Fashioned For Sin

Chapter 26

Leonardo

A week has passed since I asked Blair to be my girlfriend, she's slowly but steadily starting to heal, she even went out with Kari to go shopping, which took a lot of convincing since Blair didn't even want to leave the house.

We've both been staying home, relaxing, I've been here for Blair, held her while she was struggling.

I waited for Blair to wake up, passing the time by cooking some pancakes and brewing a fresh pot of coffee. I hadn’t gotten much sleep myself; I stayed up, listening for any signs of distress, just in case she had another nightmare like the one that plagued her last night.

It tears me apart to see her like this. I wish I could turn back time, back to the days before I left for LA, back when everything was simple. But time doesn’t work that way. You can’t rewind the clock, no matter how much you want to.

I hear the soft creak of footsteps behind me on the hardwood floor. Blair’s arms slide around my bare waist, and her touch sends a wave of warmth through my chilled heart.

“Good morning, babydoll,” I murmur softly, turning around to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Morning,” she replies, her voice still thick with sleep. “This smells delicious. You’re the best.” She yawns and stretches, then takes a seat at the kitchen island, her eyes following my every move.

I set a plate of pancakes in front of her, along with a mug of steaming coffee. “I thought you could use a good breakfast,” I say, sliding into the chair next to her. “You didn’t eat much yesterday.”

She gives me a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Leo.”

We eat in a comfortable silence, the kind that doesn’t need to be filled with words. After breakfast, we clean up together, moving around the kitchen with the ease of two people who have done this a thousand times before.

Once everything is in its place, I glance over at her. “I’ve been thinking,” I say, trying to gauge her reaction. “I want to plan a fundraising masquerade ball. Something big, to raise money for charities here in New York.”

She looks at me, a mixture of surprise and curiosity in her eyes. “A masquerade ball?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “It would be a great way to get people involved, to raise a lot of money. We could have a silent auction, prizes, maybe even some kind of grand reveal at midnight. Make it something people won’t want to miss.”

Blair bites her lip, thinking it over. “Where would it be?”

“I was thinking the Plaza Hotel,” I say. “It’s got that old-world charm, perfect for a masquerade. And they have a grand ballroom that would be perfect for the event.”

She hesitates, her fingers playing with the edge of her coffee mug. “I don’t know, Leo. I’m not really in the mood for a party.”

I reach across the counter, taking her hand in mine. “I understand. But this isn’t just a party. It’s for a good cause. And you don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll be right there with you the whole time. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

She searches my face, and I can see the battle going on inside her. Finally, she nods. “Okay. I’ll help you. But only because it’s for charity.”

“Thank you,” I say, relief flooding through me.

We spend the rest of the morning planning. Blair has an eye for detail, and she quickly gets into the spirit of things, suggesting decorations and colour schemes, debating themes and ideas with me. By the time we’re done, we have a solid plan in place: a black-and-white theme, with touches of gold for elegance. Masks would be required, of course, adding an element of mystery and excitement.