This is so dangerous and such a risk, getting caught by Adrianna. But I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never felt so goddamn alive in my entire life.
We make a speedy pit stop at her room, where my change of clothes, hair tie, and makeup wipes are stashed, waiting for us.
Jules fusses with the back of my dress, undoing the clasps and zipper. I step out of it, hastily changing into pajamas—an oversize shirt and shorts.
She pushes me back to her bed, and I drop down onto the end of it. She shoves a makeup wipe into my hand, and I start working on the right side of my face while she tackles the left.
It’s messy, chaotic, and my heart has never felt so full.
“I’m going to need every detail—you know that, right?” she says eagerly, and I know if it wasn’t for Adrianna’s impending arrival, she’d be holding me hostage to tell her everything.
“I know.” I grin before wiping off the remnants of my lipstick.
Jules gets a text and checks it. Myra says that Adrianna’s on her way to us, currently passing through the foyer.
We work faster than ever, my adrenaline at an all-time high as we remove every trace of my magnificent night.
Jules tosses the wipes and stows my dress in her closet as I throw my hair up into a messy bun. I grab my phone from the bed—which I’ve somehow not lost tonight—and rush out the door.
“After she leaves, I’m coming over,” Jules whisper-shouts as I rush out of her room and into mine.
Carefully, I shut my door, kill the lights, aside from the lamp by my bed, and slide between the covers.
A very curious Gus is watching me carefully, probably wondering if I’ve completely lost it—and to be fair, I might have.
He’s lying on his little bed of scrap fabric, and I give him a couple pets before grabbing my sketchbook from the nightstand and a pencil. It’s not even fully settled onto my lap before I hear the door handle jiggle.
She’s here.
“Gus, hide,” I whisper, shooing him under my covers. It’s like he knows he can’t be seen by her, curling up against my side as I lay the blanket down.
The door flies open, and Adrianna’s eyes are wide, her brows furrowed, like she expected to find the room empty, finally getting to punish me again. But not tonight.
Her cat, Duke, eyes me from her arms, his beady eyes squinting like he genuinely hates me. It’s honestly impressiveshe’s trained him to loathe my existence because I’ve never met an animal besides him that dislikes me.
Her eyes meet mine, a fury brewing in her stare. “Cirella.”
“Yes, Stepmother?” My breathing is erratic, but I calm it, masking the racing beat of my heart. My speech is steady and smooth. “How was your party?”
“It wasperfect.” Her eyes narrow threateningly. “Did you stay in your room all night, like I’d ordered?”
“Of course.” I smile up at her before turning my attention to my sketchbook, picking up where I left off on this dress. The sound of my pencil scraping the paper fills the room. “What would I even do at a party like that? I’ve never been to one.”
She chuffs. “And you never will.”
With that, she steps out of my room and slams the door, the clicking of her heels fading as she struts away, likely feeling on top of the world.
Not thirty seconds later, Jules is already bursting through the door and plopping onto my bed. “Tell. Me.Everything.”
Lifting the covers, I offer Gus my hand, and he happily crawls aboard. He nestles in as I rest my hand on my lap, giving him tiny pets.
My lips tingle as I remember Dean’s and Asher’s kiss, the dancing, the oversharing, everything … which brings a whole new slew of emotions.
“Hey, think your thoughts out loud. I’m dying here,” Jules groans, reaching for Gus, who happily betrays me, cuddling into her hands. “Don’t get jealous. I might have spoiled him tonight with treats.”
“No wonder he just stabbed me in the back.” I laugh. Giddiness bubbles up in my chest as my mind shifts back to tonight. “I may have met someone … or two.”
“Eeeek! I knew it!”
