Chapter 41
Iwake up feeling disoriented, and as I push up to look around, something sticks to my cheek. Looking down, I find it’s the page of a book, which only confuses me more.
I blink a few times, looking around before it comes back to me.
Oh, yeah.
I hadn’t been able to sleep last night, no matter how much I’d tossed and turned.
I eventually gave up and went down to the library.
Zander had been out the moment his head hit the pillow, and I hadn’t seen any of the guys on my way down.
I'd considered waking someone to go to the gym, but I knew they all needed sleep, so I went to the library. I’d read through two more books and apparently fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of this one that’s become my pillow.
At least I got a little sleep.
Wiping my arm across my mouth to clear the drool, I look down to make sure I didn’t ruin the book, thankful to find it seems okay.
It’s not until I push off the ground to sit up that I feel something slip down my shoulders.
I don’t remember grabbing a blanket last night; after all, I’d had no intention of sleeping, but there's no denying that's what it is. A glance around lets me know exactly where it came from—well, not exactly, but a general idea.
One of the armchairs is pulled up a few feet from me, with Zander lying across it in what has to be the most uncomfortable position ever, out cold. Next to him is an oversized beanbag that Trent’s asleep on, and while he looks more comfortable, the beanbag is definitely not his size.
A smile pulls at my lips as I tug the fallen blanket back around me, sitting cross-legged, admiring two of my sleeping guards with a smile.
Them following me around and acting like I needed protecting was driving me nuts, and still might later. But ever since Rick called us a family the other day, I’ve felt less like a burden and more like I belong. It’s insane because, literally, nothing else has changed, but something shifted.
All I’ve ever wanted was a place to belong, and for now, I have that. Even if tonight fucks it all up, I don’t want to waste time being angry. This is my family, not the one I was born into, but the one I chose, or the one that chose me. If they want to worry about me, I’ll let them, mostly.
Zander’s head rolls off the arm of the chair, and he lets out a loud snort before he repositions himself, and I can’t help but chuckle. The guys weren't kidding when they said he could sleep anywhere.
I turn to grab the book I fell asleep on, wanting to mark my page for later, when I spot a cup just a few feet from me.
Reaching over, I’m both shocked and pleasantly surprised to find it’s still warm when I pick it up.
A small sniff lets me know it’s coffee, and I greedily gulp it down, not caring how hot it might be.
And man, is it hot! It burns going down, but I know I’m going to need the caffeine, so I just push past it.
Whoever left it must’ve been here recently with how fresh it is, and I’d almost bet it was Rick.
It’s too early for just about anyone else if the darkness outside is anything to go by.
Yes, Spencer could be up, but I don’t think hell has frozen over yet, so I doubt it was him.
If it had been Kratos, I doubt he would’ve left.
Honestly, he probably would’ve scooped me up to put me in bed rather than leave me.
He really is a big softie.
I stand quietly so as not to disturb Trent and Zander. Keeping the blanket wrapped around me, I take my mug and head out of the library. The coffee was great, but I feel like today is more of a two or three-cup kind of day.
The gala is being held at the Field Museum, which is about thirty minutes from the guy's house. Because it’s a charity gala, if you can afford the ticket, you can get in, which means none of the guys have any issues.
Honestly, I'm the only one without money around here because, no matter how much Kratos insists Vengeance is mine as much as his, I refuse to take from it.
Not that it really matters. Randall made sure I had a ticket, since he was the one who insisted I be there.
How thoughtful.
Hazel and I get ready together in my room.
She insisted on coming as well, and I didn't have the heart to tell her no. I didn’t exactly want her there if shit went wrong, but I also didn’t want her without protection.
We’re already spreading shit pretty thin by putting some of our guys on Charlotte, but after Randall’s threat, we couldn’t all be gone and leave her open.
It would be like begging for trouble, and as much as I want to be the one to keep her safe, the best way for me to do that is to do what he wants.
