CHAPTER 39: A SCUMBAG’S GUIDE TO RETAIL THERAPY

Their next stop was a stylish, modern men’s clothing store—not a stuffy tailor, but a place that reflected his new, confident persona. The minimalist interior featured exposed brick walls and industrial lighting fixtures highlighting racks of designer menswear.

"I need your opinion," Satori said as he browsed through a rack of shirts. "My fashion sense is still developing."

"Why would I know anything about men’s fashion?" Natalia scoffed, though secretly pleased to be consulted.

"Because you have taste. And you’re brutally honest." He held up two button-down shirts. "Gray or blue?"

Natalia studied the options, then pointed to the charcoal gray. "That one brings out the intensity in your eyes."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Satori’s smug smile was insufferable.

"So you’ve been noticing the intensity of my eyes?"

"Shut up and try it on."

Watching him try on clothes that actually fit his new body was a revelation. Each outfit emphasized the dramatic changes in his physique—shoulders broader, waist trimmer, arms defined. Natalia found herself giving genuine advice despite her better judgment.

"The sleeves are too long on that one."

"Those pants need to be taken in at the waist."

"That jacket makes your shoulders look even wider."

Satori emerged from the changing room in a navy blue suit jacket. "Does this make my ass look good?"

"I am not answering that!" Her face burned hot.

"So that’s a yes."

"I didn’t say anything!"

"Your face did."

When he finally tried on the suit for the Gala—a charcoal gray three-piece with subtle burgundy accents—Natalia fell silent. He didn’t look like her stepbrother anymore. He looked like a man who could conquer cities. The tailored lines accentuated his height and newly defined physique, giving him a commanding presence she’d never seen before.

"Well?" he asked, turning slowly.

Natalia swallowed hard. "The shoulders fit well, but it needs to be taken in slightly at the waist. And the pants need to be hemmed about half an inch."

"Is that your professional assessment?"

"Yes. Very professional. Nothing more." She crossed her arms, trying to maintain her composure.

"Thank you, Natalia." His voice was suddenly serious, genuine gratitude replacing the teasing tone.

The sincerity caught her off guard. "You’re welcome," she mumbled, looking away.

===

They left the store with several bags of new clothes. The sun was setting as they walked toward the transit station, casting everything in a romantic golden glow. Laden with shopping bags, the scene felt deceptively domestic.

"I should call a car," Natalia said, reaching for her phone.

"Let’s walk a bit first," Satori suggested. "It’s a beautiful evening."

They strolled in comfortable silence for a while, their shopping bags occasionally bumping together. Natalia found herself stealing glances at his profile, marveling at how different he looked now. Not just physically, but in the way he carried himself—confident, relaxed, commanding.

Suddenly, Satori stopped walking. Natalia turned to him, raising an eyebrow in question.

He set his bags down, gently took her face in his hands, and looked directly into her eyes. His expression was serious, tender.

"You were worried this morning," he said, his voice soft. "About our parents. About this being a mistake."

His thumbs stroked her cheeks, and Natalia felt her heart skip.

"It’s not. I’m not letting you go, Natalia. Not now."

The directness and sincerity of his promise obliterated her remaining doubts. This wasn’t a game to him. He was claiming her, right here on a public street. She should have been offended by his presumption. She should have pushed him away. Instead, she stood frozen, unable to look away from the intensity in his eyes.

He pulled away, picked up his bags, and their fingers briefly brushed as they started walking again. The touch was electric.

"Besides," he added with a smile, "we still need to find you a dress that matches my suit. Can’t have the Kuzmina siblings clashing at the Gala, can we?"

"We’re not siblings," Natalia muttered automatically.

"Exactly."

Her mind was no longer thinking "if." It was thinking "when." As they walked side by side toward the transit station, her heart soared with a dangerous, beautiful hope.

"That ring suits you," Satori said. "Beautiful and dangerous."

Natalia felt her cheeks warm. "Don’t say things like that in public!"

"Why not? No one knows we’re stepsiblings here."

"That’s not the point!"

"Then what is the point, Natalia?" He stopped walking again, turning to face her fully. His eyes captured hers with that unsettling intensity that seemed to pierce right through her defenses. "Are you ashamed of being seen with me?"

"No! That’s not—" Her protest sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

His directness caught her off-guard. Natalia looked away, her fingers unconsciously reaching to touch the Cryo-Lich Ring, drawing comfort from its cool surface. She struggled to articulate the storm of emotions raging within her—the thrill, the confusion, the guilt that shouldn’t exist but somehow did.

"Everything is changing so fast," she finally said, her voice uncharacteristically uncertain. "You’ve changed so fast. A month ago, you were..." She stopped herself from saying ’pathetic.’ "Different. Sometimes I feel like I don’t know who you are anymore."

"Maybe you never knew me to begin with," he replied softly, something vulnerable flickering behind those charming eyes that hadn’t been there before the transformation.

"I want to know you," Natalia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, the confession feeling like she was surrendering a piece of herself. "The real you. Not the lazy slob from before, and not whatever act you’re putting on now."

His smile was slow and genuine, different from his usual calculating smirk. Something about it made her heart flutter traitorously in her chest. "Then let me show you." He offered his hand, the same hand that had so tenderly cupped her face moments ago. "Starting with dinner? I’m starving after all this shopping."

Natalia hesitated only briefly, acutely aware of how her pulse quickened as she placed her delicate hand in his much larger one. "Fine. But only because I’m hungry too."

"Of course," he agreed, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a way that sent a shiver up her arm. "No other reason at all."

As they walked hand in hand through the golden evening light, the setting sun casting long shadows across the bustling street, Natalia knew she was stepping into dangerous territory. The electricity between them was undeniable now, a current that pulled her toward him despite every warning bell clanging in her mind. But for the first time in her life, she didn’t care about the consequences. She wanted to see where this path would lead, even if it meant breaking every rule she’d ever set for herself.

And that terrified her almost as much as it thrilled her.