Fashioned For Sin

Chapter 7

Blair.

Two weeks have passed since Matthias's party. How I nearly ran out of the room after me and Leo we're about to kiss.
I've been thinking about that moment every day.

The tension sure as hell remained, and we both act like it never even happened. The next day at work was so awkward, trying to avoid one another as much as we could, but it was hard since we're working in the same space and building.

The gala is in two weeks, literally the day Matthias is having his graduation, he invited us to the party, this time it's at Leonardo's penthouse, since it's more spacious and all.

It's already 6 pm, exhausted from work, Leonardo and I visited a lot of venue managers in the last few weeks. Today, we finally found a perfect one that isn't that far. At Manhattan Centre.

I get a text message, drawing me away from my thoughts.
-
                             Kari

Kari: It's Friday night girl, you ain't gonna sit in bed and rot. Me Matthias and the boys are going to this cabin in a forest, I don't know the location but I'll pin point it when I arrive, Leonardo is coming too, I told him to meet you at 7 pm.

Blair: Are you crazy?! What if I said no, this man would full-on come to my house for no reason.

Kari: I knew you we're going to say yes, so shut up. Meet you there! 💋

Blair: I hate you! 🎀

-

I stared at my phone, rereading Kari’s message for the third time, trying to make sense of it. A cabin in the forest with Leonardo and the rest of the gang—Julian, Matthias, and Max?

I should have known better than to trust her with my Friday night plans, but the thought of spending the weekend in a cosy cabin with friends sounded too good to pass up.

But Leonardo?

The thought of spending time with him made my stomach twist in a mix of anxiety and something else I didn’t want to admit.

Things between us had been tense lately, and the kiss we almost had only added to the complicated mess we found ourselves in.

But there was no backing out now.I pulled open my closet, picking out some comfortable clothes to wear on Saturday and Sunday. I can't believe I won't be working for 2 days. Maybe  I can sneak some sketches to finish at the cabin, but they sure won't notice.

I pack everything I need, and then a honk from outside jolted me out of my thoughts. I grabbed my overnight bag and took a deep breath before heading out the door. As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Leonardo leaning against his car, looking effortlessly handsome in a casual beige jacquard textured buttoned shirt and shorts. His usual aura of confidence was on full display as he opened the passenger door for me.

"Ready for the great cabin adventure?" He asked, laughing at me, "Make sure you don't get killed." Trying to spook me out.

I roll my eyes and show him the middle finger.

The drive was longer than I expected. The cityscape slowly gave way to winding roads, tall trees, and the quiet solitude of the forest. Despite myself, I began to relax, the rhythm of the road and the low hum of the car engine lulling me into a calmer state. Leonardo didn’t say much, and I was grateful for the silence.

When we finally pulled up to the cabin, a sense of calm washed over me. The place was charming—nestled between towering pines, with a wraparound porch and a fire pit out front. It looked like something out of a postcard, and for a moment, I thought maybe Kari had planned something good for once.

But as soon as we stepped out of the car, I felt it—something was off.No cars. No noise. No signs of life. Just the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and the quiet creak of the cabin settling in the evening air. I checked my phone for any new messages from Kari, but there was nothing.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion as I glanced at Leonardo, who was surveying the cabin with a furrowed brow.

He pulled out his phone and checked for any updates.“I don’t know. Kari said they’d be here by now.”

I tried calling Kari, but it went straight to voicemail. The realization that we’d been duped slowly settled in."This is just great," I muttered, crossing my arms as I turned to face Leonardo. "She tricked us."

Leonardo let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair as he looked around. “Yeah, it looks like it.”

"So, what do we do now?" I asked, meeting Leonardo’s gaze.

A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes, and he smirked. "Well, we’re already here. We might as well make the most of it."

I hesitated, glancing at the cabin again. The idea of spending the weekend alone with Leonardo, without any distractions, was both terrifying and thrilling. But a part of me—maybe the part Kari had been trying to awaken—was curious to see where this would go.

"Alright," I agreed, a smile breaking through. "Let’s see how great this place actually is."

As we unpacked the car and headed inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this weekend was about to change everything. Whether that was a good thing or not, I wasn’t sure. But I was ready to find out.