Chapter 101 Chapter One hundred and One
Sydney’s POV
I pulled back from the hug when I heard a clap.
I looked at him, my face a few inches from his with my arms still woven around his neck, “Why’d you clap?” I asked with a small smile, my eyes searching his face curiously. There was a playful glint in his eyes that made me wonder what he was up to.
He only smiled back. He didn’t need to answer my question because one of his men opened the door to my room and walked in at that moment.
The man held a shopping bag in his hand. “Good evening, sir,” he politely inclined his head in greet- ing, then he nodded at me, “Ma’am.” His stoic expression gave nothing away about the contents of the bag.
I looked from him to Dylan, keeping my arms looped around Dylan’s neck.
“What’s that?” I arched a questioning brow, “Is that mine?” A tiny flutter of excitement stirred in my chest at the thought that Dylan may have actually gotten me a gift.
He nodded with a smile, his hands squeezing my cheeks possessively. “All yours.
Then I abruptly brightened up, my eyes alight with delight as I realized he really had gotten some- thing for me.
“You got me something!” I exclaimed, unable to hide the pleased surprise in my tone. A part of me still couldn’t quite believe he would do something like that.
He his head to a side with a mocking thinking face, playing it up.
“Hmm,” he hummed, dragging it out, “Something like that.” Then he turned to the man that still re- mained there like a statue, awaiting further instructions.
“Leave,” Dylan ordered the man out in a clipped tone that brooked no argument.
With a final nod, the man left the room, pulling the door closed quietly behind him.
Excitedly, of course it was mostly an act on my part, I jumped down from his lap and grabbed the shopping bag the man had dropped on the floor. Part of me wondered if this gift was truly for my benefit, or if it was simply a calculated move to keep me pliant and cooperative.
My eyes roved over the Italian name of the high–end clothing line printed on the bag and I could tell that it was likely a dress that was inside. A rush of conflicting emotions swirled through me – plea- sure at receiving such an expensive gift, curiosity about what it would look like, but also apprehen- sion about the likely motive behind it.
Why? I found myself asking internally. To placate me? To keep me from getting too upset? I scoffed Inwardly, wondering if he even truly cared about my feelings at all. I mean it would be nice for him to be worried enough about me to think of getting me a gift just so that I wouldn’t get angry with him. But it was obvious that Dylan hadn’t gotten to that level of consideration with me, at least not yet, seeing as he still intended to send me away to be with that vile Tavon.
Chapter 101 Chapter One hundred and One
Oh? I suddenly realized, he probably got me this gift because of his own selfish and infuriating re- quest for me to go willingly to meet with Lucas‘ despicable uncle Tavon. The gift was likely just his way of buttering me up to be more cooperative about that plan, I concluded bitterly.
“When you’re done squeezing the life out of the poor bag, hand it over,” he said with a small chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement at my obvious curiosity.
I couldn’t help but pout at his teasing words, but I obediently handed the shopping bag to him any- way. His muscular arms stretched out and he took it from me with a smug smirk, clearly enjoying having me play along so far.
I stood before him like an obedient student and watched him with bated breath as he pulled out a stunning red dress from the bag. Despite my reservations, I couldn’t deny the wave of excitement felt at seeing such a beautiful and luxurious garment.
The material of the dress looked glossy and seductively pretty when he finally brought it fully out of the concealing bag. He hooked his long fingers deliberately in the part of the dress that looked like. thin straps and stretched it forward, putting it on display without a word, his piercing eyes watching me intently.
Tentatively, I took the dress from him when he made no move to actually hand it to me. With each of my hands grasping one edge of the dress, I held it up before me and spread it out fully so I could
get a good look at the intricate design.
It was a long red dress that instantly took my breath away. On a closer look, the material of the dress was smooth, luxurious silk, the sumptuous texture looking so fine that I could already tell | would love the sensuous feel of it sliding over my bare skin. The length of the dress alone would have made it sound elegant and classy, but the daring design made it anything but demure. You just needed to lay eyes on it to know that.
Co–owning a clothing line with my best friend Grace meant that I had been exposed to lots of stun- ning and beautiful fashion designs over the years. But I would not deny that the dress Dylan had se- lected was unique and exquisite in its own right–clearly meant to tantalize and seduce.
The front of the dress had a deep, deep V neckline that would be sure to show an ample amount of my breasts, the sultry decolletage leaving little to the imagination. The back view was even more au- dacious, with the entire expanse of skin from my shoulders all the way down to my lower back com- pletely exposed, save for two thin, delicate ropes of crimson silk crisscrossing and intricately tied at the base of my spine in an unusual lattice design.
The waist and skirt portion below that exposed back was deceptively simple – a loose, flowing col- umn of crimson silk that would no doubt feel very comfortable and soft against my legs as I moved. But the plunging neckline and completely bare back screamed undeniable, unabashed sensuality.
He smirked knowingly at the conflicted, almost dazed expression on my face as I studied the dar- ing design, clearly pleased by my reaction.
“Tavon likes women in clothes that show off their assets,” he stated matter–of–factly, not even
trying to deny the overt intention behind such a dress.
*So?” He crossed his legs and intently looked at me, his eyes burning with fiery challenge and dark
promise.
