I glance over my shoulder just as the bedroom door clicks shut. Sighing wistfully I turn my focus back to Grits.
“Okay, so I might have gone a little OTT,” Grits says as we both stand in front of the bed which is now covered in clothes and shoes.
“Grits, look at all this stuff, this is too much. Is it all refundable?”
Grits laughs and throws her arm around my shoulder. “You need clothes. I hadn’t exactly planned on filling your closet without you, but I’m not going to return anything.”
“I don’t have enough money for all of this,” I say, panic starting to edge into my voice, as I silently calculate how much all these clothes cost.
“These are my gift—a welcome to the Sinners present. Plus, I like to shop, and Anders likes to indulge me. Next time we test out his credit card you’re coming with me and then you can get anything else you need too.”
Shaking my head, I twist my fingers together. “Grits, I can’t accept all of these. Anders is already doing so much for me, I feel like I’m taking advantage.”
“You listen here, Little Dove, it’s my money just as much as it’s Anders. So how bout you just say thank you and then we can play dress up,” Grits winks at me and lifts a shirt from the bed, holding it out in front of me.
Tears well in my eyes and I realize how lucky I am to have met this woman. She’s been so helpful and supportive to me—a complete stranger. I reach for her hand and she looks over her shoulder at me. “Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for the clothes, but more than that, just thank you. Thank you for being so kind to me. Since I turned up here and got you all involved in my drama you’ve been so incredibly nice and supportive, and I can’t begin to tell you how much that means to me. So, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby girl. You might have brought some drama, but fate delivered you to us and I’m positive this is exactly where you were meant to end up.”
I squeeze Grits hand and she smiles, pulling me into a tight hug. When we separate, we both have tears in our eyes, but at least for me they’re not sad tears and I start to think she might be right, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
“I like that,” I say pointing to a denim skirt with buttons going down the front.
Grits wiggles her eyebrows at me and lifts the skirt up. Handing it to me she grabs a handful of other items, thrusting them at me and ushering me into the bathroom.
I emerge a few minutes later with a huge smile on my face. “I love this outfit,” I gush.
Messing with the heap of clothes on the bed, she turns to look at me and her face splits into a grin. “That is so cute on you.”
Spinning around I look at myself in the mirror. The denim skirt is mid-thigh and tight, but Grits has paired it with a loose white tank top tucked into the skirt and an oversized check print shirt left open over the top. The shirt hangs lower than the skirt at the back and covers the remaining bruises on my thighs. But the best part of the outfit is the amazing thigh-high, black suede boots, they have a chunky heel and the buttery soft suede fits like a glove.
“I love these boots,” I say, smiling and reaching down to stroke at the soft material.
“You just need this to finish the look,” Grits says, dropping a long silver rope chain over my head that settles between my breasts.
She pulls my hair up into a high ponytail and like yesterday only adds a slick of mascara to my lashes. “Perfect,” she says, and then starts to collect up the clothes from the bed. “Come help me get these clothes hung up and then we can go find Daisy. I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit to have you back already.
I watch her open the closet and start to hang the new clothes up. “Errmm, I’m not sure I should be filling Daisy’s closet with all of these clothes without asking him.”
She looks at me, her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why?”
“Because this is his room and I can’t just fill it with my stuff.”
“Baby girl, this is your room now too, at least until you guys find a place of your own. Trust me, Daisy isn’t gonna care if you hang up some clothes in his closet.”
Freezing at her words, I slump down onto the bed. Am I ready to move in with Daisy? We really don’t know each other that well. I like him a lot, in fact I’m pretty sure I’m starting to fall in love with him, but moving in together is a really big thing.
“What’s happened, Dove, are you okay?” Grits asks, rushing across the room.
“I’m fine,” I say, forcing the words past the lump in my throat.
“You’re not fine, you’re having a crisis. So, tell me what set you off.”
I lift my head up so I can focus on Grits, her worried face is hovering above mine. “I can’t move in with someone I’ve known for less than a week. It’s not right. I’m only eighteen and don’t people normally date for at least a year before they take a huge step like that? We haven’t even had sex yet. What if I’m no good at it and Daisy dumps me? Who keeps the apartment? I want to go to school, I can’t afford an apartment on my own.”
