Page 77 of Risky Obsession

I ran my gaze up his body with a show of disgust. “Well, if this is what I’m wearing, then you need to pick up your game.”

“I’ve already chosen my outfit.”

“What? You need to show me.”

He waggled his phone. “I let my fingers do the walking.”

“Hey, that’s not fair.”

He grinned. “You’ll see tonight. Now you’re going to need some shoes. There’s a shoe shop up the road.”

I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief at the ease with which he seemed to pull things together. He was like a puppet master, and I had easily become his marionette.

As I changed back into my clothes, I told myself to get my act together. Aria had warned me about Kane, but at the same time, I had to fight the belief that she had somehow got him so, so wrong.

At the counter, I handed over the dress, and as Kane paid, I checked outside the window to see if any bastard was acting suspiciously. The street was deserted.

As we left the shop, the anticipation for tonight’s gala filled me with a strange mix of excitement and apprehension. I had never worn a dress like the one Kane had insisted on carrying for me. I was more of a jeans and T-shirt girl. I just hoped I didn’t stand out for all the wrong reasons. We needed to blend in, or we would have no hope of getting near Gunter.

We strolled along the bustling street. The sun was finally out, casting a golden hue over the cobblestones and adding some warmth to the chilly breezes.

Despite the tightness in my ribs and the ache in my bones, I matched my strides to Kane’s. He led me across town to a small boutique shoe store that smelled of fresh leather and expensive price tags.

The woman behind the counter had her nose in some catalog with high gloss pages. Her lack of attention to us was rude, but also a blessing. This was not my kind of store.

I picked up a glossy black shoe and turned it over. The price tag nearly made me hurl my stomach contents. “Kane,” I whispered, “these are too expensive.”

“What about this one?” Ignoring my protest, he held a red stiletto toward me.

“Do I look like a woman who wears a shoe like that?”

“You will when you put this dress on.” He tapped the bag over his arm.

I leaned toward him, and keeping my voice low, I said, “I am not paying these obscene prices for a pair of shoes I’ll wear once.”

“Good thing you’re not paying. What about these?” He pointed to a gold pair with heels so high I would get a nosebleed.

“Seriously?”

“We need to blend in tonight, so, in that stunning dress, you will need a stunning pair of shoes.”

I snatched a silver pair off the shelf and went to turn it over.

Kane gripped my hand. “Please. Indulge me. Just choose a pair that you like.”

My shoulders deflated. “These.”

I waggled the elegant silver stiletto in my hand.

“Okay. What size are you?”

“Back home, I’m a size eight.”

“See if there are any others you like. I’ll go tackle the grumpy cow behind the counter.”

I giggled then winced. “Ouch.”

“Sorry.” His smile lit up his eyes.