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EMORY

T hunderstorms threaten on the night of Aiden’s birthday.

It’s been warm all week, particularly when we were out on the boat.

We spent two glorious days tanning and making love on the deck, then swimming off the side.

Aiden came back with freckles on his nose but no tan lines at his waist because he insisted clothing was optional.

I love him . I kept the secret inside me for days, and it threatened to balloon out of me at the most inopportune times—when he licked ice cream off my fingers, when he glanced back at me while driving the boat, while he laughed at my victory dance for doing the crossword right the first time.

I’ve been waiting for the right moment to tell him, when I feel confident that he wants to hear the words, when I know I can trust myself to say them and not want to take them back out of fear.

I tuck the gift I got him into his bedside table and smile to myself.

It’s nothing big. Just a book on dog training and behavior.

He’ll get the joke. There’s contact information for the rescue where I got Dusty tucked inside.

They have a litter of sheepdog puppies and one of them is reserved for Aiden.

He’s at the party already, even though it’s only just started, and he’s been weird all week. Humming to himself, though I’ve never heard him hum before, pulling me into dances in the kitchen, even playing upbeat music through the outdoor speakers when he and Dusty tussle on the lawn.

“Five-three,” he told me cheerfully when he came panting back into the house yesterday, Dusty following. “He pinned me three times.”

“He’s seventy-five pounds,” I say, smiling into my tea.

“But so fierce.” Aiden leans down to let Dusty lick his face. “Aren’t you, boy?”

“You are ruining my dog,” I told him.

He grinned at that and told me there were other things he wanted to ruin, and then he ate me out in the shower before he flipped me over and drove into me.

I shiver at the memory. I would have expected more intense sex this week, but instead, he acts like he has all the time in the world to get to know my body.

I don’t know what I’m going to do tonight.

I don’t know what I’m going to wear. Nothing feels good enough.

At six p.m., I broke down and texted Katie and Sienna.

Sienna responded with seven exclamation points and a message that she “had supplies” and to not make “any decisions about clothes” until she arrived.

When they arrive, she’s carrying a magnum of champagne and Katie has a garment bag. Their makeup is done, and Sienna’s hair is curled.

“Surprise,” she says, raising the bottle. “We thought we should get started early.”

I grin at Katie, who gives me a look that communicates that starting early was not her idea.

“You’re going?” I ask her as they follow me into my bedroom.

“Tristan insisted,” she says, making a face. Not for the first time, I wonder what’s going on there.

“All work and no play,” Sienna starts.

“Makes me good at my job,” Katie says, but she’s fighting a smile.

They’re like a storm , she told me that first week. You don’t even realize you’re one of them until you are .

I want to stay.

The thought pushes against my chest until I blurt it out. The words come out garbled.

“What?” Sienna scrunches her nose from where she’s pawing through my makeup bag.

“I want to stay.” I take a deep breath. “What if I stayed?”

Sienna looks at me, her eyes slowly widening. “Oh shit,” she says. “Are you in love with him?”

“Sienna,” Katie exclaims. “We said we wouldn’t—”

“Shh,” Sienna hisses.

Joy pushes up my throat, making my insides feel fizzy like the cold champagne Sienna passed me. “You talked about me?”

“Duh.” Sienna rolls her eyes. “Katie made me promise not to push you, but of course we want you to stay.”

“Do you love him?” Katie asks. Her eyes are shining.

“I—” I bite my lip. I don’t want my first time saying it out loud to be to them, so I just nod, my smile wanting to burst across my face.

Sienna squeals and hugs me. Katie wraps an arm around my shoulders.

“I’ve always wanted a sister,” Sienna says, going back to digging in my makeup bag. “Promise me you’ll take my side some of the time.”

Katie snorts a laugh.

I blink at her. Her expression is fierce. “I—yes, sure?”

“Great. Glad that’s settled.” She eyes my face before she slaps a tube of mascara down on the table. “Do you trust me?”

“Um, no?”

Katie covers her face with her hands.

Sienna grins. “Too bad. You’re family now.”

We take mouthfuls of cold, frothy champagne straight from the bottle, and when we’re done, Sienna proclaims me more stunning than ever.

Before I can thank her, she’s skipping out of the room, promising to find me on the dance floor later. Katie waves goodbye, the holster under her dress flashing briefly as she disappears into the hallway.

I unzip the garment bag Sienna brought and find swaths of red fabric. I can’t help my gasp when the dress is finally on. It bares my shoulders and my chest, skimming the tops of my breasts and billowing out in a massive train of red satin. It moves like it generates its own wind.

“I love it,” I whisper to my reflection. I barely recognize the woman in the mirror. Her hair is down, her makeup is sultry, and her eyes sparkle with conviction. This is a woman who knows what she wants. I tip up my chin and practice my cool smile. I need my armor tonight.

The dress is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever worn.

Red.

The color of the Heir.

Reserved for Aiden and his wife.

I’m surprised Sienna chose this. I turn, admiring the fall of the fabric. In the mirror, I spy a piece of paper on the floor. It must be from the present I got for Aiden.

I crouch and flip it over. My heart picks up an unsteady beat.

Not my note.

My name is written in Aiden’s scrawling, confident hand. I break the Prince seal on it, smiling at his arrogance, and unfold the thick paper.

Emory -

You have a spark inside you. Wear this and let them see you burn.

- Aiden

PS: I know you’re scowling at me giving you orders. I like when you pretend to hate me, wife. It turns me on.

My fingers trace the note. I meet my own eyes in the mirror, my pupils blown wide, my heart beating so fast that I swear my pulse is visible in my throat.

Aiden.

The dress is from Aiden.

Red, for his wife.

Red, to show the world I’m his.