On Sunday morning, Delilah appeared at the entrance of Cain's room just as Lucrecia had ordered. In her hands, she carried the clothes that Raguel had chosen for him: an outfit that overflowed with elegance and that had been difficult for her to carry with the required care.
Since she began the walk toward the third floor, she could not help but imagine that man wearing the clothes that had been prepared for him. Her cheeks flushed with unnecessary heat even before the door opened for her.
Cain's messy hair was still dripping from the shower he had taken earlier. It fell seductively over the smooth skin of his freshly washed face. He was not a careless man, but his athletic figure stood out too much in that disheveled state, and his revealing white shirt showed more than Delilah would dare to look at.
Cain looked pleased by the young woman's timely arrival. In that state, he could not take the clothes himself, so he stepped aside to let her through, inviting her in.
The room was orderly and gave off a soft fragrance that was hard to describe, just as one would expect from a man like him. The south wall was covered in books, and the cleanliness of the floors and windows shone completely.
Delilah carefully left the clothes on the bed. Then she took a dry towel and approached him. Stretching a bit, she managed to wrap it around his neck to prevent the water droplets from continuing to wet the fabric of his shirt.
The son of Count Salieri looked bewildered. He reacted with an evasive movement immediate enough to make her step back.
Delilah was unaware of the fact that not even Yara was allowed to touch him in any way. She had simply acted based on Lucrecia's warnings: that outfit definitely must not be ruined in any way. Besides, this was not the first physical contact between the two.
—The shirt might get stained... I'm sorry —she murmured, lowering her gaze slightly.
Cain understood even if she had not said it. Evidently, the clothes had to be checked; even his hair needed to be carefully combed from the back. That was something even Yara did not do, but somehow, it seemed appropriate to allow this strange girl to do it.
For just a second, their eyes met while she tried to understand how to act without demanding explanations. For a long moment, Delilah had no interest in looking at any other shape but his.
So Cain, still with his growing distrust, sat down on the chair in front of the large mirror and ordered her to take the brush and hurry.
The girl's eyes possessed no special shine. Her expressions, lacking charm, could be described as insensitive. Even so, the touch of her fingers created a soft sensation that weakened Cain's senses, completely immobilizing him.
He was unable to push her away.
She looked at him from a higher angle and, lifting his attractive face, began to arrange his hair carefully.
It had been a long time since a woman had touched his face. Deep within him, the rejection of relating to anyone still persisted. Being subdued in that way left him in a quite unfavorable position, and that silent torture only ended when the woman who would never fit the description of "distinguished" stepped aside on her own.
—It's finished.
Delilah placed the brush back in its place and slowly moved away so Cain could look at himself directly in the mirror.
The beauty of his face stood out considerably. He had not been aware of the impact of his natural attractiveness.
For a moment, Delilah could not help but think deeply about this man, unable to understand why anyone would dare to deceive and abandon him when he looked so perfect to her.
At that instant, through the silent hallways of the mansion, a loud sound was heard that forced them to look at the clock. Time was up, and the car waiting for Cain had arrived.
Lucrecia loved punctuality, and that day she could not be any less of a perfectionist, considering it was the perfect occasion to lift her head and brag about the place she had been invited to.
Now she was sitting inside the car that the archdukes had provided at Leroy's request. Her smile stretched unusually, as if she considered herself a noble princess.
And it was for good reason.
The dress Raguel had sent her was truly beautiful and elegant. Delilah was also unable to look away from her figure when she was in front of her. The French cut was perfect for the delicacy of her movements. She looked like a porcelain doll, a beauty without comparison.
Lucrecia smiled maliciously.
Delilah's clothes had not been prepared in any special way, and if she was trying to make it evident, she did so with a quite pronounced cruelty. Delilah wished to disappear from the reach of that arrogant gaze.
But then, inexplicably, Lucrecia ordered her in a pleasant tone to get into the car.
The French doll stepped aside to give her place to the only person who still remained outside.
That glass doll despised people who did not understand the basics of logic, so she was not going to wait for Delilah to confirm if she was really being invited. They were just on time, and if she dared to disobey, she would be causing more than one problem.
The invitation was supposed to be for only two people.
But Delilah would not question the difficult woman who, for the first time, smiled at her with a certain kindness.
The car moved forward as soon as she was inside.
The road to the Bathory residence would take an hour. It would be a long trip that only Lucrecia would enjoy.
While her relationship with Cain was already quite good, talking together seemed to make everything around them disappear. They were sitting on the right side of the car, while Delilah had a wide seat in front of them both.
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