Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
“No. It is by far one of the ugliest gowns in here.”
“What?” I widened my eyes. “How?”
“Whoever designed it must have been heavily medicated. The beadwork is atrocious. The span of the fabric at the hips will make you look fat.”
“Well damn.” I placed the gown back on the rack. “Leave it to you to keep it real with not one bit of a chaser.”
“You asked for my opinion.”
“Unfortunately, I did.” I moved to the next pair of gowns. “What else is the Diamond Syndicate doing? Gypsy killed an innocent woman yesterday. He must be stopped—”
“Of course we have taken care of the funeral bills as well as provided the family with money—”
“We should give this to the police and have his face on TV screens.”
“I want to annoy Mayor Parks, but I think he could point this event at Diamond Syndicate business being that you were involved. I’m presently trying to put distance between myself and the Diamond Syndicate so this must be kept—”
“Dima, I don’t give two fucks about your candidate race. The Coffin Cheaters need to be destroyed. That means any way possible. Period.” I yanked out another gown and raised it in front of me. “What do you think about this one?”
Dima assessed it.
The white gown was long. The fabric was made of silk and it shimmered in the light. The beadwork was elaborate and intricate, each tassel and bead was probably hand sewn and carefully placed. There were even silver sequins along the back.
Dima twisted his face in disgust. “No.”
“What?” I looked back at it. “What’s wrong with this one?”
“Are you getting married or entering the Miss Paradise City pageant?”
“Damn.” I studied it. “Okay. . .I see the pageantry in it.”
“The problem is you are looking for a pretty gown instead of a moment.”
I put the gown back up. “A moment?”
“The wedding gown symbolizes a princess that is untouchable and pure transforming into a regal queen of perfection.” Dima lowered his arms and walked over to another rack. “These represent more of that symbol.”
“O-kay.” I left the rack I was at and went over to the one he stood by. “We have to figure out a way to get into the Coffin Cheaters’ valley. It is a goddamned shame that we haven’t solved that puzzle by now.”
“One would think that Chanel would have discovered it.”
“Not one bit of information. Pedro hated her, and she hated him.”
“That marriage was by far the biggest mistake in Killer Crows history.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s right, Dima. Feel free to shit on my family as much as you need to.”
Dima continued, “The people who thought the marriage was a good idea weren’t even in the marriage.”
I spotted one gown and was about to pull it off the rack.
“Absolutely not. Trashy, ugly, and unfit for someone of your quality.” Dima frowned. “You’re not taking this seriously.”
“I am.”
“Why are you even looking at white gowns, Kashmere?”
“You are the one that told me that these gowns were better.”
“I said they represented the proper symbolism, I didn’t say you should pick them.”
“Dima, I’m about to shoot you.”
“Death would be better than being surrounded by these god-awful gowns.” Dima stomped off to a rack on the other side of the room.
That rack had tons of colorful gowns.
“There is nothing traditional about you, Kashmere.” He pulled out a breathtaking red gown. The dress’s bodice was embroidered with red gems. Its material appeared to be silk, but it was so bright red, it reminded me of blood.
For some reason, that made me smile.
“Hmmm.” I headed that way. “I can’t believe I’m listening to you, but. . .this is the best one I’ve seen so far.”
“People call me the smartest man in the world.”
“No one says that.” I grabbed the gown from him. “This is so nice.”
Dima perused the other gowns and pulled out a few more. “One would think that a Killer Crow would wear black or red for their wedding, not white.”
“Black?” I blinked. “Could I really wear black?”
“It is your wedding.”
“Sure, but I should follow tradition.”
Dima glared at me. “Should you? If you do that, then you will trip over them.”
I parted my lips.
He studied me. “Is that how you are leading? By tradition?”
“Well. . .I’m trying. . .I mean. . .I did kill half of my Board so I’m not fully following the rules.”
“You’re the leader. Do what you want and hope that it is the best.” He handed me several black gowns. They weighed my arms down. He continued to look through others. “I need you to step up with the Killer Crows and do a lot this year. I want Marcelo and Lei to be impressed.”
I placed all of the heavy gowns over a chair to the side of me. “Why do you want me to impress them?”
“This is it.” Dima lovingly gazed at one black gown. “Yes. Beautiful. Gorgeous.”