“Them, yeah, that’s the problem.” I shake my head. “You might be able to snap your fingers and make the rest of your crew do as you say, but I don’t answer to you, and I never will. I like this place. I might just stay forever,” I say just to push him and see what he does with it.
His grip on me tightens, and he glares at me like he wants to hurt me, or is it screw me. It’s hard to tell. But either way, he doesn’t let me go.
“Are we done here? I have some stuff I want to get done before my shift at the club. And you look like you got out of the wrong side of bed. Do the world a favor and take yourself back there and start the day again.”
“Don’t come back here tonight.” He lets me go.
I move to the door and open it quickly. “Don’t wait up for me.” I smirk, bitchy as all hell, before I close the door in a rush, praying he won’t follow me out. I have no idea what’s gotten into me this morning, sticking up to him like that, but screw him for acting the way he does toward me. What did I ever do to him?
As Asher would say, my love affair with the bus continues, and I ride it downtown to where my Google search tells me the best shops are, music blaring in my earphones the entire time. I feel good today. I’m tired but slightly more empowered than I was yesterday. And as much as I’m still worried about Cruz, he looked all right this morning.
I thank the driver as I step off the bus at my stop and walk straight into the first shop I find. The shop smells of fresh flowers and is so clean it gleams, looking quite luxurious. Everything is so pretty. I have never heard of this brand before, Artimus, but I think I’m going to want one of everything. My fingers dance over the fine fabrics of silk, linen, and chiffon, wondering where I should start. I take a few dresses off the hangers and some linen pants and shorts, as well as some soft tops. I motion to the salesperson that I’m heading inside the change room with them, and she waves me through, busy with another customer.
The first thing I try on is a layered tulle skirt, in a peachy color. It’s soft and so feminine, I just know I have to have it. I pair it with a lavender-colored wrap top and a pair of black tights, loving the look.
A knock comes at the door. “Sorry, I was busy with another customer. Can I help you now?” comes a sweet voice from the other side.
I open the door and step out. “Maybe.” I nibble my bottom lip. “I need a few new outfits. What do you think of this?” I ask the attractive girl, who is probably close to my age.
“Love it, girl.” She holds up a finger and rushes off, returning shortly with a cropped leather jacket and a pair of combat boots. “Pair it with these.”
I grin at her, loving it. Slipping the boots on and then feeding my arms through the arms of the jacket, I stand back and study myself in the mirror, unable to help the smile that breaks onto my face. “Perfect.”
She leans into the doorway. “When you say a few new outfits, like how many are we talking, girl?”
“I’ve got nothing.”
She claps her hands, grinning from ear to ear. “Let me bring you some of my favorite items.”
“Thank you.” I smile back at her, having way too much fun already.
I strip off the first outfit and slip on a soft chiffon dress in a floral baby blue. The skirt is flowy and layered, and the neckline is a little lower than I would normally go for, but it shows off my curves nicely. And now that I don’t have Valentine looking over my shoulder, I can get away with showing a little cleavage.
She knocks at the door again, and I open up. “Yes, girl, love that on you as well.” She hands me a bundle of clothes, and I hang them on the rack. Then she’s back with some ballet flats, edgy sneakers, and a couple of pairs of strappy heels.
For the next hour, the two of us play with different combinations until I find five new outfits I’m in love with. Shoes, bags, belts, jewelry, and all. I feel like Vivian from Pretty Woman when the nice sales assistant finally helped her. And if I told this girl how I’m paying for all of this, she would think I was her. “Do you mind if I leave one of the outfits on?” I ask, not wanting to get back into my old stuff.
“Go for it, girl. I’ll get the rest bagged up for you.”
I slip a white and navy polka-dot wrap dress on and finish it off with the combat boots and the leather jacket, loving the reflection staring back at me. Then, I throw my hair up into a high ponytail and grin from ear to ear. Today has to be better than the last two already. New clothes, and I’m feeling on top of the world again.
I step out of the dressing room and flinch when I find Jagger leaning against the wall opposite, his dark eyes fixed on me. They run the length of my body and then skip right back up to my face, with a slight twitch at the corner of his lips.
Damn, I spoke too soon. Just like that, my good mood is ruined. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I take a step back into the change room. “How did you get in here?”
He lunges forward, shoving me right back into the room before closing the door with a bang.
My heart leaps into my throat. “What are you doing?” I move as far away from him as I can in the tight space.
He leans into the door. “What do you think you’re doing, flower?”
“Getting some new clothes.” I pull a face like it’s damn obvious when I’m in a fitting room.
“Making yourself real comfortable in my town, aren’t you. Getting a job, a place to stay, a new assortment of pretty things.” He reaches out and runs his hand over the soft fabric of my dress, seeming lost in the moment, then his eyes rise to meet mine, anger simmering just below the surface. It steals my breath. “You want to stay, then we do things my way,” he finally says.
I try to take a step back, but there is nowhere to go; he has me caged in. “W-what do you mean?”
He runs the back of his hand down my cheek tenderly, and I get a flashback from last night. My mouth goes dry, and my pulse quickens.I’m not sure what he is about to do, but I’m almost certain I’m not wrong and it was him who paid for the night with me. “Maybe you are as naïve as you say, a sheltered little princess like my brothers think, and you have unfortunately stumbled upon a situation that would make most run in the opposite direction. But you don’t know any better.” His eyes lock with mine, they bore deep into my soul, and I feel the seriousness washing over him. “I tried to get you to leave. Tried to save you from the harsh reality before it was too late. But here you are, snapping your smart little mouth at me and demanding you stay.”