“Okay, slow down, Dove. Let’s look at this one thing at a time. Firstly, if you don’t want to move in with him, then don’t. I’ve already told you that you can come and live with me and Anders, and he agrees that we’d love to have you. Secondly, Daisy’s your old man and regardless of sex he wants you enough to put a property patch on your chest. When you’re ready for the physical side of things, Daisy will look after you. He’ll show you what to do, until you figure out what makes you both feel good. Thirdly, that boy is in deep with you and he wants to make you happy. If that’s going to school, then I’m willing to lay money on the fact that he’ll do everything he can to support you. Until you came along he always seemed like he was just going through the motions, but with you he comes alive. He’s one of the good ones, Dove, but if you’re having second thoughts—if he’s not the guy for you—then you need to call time on this. Our help is not dependent on you and Daisy being a couple. Okay?”
I jolt back in shock. “No. I’m not leaving. I don’t want to call time on anything. Daisy is… Daisy’s mine.”
Grits tilts her head to the side and smiles. “Yes he is, baby girl, and you’re his. Everything else will sort itself out with time.”
I nod and my breathing starts to slow from its erratic pace. “What if we don’t have endless time? I’ve lost the last two years of my life and my sister was dead before she turned twenty; we have no idea what tomorrow will bring.”
Grits smile turns sad. “That’s true, we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or two years from now, so make the most of every moment you have. Let’s start by going and finding our men, I’m hungry.”
Laughing, my anxiety begins to recede. I have no idea what my future holds but if Grits is right, then fate brought me to Daisy and the Sinners for a reason. A wave of longing for Daisy cascades through me and I hop off the bed. “Let’s go find the guys.”
Grits arches her eyebrow and looks at me with a knowing smirk, then she grabs my hand and we walk out of mine and Daisy’s room together. We enter the bar and my eyes immediately zero in on Daisy. He’s sat at a table on the far side of the room with Blade; and Echo and Liv, the couple we had breakfast with yesterday.
Grits squeezes my hand and I turn my attention to her. “Anders is over here. You want me to walk with you to Daisy, or are you good on your own?”
I glance at Anders who is sat on a group of sofas in front of the TV and then to Daisy on the opposite side of the room. “No, you go find your man, I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, Little Dove. I’m gonna be here all day with Anders so come find me later.”
Twenty steps brings me to Daisy’s side. He’s chatting with Echo, but as soon as he notices me he pushes back his chair and pulls me down into his lap. “Baby, you look hot. I love these boots,” he drawls against my lips, kissing me quickly before pulling back and continuing to chat to his friend.
I don’t listen to the conversation at the table; instead I bask in the sensation of being back in Daisy’s arms. I’ve missed him. It’s been less than an hour since Grits arrived and Daisy left but being held in his lap with his arms around me feels like I’ve come home.
My heart starts to pound. When did Daisy start to feel like home?
“You want me to go get you some breakfast, baby?” Daisy says.
“No, I’ll go get something in a minute.”
Strong fingers lift my chin and a second later I’m gazing into Daisy’s eyes. “You okay, Angel?” He asks.
“Yeah, I am now.” I don’t say anymore and sliding off his lap I head for the breakfast buffet.
“Hey, wait up, I’ll come with you,” Echo’s wife Liv calls. I wait for her and we walk together across the room. Grabbing a plate, I hand one to Liv and then take one for myself.
“I love the breakfast here. Echo and I live on the other side of town, but we ride in almost every morning just for the food. I swear the best thing about America is breakfast,” Liv says as she piles her plate with pancakes and crispy bacon.
“Don’t you have the same food in England?” I ask, grabbing a muffin and placing it on my plate.
“We do but it’s just not the same. Our bacon tastes like pig, but the bacon you have over here seems so fake, but it tastes so good,” Liv says.
Laughing, I add an apple to my plate, then follow Liv as she weaves her way through the room back to our table. She immediately sits back down in her husband’s lap and starts to eagerly eat the pile of food.
“You got enough pancakes there, Sugar?” Echo asks his wife in a teasing tone.
“I’m hungry, leave me alone,” Liv mumbles between mouthfuls. Echo’s face morphs into a scowl and he reaches up to wrap his hand around Liv’s throat and turns her face to his.
Stood by the side of the table I freeze. My muscles tense and I stare at Echo’s hand around his wife’s neck. I want to shout, to warn Liv that he’ll hurt her, but there’s a lump of fear lodged in my throat that stops the words from coming out.
