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CHAPTER 24
Zakiya
I stand in front of the store with the gown I passed up the other day. It’s still on display. Still calling out to me. Today, I answer the call. After all, a gala requires me to look my best.
Ever since Sansone proposed a new way of looking at our situation, the cloud of doom I’ve lived under has lifted. For the first time in a long time, my steps aren’t heavy and neither is my heart. His solution gives me more time with Jinx and Sansone. The thought alone brings a smile to my face.
Although I have a team comprising Omari and Yemaya, I’m used to handling my biggest problems alone. I don’t see a lot of that changing, but it sure is tempting to envision Sansone by my side as I handle the filth that destroys innocents and their dreams.
“Are we window shopping or is there a purpose to standing on the sidewalk?” Aurelio’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts and reminds me why I’m here.
“Aren’t bodyguards supposed to be silent and invisible?” I walk toward the door, not interested in his response.
“They didn’t cover that in my training.” Aurelio intercepts me to open the door.
He can’t bother me today with his barbs. I decided to live day by day with Sansone, and part of that means being on his arm in public. I’m not used to being the center of anyone’s attention, but for some reason I don’t have the same anxiety I’ve lived with most of my life, knowing he’ll be by my side.
“Is that what you call what you went through? Training? Maybe it was the remedial course.” I pass Aurelio with a little skip and select the dress that’s haunted me for days.
Since I held out on agreeing to be his plus one, I have little time to get ready. Max and Mr. Murphy volunteered to stay with Jinx tonight, and the little girl seems excited by the prospect.
For the next few hours, Aurelio follows me as I visit a salon for my hair and makeup. When I return to the house, Max and Mr. Murphy are in the playroom with Jinx. I run up the stairs, Max on my heels.
“Wowzer, look at you.” Max slips through the door before it closes. “I knew if you went all out you’d look like a glamor girl. Put a bunch of models to shame, too.”
“I have to hurry before Sansone gets home.”
“Once he sees you, you’re going to be late.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You haven’t even seen the dress yet.”
“Exactly. If that’s the face he sees, you won’t make it to the door with a stitch on. I hope you have a backup dress for when he uses those muscles he has to rip it off you.” Max strolls past me to sit on the couch overlooking the street.
“You’re being ridiculous. He wants to show me off.”
“Hmmm. I guess if you’re putting out on the regular, he’ll be able to control himself.”
“Max!”
“Ha! You finally called me Max.”
“I meant Dory.”
“Too late. I guess all I have to do to get you to call me by my name is fluster you with Sansone talk. Who would have thunk it? You can go boy crazy.”
I throw a pillow at her and start undressing.
She grabs it in the air and hugs it to her chest. “I hope you know now that you’ve said it once, you can’t unsay it. And I’ll remind you every chance I get.”
“Uh-huh. Did you have a purpose for following me?” I collect a bottle of lotion and begin to moisturize my body from the neck down.
“Not really. Blame the bracelet. It makes me want to share in more girly moments with you.” She presents her wrist to show me the gift I gave her.
“You act like I’m your only friend. You’ve always had tons of people vying for your attention.”
She shrugs and looks down on her arm. “You kind of are. All those people are superficial. You’ve always been honest with me and you’ve never had ulterior motives for our friendship.”
“I tired of telling you we weren’t friends. Everything else that happened was a fluke.”
