Royal Date by Sariah Wilson

started walking toward him, but Giacomo hustled me into my bedroom. I saw two director’s chairs had been set up, along with tables full of makeup products and hair styling instruments.
    I was told to sit, and people were hovering over me like vultures, staring at me as they discussed my face and hair situation amongst themselves in French. I reached out for Giacomo. “Please tell them not to slather it on.”
    Lemon sat next to me in the other chair. “I’m sure they can see that you don’t need much with that sickening pore-free skin of yours. But let them put on whatever they want to put on.”
    “Why?” My hair started going in five different directions, being rolled and brushed.
    “Because you’ll need the war paint. You’re about to go into battle.”
    “With who?”
    “With every woman at that ball who will be ready to claw your eyes out for showing up with the prince. You don’t want even a single hair out of place. You’ll need the confidence.”
    I narrowed my eyes at her. “But you’ll be there with him too.”
    “Darlin’, we both know he’s not going to give me even a lick of attention.”
    We were done up and twisted around and pulled and tugged until we were finally deemed ready. I thought it was sort of sad that it took an entire team of people to get us to an acceptable level.
    As they gathered up their things, Lemon and I went into our bathroom to finish getting dressed. “Don’t look in the mirror until we’re all done,” she said. We turned our backs to the mirrors behind us. She helped me zip up, and then I helped her.
    “Ready?”
    We turned and I was shocked. We looked flawless. I looked maybe, even, a little pretty. They’d turned Lemon’s short blonde bob into a bunch of loose curls, and I had a sleek but delicate chignon. “They gave me fake eyelashes!” I laughed, leaning my face in to get a better look at what they’d done.
    “Nico is going to die when he sees you.” Lemon hugged me.
    I hugged her back. “Poor Dante. His heart is going to give out.”
    “You mean Salvatore.”
    I didn’t actually mean Salvatore. He didn’t follow Lemon around like Dante did. I just smiled at her in response.
    We went back out into our room, and it had been emptied out. We put on our shoes and the jewelry we’d chosen earlier. I had big cubic zirconia earrings and a matching bracelet. Lemon had a necklace with a massive red gem and dangly earrings.
    “Ready?”
    A flock of hummingbirds started beating their wings in my stomach. My hands felt clammy and my spine weak, but I nodded. Lemon went out first, and I followed closely behind. Dante immediately claimed her attention, flattering her and kissing both of her cheeks. She laughed. Rafe told me I was beautiful and kissed my cheeks. Both men wore black tuxedos with tails, a white vest, and a white bow tie. They had a red sash with a pale yellow border that they wore under their coats. Like beauty queens. It made me smile.
    Nico stood near the fireplace, just staring at me. He was dressed like his brothers, but infinitely more handsome. I walked over to him shyly, my dress rustling and swishing with each step. I wondered what he thought. Something intense flashed in his sparkling light blue eyes. He didn’t say anything. Did he not like it? He swallowed once, twice, and cleared his throat. Then he finally said in a low voice, “I’m afraid you’ve rendered me speechless. You are breathtaking.”
    I pulled in a shaky breath, my heart beating a million times a minute. No one had ever said anything like that to me. Ever.
    Would it be weird if I swooned at his feet?
    “Aren’t we the luckiest girls in the world to go to a ball with you handsome men?” Lemon cooed, slipping her arms through Dante’s and Rafe’s.
    “On the contrary, it is our privilege to be accompanying the two of you,” Dante responded gallantly, although he only had eyes for Lemon.
    “Picture time!” she called out. She took out her cell phone from her