One of the Last | Book 3 | ✔

28. | The Perfect Dress

***

Stepping inside the bridal shop, I immediately want to leave. A lady walks over to us and I turn around, moving toward the door.

"Nope." Killian grabs my arm and pulls me back, making me stumble into him. A whine slips past my lips.

I don't want to do this. I don't want to do this.

"Hello, welcome to Bridal Beauty." The lady is wearing a brown-ish plaid skirt and jacket with a grey shirt underneath and a pair of black high-heeled pumps. Her hair is up in a bun and she's staring with a too-wide smile.

"Nope!" I move to leave again, but Killian wraps his arm around my waist.

I let out a groan. "We'd like to find a dress for her." Killian says, fake-smiling at the woman.

"Of course!" Her smile never dissipates. It unnerves me. "Follow me."

I whine. "I don't want to do this."

"You have no choice." He whispers, his mouth beside my ear, and then he carries me with him, following the old woman. I'm forced into the dressing room and dress after dress is handed to me, ready for me to try on. Each time, I walk out and study myself in the mirror – despite having one in the changing room – where Killian can also assess.

Every time, I hate them. Too bright. Too fluffy. Too sparkly. Too white. Too long. Too tight. Too ballroom-y.

They're all too much.

I stand in front of the mirror wearing a plain white, fluffy dress that's sleeveless.

"Why did you agree to marry me?" Killian suddenly asks.

I sigh. "I'm getting eight-hundred grand. Why else?" I ask without looking at him, studying the dress in the mirror.

"I think that's only half the truth." He speaks. I pause and glance at him through the mirror, his eyes on the glass he's currently enjoying.

I turn away from the mirror. "What are you trying to say, Fluffy?" My brows furrow.

"I'm saying, there's a bigger picture." He raises his brows at me.

"Why would there be?"

"Because you don't look like the type to marry for money."

He's not wrong. "I don't look like most types." I state. "Besides, maybe I'm just...tired of living in a run down apartment." I shrug, turning back. Even though I bought a house in the woods with his money.

"Well, lucky you. You get to live a life in a mansion for a year." He grumbles, taking another drink of his bourbon. I pat the fluffy dress down before grunting and storming back to the changing room. "What now?" He sighs in annoyance.

"These dresses are bloody horrible! Who's picking them?" I query as I stuff the dress in the room.

"The lady from the entrance." He answers.

"She needs to be fired. Who on earth does she think she is? I mean, does she really think I look girly enough to wear a dress like this?" I complain, grumbling out more complaints.

I continue to grumble as I unzip my dress.

I let out a yelp when a knock sounds on the door. I crack it open, Killian holding a bag. "Is that a dead body?" I ask, squinting my eyes.

"No," He rolls his eyes. "It's a dress. You want it or not?" He asks, raising a brow at me.

My tongue pokes my cheek. "Would've preferred a dead body, but I'll take what I can get." I take the bag as he rolls his eyes again.

I shut and lock the room, hanging up the bag and unzipping it. Just looking at it, it's...stunning. Not typically something one would wear to a wedding, but it's not an actual marriage, and it's perfect for me.

I take off the other dress, slipping the new one on. Looking in the mirror, I can't help but smile to myself.

I feel pretty, which isn't something that happens often.

I undress and change back into my clothes, putting the dress back in the bag. I unlock the door and walk out, the dress slung over my arm.

"I'll take it," is all I say as I stare directly at Killian.

"What, I don't get to see it?" He stands up.

"We've got less than a week before the ceremony." I walk toward him until I'm in front of him. "I'm sure you can wait." I pat his face with a sarcastic smile. "Besides, didn't you hear?" I walk around him. "It's bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding." I walk to the cashier with a smirk as I leave him there, standing like a lost and confused puppy.

I use Killian's card to pay for the dress as he walks over to me. "When'd you grab that?"

I shrug as I type in his pin. "When you switched the keys for a keychain." I answer as I wait for it to accept. I twist my head to him. "Do you always carry that around?"

"Does it matter if I do?" He raises a brow, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

I shake my head. "No." The machine beeps. "But it's still strange." I remove the card and slide it back into my pocket.

"Wh– I need that." He argues, trying to get it back, but I slip it into my back pocket.

I shrug. "You'll get it back." I take the dress and walk away, the bag hanging over my shoulder. I message Kenji about Hope as Killian follows behind me, on his phone. He's close enough, I can feel his body heat.

ME: She awake?

KENJI: You've asked the same question five times within fifteen minutes

KENJI: No

KENJI: She's not

ME: I'm worried

ME: She should be awake by now

KENJI: I know

KENJI: But she's still in the same spot she's been in

My instincts kick in as something flies at me, my head leaning back to avoid it. Me and Killian both stop, staring at the arrow lodged into the wall. I turn to the direction it came from, a figure wearing a black mask, only their piercing eyes revealed.

I rip the arrow out of the wall and send it flying in their direction. It lodges into their shoulder and I take the distraction as a chance to appear up there, Killian beside me. He looks around, confused.

I roll my eyes. I turn to the assassin as he stares at me, wincing in pain. I lift my leg and kick him in the face, his body slumping to the floor.

I brush the hair out of my face and turn to Killian. "Have someone pick him up. We've got another victim to interrogate."