I pull my thumb out of my mouth and grimace. “I don’t know what to expect. I hope Nix prepares me for tonight.” I give her a sideways glance. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the fight?”
She’s shaking her head before I finish. “I’m nervous as it is going to a restaurant. Even with Rex and Phoenix there knowing they’ll protect me. There are too many things that could happen at the fight.”
“Okay. I don’t want you to feel like we’re intentionally leaving you out.”
She pats my hand and we face each other more fully, both of us sitting on the couch. “I don’t feel that way. It’s going to take me some time to begin feeling any resemblance of normalcy.”
“And that’s okay. The things you went through… Do you ever think about the other girls we went to school with and where they might be now?” I ask her. Anna nods as she picks at a loose piece of thread on her jeans. “I remember seeing one of the girls from school at the auction Nix took me to after he bought me.” I pull my legs up to my chest. “What if they didn’t have anyone looking for them?”
“Maybe they got to stay with the person who bought them,” Anna murmurs.
“That’s true, but what if they didn’t want to be sold? You didn’t. I didn’t. Nix told me to be in the council you either have to sell your first-born daughter or buy someone else’s daughter.”
Anna brings her fingers to her lips and shrugs. “I don’t know.” Her words are barely above a whisper. I can tell from the frantic look in her eyes my questions are making her anxious, so I drop it.
“What are you going to wear tonight?” I smile at her, trying to ease her mind.
“Rex said to dress casual, but what does that mean? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him or Phoenix leave the house in jeans.”
I chuckle. “I think their idea of casual is dress pants and a button-up shirt, no tie.”
She laughs and nods. “What are you wearing?”
“I’m wearing jeans, a lacy camisole, and heels. Nix said it gets warm in the warehouse, so I thought that would be the safest bet.”
She arches an eyebrow at me. “You’re wearing heels to a fight?”
“Nix told me he wanted me to look fuckable. So everyone will be jealous knowing he’ll be the only one fucking me tonight.”
Anna covers her mouth and giggles. “You two are so cute.” I shrug one shoulder, not disagreeing. “I don’t have a lot of things. Could I wear something of yours?”
“Of course.”
I hop up off the couch and grab her hand, pulling her with me, excited to have something else to think about besides what could happen tonight. We head upstairs and I stop in front of the bedroom door.He told me once this was our space, and no one was allowed in. Did that mean Anna?
Turning left to the other room I stayed in, I take her to the walk-in closet. There are still clothes in here. I’ll have to ask Phoenix why, but it works out in my favor for tonight. I motion to the clothes. “Take your pick. My outfit is already picked out and waiting for me in my bedroom.”
Anna walks around the closet, her fingers grazing across pieces as she goes. She pulls out a black jumpsuit that’s strapless. She shows it to me before holding it against herself. “What do you think?”
I smile. “I think it will look perfect on you. I have some black Louboutin heels you could wear with it.” She squeals a little and does a little dance. Anna always loved this type of stuff. She liked getting dressed up. I learned the majority of my style from her.
“Go ahead and get dressed. I’ll be right back. I need to ask Nix something. Will you be okay?” She smiles and nods. She’s venturing out more, but I don’t want to assume she’ll be okay by herself. I turn, heading back downstairs and to Nix’s office. His door isn’t closed all the way, but I hear him and Rex talking, so I knock.
“Come in,” Nix calls out.
I walk in and give a small wave. Nix leans back in his chair and smiles at me. He has no idea what he does to me when he smiles at me like that. His gaze sweeps over me, and my stomachquivers. I’m wearing tights and a T-shirt, but the way he looks at me, I could be standing here in lingerie.
“Hey, love. Are you and Anna done reading?”
I walk further into the room and smile at Rex. He nods slightly with an amused look on his face. “Yes. She didn’t have anything to wear, so I told her she could look through some of my clothes. I just…” I’m not sure if I should say this in front of Rex or not, but Nix isn’t telling him to leave, so I continue. “I remembered you saying our room was ours and no one was allowed in our space, but I wanted us to do our hair and makeup together—”
Nix holds his hand up, stopping me. “That situation and this one is different. Of course she can go in there and you two can have fun getting ready. I’ll get Phillip to bring you two snacks and some champagne.”
I break out into a big smile and close the distance between us. I intend to kiss him quickly and leave, but he grabs the back of my head and lingers for a few seconds longer before pulling away slightly. Our eyes connect and for the first time since I woke up here all those months ago, I feel a connection with him I didn’t realize we were missing.
It’s like now we’re on the same team and no longer fighting each other. I lean forward one more time, giving him another kiss. “I love you,” I whisper against his lips.
He flexes his hand in my hair and grins at me. “I love you too, love.” I know at this moment if I never get my memories back, I’ll be okay with that.