The only thing that gives me even a little peace of mind is that Dom is one of the guys who will be watching her. I know he and Kratos have a long history, and while that doesn’t always make someone trustworthy, I’ve never had a bad feeling about him.
Hazel takes forever to do my hair and makeup, and while I know it will look great, I struggle to sit still. She doesn’t know everything that’s going on, but she knows enough to understand I’m nervous and, thankfully, doesn’t hold my constant movement against me.
The bulk of the time spent on my hair was just her curling it.
Hazel wanted me to leave it down, but it gets in the way.
We’d argued about what to do with it the entire time she curled it, and eventually came to an agreement.
It would stay down, but it would be pinned back with glittery little pins.
That way, my hair was down but also not in my face all night, and more importantly, it would be easier to manage if I needed to run or fight.
She saved my hair for last, having me put on my dress before she did my makeup and lastly my hair. She was confident that if I was going to mess something up, it would be my hair, so while she still had to slip into her dress, I was already ready to go.
My dress is a deep green color that has glitter embedded in the material. When I move, it catches the light, shining just like the clips in my hair do. It stops just above my knee and is form-fitting, more so than I would usually pick, but something about it felt right when I tried it on.
Jake had taken me to get my dress since we were going together and needed to match.
While Spencer had been there to babysit, he had almost been invisible.
They didn’t want to draw attention to their being with me when Randall might be watching.
There was no reason to let him know just how close we all are, but they didn’t seem happy about my spending time with Jake either. Even if it was necessary.
Jake had a bunch of dresses pulled when we entered the little boutique inside the mall. Most of them were floor-length and hard to move in or just downright skimpy. I didn’t even try them all on; after about ten, I threw on my clothes and went to check the look myself.
Three dresses initially caught my attention, but when I tried this one on, I knew it was perfect.
The straps were thin over each shoulder.
The bust of the dress was composed of two separate pieces that crossed over my midsection, leaving my sides exposed before wrapping around my waist and connecting to the lower half.
It was a thinner, stretchier material that was soft to the touch without looking cheap.
When I’d seen it on the rack, I’d thought it was pretty but was worried about how much my scars would show, and while they did show some, it wasn’t enough to make me change my mind.
When I showed Jake to get his opinion, it was impossible to miss the spark of heat in his eyes, even though he was quick to look away.
He cleared his throat before reminding me it would be cold and suggesting I get something to cover my shoulders with.
I’d nodded absently, but my attention wasn’t on him as he sent the sales rep to go look for something that would match.
No, the eyes on my back pulled my attention.
I could feel them on me, even on the other side of the store.
I’d been able to feel Spencer all day as he watched us, but it was just the usual feeling of being watched, which was easy to ignore.
I was more than used to having people's attention. In that moment, with his eyes on me, his stare had felt weighted, as if he was doing more than just keeping an eye on me. Goosebumps broke out along my body even though I didn’t understand why he was watching me like that.
The sales rep came back with a few shawls and pulled my attention back to her, but his eyes continued to watch me the whole time, and I couldn’t bring myself to dislike the feeling.
“Damn, I thought I was going into a bedroom, not into heaven,” Zander’s voice pulls our attention as Hazel finishes up my hair, and I slip out of the memory. He stands in the doorway watching us, and when my eyes meet his in the mirror, I have to fight myself from drooling.
Zander has a confidence about him that makes him attractive in everything he does. He could wear a fucking dress, and he would find a way to make it work.
He most certainly is not in a dress tonight, though.
He’s dressed up just like we all will be for the event.
His hair is slicked back and to the side.
A few pieces fall on his forehead in an almost intentionally sloppy way that suits him perfectly.
Unsurprisingly, his clothes are all black.
The only pop of color is the deep red bow tie around his neck and the suspenders he’s got on to match.
His jacket is missing for now, but I think it’s safe to assume it will be black as well.
It’s a shame it will probably hide his suspenders, though.
I’m not sure why, but I really like them.
His lips curve in a smirk that tells me he knows exactly how good he looks, and I can’t even say shit as I all but eyefuck him in the mirror.