Page 31 of Tempt Me

I held up the garment. The substantial white dress had full sleeves and a neckline up to my ears. The material was scratchy at best with its rough texture.

There were about a hundred buttons lining the back, and it was too small for my ass and boobs just by looking at it. Ferdinand had kept telling me to lose weight, and now he was punishing me for not working off my natural curves.

I loved to fucking eat, and I hated all these stick-figure women who scoffed at hamburgers. Desserts were made to eat, not stare at, nor paw at, or chase around on a plate with a fork. My mother had always yelled at me, taking my plates away from me at dinner parties. However, Noah used to sneak me some cake and cookies from the parties to my room.

How I missed my big brother so fucking much. He was the only thing sane about the arranged marriage to Ferdinand. He knew my parents were grasping at straws since they spent their fortune living lavish lives to keep up with the other fake wealthy ass families.

Their outward appearance to the world meant more to them than their own fucking children.

My dad had gotten nabbed for embezzling money, and to prevent a scandal in our bloodline, he auctioned me off like cattle to the highest bidder...

“Come on, little sister. It’s time to pretend again. And don’t worry I snagged you a scone.”

Noah was at my doorway, leaning casually against the frame, tempting me with one of those delicious treats.

“Mom would have a cow if she saw you giving me actual food ya’ know. She already keeps saying I need to work out or I will never marry.”

Noah snickered, “Yeah, mom’s always been into ‘optimal health’, but everyone likes different flavors. I doubt you want mom's idea of a husband anyways.”

I grimaced at that grand idea and my brother laughed harder. “Hmm. Is that why you look like a blow-up doll?”

He feigned hurt, holding his heart and imitating a gunshot, which only made me laugh harder.

“Children! Come down here immediately. Fallon, you have a guest, and you are being incredibly rude.”

Our eyes traveled to the stairs out in the hall and a feeling of dread came over me.

“A guest? Who? Noah, what’s going on?”

Fear thundered through me at his blue eyes. The sympathy and...guilt?

“C’mon little sis. You got this. I am always going to be here for you.”

That night I was promised to Ferdinand and everything changed.

The accident that took my brother sealed my fate to be alone forever. Trapped to a man that didn’t love me at all, only saw me as a trophy to be shown to others.

“Mr. Grosvenor sends his apologies for not attending tonight’s party.”

I blinked, bringing myself back to my fucked up reality, staring into the eyes of my fiancé’s sweet butler.

“I like you better,” I said, winking at him.

He blushed and adjusted his suit jacket, not realizing I wasn’t kidding in the slightest.

I tapped my pen on my desk, shaking off the anxious feeling that hadn’t left me since my shower. I’d run through my house buck naked, checking every crevice and corner of that house because of him, so he could fuck all the way off.

His words were still making my skin tingle, and now I was staring at the devil himself teaching in his black button-down, his sleeves rolled up, and those inked fucking hands flexing with his movements.

I shook my head, trying to focus on what he was saying.

Perception.

He was talking about perception and the difference in how people respond.

“A great example of perception is how someone views tattoos,” he said casually, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt.

That simple action revealed his neck tattoo, a sunflower with a dagger impaling its center. I think every face—even the men in the room—were beat red from blushing.