AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Um, yeah. I don’t know if I wanna stand out this much.” I’m probably only a year older than Avery, but my soul feels like I’m pushing one hundred. And I just proved to her I’m nowhere near as cool as she is. Her crushed expression is proof.
But I’m not here to show I can hang with the young crowd my age. I didn’t elect this role, but I am damn sure going to take hold of my Titan roots and hang on until I shake loose all the rats hanging on.
Avery considers the hip combo, nods, and disappears. While she’s gone, I change the drink in my hand for the truck keys from her purse, tucking them into my waistband until I get some pockets.
Around me, there is every style of clothing and there’s a real Pretty Woman vibe going on with the plush seats and beige carpet underfoot. To my back is a wall of changing rooms with lush burgundy velvet curtains with golden sashes.
“How about this?”
She’s back with black jeans, black leather mid-calf boots, and a black shirt sans neon colors. But there is a set of lips across the front with the words kiss my ass in a glittery black.
Boots and jeans. I can work with that.
I grab a bra and panty set—black of course—from a nearby display. With my new loot in hand, I step past the deep red curtain and welcome the cool blast of cool air from overhead. Summer in the city used to be my favorite time of year. Late sunsets, warm air on my skin, and rooftop restaurants. Sadie and I loved trying new dishes when we came home from boarding school.
But those days are long gone and feel almost like a dream. Seasons come and go unnoticed.
A large mirror is to my left and a small settee to my right. I dump my arm full of clothes and set to stripping out of my now damp clothes.
I can hear Avery outside the curtain finishing off her piña colada. “You know, you should try on the gold glitter dress on the rack to your left. That issoyour style.”
There’s a pause.
“You think?” She sounds unsure which shows her submissive side. I wonder if she knows that about herself? A blonde head pops around the side of the red curtain. “When I was kidnapped and forced into…” With my panties halfway up my legs, she pauses. Her eyes grow distant and the fun-loving Avery I met melts away to reveal a hurt woman with fears and deep scars she covers with a smile and fun clothes.
She blinks and it’s the sad smile on her lips that breaks my heart down the middle.
“Um, I’m sorry. I don’t talk about my time before the Savages much. It’s only been a little over a month. But—and don’t judge me on this too harshly, but they feel like family already. Probably not the best idea to keep all the crap that happened to me all bottled up but everyone has problems, ya know?”
I did know. There has not been another person in my life I can purge the hate and anger from my heart to for years. I keep filling the black box in my head with my father’s disdain, rejection, and his ultimate betrayal since the night I thought I lost Hark. I always fear that one day it’s going to spring open and the world around me will burn to ashes.
Thinking about it, how sad is it that I am so untrusting of everyone after Hark? But then I met Avery and Doc. He’s the first person I’ve actually trusted in far too long. Then again, Doc saves lives for a living so trusting him seems second nature. And then there’s Fergie and Riot and Rage. Nova. I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with her, but I would like to. It’s easy to get lost in the good vibes and parties.
I shove all that aside.
“It’s okay to talk to me if you want to share.” I hold her gaze in the changing room’s mirror.
I’m not looking to spend hours here, but I’m human too and can’t just let her suffer in silence. Modesty forgotten, I jerk on my jeans next and shove my sock-covered feet into boots. Next is the bra and T-shirt with its black glitter. The longer I read it the more it grows on me.
“That’s okay, maybe another time. But when I was a house sample the Volkovs forced me into dresses like that and I swore to never wear another dress in my life if I ever got out of that…situation.”
Fully dressed I turn to Avery and take her hands between mine. There’s a slight tremor there but I don’t let on that I know.
I nod in understanding. “I know you’re dealing with a lot. Don’t keep that inside or it will fester and you’ll become no better than the people who put that haunted look in your eyes.”
Look at me not practicing what I preach.
I give her fingers a tight squeeze. “You should never do another thing you don’t want to do. Take your newfound freedom and hold onto it with both hands. It’s such a priceless treasure. I see you with Riot. The way you two look at each other. If there’s something there, you should pursue it too. Wear the dresses, eat the cake, and laugh. Life is too short to let it be wasted on shoulda wouldas.”
Her smile is a little less sad and I am going to count that as a win for now.
“Seems like you have knowledge on the subject. You and Dragon?” She moves into the changing room and takes a seat, pulling her knees to her chest.
Understatement of the freaking year. I clamp a chunk of my lower lips between my teeth to keep from spilling my whole life story. She makes it so damn easy to just word vomit all over the place.
That man makes me feel murderous. I sigh. “Yeah. Dragon and me. Big story there, but we are all about clothes shopping and piña coladas, right? Otherwise, I think we both might start crying.”
She drops her legs and springs to her feet. “Yes. Sappy stories later when we can make stronger drinks.” She grabs the curtain and right when I think she’s going to give me some space she turns and floors me with a gut punch I never saw coming.
