Chapter 1487: Victoria’s Perfect Day

Victoria observed these efforts with a satisfaction she concealed less successfully than she imagined.

Phei caught the small, approving changes in her expression and wondered how much longer she intended to pretend she was merely enjoying the celebration.

Then he held out his hand.

"Victoria. Dance with me." Her attention moved from his face to his fingers, the pleasure she had taken in Nastya’s boldness becoming rather less composed when directed towards herself.

"With you?" she asked, looking back up at him.

"I was hoping you’d say yes before I found somebody else."

Her indignant, "Phei!" delighted him enough that he laughed, taking her hand gently and waiting for her fingers to close around his before leading her towards the dancers.

The last sunlight reached them between the lanterns.

Phei settled a hand at her waist, feeling the small shiver that passed through her, while her fingers came to rest upon his shoulder. Victoria lifted her face with pink gathering beneath her careful composure of her face and visible skin, and for once he resisted the temptation to make it worse.

’Gods, she is beautiful.’

He liked her pride too, but he liked being close enough to see what happened beneath it even more. Settling her free hand against his chest, Phei guided her into the slow rhythm, his steps unhurried enough that she need not glance down to follow them. The light material of her dress shifted beneath his palm as they moved, and he felt the quiet warmth of her through it.

Victoria looked up instead, which did little to help her.

Sunlight caught in his white-gold hair, laying fine strands of gold against its paleness, and warmed the amethyst of his eyes. His power was restrained, the overwhelming depth of his presence that made her go crazy for him was concealed, yet she still found herself watching his mouth when she ought to have been thinking of something to say.

"You seem rather pleased with yourself," she murmured, her fingers gathering a little of the fabric against his chest.

"Shouldn’t I be, Cousin?"

His smile made her hesitate before answering:"I haven’t decided yet."

Phei drew her through another slow step. "Take your time."

She tried to find a clever response, but the music swelled around them, carrying the singer’s voice beautifully across the rooftop. Phei still could not believe Maya had managed to bring Evy here.

He had recognized that familiar voice almost immediately, although seeing the artist herself performing at Melissa’s celebration had surprised him enough to doubt his own ears. There was their history to consider, too, and how long it had been since he had properly thought about her.

Standing here listening, to her singing, he wondered how he had managed to go so long without doing so.

Her beauty would have drawn his attention even without the music, but her voice held it.

Phei had heard the sounds hypnotizing beasts back in the Zone with abilities to influence the Soul, others who poured such immense Essence into their voices that their music became a means of strengthening themselves.

He knew what a voice could accomplish with power behind it, and Evy captivated him with her natural gifts alone.

Even the simplest melody grew rich with emotion when she sang.

Each note flowed into the next with exquisite ease, carrying a warmth and fullness that lingered in the evening air. A tenderness beneath the clarity reached him through every rise and fall of her voice, drawing him into the song without a trace of enchantment. Gentle colors scattered across her figure beneath the rooftop lights, and the surrounding conversations quieted as more guests turned to listen.

Victoria’s hand relaxed against his chest.

She moved closer and rested her cheek there, her eyes closing as his arm settled more comfortably around her waist and her boobs settling on him.

The soft rise of her breath moved against him, and he felt the faint tension leave her shoulders. Phei looked down at the small smile upon her lips and softened his hold. The cautious distance she had maintained at the beginning of the dance had disappeared, leaving him to guide their steps while she listened to Evy’s voice and the heartbeat beneath her cheek.

He let the silence between them last.

There would be plenty of opportunities to tease her later; for now, he liked how fulfilled she seemed as she rested against his chest, and how little either of them needed to do beyond following the music.

When the song ended, Victoria lingered before lifting her head.

"Enjoyed yourself?" he asked.

Her quiet, "Very much," came with a smile he had no intention of hurrying away.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Her eyes widened, colour returning to her cheeks, but before he could enjoy the result properly, the princesses began descending upon Evy.

Clara reached her first, Gianna close behind, followed by Amber and several others. Photographs were requested, autographs acquired and further objects produced for signing because apparently the first signature had only encouraged them.

For the second time in barely a month, young women whose family names could alter the fucking Earth had forgotten every dignified manner and they possessed around one of the world’s most celebrated young female artists.

Maddie’s excitement required no explanation. Sierra’s pleased him more. During their previous encounter with Evy, she had exercised considerably greater restraint; tonight, she laughed with the others while awaiting her turn, enjoying herself without pretending she had come over merely to watch.

Jade observed with relaxed amusement, her elegance surviving the occasion without difficulty.

Sienna remained content where she sat, and Yuki showed little inclination to join the autograph seekers. Paige and Brielle were similarly composed, although Phei suspected their restraint concealed considerable enjoyment of everyone else’s behaviour.

He might have remained an observer himself if Melissa had not slipped an arm around his waist.

Happiness had made her less careful about showing how much she felt.

Her smile lingered even when nobody was speaking to her, and her hand kept finding the slight curve of her belly, sometimes while she appeared entirely absorbed in something else. Watching that absent little touch undid him more readily than he cared to admit. His wife was standing beside him carrying their children, and he still wanted to stop occasionally and take that in.

"Phei?" Melissa leaned against him, looking up.

"Yes, my love?" He recognized the smile that followed and eyed her with affectionate suspicion. She announced that she needed a favor, and he sighed. "How expensive?"

Her laughter warmed his cheek before her lips touched it. "I want Evy’s autograph."

"Just—?" He glanced towards the singer, then back at Melissa when she answered:

"Three," with entirely unnecessary satisfaction.

"One for me, and one for each of our babies." She rested her hand upon her belly as he stared down at it.

Their children were making demands already and hadn’t even had the courtesy to be born first?