Chapter 10
“You look beautiful, Mom.” I stand back from the three-way mirror, where my mother studies her reflection, wearing the wedding dress that some poor seamstress has probably worked herself blind to fit in time for this last-minute wedding.
But they did a good job. It fits her like a glove, and she looks regal, classy.
Whoever made it must be a magician, in other words.
“So long as I hardly eat another bite in the next two days,” she says with a laugh I know is meant more for the store clerk arranging the short train behind her. She doesn’t shine that bright, brilliant smile on me.
And it’s like she hears me thinking because she catches my eye in the mirror. “Why haven’t you tried your dress on yet?”
“Sorry. I got distracted watching you.” There’s a curtained-off room behind me, and the violet dress is on a hanger, waiting for me to put it on.
I step into the little cubby, and I’m glad for a minute’s privacy as I strip out of my clothes and lower the dress over my head.
It’s pretty, and a lot like Mom’s, with the sleek, slim cut and soft satin.
All is well until I turn around and look over my shoulder to see the back. “Mom?” I call out, staring at my reflection. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can wear this.”
Before I know it, the curtain flies open, and she gives me a look meant only for me, with everybody else behind her so they can’t see how she really is.
“What’s the problem?” she murmurs through clenched teeth.
Yet her brows draw together when she looks in the mirror and sees what I see.
“Oh. I didn’t think about that.” The dress is cut so low that my scar is clearly visible.
“I really don’t want everybody seeing it,” I whisper. Please, be my mother for once.
“Of course, you don’t. Neither do I.” She wipes away the disgust on her face quickly, but not quick enough that I miss it. She thinks I’m disgusting and doesn’t want something so ugly ruining her big day. It shouldn’t surprise me by now. Nothing she does should surprise me.
“Well, that’s fine,” she decides. “I’m sure there has to be something around here you can wear. So long as it’s the same color, you should be fine. But there’s no time to have it fitted, so you’ll have to find something that fits you off the rack.”
I change quickly before going out to the sales floor and combing through racks of dresses.
I have the original dress over my arm to make sure the color matches, and it looks like there isn’t much to choose from in my size.
In fact, after checking out every single rack in the store, there’s only one dress I end up taking back to the fitting room.
Mom has now changed back into her street clothes and is sipping her second glass of champagne. I guess calories don’t count if you’re drinking them. “Let’s see it on you,” she urges, steering me toward the dressing room again.
Right away, I see the problem with this one. Sure, it covers my back, but it barely covers my ass. I tug it as hard as I can, but that’s not going to magically add a few inches of material. I’m almost ashamed to open the curtain and show everybody how much of me is on display.
Mom shrugs. “It fits you well. A little shorter than I’d like, but if it’s our only choice, so be it.”
“Maybe I could wear the other dress, but with like a shawl or something?” I shoot a hopeful look toward the woman who’s been helping Mom through this, and she taps her chin with one shiny nail.
“I don’t think we have anything in that color, I’m afraid. With a little more time, we could order something.”
“Then I suppose this is the dress we’re going with.
” Mom polishes off the rest of her champagne, and that’s that.
I’m going to spend the entire ceremony hoping nobody is looking at my butt cheeks.
Then again, what else was I going to be doing?
Gritting my teeth while pretending there’s nothing gross about watching her play the happy, perfect wife so glowingly in love with her Prince Charming?
At least this is over now. We leave the store with our dresses safe in their zipped-up bags, and immediately James jumps out of his shiny Mercedes to help us. “Everything go well?” he asks after kissing Mom. “I want everything perfect for my bride.”
“Everything already is, honey.” I hate the breathy, soft sound of her voice when she talks to him. James takes my dress and carefully lays it out in the trunk along with Mom’s.
But when I make a move to join them in the car, Mom shakes her head.
“No, you’re not coming with us.” When James turns her way, probably because of the shrill way she said it, she quickly smiles.
“Your brothers are picking you up. In fact, here they come.” Yes, unfortunately, a familiar truck is now pulling into the parking lot.
My heart sinks while a bitter taste fills my mouth.
James is wearing sunglasses, so I can’t see his full expression, but there’s something unhappy in the way his mouth tightens. “I thought the three of us were going to go to lunch.”
“I wanted it to be just the two of us, honey.” She runs a hand over the back of his head. “I was only thinking about you and me spending a little time together before things get crazy.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I mutter, even though the idea of getting in the truck with the two of them makes my heart threaten to burst out of my chest. I’m sure they’re not thrilled about having to spend time with me any more than I am about spending time with them.
The only difference is, I’m not the one who’s going to use this as an excuse to be a vile piece of shit.
The second I open the door, Colt’s voice assaults my ears. “Hurry up. We’re going to be late.”
Oh, no. If it wasn’t for Mom and James watching, I would close the door and head for the nearest bus stop. I have to grit my teeth through climbing in, even though my instincts are telling me to do anything but. “Late for what?” I ask once I’m belted.
“You’re starting work at the gym today,” Nix informs me. I catch his gaze in the rearview mirror. “Surprise.”
“But I’m not ready for this.”
“Too bad. That’s how it is.” Colt’s voice is flat as he raises a hand to greet his father before we pull away.
I have to find a way to calm my sudden panic.
If it wasn’t for them, for knowing how they are, I wouldn’t be so nervous.
Sure, starting a new job is always going to be a little nerve-wracking, but I’d be able to handle this better if it wasn’t for the deep distrust I have for these two.
I never even went in for an interview, and somebody hired me?
Nothing about this is adding up. There has to be some sort of game here.
I am so tired of having to predict what’s happening next, always planning my next move and looking over my shoulder.
“You are the one who is in such a hurry to get a job,” Colt reminds me without looking over his shoulder.
