“Agreed,” Heath said, lifting a finger and pointing at me with a grin that made it hard not to smile back. Up close, her freckles stood out first, scattered across her nose and cheeks. Her ginger hair fell loose around her shoulders, soft and slightly untamed,and her olive-green eyes were bright. She had the kind of beauty that made people relax around her, that made you feel like you were already included in all secrets and life plans. “Despite the fact that you smell like a bar, we will happily escort you to whichever clothing establishment you desire. It’s the least we can do, considering Alex couldn’t be bothered to even give you a pretend wedding.”
My cheeks heated. “Yeah. Maybe I should shower first.”
“Wonderful idea,” Monty said bitterly and folded her arms, glaring at Alexander. “Someonemade me lay out some clothes you could borrow.”
I glanced at him, stiffening at the intensity in his gaze. He looked away, trying to play it off like he hadn’t been staring, which only made me feel more awkward. “Okay, thanks,” I breathed and hurried past the group of them.
“Stupido,” Mickey said behind me, a faint grunt of dismay following with athwapthat sounded a lot like Mickey slapping someone. “She just broke up with her boyfriend, had a panic attack, and barely has her feet under her. Keep it in your fucking pants.”
“It’s not like that, man,” Alexander grumbled.
A small smile touched my mouth as I ducked into my bedroom, catching a glimpse of Alexander rubbing the back of his head and scowling at Mickey.
I stared out the window of the car, watching city lights pass and toying with the dress Monty loaned me. It was simple and navy, sleek satin and hugging my curves before it flared slightly at my calves. She left me shorter heels than the other night, too, likely remembering how I’d thrown the others at her. Thinking about it, I turned to them in the car. They sat chatting quietly among themselves. A bench wrapped around the interior, Monty and Heath next to me with Mickey leaning over them as they huddled and discussed some kind of nostalgic night they’d all spent together. I didn’t bother to try and piece it together, letting them have their moment. Alexander sat alone on the opposite end of the bench, watching his friends, too.
When he felt me staring, he turned to look at me, but I looked down at my hands, playing with my fingers nervously. All of it—the clothes, the town car, and credit card—itwasn’tnew. Buyers had handed me the same things before, but they’d also raped me, caged me, and made me bleed. It was difficult to separate my general anxiety from the situation, and I constantly had to remind myself that I was with allies.
“Wait! Stop the car!” Heath shouted dramatically, jumping from her seat and, in the bent-over way the car allowed, stepped over me to the door. She flung it open as the car stopped and hopped out, straightening her dress with a beaming smile. “This is it. Arden, you’ll love this place. It has a bit of everything. High end and casual.”
As we got out and read the sign for a consignment shop, Monty groaned. “Secondhand? Heath, the girl’s got a card with a fifty grand limit.”
My eyes widened, and I tightened my grip on the small pearl clutch containing the credit card. That was anobsceneamount of money. Creed only ever got stipends of five hundred at a time to pay for a hotel and food, and that was on very,veryrare occasions.
“Great. That means she’ll have no problem stocking up here,” Heath declared and grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the door. A little bell jingled above us as we entered, and my eyes widened further. The shop was four stories tall, rows upon rows of clothing and accessories in every direction. I was immediately overwhelmed.
“Now what do you like?” Heath asked. “We’ll give everyone something to hunt for.”
I swallowed. “I mostly just wore jeans, converse, a tank, and my leather jacket when I got the choice,” I explained. “At the compound, we had uniforms.”
“Right. Of course. So we’ll be tryinga loton then.” She charged her way to the teenage girl manning the front counter. The girl was scrolling on her phone, headphones in. “Hey,” Heath snapped her fingers and the girl rolled her eyes, plucking an earbud out. “We’ll need a fitting room available to take clothes to for the next hour. I’m talking piles, kid, so look alive.”
The girl chewed her gum in annoyance. “Sure, lady. They don’t have doors. It’s just curtained off spaces. Make yourself at home.”
Heath smiled, despite the girl’s lack of charm, and clapped her hands together. “Perfect!”
“I think this!” Monty shouted on the other side of the lower level, holding up a fur coat. When she moved over there, I had no idea.
“Um,” I started only to be interrupted by Mickey leaning over the balcony above me, shouting, “I assume I’m on lingerie duty, bella?”
“No!” Monty and Heath yelled at the same time, a chuckle cracking out of me when Mickey looked deeply offended.
“I havegreattaste,” he yelled back.
“Arden, does not want you manhandling her thongs, Delgado,” Monty argued, storming upstairs and whacking his shoulder.
The three of them went at it, moving like tornadoes through the store and loading up their arms with things I’d likely never wear. I let them have their fun, browsing through the closest rack. A throat cleared behind me, drawing my attention. I turned, finding Alexander holding up a pair of converse. “Here,” he said with zero enthusiasm, shoving them into my chest and walking away.
I frowned, hurrying after him. “Are you back to being elusive and angry again? I thought we’d finally had a breakthrough.”
He glanced over his shoulder, his face grim. “Find some clothes, Arden.”
“No,” I snapped. “I mean thanks for these, they do look like my size—”
“They are. Seven and a half.”
I snapped my mouth shut, staring at him curiously.
He sighed. “I’m observant. Sue me.”
