70. Kiera
KIERA
Ever since Dom got that text, my stomach hadn’t settled. We were going to see The Oracle — the shadowy force that had controlled my life for months now.
They hadn’t sent us an address, just directions to a nearby train station where tickets would be waiting for us. I didn’t realize that there was a train over in Cherry Hill, but at this point, I’d learned to stop questioning most of their cryptic orders.
They’ll probably send a fucking horse and carriage to come get us.
After lunch, I headed up to my room to get ready and was surprised to see a dress already laid out on my bed: a collared red dress with a keyhole neckline and an open back. The silk chiffon was layered like the petals of a flower, the deep red fading to black at the edges.
Running my hand over the fabric, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
A bit formal for a train station…
But before I could wonder any farther, a knock from the door turned my attention.
“Strict dress code tonight.” Leo leaned her elbow against the doorframe, her other hand just out of view. She was already dressed in a blue suit with a crisp white button down underneath.
“No kidding,” I laughed, my eyes flicking to her unbuttoned collar, where the hilt of her sword just peeked out. “Need help with your tie?”
“No tie tonight,” she stepped through the doorway, revealing a black velvet jewelry box from behind her back. “Just dropping this off for you.”
“You shouldn’t have…” I murmured, taking the box from her hand.
“We definitely should have.” She replied, wrapping her arms around me from behind before grumbling in my ear. “Open it.”
I popped open the clasp to reveal a gold necklace with a stunning pendant: three rubies dripping down in a straight line, their shade a perfect match to the dress. “Leo…”
“Get dressed, and I’ll help you put it on.” She smiled, kissing the crease of my shoulder.
“I could help you get undressed, if you want,” Spencer called from the doorway. She was wearing a matching blue suit to Leo’s, though an open tie hung around her neck.
“Nice try,” I smirked, reaching up a hand to caress Leo behind me. “One of you is gonna have to change, though.”
“Nah,” Spencer smirked, careful to avoid my dress as she flopped down onto my bed. “I think we look cute matching. Don’t you, Doc?”
Leo didn’t dignify her with a response, taking the jewelry box from my hand and setting it on my vanity.
I glanced over at Spencer as she fiddled with the loose ends of her tie. “Do you need help with your tie?”
“I’m all good, Bunny. Why don’t you get the dress on, and then we can worry about the rest?”
I narrowed my eyes. There was something knowing in her smirk — some sort of joke she was in on that I didn’t know about yet. But I knew she wouldn’t tell me even if I asked.
She’s such a weirdo…
It was always irritating to me how little my mascs had to do to get ready. Compared to my hours of fiddling with my hair and makeup, running a comb through their hair was a fucking breeze.
But the benefit was that they were always happy and able to keep my company and do me favors while I got ready. Plus, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy watching them get all excited watching me undress.
Usually, they were happy to sit back and watch the show, but today, they were more eager than usual to get involved. Seemed like the upcoming visit to The Oracle had them a bit antsy, too.
While Spencer got busy picking out my underwear and fastening me into my dress and heels, Leo was picking through my drawers, packing me a change of clothes into some unmarked black bookbag.
So this is more than just a night trip…
Once my makeup was done, a neutral eye with a deep red lipstick to match the dress, I turned my attention to my hair. With all of the attention the neckline and the jewelry drew to my chest, I thought a slicked bun might be a nice way to balance the look.
But before I could put the comb to my hair, Spencer shot up on the bed. “Here, let me braid that.”
I furrowed my brow, catching her eye through the reflection of my mirror. “I wasn’t braiding it…”
“I know, but it’ll be better. Trust me.” Before I could argue, she was hopping off the bed gently detangling my hair before pulling the curls into a long, French braid down my spine. I wasn’t sure when she’d started to have such strong opinions on my outfit, but I let her get to work anyway.
If she wants to expend her energy, then by all means… One less thing I have to do.
Spencer made surprisingly quick work of my hair, and neat work too. Once she finished, I peered over my shoulder in the mirror, impressed by how even it looked trailing down the empty space between my shoulder blades.
“Damn, when did you get so good at that?”
“What can I say? I’m good with my hands.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me, earning a prompt smack in the shoulder.
But the light battery only excited Spencer, who wrapped her hand around the small of my back and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss. My head reeled as her tongue pressed against mine and her hand roved over the swell of my hip.
