When I heard Killian's voice in the office, I froze. If he walks through that door and finds me back here with his brother's arms around my waist while he's wearing nothing but a towel, I'll die of embarrassment. There's no way to explain it.
Lucius let me go and whispered in my ear:
"Go meet him. Tell him I'm in the grand hall and get him out of here before he thinks I'm actually interested in you."
He winked, but that only made the sting of his words worse. I shoved him and stormed out, furious.
When Killian saw me, he smiled and said:
"Hey, little one. Hiding out here? Smart move. Lucius did his part, keeping you safe from Ursula. Have you seen where my brother went? I need to talk to him."
I answered loud and clear so Lucius could hear me from the back:
"Hi, Killian. Can I hug you? These past few days have been rough. Don't ever leave me alone with your brother again. He's an arrogant jerk who only sees me as an object and mostly ignores me. He said he was going to the grand hall. Can you get me out of here?"
Killian laughed and pulled me into his arms. I added:
"This is exactly what I needed to forget your brother's permanently annoyed face."
He comforted me:
"Don't worry, I'm here now… and you still owe me two dates. Since my father forced me to come back early because he's finally leaving his cave tomorrow, why don't we make the most of tonight? Come with me to the welcome ball. Don't worry about Lucius—he'll be busy with the President's daughter."
"I'd love to have a second date with you," I said. "But I don't have a proper gown for a gala."
He grinned:
"Let's go, little one. Leave that to me."
We left together. On the stairs, we passed the three blonde maids again. They tried to avoid me like before, but when they saw Killian behind me, they stared at him as if hypnotized. One of them even tripped on a step. I don't blame them. He was wearing that brown leather jacket and jeans with boots that showed off his muscular legs. God… Hollywood couldn't replicate that.
Killian and I stepped into an old, narrow elevator. He gently brushed my cheek, like he couldn't help touching me whenever we were close. When we reached the ground floor, he opened a door at the end of a hallway and led me through another corridor until we reached a massive wardrobe room guarded by an elderly woman. The moment she saw Killian, her face lit up like a mother's, and she said:
"My beautiful boy… you're still wearing the jacket I made you. And who is this lovely, slender young lady with you?"
Killian kissed her forehead and replied:
"This is Carmilla Morris, the new gardener. Since I didn't have a date for tonight's ball, she agreed to save me and put up with my company. Could you find her a stunning dress?"
The old woman smiled warmly at me and said:
"Just look at you, beautiful… tonight you'll be Killian's little princess. I'm Emilia Touré. When Mrs. Diana was alive, I made sure she always looked like a queen. I grew so fond of her boys that I never left. You're in my hands now, darling. When you walk out of here, you'll shine like no one else."
Excited, she immediately started taking my measurements. Killian smiled and left to find his brother.
While Emilia told me stories about her days as a fashion designer in Europe, Ursula's messages kept blowing up my phone. The last one read:
"This is the last straw! Killian just informed me you're going to the ball with him. Technically, it doesn't violate Clause 7 since he requested it and it's not a private intimate meeting, but you and I need to have a serious talk."
I replied:
"Mr. Killian ordered me to find an appropriate dress. I'm sorry, it wasn't my decision."
Two hours later, Killian came back. He told me the President's daughter had already arrived at the mansion and that he'd pick me up at my room at eight so we could go to the welcome ball in the grand hall together.
When Emilia finished, I teared up as I looked at myself in the mirror during the fitting. Touched, I told her:
"You, Emilia Touré, are a real fairy godmother."
Right on time, Killian knocked on my door. When he walked in, he was wearing a tuxedo as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Of course, it fit him perfectly. He kissed my hand, made me spin so he could admire me, and said:
"Oh, little one, in that pearl dress you're going to make the goddesses of Olympus jealous. It was my mother's favorite color. Wait—wear this too."
He took out a necklace from a case—emeralds, white gold, and light topazes, perfectly set. Green and light blue, the exact colors of my eyes. He helped me put it on and whispered:
"Perfect."
The grand hall, part of the mansion, and the gardens were all cordoned off and heavily guarded. Businessmen, military officers, cardinals, and politicians filled the space. Strangely, as we walked through, everyone shook Killian's hand, and some even gave him small bows.
The orchestra was at the far end of the hall. The President's daughter looked about thirty, wearing a sparkling, low-cut black dress. She laughed freely next to Lucius, who kept his usual steel gaze. She seemed to love it. Then the music started.
Killian leaned into my ear and said:
"You did a good job with him."
The moment everyone saw Lucius leading the President's daughter across the floor with the grace of a prince, they were mesmerized.
I felt a mix of pride and envy toward the woman in his arms. I won't lie, bestie. But Killian pulled me out of my thoughts when the ballad began. He offered me his hand and said:
"Come on, little one. Let's dance and cause a real scandal."
He led me to the side of the dance floor, and we started moving as one—close, sensual, and precise—stealing the spotlight from the main couple within seconds. All eyes turned to us.
"Where did you learn to dance like this?" I asked, staring into his green eyes, fixed on my mouth.
"My mother was a dancer like you," he answered. "The happiest memories I have of her are filled with music, dancing together for hours."
I squeezed his strong arms, feeling his muscles tense under the tuxedo, and let the orchestra carry me away… but this time, in the middle of this fairy tale, I found myself caught between Lucius and Killian.
The older brother approached with the President's daughter on his arm and said:
"We're heading to the dock in an hour."
Killian replied:
"Alright. We'll meet you there."
Then he leaned into my ear and explained:
"You're coming with us, Carmilla. Sarah, the President's daughter, loves being here because we're the only ones who truly understand her. We know what it's like to feel alone even when surrounded by people. Every time she visits, we do the same thing: she excuses herself, saying she's tired from the trip, and we sneak off to the private dock—the one you know. We listen to the music we like, drink, and have fun away from all this superficial nonsense. The people clapping for us here only do it because my father makes them rich. For a little while at the dock, we can just be ourselves. But right now, I need to talk to some guests, so I'll leave you at the mercy of any gentleman with good taste who wants to dance with you."
I answered:
"Okay, don't worry. I think I'll grab something to eat in that somewhat hidden corner of the hall."
And that's what I did. I don't even know what kind of canapé I was eating, but I stayed there, leaning against the wall behind a statue of Bacchus, thinking this bubble was bound to burst… and then he appeared.
Lucius came out of nowhere. Without even looking at me, he pushed me away from the wall with his hand, opened a box full of electrical switches, looked up as if following the wiring of the lamps above us, and flipped one. The entire section went dark…
And there, hidden in the shadows, I felt his hand on my face and heard his voice say:
"Little girl… you're mine."
And that touch turned into a magnetic pull toward him.
I didn't resist. I wanted him.
And then… Lucius kissed me.