Malefactor [H.S.]

54

"Do you think this is too revealing?"

Harry peaks his head into his walk-in closet where I'm standing, currently staring at my reflection in one of the full-length mirrors. I smooth down the material of the dress, turning to the side and looking back to make sure my ass is fully covered. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to feel a breeze if it wasn't but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

A light green mini dress covers my body, small flowers spaced out across the material. The top is relatively low cut—at least by my parent's standards. It also stops near my upper thighs, so it's pretty short. Nothing about it seems revealing to me, but my wardrobe consists almost entirely of short skirts and dresses, as well as low-cut tops and ones that could pass for bras.

"No, your chest is pretty much covered. It looks fine," he says, coming up beside me.

"Pretty much?" I frown. "I'm not going for pretty much, I want it covered."

He's visible in the reflection next to me, not being shy with the way his eyes rake in my appearance. They hover on my chest for too long before finding their way to my face, a ridiculous smile plastered across his face as his eyes meet mine.

"You're fine. I wish it was lower cut, personally."

"You're no help," I huff, striding over to the area where my clothes are hung. I sort through the racks to see what my other options are but unsurprisingly, they're not much better.

Ones that have a higher neckline are either so short my entire ass will be out if I bend over, or there's a super high slit in one of the legs. The ones that are long enough are low-cut. And then most of the others are pretty much the same as this in terms of length and the amount of cleavage showing, meaning there's no point in changing.

Huffing in aggravation, I decide to just leave my current dress on. Picking out a pair of sandals that are nicer than what I normally wear, I focus my attention on Harry. He has on a white button-up that's covered in flowers and leaves, the color of the leaves making the shirt almost green in appearance when not looking closely. As usual, the top four buttons are left undone to allow his tattoos to peek out. The sleeves are also rolled up to his elbows, with the mirage of tattoos he has there being prominently seen as well.

Once again, we unintentionally look like we're matching when going to meet the others parents. I just hope this time goes better than last.

With my shoes now on, I shoot upright and walk past him. He follows me as I lead us into the bathroom, my makeup scattered all over the counters. I didn't do anything crazy today, sticking with neutral eyeshadows and a shimmer on the lid, natural lashes, and lipgloss since my parents always berated me in high school when they could tell I was visibly wearing any.

A small gold C initial pendant rests right between my collarbones, that being the extent of my jewelry too, except for a few dainty rings I placed on my fingers. My hair is straightened and long, hanging down my back.

Blowing out a shuddering breath, I let my eyes shoot up to Harry in the mirror behind me. Today is Saturday, June 19th, and my mom's 45th birthday party.

"Let's get this over with."

Grabbing the small purse I carry with me everywhere, I sling it onto my shoulder and head out the door into the hallway. Harry trails behind me, the two of us silent as we exit the apartment. I wait as he locks up and sets the alarms, heading over to the elevators next.

To say I'm anxious would be the understatement of the year—actually, the understatement of the past three years.

Truthfully, I'm fucking terrified. I'm going into this completely blind as to why Mom wants me there. Sure, you could always say that she's had a change of heart and has finally come to her senses, realizing that I am the victim here and not our family. It was my entire livelihood and reputation that Wyatt destroyed, not theirs.