Page 101 of In Darkness We Claim

Wren has managed to hide the black circles under my eyes, courtesy of my nightmares that have me waking up screaming. Although Nigel is gone, I still can’t seem to stop what happened from creeping in during the dead of night.

What I never expected was the way Lawson would pull me into his arms, holding me close as I cry, while he promises I’m safe with him—which I already know. He’s slain my monster and now he’s helping to heal my heart too.

I push the negative thoughts away, and turn my attention back to my reflection. Although I’m more than pleased with how the outfit turned out, my nerves are on edge as I wonder what Lawson will think of it. Will my outfit turn him on as much as I hope?

“All done,” Wren declares as she steps out of the bathroom, my eyes widening as I take in my hot-as-hell friend.

She decided to go as the Devil to my angel, and she sure as fuck met the brief, and then some. The vibrant, cherry-red leather mini-dress clings to her body like a second skin, accentuating every curve of her voluptuous figure.

The hem stops even higher than mine, and I worry that if she turns around I’ll be able to see the round edges of her arse-cheeks, but the black fishnet tights she’s paired it with should offer some coverage. Her black platform boots give her extra height and help her maintain Wren’s signature edgy look.

The sweetheart neckline of the strapless dress reveals her impressive cleavage, as the padding she added into the dress boosts her breasts. She is wearing several necklaces that hang down in between, drawing even more attention to them.

Her straight black bob looks sleek and shiny, and she’s added a headband that has light-up devil horns on top, making her stand out even more.

I expected her makeup to look similar to mine, but she has kept hers more natural, except for the bright-red lips that match her dress, and I have to admit, it works with her outfit.

There’s going to be a lot of men struggling to take their eyes off my friend tonight, but when I tell her that, she just rolls her eyes at me, as if she can’t see how fucking gorgeous she is.

“We’re going to an Obsidian party, and although I’ve only known what that means for a short time, I’ve been around it long enough to know there’s going to be a lot of scantily dressed, beautiful women at the party, most of whom are already someone’s Prize,” Wren says, flipping her hand at me like she doesn’t care.

“I can assure you, no matter who is at the party, you will turn heads looking the way you do,” I tell her, hoping my sincerity shines through.

She waves me away again as she paces around the room, picking up the things she needs and placing them in the small bag she has in her hand. “We both know I’m not going to pick up an Obsidian Pledge. I mean, they would probably fuck me for just one night, but that would be all. I'm nobody, remember.”

I grab hold of my friend’s shoulder as she passes, pulling her to a stop before turning her to face me. Even in my heels, she’s still several inches taller, which doesn’t help when I’m trying to get her to make eye contact.

With my free hand, I reach up and grab her chin, tilting it until she has no choice but to look at me. “You are not a nobody, Wren. Speaking as someone who grew up as part of the Order, I promise, it’s a bloody good thing that you didn’t. You can be yourself in a way that none of us can.

“Yes, being an Obsidian Order member comes with power and status, but I’d give that up for the freedom to do whatever I want, to love whoever I want…hell, to marry someone I actually love, rather than someone who has been chosen for me.

“While the Order may see you as a nobody, that’s what gives you the freedom we all crave, so never think you are less than. I can assure you, there will be more than a few guys at the party with their eyes on you, no matter where you come from.”

Wren wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug, crushing my face into her boobs. “Thank you. I just don’t like having men that are off-limits,” she jokes, and I take a step back, narrowing my eyes at her when I detect a little something in her tone.

“Are you talking about men in general, or someone specific?”

A slight flush spreads across her cheeks, and she drops her gaze, refusing to look at me, which speaks volumes. “Men in general,” she mutters.

I shake her shoulders, calling her out on her lie. “Bullshit. Who is he?”

She waves me off before turning her back on me, scurrying around once more to put things in her bag or make herself look busy. “Who is who? There’s nobody in particular.”

“Then why is your voice all high-pitched and nasal, like you’re lying to me?”

She turns sharply, glaring at me. “My voice is neither high-pitched nor nasally,” she spits, sounding even more like the things she’s rebuking.

“You’re a terrible liar,” I tell her, which only makes her scowl at me even more.

“Says you. Why don’t we talk about how you’re definitely not falling for the guy you say you still hate?” she snaps, a proud glint in her eyes as she turns the tables on me.

A fiery blush spreads under my skin as my pulse hammers a frantic rhythm against my ribs. The mere thought of those feelings makes my stomach clench with a desperate need to push them away. “I do hate him.”

Fuck, even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice.

Wren lets out a harsh, humourless laugh. “You don’t hate him. What you feel for him is much closer to the L-word, and I get it…he brought you out of your shell and helped you find this new, feistier version of yourself, and I’m here for that. I just worry the deeper you get, the worse you’ll be when he hurts you.”

Her words cut deep, and even though she didn’t mean to hurt me, she has. I may be pretending I’m not developing feelings for Lawson, but I’m not stupid. I feel my heart thumping when he looks at me, my stomach fluttering when he does sweet things.