Yes, because I want to get away from them. “It’s just a surprise,” I retort. “I’m really glad to have this job.” The two of them exchange a look that doesn’t bode well for me. What do they have up their sleeves this time?
I don’t have to wait long to find out. The sight of somebody I really, truly do not want to see fills me with panic the moment we step through the doors of the gym. And from the look of it, she wasn’t expecting me, either. “Leni,” Piper chokes out from behind the desk. “What are you doing here?”
“She’s working here now, or didn’t they tell you?” Nix is absolutely loving this, though Colt doesn’t look as amused.
“Right. They told me somebody new was coming in today but didn’t say who.” She pulls out a clipboard and places it on the counter. I had no idea she was working here. So that’s what this is all about. They deliberately set this up so I’d be as uncomfortable as possible.
“We’re gonna go work out. Have fun, girls.” Nix laughs while Colt only snorts, and the two of them wander off to leave me with my paperwork and former best friend.
“So how have you been?” she asks while I fill out the form in front of me.
“Amazing,” I mutter, never lifting my gaze.
“Um, it’s pretty exciting, your mom getting married and everything.”
“I guess.” Is she seriously trying to do this? I can’t imagine having the gall. It was her choice to walk away from our friendship, and now she thinks she can act like nothing happened?
“I’ve been working here for a few months,” she informs me, though I certainly did not ask. “It’s pretty cool. So long as you know who to stay away from. Some of the guys who walk in here—”
“All done.” I slide the clipboard back across the counter. “What do I do now?”
Her eyelids flutter, and her mouth falls open, but she quickly composes herself. “Um, you can work here behind the desk with me. It’s not difficult. You sign people in, sign them out, and sometimes you process payments. I can show you how to do that.”
Because I want to spend another minute with her. “I think the guys mentioned something about cleaning the equipment? I can do that. Where do I find the supplies?”
Her face falls a little, and I’m glad. It’s nothing compared to the way she’s made me feel, but it’s a start.
She points at a small closet across from the desk, where paper towels and bottles of cleaner sit.
“I think I can figure this out. Thanks.” And with that, I head deeper into the gym, where dozens of people sweat while music thumps from speakers set up in the corners of the room.
At least I don’t have to be close to Colt or Nix while I’m doing this. They’re both working out with pretty complicated-looking equipment, loading extra weight before sitting on the benches and pushing themselves through their routines.
It’s not bad enough I have to be here with my two biggest enemies, but the third on the list is here as well?
The worst part is, if she hadn’t gone and messed everything up, I could really use her friendship about now.
I have no one to confide in, and Piper would have been the first person I went to if she hadn’t chosen to turn against me.
My heart is sore as I walk through the gym, hustling over to machines once people leave them so I can spray the handles and seats before somebody else uses them.
Not exactly the most thrilling job, but it’s easy enough.
And at least it means I don’t have to be alone with these two idiots—there are plenty of people around all the time, all through the first ninety minutes of work.
“Hey. You’re new around here.”
I didn’t notice a man, who looks to be in his mid-thirties, approaching me. He’s handsome enough, I guess, though I’ve had my fill of handsome men. Colt and Nix are gorgeous, but they’re evil. Looks don’t mean much when you don’t have a soul.
So I’m understandably wary as I offer a brief smile. “I just started working here today.”
“Oh? Then I guess I’ll have more of a reason to show up, won’t I?” From the looks of him, he’s here a lot, and I can’t pretend not to appreciate his muscular build and broad, brilliant smile.
His dark eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles again, running a hand through his short, sandy hair. And what would your name be?”
“Her name is none of your fucking business.” Colt wedges himself between us, popping out his earbuds. “So why don’t you just get back to your workout and let her do her job?”
The older man quickly sizes Colt up and either decides it’s not worth the effort or he doesn’t feel like getting his ass kicked. He backs off, hands raised. “Sorry. Just making conversation.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a gym. This is where we work out.” Colt waits for the guy to step onto a treadmill before turning to me, his eyes narrowed.
I don’t give him a chance to start his shit with me.
“What is your problem?” I whisper. My cheeks are burning with embarrassment, and I know there are people paying attention even if they’re pretending not to.
“I’m supposed to work here, you know? How am I going to keep my job if you do things like that? ”
“He’s a piece of shit. And you were lapping it up, weren’t you?”
“You don’t have the first idea what you’re talking about. That much is obvious. He was only trying to be nice.”
“Would you grow up?” he sneers. “He wasn’t trying to be nice. He was trying to get into your pants.”
“Oh, and I forgot, didn’t I? I have no say in who goes there, either, do I?”
We’re still glaring at each other when Nix joins us, covered in a sheen of sweat, though he doesn’t seem winded. “Come on. Time to go.”
At first, I figure he must be talking to his brother, but then I realize they’re both looking at me. “You’re kidding.”
“Does it look like I’m kidding?” Nix grunts. “We finished our workout, so we’re going home. And you’re coming with us.”
This is all too bizarre. “But I’m working. I can’t just walk out.”
“Yeah, you can. Since that’s the arrangement we came up with. We know the guy who owns the place. We can pretty much do whatever we want.”
That’s their entire problem in a nutshell. They’ve spent their entire lives believing they can do whatever they want with no consequences or thoughts for anyone but themselves. “How am I supposed to earn any money if I’m hardly ever here?”
“Do you ever stop complaining? We’re going.
That’s the deal. Don’t worry. You’ll get your money.
” Nix rolls his eyes and turns away, followed by Colt.
I guess I don’t have a choice but to believe them and follow.
If this is all a joke, it’s a pretty complicated one, but even Piper looks surprised to see me leave.
I can’t bring myself to acknowledge her, even to show my own confusion.
Every day, I lose a little more control over my life. How long will it be before I have no say over anything at all?