31. Bay
Bay
“Wow, Bay, you look amazing!” Cora gasps in awe as I descend the stairs last, holding onto the railing—everyone’s been waiting for me to come down so we can head out.
It took too much time to hide the marks Pedro made on my neck.
“Mom, you really nailed it this time. It fits the theme of the party perfectly.”
Anita’s face glows with pride as she and Cora clap their hands excitedly. I swallow a chuckle at how similar they are, both in spirit and behavior, as I finally reach the last step—seriously, how do women agree to this torture called high heels?
Pedro moves toward me with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator, his eyes gleaming with a flicker of golden light that I’ve grown accustomed to.
Yet, no matter how often I see it, that glow never fails to send a thrill racing through me.
It betrays the wild, unspoken thoughts swirling in his mind, and my body responds instinctively.
There it is again—that strange, human wetness between my legs.
He stops right in front of me, blocking everything from my view with his perfectly tailored black suit clinging to his muscular frame— How is it even possible for this man to get hotter?
“You look breathtaking,” he whispers in my ear as my whole body trembles at the touch of his hand resting on my shoulder. I relax as he places his other hand on my lower back, steadying me so I don’t topple over in these heels from the excitement.
“Thank you,” I whisper back, flashing him a shy smile. Everything feels so different now that things have changed between us—different in the best way possible. But I can’t hide my embarrassment during these intimate moments, especially knowing everyone’s probably watching us right now.
“Are you sure this isn’t too much?” I dare to ask, glancing down at my dress.
It’s like Anita knew everything in advance.
She crafted it from a shimmering green fabric, adding tiny embellishments that resemble scales, reflecting light with every move I make.
The scale-like pieces are scattered across my body like waves, covering only the essential parts, leaving much of my skin visible through sheer, transparent fabric.
The ‘waves’ converge at the lower half of my body, like a long tail that clings to my legs down to just below my knees, where it flares out in a lighter, shinier green fabric, almost like my real fins.
“I think I’m going to kill every man who dares to look your way tonight, but nothing is too much for my masterpiece to wear,” he replies, his voice close to my ear, and I bite my lip in response—how the hell can anyone resist this man, especially when he talks like that? I’m in deep trouble.
Pedro stands by my side now, supporting my arm as the girls throw knowing glances my way, their faces brimming with curiosity, eager for gossip.
I chuckle nervously. They still have no idea what went down in the room just a few hours ago, and I know they’re going to squeeze every little detail out of me.
Alin approaches quickly, walking gracefully in her shiny turquoise high sandals, and stands on my other side, steadying me to make sure I don’t embarrass myself before we’ve even left the house.
“It’s going to hurt, but you’ll get used to it fast. It’s all about balance and elegance with every step,” she says in a low voice, not taking her eyes off the extended family watching us, smiling her diplomatic smile that’s now become part of her everyday expression.
“You’re really not helping. You know putting me and ‘elegance’ in the same sentence is probably the start of a bad joke,” I whisper back, keeping my eyes fixed on the path ahead. Don’t fall , this is not the time to embarrass yourself.
Alin tries to stifle a laugh, but a small snort escapes her, making it really hard for me to keep a straight face.
“I won’t let you fall,” Pedro immediately reassures me, and Alin rolls her eyes in response.
“I’ll never get used to this dynamic between you two, but I’m glad it finally worked out,” she says, daring to glance between us now, while Pedro flashes her a smug smile.
She releases my arm and moves back to Luca’s side as we approach the front door. Her dress looks similar to mine but in shimmering turquoise color, with pearls scattered along the hem.
“Why didn’t I get pearls?” I raise an eyebrow at Anita, smiling mischie vously.
She laughs immediately, placing a gentle hand on my back. “That’s because you are the most beautiful pearl,” she says, and I roll my eyes playfully.
“You crazy people are smooth talkers,” I remark, and Cora can’t hold back her laughter.
“You have no idea.”
Oh, but I do.
I experienced it firsthand upstairs, just a few hours ago.