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My heart pounded in my chest, knowing I was screwed. He held all the cards. “Are you trying to blackmail me?”
“No. Blackmail sounds a bit harsh, don’t you think? I was only stating the facts.”
I exhaled slowly, rubbing a finger over my brow. “What do you want?”
“You know what I want.”
I glanced over at Lizzie who was watching this exchange in quiet interest. “Fine,” I sighed. “I’ll go. I’ll go to the formal with you.”
I didn’t know if I’d made a deal with the devil, but at the moment, it seemed like a better deal than the alternative. I’d rather suffer through this date than ever disappoint my parents.
Natalie
The next day, I made it to class—barely. I’d almost overslept since I didn’t get home until four in the morning. Then I couldn’t sleep because I was still overwrought from the events that had passed. Axel said he’d handle taking care of the cars, so I put my trust in his hands and gave him my car keys because I really had no other choice. He even set Lizzie and me up with an Uber to take us home.
I slid into my seat, mulling over my other dilemma—attending this formal with Axel. He said we would be staying overnight at the Four Seasons in Austin. I needed an evening gown, but I didn’t have one, and the event was tomorrow.
“Good morning.” Axel had a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile on his face as he took the seat next to me. He studied me, apparently taking in my baggy hoodie and sweatpants that I’d haphazardly pulled out of the closet this morning without thought. My thick hair was in a messy bun. I looked like a hot mess. From the look on his face, I’m certain he was thinking the same thing.
He leaned in and whispered, “Rough night?”
“You know it was,” I said lowly and opened my laptop, pulling up my notes. As usual, our professor was still piddling around, filtering through papers in his satchel.
“Sorry to hear that. Maybe you’ll have a better day today.”
“I doubt it.”
“Don’t be such a pessimist. You have me, so your luck is already changing.”
I glanced up at him with brows drawn together while he innocently stared ahead, watching our professor and clicking a pen in his hand.
After class, I gathered my things while Axel stood in front of me, waiting. He tipped his head toward the exit. “Come on.”
“Where?”
“To make your day better.”
We walked across campus to a parking lot. He led me up to a black BMW convertible. This wasn’t the car I ran into last night. That one was blue. I eyed him in surprise. “That’s not your car.”
He side-eyed me. “Very perceptive. It’s a rental. My car’s in the shop. By the way, so is yours.” He clicked the remote.
“It is?”
“Yep. Had it delivered this morning.”
“How?” Usually, it took days, weeks even, before I could get my car repaired in the past.
“You’re such an inquisitive little thing, aren’t you?” He held the passenger door open for me. “I have my ways.”
I dropped down in the seat in a daze.
We pulled out of the parking lot, and soon we were in the middle of the town, where there was a ritzy shopping center with boutique stores. He parked in front of a store with the nameDanielle’s Closetscrolled in fancy script and was at my door before I could open it. “What are we doing?”
“Shopping for a dress.”
I opened my mouth to protest. But he tapped his index finger under my chin, closing it. “I won’t take no for an answer.” Apparently, I was getting a clearer picture of this very fact.
I checked the time on my phone, seeing it was well before ten in the morning when boutiques normally opened. “It’s not open yet.”