The plate in my hand is suddenly gone and Daisy is in front of me, blocking Echo and Liv from my view. His eyes are full of concern and he stares at me and then over his shoulder to where his friends are. When he turns back to me he smiles and pulls me into his chest. “He worships the ground she walks on. He would never hurt her, not the way you’re thinking.”
Loud giggling pulls my attention and Daisy steps aside to reveal a laughing Liv. Echo’s hand is still around her neck, but he’s whispering into her ear and the smile on her face is radiant. Liv giggles again and Echo’s hand falls from her neck and spreads across her stomach.
“Echo, I’m hungry,” Liv admonishes him when he starts to kiss her neck. Echo emits a low growl and Liv swings her head around to face him. “Don’t growl at me, it’s your fault that I’m starving constantly. This baby is stealing all of my food, so leave me alone and let me eat.”
“Baby?” Daisy asks.
Liv swings her head back to where Daisy and I are standing and slaps her hand across her mouth. “Oh fuck,” she cries, turning wide-eyed back to Echo.
Echo leans back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Yeah. Livvy’s pregnant, only about eight weeks. We were supposed to be keeping it quiet until she’s through the first trimester.”
“Please don’t tell anyone,” Liv begs. “I haven’t told Brandi or James yet and they’ll kill me if they find out they weren’t the first people we told.”
“Congratulations,” Daisy says smiling widely, reaching over to shake Echo’s hand and drop a kiss on Liv’s forehead.
“Congratulations,” I offer with a small smile. I quietly sit down in a seat and start to pick at my muffin while Daisy chats animatedly with his friends.
I’m ashamed that I thought Echo was hurting his wife. They’re both obviously overjoyed that they’re expecting a baby. On both occasions that I’ve met this couple, Echo has been nothing but loving to his wife, holding her in his lap and finding ways to have his hands on her all the time. I’m a horrible person for thinking the worse of someone Daisy considers a friend.
A tattooed arm drapes across the back of my chair and I turn to see Blade has sat down next to me. “You okay, Little Dove? You look sad.”
I’m a little surprised that Blade is engaging me in conversation, I think this might be the first time he’s spoken to me directly. “I’m fine thanks.”
“You don’t look fine little one, you look like you’re thinking about crying. Now I don’t know what’s got you so down, but I doubt it’s worth crying over. This is a big scary world and you’re holding your own better than most people in your situation would. So don’t beat yourself up if you get a little overwhelmed, you’re stronger than you think.”
Blade’s words are quietly spoken so only he and I can hear. Lifting my shirt back into place where it had fallen to the side, he squeezes my shoulder lightly. The gesture is kind and reassuring but when I glance over to Daisy his face is angry and his eyes are zeroed in on Blade’s hand.
I don’t know what to do with Daisy’s anger. I feel like I should shrug Blades hand off me, but that seems rude and he’s not being inappropriate. Blade winks at me, stands and steps over to Daisy. I can’t hear their conversation, but Daisy’s tense posture gradually relaxes and Blade leaves offering me a smile as he passes.
“You finished?” Daisy asks coolly.
Daisy follows me as I take my plate into the kitchen, piling it with the other dirty plates that are waiting to be loaded into the industrial dishwasher. “I’m trying hard not to be a dick about this, Angel, but I really don’t fucking like seeing my brother’s hands on you.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I know. Still makes me crazy though. I’ve never had anyone I cared enough about to be jealous over until you and I don’t fucking like how it feels. You want me or him?”
“You,” I say.
“Good, now come over here and kiss me,” he orders.
Complying, I cross the kitchen and straight into his arms. His kiss is possessive and consuming, and I melt into him. When he pulls back I’m breathless and ready to return to our bubble.
“Come on, baby. Prez wants to see us.”
I groan and Daisy laughs. “I know, but we need to know what’s going on with your dad.”
At the mention of my father I sober immediately. How could I have forgotten about my father or the fact that I’m here at the Sinners clubhouse hiding from him? I shudder as the memory of my father negotiating my sale flashes through my mind. Closing my eyes, I try to force the memories away, but when I open them again my father’s words are replaying in my head. “You’ve seen her. She’s worth way more than I owe you. She’ll make you a hell of a lot of money.”
Reality crashes down on me and I struggle to breathe. Daisy reaches for me, but I step away from him. I can’t let him hold me up right now. I need to feel my father’s betrayal and harden myself. It’s the only way I’ll survive. Moving past Daisy, I straighten my spine, lift my head up and walk to Anders’ office.