I would have let her take me right there: throw me down on the bed and ruin the look I’d spent an hour carefully cultivating.
But before we could get too carried away, Leo cleared her throat. “Save it.”
Spencer pulled away with a smile, her firm hand on my back the only thing that kept me upright. “Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.”
My gaze flicked down to her lips, now painted crimson from my kiss.
“You made a mess.” I murmured, wiping the stray lipstick marks away with my thumb.
Unbothered, she gave my ass a squeeze, “Not the only one, I’d bet.”
I could see Leo’s patience thinning across the room, her suit straining over her tensed shoulders as she zipped the backpack shut.
But unlike Dom, who sulked at the faintest sign of my sexual gratification, I could read Leo well — could see that the set of her shoulders was not irritation, but restraint.
If she gets her hands on me, she’ll tear this dress to shreds.
“You need your necklace,” she crossed the room with the jewels draped over her hand. “Turn.”
I did as she bade, pulling my braid to the side as she draped the necklace over my chest and secured the clasp. Feeling her warmth behind me, I couldn’t help but lean back, to press my body against hers.
But before I could test her patience any further, Dom’s voice roared up the staircase. “Hurry the fuck up. We’ve gotta go.”
“You heard the boss,” Spencer grinned, pulling me in for one last kiss as Leo headed to the door with my spare clothes.
“Spencer. Enough,” Leo rolled her eyes, clutching the doorframe lightly.
As Spencer pulled away, I was breathless. “You’ve ruined my makeup.”
I pouted, smacking her on the shoulder once more as Leo hauled her away by the back of her jacket. “Take a second to fix it. We’ll hold off the beast.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, rushing across the room to grab the tube of red lipstick. Wiping away the smears on a tissue, I could already hear their footsteps reaching the base of the stairs, followed by Dom grumbling about how long I was taking.
Her tone was enough to send a shiver up my spine. Unless I wanted her to come drag me out herself, I knew I had to pick up the pace.
After one last swipe, I capped the lipstick and shoved it into my purse as I gave myself one last glance in the mirror. “That’ll have to be good enough.”
I teetered out of the room as quickly as I could in my stilettos. But for all of her rumbling, Dom was waiting patiently at the base of the stairs, Spencer and Leo lined up right behind her.
Her hands were clasped in front of her, her blue suit sleeves riding up just enough to expose a gold watch and a ring on left hand. Like Leo, she’d skipped a tie, the unbuttoned collar of her white shirt leaving her heavily tattooed chest exposed.
As my stiletto struck the first step, her crystal blue eyes snapped up to me, and there was no denying the spark.
Ever since I’d gotten here, Dom had been the cold chill down my spine, the ice coursing through my veins.
But tonight, when she looked at me, all I saw was heat melting right through her icy core.
Her jaw set, caging any compliments before they could surface. But as I approached the bottom of the staircase, she reached a rough hand out to mine, helping me down the last few steps. “Are you ready…?”
I wasn’t sure whether she meant for the journey ahead or for the answers that awaited us on the other side of our meeting. But as her fingers closed around mine, I knew the answer.
“Ready.”
Dropping my hand, she let Leo take up her place at my side, guiding me out the front door with a hand on the base of my spine. Stepping out into the night with my three suited bikers, I felt immensely powerful.
But when we headed for the bikes instead of the Camaro, logistical concerns crept back in. As Leo passed me a helmet, I couldn’t help but worry. “My hair…”
“You’ll look great no matter what, Princess.” She kissed me on the cheek before proffering the helmet once more. “Let me help you…”
She was delicate slipping on the helmet and securing the strap, careful not to disturb my braid any more than necessary. And once everyone was situated, we pulled off into the night, ready to dive into the unknown.
Riding at night was an entirely different beast than during the day. In the sunlight, I could make out the trees whipping past us and measure the distance we travelled. But with nothing but the twinkling lights above to measure by, it felt like we were shooting stars ripping through the black sky.
I clung tighter to Leo’s back, letting her sturdy frame keep me grounded as we broke through time and space itself, practically flying to our destination.
But that freedom couldn’t last forever. Soon enough, we were drifting through the sleepy streets a town over, winding our way up to an old carriage house on a hill.