Page 96 of Unforgiving Queen

“I don’t think so,” I deadpanned.

“Go. Change. Now.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I drawled in a sweet voice, looking at him with wide eyes. The room was so quiet it felt like our whole exchange had become the center of attention. Clearly everyone was enjoying the show. “Did your marriage agreement include choosing the bride’s wardrobe?”

“No, but you’re not supposed to go around looking like a clown,” he hissed.

I let my bottom lip tremble. I even started twisting my hands as if his words upset me. It occurred to me at that moment that maybe I had inherited a few acting traits from my grandmother and mother.

“A clown?” I whispered, blinking my eyes rapidly before deciding it was enough with the theatrics. I flashed him a smile that said enough was enough. I wasn’t a little girl he—or anyone else—could boss around. “I thought it was appropriate, considering this is all a joke.”

Something flashed in his eyes—surprise or warning, I wasn’t sure—but he was left speechless. I could hear soft whispers of “attagirl” and “you tell him” behind me, and the warmth from Phoenix’s hand resting on the small of my back fed me the strength I needed to stand tall.

Before Papà could say another thing, Grandma approached and I sighed in exasperation.

“Hello, dear.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss on my cheek. “You picked an interesting time to become a rebel.” I narrowed my eyes on her but remained quiet. Any battle with her had to be carefully crafted. “I knew we should have put you in front of the lens of a camera.”

I scoffed.

Isla cleared her throat. “Um, I’m gonna go see my husband.”

“Me too,” Athena muttered. “Ah, shit. I don’t have a husband. I’ll go see someone else’s.”

Raven read the room, so to speak, and left as well.

Grandma’s eyes roamed over Phoenix, then returned to me. “Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about?”

“Yes, please explain why my daughter looks like a disgrace for her own rehearsal dinner.” Papà skipped at least five words while signing, but his message came across loud and clear.

Phoenix pressed her lips together while I curled my hands into fists. He expected us to fall in line and do whatever he said after being absent most of our lives. Well, it didn’t work like that. Although, to be fair, even if he had been around, every fiber of my being would still resist the idea of marrying Dante Leone.

My eyes darted past him to the rest of the people in the room who were studying us curiously. I was so tempted to flip them all off. Instead, I returned my gaze to Papà and smiled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We look like this every day.”

Then I took my sister’s hand and tugged her along to the bar.

“Two shots of anything strong,” I said, feeling eyes on my back and choosing to ignore them.

“Make it tequila. Double for all of us,” Raven announced from my left. She and Athena looked ready to ditch this party. I wouldn’t blame them. Raven’s gaze met mine. “You’re so lucky I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The bartender poured our shots and we downed them in one go. “Ah, liquid courage,” Athena purred.

“That went well,” Phoenix signed. “We’re the most undesirable women at this party.”

Athena snickered. “That was our goal, wasn’t it?” We all nodded. “Well, I got hit on by two men already, and one made my panties melt.”

All three of us turned to her in sync. “Which one?”

I watched her neck bob and a faint blush creep up her neck. “Hot guy. In the corner.” The three of us went to turn our heads but she squealed, “Don’t look.”

“How are we supposed to see who he is, then?” Phoenix signed exasperatedly.

“I’ll describe him for you,” Athena answered. “Do. Not. Look.”

I didn’t know about them, but that made me want to look even more.