Two Weeks Later
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” I muttered.
“Look, I’m not the one who called all frantic two weeks ago about her hoo-ha resembling some mythical creature.” Kinsley grinned. “I was trying to help you out, but I can cancel it.”
“You will not,” Victoria exclaimed. “She can do this. And she’ll thank us after.”
“I love mythical creatures. I’ve never heard of the hoo-ha,” Declan announced, coming into the dining room with Marcel. “Have I ever seen one?” He turned to his father.
I sputtered, and heat climbed up my cheeks. But it was the way Marcel chuckled that truly did me in and made me want to slink under the table.
He spoke. “No, son, you haven’t and you won’t for a long time.”
“Have you seen one, then? I could look it up in the computer lab today. How do you spell it?” His eyebrows knitted together as he concentrated and whispered the word once more.
I almost choked while Kinsley smiled. “We were talking about two different things. Izzy B was telling me the other day about some sort of beast. What did you call it again? Beast of Bromley Moor?”
“Oh, the Beast of Bodmin Moor,” he corrected her, which wasn’t lost on any of us. “Yeah, he’s scary.”
Marcel burst out laughing, having put two and two together. Perfect. I’d sworn both Victoria and Kinsley to secrecy about the reason for the appointment today, and I somehow managed to out myself to Marcel. Pasha and I were leaving tomorrow, and I put this off until the very last minute.
Marcel’s blue eyes were piercing this morning as he studied me. I broke out in a sweat. Yeah, ditch wanting to simply hide under the table. I was contemplating moving across country at this point. The rest of the family filtered into the dining room.
“Did you know the hairiest animal in the world is the sea otter?” Declan offered, happy to supply us with his wealth of animal knowledge.
“Not according to Isabella,” Kinsley muttered under her breath and then had the nerve to smile.
“No, it’s true. Dad, look it up on your phone. It has tons and tons of hair. Since it doesn’t have fat, the hair keeps it from being too cold in the water. They keep the hair nice and clean, too.”
“Which is very important,” Kinsley agreed.
She and Victoria burst out laughing.
“Is there some sort of inside joke we’re unaware of, little love?” Ivan asked, pulling Kinsley’s chair closer to his. She leaned into him and shook her head.
“It really is important. Does a hoo-ha have lots of hair to keep it warm?” Declan shoved a bite of eggs into his mouth.
Startled looks and several blank stares followed by childish laughter from six grown-ass men and Kinsley erupted around the table. Thankfully, Victoria only smiled in my direction.
“Well, some have hair, some don’t,” Sebastian offered, trying to control himself.
Marcel smacked him. “Not helping.” But even he was still chuckling.
“Isabella’s does.” Declan beamed, and that sobered up Bash in a flash. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the three of us girls. “Well, if it’s anything like the Beast of—” the child added.
“Alright enough of that,” I exclaimed and then mumbled, “Of all the times for this kid to nail a word it would be now?”
The laughter settled down, and then it got quiet, so quiet that it was painfully uncomfortable.
“So, speaking of Isabella. She’s finally nailed the waltz,” Pasha offered.
A flush of surprise heated my cheeks, different from earlier. His words, his compliment, meant the world to me. And the last few times we’d practiced there was no awkwardness. He was on his best behavior.
Of course, for two of the three sessions Kinsley was there. Yes, I asked her to chaperone. All under the guise of seeing the waltz in action. I thought I would be stiff and awkward dancing with a man, but he made it easy.
My fear was that I would only be capable of waddling like an ungraceful penguin on the dance floor.
“I’m not surprised, actually,” Kinsley offered. “If you pay attention to the way she walks, she’s quite sensual.”
Sebastian practically spit out his orange juice. “Can we not refer to my sister—”
“Sorry, Torturer. My girl has ingrained instincts that can put quite a few of the women at the club to shame if she’d let herself go.”
“I have to agree,” Victoria stated, winking.
I shook my head at both of them and took a bite of breakfast. A part of me warmed under Kinsley and Victoria’s confidence in me. I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself in front of his dancer friends.
Hannah could kick rocks for all I cared. My hatred wouldn’t allow her opinion to even factor in. Speaking of her, she must have gotten the hint, because we hadn’t heard or seen her in over a month. That was a huge relief.
My thoughts turned to dancing again. Pasha made it easy to let go and surrender to the music.
I stole a glance as he spoke with Sebastian about club business.
Staring at him was becoming a habit. He had such an easy smile and warmth in his eyes.
There was something about him that allowed me to let my guard down.
“Did you exfoliate last night?” Victoria asked.
