27. Freya
FREYA
“ W hat are we doing?” I laugh as Eli tugs on my hand and ushers me to keep low as we cross the driveway towards his bedroom window on the far left of the house.
He shushes me and taps on the glass. The blinds roll up and Jude opens the window with his good arm, the other tucked away in a sling. He grins at Eli. “Welcome home, lover boy.” Jude winks at me before stepping back as Eli climbs into his room.
After he’s up Eli kneels on the window seat and reaches back, offering me a hand, and I follow him inside.
“What’s with the Spy Kids entrance?” I ask.
Jude just smiles. “You’ll see.”
Eli’s room is the same as I remember with walnut wood paneling on the bottom half of the walls and his hat collection and lasso hanging in the space above.
My cheeks warm as I remember how exactly Eli used that lasso last time we were here and when I catch him watching me with hooded eyes, I know he’s thinking the same.
I look away, my gaze landing on a fancy, flat rectangular box on the bed. A notecard is tucked under the black ribbon tied around it, my name spelled out in calligraphic lettering.
The card is thick and textured under my fingers as I pick it up and flip it open.
Freya,
I know I don’t deserve your time, but I’m asking for it anyway. Join me for dinner tonight.
Forever yours,
River
My heart squeezes and I can no longer tell whether it’s from pain or pleasure. Maybe both. I press my lips together, aware of Jude and Eli watching me but not saying anything as I place the invitation to one side and open the box.
Black tissue paper crinkles as I lift the lid. I move it to one side to reveal the soft, sheer material of a forest green dress. I can already tell it’s gorgeous and probably more expensive than all of my wardrobe put together.
My jaw aches. I poke my tongue into my cheek and breathe through my nose.
If this is River trying to make amends, he’s doing a shitty job.
Either he’s foolish enough to think he can buy my forgiveness or he’s bossy enough to still be demanding what I wear even in the midst of our rift.
I’d put my money on the latter which makes my decision easy.
I pick the dress up by hooking my finger through one of the thin shoulder straps and turn to face Eli and Jude. “There’s not a chance in hell I’m wearing this dress for him.”
Jude grins. “I was hoping you’d say that, which is why I bought you this.” He opens Eli’s deep oak closet and gets out a black dress with barely enough material to actually count as clothing.
I narrow my gaze but Jude’s eyes twinkle. “Trust me, you’re going to want to make him realize what he’s missing.”
My brow twitches. Now, that’s an interesting idea.
I walk by Jude, taking the dress from his fingertips and disappearing inside Eli’s ensuite.
When I come back out, Eli and Jude pause mid-conversation. Twin gazes lock onto me, tracing over the copious amounts of bare skin and the curve-revealing material.
The dress is stunning, and desire burns in their eyes.
What little black material there is, wraps around my body, crisscrossing over my breasts and hips before flowing down to my ankles. In the skirt, two long slits reveal the fronts of my legs raising all the way up to the top of my thighs. My stomach, back, and collarbones are all left bare.
I’ve never been confident enough to wear a dress that shows off so many of my scars but the way Eli and Jude look at me makes me forget I am anything less than perfection.
“Think he’ll like it?” I ask.
Eli gives a choked laugh and shakes his head. “I think he’ll fucking hate it.”
I grin. “Good.”
I turn to Jude who still hasn’t managed to find any words as he stares at me with his mouth hanging open.
“Can you do my hair? Only if it’s not going to hurt though.
” I eye his shoulder, seeing right through his zip up hoodie to the bullet wound in his shoulder.
The image of blood pooling out of him is stained into my mind but Jude’s words break me out of it before I get too lost.
“It’s fine. I can do it.”
He has me sit on the edge of the bed and I sigh in pleasure as he gathers my curls in his hands. Then he goes still.
“Eli, why the fuck are your initials cut into Freya’s shoulder?”
My hand reaches back, the healing cuts rough under my fingertips. “I asked him too,” I say, hurriedly.
Jude lets out a puff of air. “You know River might literally kill you, Eli.”
Eli smirks from where he’s leaning against the wall. “Worth it.”
“Besides,” I shrug, “River doesn’t exactly get a say right now.”
Jude brushes his fingers over the initials. “Is it wrong that I’m kind of jealous?”
A small smile teases my lips and I wait quietly as Jude goes back to doing my hair.
He rakes his fingers through the waves and twists them into some sort of braid before using the butterfly clip I’d left in Eli’s bathroom to pin it up at the back of my head.
Once my hair is out of the way, Jude’s hands come to a sudden stop. He holds still for a moment before he traces a finger over the dagger tattoo nestled behind my ear.
“Do you like it?” I ask, my voice soft.
“Is this for me, Angel?”
A shiver tumbles over me at his featherlight touch, like the skin where he left his mark has a direct line to my heart.
I stare at the sheets on Eli’s bed, remembering the day I’d realized some of Jude’s ink remained. I’d gone to AJ that morning and asked them to tattoo over it. “I didn’t want you to just fade away.”
“It’s permanent?” Jude’s voice cracks.
I twist to look up at him. “Is that okay?”
Jude tugs me to standing, his good hand falling to my hip. “It’s perfect. You are perfect.” He uses his body to guide me till my back is against the wall. He curls his hand around the nape of my neck and crashes his lips into mine.
The kiss is deep and powerful, each tangle of his tongue laced with everything he’s feeling. He pours his emotions into me and I let myself drown in them. His love, his obsession, his heart beating with mine.
When he finally draws back, the apology for how we got to this point is crystal clear in his eyes.
Chest still heaving, I rest my hand over his heart.
I don’t know whether I’m ready to forgive River yet but almost losing Jude was enough for me to realize that what we have is real and it’s not something I can live without.
My lips are swollen and wet as I murmur the words he needs to hear. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”
Jude’s nostrils flare as he tries to hold back everything he’s feeling. He tucks a loose curl behind my ear and cups my cheek. “Go. Bring River to his knees.”