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Chapter 101 Chapter One hundred and One
“What do you say? Think you can pull it off? Would you dare try that little number on for me?” He wig- gled his brows playfully and I couldn’t help but be both amused and aroused by how swiftly his de- meanor had transitioned from arrogant captor to seductive tempter.
I looked at the dress again, taking in the lush folds of delicate silk and shockingly provocative cutouts. Yes, the dress was unquestionably and designed to tantalize, but it wasn’t something that truly frightened me or that I would necessarily be afraid to try on in the right circumstances, I de- cided. After all, since I had done occasional modeling over the years for Grace’s fashion line, includ- ing for her more risque lingerie and intimates collections, the slinky red number was really nothing. too scandalous compared to some of the tiny scraps of silk and lace I had pranced around in for those shoots.
I scoffed, unable to hold my retort back at his clear implication that I might not have the guts or the body confidence to try on such a bold look.
“You think I’d be afraid of trying this skimpy little dress on, huh?” I taunted him boldly, squaring my shoulders and giving him a look that dripped disdain.
Clutching the silky material to my chest to keep it from slipping through my fingers, I turned on my heel and headed towards the bathroom with every intention of changing into the ridiculous, com- pletely gratuitous dress just to prove him wrong.
I had not taken more than a couple of purposeful strides before Dylan’s voice stopped me cold, the sheer commanding presence in that powerful timbre sending involuntary shivers racing down my
spine.
“Let me help you,” he said in an infuriatingly imperative voice that brooked no argument, no subtle suggestion but a direct order that was impossible to ignore.
My hands wound tightly around the dress as I clenched my fists and grinded my teeth, seething at his arrogance and entitled presumption. How dare he speak to me like I was just some common whore to dress up and parade around for his amusement? My nostrils flared, my jaw clenching as a scathing retort rose in my throat.
“I don’t need your help!” I wanted to spit in his face and show him all the resentment I felt towards him but that would ruin everything, wouldn’t it? That might even make me lose my life.
So instead I stretched my lips into a tight smile and turned to face him. I fluttered my lashes at him, Aww,” I cooed, “Thank you.”
His lips widened into a sardonic smile as he rose from the chair and walked to me.
Suddenly, the lingerie I had on was in tatters around the room as he ripped it off my body and threw them aside then snatched the dress from my hand.
I gasped and gaped at him but he said nothing. He wasn’t even looking at me and his smile was gone. His brows were furrowed in concentration as he threw the dress over my head and dressed me.
His hands moved so skillfully as though he was accustomed to the act.
When he was done, he took a step back and his eyes raked my body. With a satisfied smile on his lips, he closed the space between us once again. He caressed my bare back then placed tender kiss-
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Chapter 101 Chapter One hundred and One
es on each of my shoulders.
“Do you know why I chose this dress?” He murmured against my shoulders.
I hesitated but I asked and answered him anyway. “Why?”
“Because whether from the front or the back, it will be very convenient for Tavon to take off. Even if he gets too hard and doesn’t have the patience to take it off, this big loose skirt can easily allow him to enter you from any angle.”
I stiffened. This wasn’t an act. It wasn’t another pretense for effect. I literally froze.
“Relax,” he said after he noticed my tense body. “It’s just a few before we’d get what you’ll b go- ing there for.”
Those words hurt, for some reason. Even though it was just us in the room, I felt humiliated… ashamed. Instinctively, I shrugged out of his hold.
He chuckled nastily as he looked at me. “Come on, Sydney, aren’t you excited in advance?”
“Stop it, Dylan,” I said seriously, “I’m agreeing to do this only because I love you. You’re the only one that is allowed to touch me or be intimate with me. No one else. So stop talking like I am some you’re about to pass around a gang.”
Could
Moments like this were what made it clear that he really was Dylan and not my Lucas. He have mastered being Lucas for years, be able to imitate his behavior and his way of living but the dif- ference was still there, it was glaring if you looked hard enough. Dylan was nothing but a crude street thug with Lucas‘ face.
There was no way Lucas would treat me or any woman like this. Even Mark, who had been mad at me for replacing the woman he was in love with, hadn’t treated me so badly.
But he wasn’t them, he was Dylan, the man who left his life and stole Lucas“, the man who spent years being another man, he wouldn’t cherish me. What am I even thinking? He was ready to kill me. just a few weeks ago.
So I shouldn’t be surprised. Instead I should be glad that he was acting more like himself, hopefully, the face will soon morph into his too.
“Relax, hmm? It’s just Tavon and at the end, I’ll be waiting…if you succeed,” he added threateningly but with a smile.
I gritted my teeth but I managed to force a smile on my face when I turned around and looked him.
I slid my fingers on his shirt–clad chest and purred, “Don’t you want to try?” I suggestively pressed my lower half to his and he groaned lowly.
His hands and eyes roamed my body and he said in a hoarse voice, “Of course, I want to but I have. to control my desires, at least hot today.”
I pouted.
He gently stroked my cheeks and whispered, “Your mission today is to seduce Tavon, make him crazy for you. As for me…” he paused, then smiled and said, “I will enjoy you at the right time.”
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