“Isn’t this the kind of thing you’re supposed to wear to seduce someone?”
“Evi,” Luci says, clearing his throat as he glances away for a moment before turning to look at me again, “that is just a bit of ribbon for one of the corsets I bought.”
“What?” I gasp, mortified with myself. “I-I swear I didn’t know.”
“Clearly,” Luci snorts, fighting to keep his face expressionless and failing miserably. He runs a hand over his face again, breathing deeply to reset himself before returning his attention to me. “Here, let me help you.”
Luci sets to work picking out various items and paring them together before handing them to me.
“What am I supposed to do with all of this?”
“Wear it.”
“I know, but how?”
“Come here,” Luci sighs, taking the clothes back out of my arms and walking over to the bed to lay them all out, “take that off.”
He gestures to the destroyed shirt wrapped around my body.
“I’m not wearing any underwear.”
Luci blinks at me before shaking his head.
“That doesn’t matter, just take it off.”
My cheeks flushing hot, I drop my eyes to the floor as I slowly start to untie the bits of shirt that I’d managed to wrap around me to keep myself covered. Apparently, I did a pretty good job, too, as the knots are nearly impossible to undo.
I keep my eyes trained on my work even as I hear a frustrated sigh escape Luci.
“I’m going as I can,” I mutter.
“Here, just let me,” Luci finally says, grabbing my shoulders to turn me toward him. He slips his fingers beneath the neckline of the weird shirt-dress that I’ve made and with one fluid movement, tears it from my body.
It’s my turn to blink as I try to cover myself up. How are these men so strong? That wasn’t just popping off buttons, he literally tore through multiple layers of thick, tied up fabric.
Luci doesn’t seem to notice my shock or my now naked body as he turns back to the bed. He hands me a pair of white underwear which I quickly slip on, an instant sense of relief washing over me when they fit perfectly. I hug my arms around my chest as Luci lifts a heavy-looking corset off the bed and turns to hold it up to my body.
“You’ll wear one of these every day from now until we’ve dealt with Valentine.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Why not?”
“What century do you think we’re living in? How am I supposed to do anything, let alone breathe, in that thing?”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I doubt it,” I mumble as he steps closer.
“Turn around and lift your arms.” I hesitate for a second before obeying, heat burning through my cheeks as I train my eyes on the floor. Luci wraps the corset around me. “Hold it in place.”
I do as he orders, and he begins to lace up the back. The boning is stiff, and the fabric heavy. This isn’t one of those corsets you get in lingerie shops. It’s the real deal, even coming down to partially cover my hips and underwear.
“Are you sure this is necessary?” I ask as the corset begins to tighten around me.
“Yes,” Luci answers.
“Why?”