“Huh?” I said, coming out of the stupor I’d put myself in.
I had been lost in a daydream. Me and Pasha on the dance floor at the wedding in the dress I didn’t own yet, but somehow we looked stunning. Not as impressive as Kinsley and him, but memorable.
“Oh God, tell me you didn’t forget?” Kinsley exclaimed, dropping her fork with a clank. Alek raised an eyebrow. “She’s having her first ever Brazilian wax,” she added, making me elbow her.
“Will you shut up?” I glared. “I didn’t forget,” I hissed, turning to Victoria.
Several chuckles echoed around the dining room table, but thankfully, the men remained quiet.
“Did you take an Ibuprofen?” Tori asked, not wanting to let the conversation go.
Why we couldn’t have this later when the men weren’t around, I had no idea.
Nik’s rich laughter rang out. “Ibuprofen? They should offer general anesthesia for that level of self-induced torture.”
“But you were so smooth right after, remember?” Kinsley sighed, her eyes glossing over. “You should do the whole package again.”
“Yeah, nothing says I’m right in the head like willingly having your most intimate area slathered with hot wax by a complete stranger who you aren’t even getting the benefits of…
” I paused before continuing, “Ahem… relations with.” It was hard censoring yourself around small children when you wanted to scream it out.
“And just when it cools off, they apparently yank all the hair God gave you. Ruthlessly, I might add. All at once.”
“Not all of it.” Nik grinned.
I gulped. “Excuse me?”
“Yeah, they can’t get all of it on one swipe. And with you being Italian and all, it may take some extra effort. Isn’t that right Bashy boy?” Nik added far too casually.
My head swiveled so fast a sharp pull ran down my neck. “You wax?” I asked, staring at my brother like he’d just admitted to knitting or crocheting in his spare time.
For the first time ever, Sebastian looked almost…cornered.
His jaw ticked. “Yes,” he grumbled.
Nik leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying himself. That infamous dimple he had flashed. “Meticulous about it, too.”
Sebastian shot him a look that could have leveled a small village.
I leaned forward onto my forearms, narrowing my eyes as I studied him. “How bad is it? Level with me?”
“We are not having this conversation.” His voice dropped into that familiar, final register. “Call mum.”
“Mum waxes? How the hell do you know that?” I demanded.
“I don’t,” he snapped. “But statistically speaking, she is a woman, for fuck’s sake.”
“Language,” Victoria and Marcel said in unison as Declan giggled.
Kinsley shimmed her shoulders. “Better be careful, Torturer, you might be in for an over-the-knee consequence from the Reaper.”
Sebastian didn’t find that very amusing. There was the faintest smirk as he glanced at Alek across the table. “I’d like to see him try,” he said calmly, finishing his orange juice.
Nik barked a laugh. “That’s not a no.”
Sebastian set the glass down a little harder than necessary. “You ready?” he asked Pasha, dismissing the topic with the efficiency of a man who refused to be dissected at the breakfast table.
But I caught it. The composure. The control. Say what you would about my brother, but he loved being the center of attention. And if Nik was right, the fool actually enjoyed his torture sessions. I wasn’t sure what to do with that info.
“Yup,” Pasha said, finishing his Danish and rising to join him. “Just so you know, waxing can be a masochistic person’s dream come true,” he added.
Our eyes met, and I could imagine the primary question behind his eyes. The one he wouldn’t dare say out loud.
“Are you a masochist, Princess?”
Was I?
I guess I’d find out in a few short hours. As they both made rounds saying goodbye to us girls, Pasha stopped and kissed my forehead and then leaned down to whisper in my ear.
“Pain causes the central nervous system to release endorphins. So after the first pull, your body will rush to block the pain. If you’re really lucky, euphoria follows. Just ease into the feelings. Don’t fight it.”
My breath caught in my throat as my body reacted to his words in the most magical way. A small flutter stirred deep inside my belly, leaving me momentarily unsettled. But I quickly shook off the feeling.
“What the hell was that?” Sebastian asked, smacking Pasha in the chest with an open palm.
Without a single ounce of concern for his own well-being, he answered, and with a lie to boot. “I told her to relax. She will be in excellent hands. Her appointment is with one of the best, so it will be more awkward than painful.”
“How do you know who’s waxing my sister?” he seethed.
“Easy. I’m assuming the love Kinsley and Tori have for her made sure she was booked with the best. Nadine. You remember her, right? Doesn’t she do yours, too? Keep it in the family, that’s what we do around here. Am I right, ladies, in my guess?” He didn’t break eye contact with Bash.