ON THE NIGHT of the charity gala, as I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I fight the nerves thrumming through my veins.

I've never attended one of these functions before. Partly due to the loathing of my father but also because fame makes me uncomfortable. The screaming fans, the blinding lights of the paparazzi, and the pressure to be perfect have always been on my shoulders.

Izzy never let it get to her. She was reckless throughout high school and didn't think about the consequences it could bring our family if she were caught, but me? I let the pressure of others' opinions weigh me down, so I kept my head down and strayed away from anything that could bring me unwanted attention. I didn't want my name in magazines. I didn't want to be a reflection of our father.

And now I'm about to jump headfirst into his world—a world I've tried to avoid my entire life.

Fixing my shirt collar for the millionth time, I double-check to ensure everything is perfect. I'm wearing an all-black Armani suit that's fitted tightly to my body, but I leave the jacket open to showcase the white button-down shirt, a couple of buttons left undone to showcase a gold chain around my neck.

Gold rings decorate my fingers, glimmering underneath the lights of my bedroom. Emery is getting ready across the hall, and our car is scheduled to pick us up in about twenty minutes; another surprise I have in store for her.

Making this dream of hers come true tonight is worth all the nerves I'm fighting through. To put that smile on her face, I'd do just about anything, and for the past two months she's been staying with me, I've fought to keep the truth of my feelings at bay. The other night, I was seconds away from spilling the sentence I've always wanted to share with her, and she told me to stop.

I couldn't be embarrassed because she's told me time and time again that this isn't serious between us. I'm the one speeding things up, and I'm falling too hard for her. She doesn't feel the same, and I need to keep reminding myself of that. What she wants is casual.

"Ev?" I hear her call out from across the hall. "Can you zip me up?"

Taking one last look at my dark curls styled to perfection from the gel, I grab two shoe boxes from my closet and head across the hall, knocking softly on the door. I had a makeup artist and hair stylist come here about an hour ago to give her anything she wanted. Emery refused but eventually gave in when she found out they'd already been paid. Tonight is all about her. She doesn't realize I'd go to any lengths to make this night perfect.

"You can come in," she says.

As soon as I open the door and my eyes fall on her angelic face, I can't move from where I stand. My feet are rooted to the ground, and any nerves running through me seconds ago fade at the smile on her face.

The dress hugging her body is secondary to her beautiful, beautiful fucking eyes. The honey-brown outlined with brown liner carries more warmth than a furnace, and my body is hot within seconds as I scan her lips painted with nude lipstick, then travel my eye-fucking down to the dress my sister created.  

It hugs every curve she has, the ruching at the sides creating an arrow precisely where I want my head buried. She's glowing—every inch of her. It doesn't help that her breasts are showcased on a silver platter for me to devour, and then she does a spin, and holy hell, that ass.

She's perfect.

Yet, I still can't call her mine.

The thought dampens the lust running through me, but my cock still hardens. Emery eyes it, giggling softly. "Speechless, huh?"

I nod wordlessly, forgetting why she called me in here to begin with. Both hands are holding underneath her breasts, supporting the dress from falling.

Right. The zipper.

Somehow, I get my feet to move, placing the shoe boxes on her bed. Then I'm behind her to grab hold of it, my knuckle caressing her spine as I raise it inch by inch. I count the freckles dotting her back, attempting to control my racing heart, and when the zipper reaches just below her curled hair, I move it to the side, exposing the curve of her neck to secure it in place finally.

"You're beautiful," I whisper.

She turns to look at me over her shoulder. "What's in those boxes, Holden?"

Right. Because being casual doesn't include calling her things like that. Get ahold of yourself.

I step away from her to try and clear my head, waving at the bed. "See for yourself."

She takes a few feet to peer down at the one on top, and then grasps the lid to reveal what's inside. I knew a pair of red bottoms wouldn't match the salmon shade of her dress, so I had a custom pair of heels made, courtesy of my sister. They're white and covered in pearls. Real pearls.

I watch as Emery places a hand over her heart, continuing to stare at the heels.

"Speechless, huh?" I tease, but when I hear her start to sniffle, I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. "You'll ruin all of that makeup," I warn.

"Everett, these are..." She shakes her head. "They're perfect."

"Your first pair of red bottoms are in the other box, in case you were wondering, but red and salmon don't exactly mix."

She laughs softly. "No, they don't."

Turning to face me, my arms still around her waist, I see the blurriness of her tears, and the sight is a punch to my gut. I know they're happy tears, but they're still tears. Watching her cry is my least favorite thing.

But I can't console her the way I want. She's not mine, and holding her like this is crossing the boundaries she set, yet she makes no effort to escape my grasp. I may be unable to tell her how beautiful she is or how badly I'm falling for her, but I can show her.

I sink to my knees before her, and she eyes me skeptically. "What are you doing?"

Worshipping her. Showing Emery Clark just how much she's infiltrated my life and wrapped me around her pretty little finger. "Stopping your tears," I say instead.

I lift one of her bare feet, smirking at the french pedicure she had done today, and press my lips to the inside of her ankle. Tentatively peering up at her as I raise my lips higher to her calf, right underneath the hemline of her dress, she's panting heavily, and I've got her right where I want her.

"What are you doing?" She repeats. "We can't... We have to leave soon, and my makeup..."

"Won't get ruined with what I have planned, Emery." Thanks to the rouching, the fabric of her dress is stretchy, so my head goes under it without a problem. I'm kissing her thighs now, biting softly on her skin before lapping over it with my tongue to ease the sting as she grips the bedpost for dear life.

Then, I lift one of her legs over my shoulder to grant me easier access when—

"You aren't wearing any underwear?" I murmur underneath her dress.

"Wanted to save it as a surprise for later," she gasps. "Fuck, Everett. You don't have to do this, you know."

I pause between licks. "I love doing this. It's not just pleasure for you, Em. It brings me pleasure, too."

Making her feel like this... Panting and grasping onto my head underneath her dress... Nothing turns me on more. But from her silence, I imagine Liam didn't feel the same. Did he make her feel like it was a chore? The taste of her on my tongue is addicting. God, now is not the time to think of my best friend doing this to her, too.

After three more minutes of torturing her pussy with strokes of my tongue, she awards me with her orgasm, and I take my damn time cleaning her up, ensuring there's no trace of that sweet, sweet taste before I rise to my feet again.

Her lips are parted, cheeks rosier even with her blush as she tries to catch her breath. Before she can say anything, knocks on the door echo from downstairs, and she whips her head to the hallway. "Who is that?"

A wicked smile tugs at my lips. "I don't know. Why don't you put your heels on so we can find out?"

Scanning me from head to toe, she shakes her head in disbelief, then points to my mouth. "Please, for the love of God, wipe your lips off before I sink to my knees and return the favor, Everett. You look fine as hell with my orgasm on your mouth."

I dart my tongue out to lick my lips, and the look in her eyes is feral. "Oh, I think this will be fun, Emery. I'll enjoy seeing that look on your face as I taste you throughout the night.  Now come on, I'm excited to show you the final surprise."

Author's Note:

MY BABIES

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

WHAT DID YOU THINK?

Who's ready for the gala next chapter?! (A lot of things happen, so the gala is actually the next THREE chapters)

If you want an update Friday, too...

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