TER

's

smiling wryly at

and I nodded, sighing as she took a cond

definitely not with what you're wearing," s

oon as possible," she

ense my nervousness from where she stood, but now wasn't the time

eceptionist asked, snappi

a man who seemed to be

consent form," she said a

ned the paper. Just my name, phone number, and a signature. N

quickly, sliding t

e hanging around his neck, gave me a quick once-over, his eyes li

t do," he

't reall

ng a dismissive hand. "You'll get some

echoing against the tiled floor. My own steps felt heavier with each stride,

and gestured inside without lo

ind that clung to every curve, with thin str

rushing over the silky fabri

nally meeting my eyes. "

protest that wanted to leave my lips. My father's face fla

lection in the mirror. The dress fit p

approving nod and handed me a pair of black

ked, but he

omach churned as we approached, the muffled thump of music growi

was doing everything I could to keep it from crashing entirely,

friend, and Alessio was his brother, my childhood crush. As degrading

d, staring at the reveal

lt as embarrassed as I did standing before them, wi

what the damn are you doing in

yes in the room shift between me and the two men,

d. I swallowed and tri

composure I had left. "This isn't work, Ivy. This is-" He gestured at me

pulse roaring in my ears. I couldn't even bring myself to look

, hoping to calm him, bu

taking a step forward. "Why are

through, low and edged like cold steel. "Sh

remembered, raked over me with an expression I c

the hell are you talking about? You

Then his gaze locked on mine again, and I felt pinned in place. "You've made your

ing about me, about what I'd been through, about the hospital bills piling up and the

ue was

rling into fists at his sides. "We're not

nervously from the corner. "U

than anyone else, and followed the stylist toward a table in the c

could feel Alessio's st

father could open his eyes, see me here, and

o growled, his hands t

nd still on the door, gla

spiking. "Antonio,

aid I'll buy her. Whatever her shift is worth-do

ntly drifted over, arched a br

darkened. "Then

his expression unreadable. But I could feel his d

said, the words sharper than I in

not walking through that door like this. If anyone's going to