AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn't need to pack my clothes because there was a closet already full for me at the big house, but I did it anyways. First the dresser, then the closet. I packed all of my boots and flip-flops out of the coffin closet and tossed them inside a suitcase as well.
My makeup and all of my girly things went into a big beach bag I had in the closet. I had to make a trip to the bathroom with it and I emptied out the drawers Dash had given me into the bag. I brought it back into my room and sat it on the floor at the foot of my bed.
The trunk in front of my bed was pulled out. I had to heft the suitcases up and carry them over to the floor beside the door. I pulled my comforter off the bed, folded it and stuffed it inside the trunk. I did the same with my comforter that was folded up and on my wicker love seat. My laptop went inside the trunk next.
I looked around my room, searching for things I wanted to take with me. Some of the books from the bookcase went into the trunk along with empty notebooks the guys had bought for me. I left my band and movie posters on the wall where they belonged, but climbed up on top of my bed and unhooked my beloved dream catcher from its place above my bed. I tucked it carefully away in the trunk and went to close it, but my eyes moved back over the bed.
My black and white ink drawings of the tarot cards that had been in the Alexander family for so long hung over my bed. They'd been a beautiful gift from both Tyson and Quinton. To take them off the wall would feel too much like I was officially moving out. To leave them behind felt like a betrayal.
I said fuck it and yelled out for the guys to help me.
They came running.
And it wasn't lost on me in the slightest that neither of them spoke but kept giving each other secret glances as they took my drawings off the wall. First The Magician came down, then The Moon.
I tried not to cry as they helped me cart my suitcases out to the back of their truck.
It felt like a goodbye and my heart broke a little as we drove away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Idon't want to wear a dress," I grumbled under my breath. "This whole thing is stupid. Why can't I just wear pants?"
Damien sneered at the black dress pants I held up for inspection. I didn't know what the heck he had to sneer at, they were pants he'd picked out for me and they looked perfectly acceptable to wear to a dinner party, just so long as they were paired with a fancy blouse.
"I will tell you one more time," Damien said in a strained voice. "You absolutelycannotwear pants to a dinner party with the Council. They will take it as an insult and we do not need any more problems right now."
I chewed on my lip ring while I folded the pants at the knees and hung them back up on their hanger.
"Can't I just wear a skirt then?" I whined. "Since, you know, you seem so opposed to the pants."
I didn't want to wear a dress to some ridiculous dinner that I'd been forced to attend. I wanted to put on a pretty dress and go on a date with one of my boys. Now that I could get behind.
"You're not wearing a damn skirt," Damien snapped.
I flinched at the tone of voice he'd used because he'd been keeping it together up until this point. He'd finally snapped because I'd pushed him too far. With good reason. He'd been arguing with me about this for at least an hour now while he'd tried to force me to try on dress after dress. I'd vetoed and argued against every single one and it was a wonder he hadn't snapped on me before now.
"Can I at least pick out my own dress then?" I asked, and actually took a step back when he practically snarled at me like a rabid animal.
"Well, alright then," I mused quietly. "I'll take that as a no."
I swear, I saw steam practically rise from the top of his head before he closed his eyes shut tightly. His lips moved and I watched him count to ten silently. I thought about telling him he should probably count to twenty because he was on the edge of what looked like a complete and total meltdown, but felt it was wise to keep my mouth shut and watch him get himself under control.
"Why the hell do you care so much about what you're wearing?" he inquired in a neutral voice. "Would it really bother you so much to wear a dress I picked out for you? I would never pick something unflattering or that I thought you'd be uncomfortable in, you have to know that by now."
Damien had gotten better about picking out my clothes for me when he went shopping. The thing was though, that when he was left to his own devices and picked out the clothes he actually wanted me to wear they weren't the right size and were bright, perky colors. I was not a bright and perky kind of girl. My breasts were usually the only perky thing about me. If I let him pick out my dress, the chances were high I'd end up in something glaringly pink and covered in sequins.
Pink was okay when it came in the form of underwear and socks, but anything else was a big, fat no for me. I'd take my black, red, and yellow over it any day of the week.
I twisted my fingers together nervously.
"Uhh..." I paused before asking, hoping I didn't set him off again, "Can it at least be a black dress?"
I couldn't do a red one tonight, it would draw too much unwanted attention to me and I already knew I'd be under serious scrutiny as it was. I didn't want to add to it. Yellow would give off a sweet vibe I wasn't willing to sport tonight because I felt anything but sweet lately.
"I can work with black," Damien said softly, and my body relaxed infinitely. "And I'll even let you pick out your own shoes."
I appreciated the last part, even though I knew he'd probably regret it later after seeing my shoe choice.
