. Though I am kind of dying from curiosity.

Fingers thread through the length of my hair, and damn it feels good. I keep my eyes closed even after the makeup artist is done setting my makeup and try to just…be in the moment or whatever.

I was accustomed to this life at one point, and then I wasn’t.

Even after the few weeks since being back with Kato, Brix, and Madd, it’s taking me some time and effort to remember I’m no longer at risk of someone breaking into my apartment, no longer worried I might get hurt or killed on a date…

No longer have to hide. At least not after tonight.

Oh, I’m not na?ve. I know there isn’t a chance in hell the guys will let me leave the house without a chaperone or ten, but I can finally start looking forward to a future with my husbands.

Husband. Wow. In a week, I’ll be legally married. I’ll be a wife. Kato will be my legal husband. The term will no longer be a term of endearment or a young girl’s deepest wish.

I’m still a little young for marriage, but there has never been a single doubt in my mind about my life with these three men.

Even when we thought we would run away and build our own little corner of the world, I never once wondered if we would work.

There will never be anyone who owns my heart quite the way they do.

“You still awake there, doll?”

I blink my eyes open and focus on the makeup artist smiling down at me. Shit. Maybe I should have stopped at the first glass of wine because the woman’s pretty face is a little out of focus.

“Someone get her some coffee, and maybe something to eat,” the woman says, glancing over my shoulder.

“That obvious?” I ask.

She shrugs her shoulders. They all introduced themselves to me when they arrived, but for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one. My brain is mush, and the wrong kind of butterflies are wreaking havoc on my stomach.

“I forgot your name,” I whisper to her as she offers me a hand and helps me out of the chair set up in the kitchen. It’s in here because apparently, that’s where the best light is.

“It’s okay. Katerina. Most people call me Kat. Please don’t call me Kitty, it’s annoying and sounds like a porn star.”

I huff a surprised laugh, then burst into giggles. “Please tell me you’re kidding. People have called you Kitty?”

“Men think they’re being funny,” she says with a shrug.

“Um. I know it’s not part of your job, but any chance I can convince you to help me with my dress?”

“Of course,” Kat says, walking beside me as I make my way through the house while the hair stylist and his assistants all pack up their equipment.

I have no idea whether the man is into women or not, but pretty sure Kato – as well as Brix and Madd – would go all psychotic if I asked a man to help me get dressed.

“You’re not squeamish about seeing another woman naked, are you?” I tease.

“Oh please. You should see some of the jobs I’ve been hired for – anything from well-known magazines to porn shoots.”

I whirl around, my freshly curled hair slapping me in the face. “Shut up. No fucking way!” The giggles are back, and I have no idea how much of it’s from the alcohol, how much is from this woman’s wit, and how much of it is from pure, raw nerves.

“Yep,” she says, following me to the closet. “And believe it or not, I’ve had to… accentuate body parts with makeup.”

Aaaand more giggles.

“You’re going to make me ruin all your hard work,” I tease as tears from laughter well in my eyes.

At least I assume they’re from laughter.

As I pull the dress bag from the closet, Ms. Galanos appears with a tray containing a mug, a carafe of coffee, and a few small sandwiches cut into fours.

“Thank you,” I tell her. “And sorry for spilling my wine.”

She turns, then stops and looks back at me. “Everything will be fine. My boys have your back.”

And with that, she disappears through the bedroom door.

I stare at the empty doorway for a few seconds, then cross the room to close it. No one else in the house would dare come in here without permission, but I’d rather not flash my boobs at an unsuspecting guard or another member of the staff.

“Holy shit,” Kat breathes out.

I turn to find she’s unzipped the bag the rest of the way down, revealing the gown Kato chose.

He wasn’t kidding when he said I’d like it.

And this…oh, tonight is going to be a night everyone remembers.

Standing in front of the massive mirror positioned in the corner of my room, I turn this way and that, examining the work of the stylists as well as the dress.

The gown is floor length, slit up one thigh, dips down in the back so low the crack of my ass is barely covered, and also dips in the front to bare a healthy amount of cleavage…

And looks like a wedding gown.

It’s cream in color with beading and lace and so shimmery. I was a little worried it might be itchy against my skin, but the inside is lined with satin and feels amazing. It’s a little heavy, but not so much that it’ll hinder any movement.

The heels are strappy and gold, and one of my guys went shopping for some new jewelry because I don’t remember seeing the diamond and gold chandelier earrings before today.

“You look stunning,” Kat says.

I definitely needed her help getting this thing over my head without messing up my hair or makeup, then needed her help zipping it up the side without pinching my skin.

My hair lays in these old Hollywood waves, my makeup is dramatic but not too dark. Kat gave me cat eyes and painted my lips blood red.

All in all, I feel…well, beautiful.

“Thank you,” I say, searching for a clutch big enough to stash at least a knife and a few essentials but small enough to not clash with the elegance of the dress.

There’s a gold clutch in a drawer of the island in the middle of my walk-in closet, but it’ll barely fit a tube of lipstick and the ID Kato had made for me. Though it’s not actually legal, just enough to get me by if I happen to need one.

Shit. Okay. I don’t have to carry a knife. Kato’s men will be watching over me and the rest of the crowd. They’ll make sure I don’t end up dead.

I hope.

Turning my attention to Kat, I let my eyes roam her body. “What size are you?” I ask.

“What? Why?”

“You got plans tonight? Want to, um…want to come to the party?” Flora will be attending, but she won’t be in the SUV with me, nor will she be waiting in the back with me.

I’ll be by myself with nothing but my nerves to keep me company.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to piss off your fiancé.”

That’s the first time I’ve heard that term in reference to Kato, and it sends an excited thrill through me.

My fiancé . I still wish I could legally marry all three of them, but like we’ve always said, a piece of paper doesn’t change our commitment to each other.

“Absolutely not. If he hired you, he trusts you. So…what do you say? I have plenty of dresses you can borrow. We look about the same size.”

“Except I don’t have your boobs,” she teases as I guide her toward the rack full of dresses.

It only takes a few more minutes to get her in an appropriate gown for the event, and for her to touch up her hair and makeup before we’re climbing into the back of the SUV.

Once she’s situated and has her seatbelt pulled into place, she immediately grabs my hand and holds it as though she knows I need the comfort of touch.

I smile at her, hoping it isn’t wobbly, and whisper, “Thank you.”

Within the next two hours, I’ll finally have the chance to confront my father.

Within the next two hours…I’ll finally be able to restart my life and build the future the four of us planned so long ago.