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Something flickers in her eyes, and that single look drives me mad.
“Thisis where you’re choosing to spend your money?”
We’re inside a clothing store, one where every item is under thirty dollars. A majority of the shirts have comical catchphrases printed across their fronts.
Jane rolls her eyes as she weaves between the two racks. “It’s Rue 21. Of course I’m buying my clothes here.”
“Everything is so…” I wipe one of my hands on the front of my button-up shirt.
“Relevant? Hip?Fashionable?” Jane glances over her shoulder at me, her eyes alight with humor.
I concede, but only because of the joyous little cry she emits every time she adds a new item to our shopping cart. “Yes, that’s exactly right.” I give her a tight-lipped smile.
I trail behind her, cataloging which things she gravitates towards. She eyes V-necks with approval, but casts an expression of disdain at crop tops. Jean shorts seem to be an immediate no-go for her. All the pairs of skinny jeans that fit her are happily tucked away in our basket. Her favorite color palette is comprised of soft purples, emerald green, and blue.
Jane adds a white tank top to her new wardrobe before turning toward me. “So, um, I’m going to look in the back for a minute. Can you stay here? Maybe browse the men’s section for a while?”
I frown down at her. “Why are you going to the back?”
Her cheeks redden, and she wets her plush bottom lip. “You know, forgirlstuff.” Her voice lowers to a whisper at the end.
My brows raise. “Girl stuff?”
She nods.
“And I can’t come?”
The deep blush spreads to her neck. “No.”
Sighing, I raise my palms in surrender. “Fine, but stay within sight. You won’t be safe until we’re at my place.”
She kneads her lip with her top teeth. “And where would thatplacebe, exactly?”
I divert my eyes. “Go do your girl things. We need to leave soon.”
She spins on her heels, sashaying away from me. I can’t stop my eyes from traveling to those perfectly round hips as she walks away. I follow the top of her head as she turns, redirecting herself to the very back of the store.
I try to stay busy while she’s gone, but it’s no use. The moment I glance away, my stomach churns like I’m about to be swallowed up. So, I trust my gut and keep my eyes on her as she grabs more lingerie from the shelves. She’s so focused that she doesn’t even realize that I can see her awkwardly holding a pair of thongs up to check the size.
Girl things.I roll my eyes.
But damn, now that I’ve seen all the tiny black strings that she’s buying, my mind clouds with all the ways I could tear them from her skin.
My sweet, delicate Jane.
She deserves better than a monster, and yet a monster I am.
I keep telling myself that it’s my duty to protect her.Iwas the one who fucked up her life. But this is more than my newly reformed morals, and her presence is a weakness I never expected to have. Whatever happens next could ruin me.
So I have to keep her safe.
What’s done is done. It’ll continue to be done, too, because I can’t deny myself the pleasure of knowing Jane. I’ve lived a long, miserable life. Being with her could be the only highlight I’ll ever get, and if it kills me to save her, then so be it.
Jane returns a moment later, her recent additions shoved to the bottom of her basket.
“Ready to check out?”
“Yup,” she replies, pulling the money sack out of her oversized sweatpants.
