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“I most certainly am, but only in the best ways.” She chuckles, and I know if I reply, it will only encourage her. “So, that bathroom remodel. I need to take some measurements, then you’ll be able to pick out the tub you want, assuming Luca isn’t the one wanting a good, long soak.”
“I hate you,” I murmur with my back to her as I hang my towel on the corner of my dresser and start to get dressed. Though, when I open my dresser drawer, none of my clothes are in there.
“Something missing?” Justine asks with amusement. “Or do you prefer to air dry?”
Carefully, I grab my towel and cover myself back up before turning around and heading toward the closet. I assume after everything Luca has done that he wouldn’t have thrown all of my things out. Maybe he just made some room for me within the closet. The longer I think about that, the more shocked I am. He’s slowly becoming someone I didn’t believe him to be capable of when he first locked me up in his basement.
Sure enough, when I open up the doors to the walk-in closet, the few clothes that had been brought here for me—plus several more outfits—have been hung up, only half-filling the one side that’s been cleared out.
Justine makes me jump when she murmurs in my ear. “New tub, space in the closet, and new clothes… Yeah, I’d say things are getting serious.”
Instead of fighting against her cockiness and excitement, I return her grin and nod. “I think I have to agree.”
“Of course, you do,” she says, following me. “I can’t wait to take you shopping. We’ll need two cars. One to hold all our shit and another to drive us around.”
Her laughter has me shaking my head, but mostly because I know she’s absolutely serious. Although, nothing of the sort will be happening until we have Tori and she knows the truth.
I freeze as I reach for a t-shirt. “Sandi.”
“No, that would be more cream-colored than sandy,” Justine says, seeming to think I’m talking about the shirt in my hand.
I shake my head. “My old co-worker. Sandi. She checked on me before. Hell, she’s the reason I was even in the auction where I first saw Luca. I texted her back a couple times when I had my phone, but what if Titan takes her, too? He has my phone. He could have gotten into it, looked through my shit.”
Just because the psycho isn’t hurting Tori, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do anything rash to Sandi.
“Well, it’s a good thing that Jaxon was tasked with getting you a new phone when he left this morning,” she says reassuringly, then adds. “He should be back within the hour.”
Thank fuck, because until I can reach her, I’m going to be stressed the hell out.
Justine heads to the bathroom to finish her task of measuring for my new tub, and I grin at how much she seems to be enjoying her new role of foreman for all the remodeling.
Once I’m dressed, I head into the bathroom to do my hair. She’s taking pictures, a serious expression on her face as she concentrates.
When she notices me staring, she doesn’t stop her task, but says, “I haven’t had real purpose since I moved in here. I’ve had to earn Luca’s trust, which I can respect, but still. Until you showed up, I was bored out of my damn mind. A girl can only do so much shopping. This job is still a bit like that, but so much better because I get to tell people what to do.”
I can see the appeal, and I’m more than happy for her. Plus, it’s better her than me. I have zero desire to be in charge of a construction project. Though, if Luca really does have all this money to throw around, I just might have to take advantage and do a few good deeds once all the craziness dies down.
“Want to come downstairs with me and have lunch?” Justine asks when she finishes making her notes.
I don’t know why, but I tense. I’ve never eaten outside of the apartment. Hell, I’ve hardly been around the house unless I was sneaking around. This has been my space. My safe space.
“You don’t have to if you’re not feeling up to it,” she adds when I don’t reply.
“It’s not that…” I fumble for an explanation, but the truth is, I don't have a valid reason to object.
She gestures to my face. “You can barely even see the bruises on your cheeks, and the cut on your forehead is covered by your hair. And even if that wasn’t the case, nobody would judge you. Shit, they probably won’t even make eye contact with you, knowing you’re Luca’s woman.”
I muster a smile to my face just for her and ignore any unfounded reservations. “I’d love to have lunch with you downstairs.”
She leans in close. “You’re so full of shit, but I’m not letting you back out now. I’m going to get out of my work clothes and be back up here in five. You better be ready.”
This is one of those moments that I equally love and hate her.
I stay in the bathroom and braid my hair since blow-drying it would take more effort than I have to give but letting it air dry would lead to frizzy hair. By the time I’m done and get my shoes on, Justine is back, wearing a stunning green dress that makes her eyes and hair pop in the best way.
“Don’t you look gorgeous,” I say with a warm smile.
She gives me a little twirl. “It’s our first official friend date. I had to dress up.”
