Page 25 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

Scarlett

We walk into the first shop. Miguel has decided to wait outside. Apparently, he doesn’t mind the beach, but shopping isn’t his thing. He checks the store before leaving us inside. I walk around the shop, looking at the racks of clothes. Sofia wraps her hand around my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

“Talk to me, Scar. I know you’re not okay with Nico being here.”

I shrug. “I can’t stop him from coming to his parents’ house. I just have to grin and bear it while he’s here.”

“Don’t do that?”

“Do what?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Be dismissive of your feelings. You did that forever for Luis and look where it got you. I know it hurts that he’s here. So, talk to me.”

I sigh and turn to face her. “You’re right. It absolutely fucking sucks. I want him to go back to New York, but I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing that. He got to see me at my most vulnerable moment in the hospital and still walked away from me. I won’t give him the chance when he leaves again.”

“I’ll do whatever you need me to do. I don’t care if he’s supposed to be half in charge in New York. I’m loyal to you and you alone.”

I wrap her in a giant hug, her smaller frame engulfed by my extra height. “I love you; you know that right?”

“Yes,” she muffles into my shoulder.

I let her go a few seconds later. I didn’t know how much I needed that hug. We continue wandering through the store.

“Did you figure out what he wants to talk to you about? I know you said you don’t think it’s about Elena, but what else could it be.”

I pick up a dress off the rack. “Not sure. He tried again last night when I went for a swim by the pool to clear my head.”

Sofia stops in her tracks. “He did what?”

I place the dress back on the rack. It feels weird to be shopping and talking so casually about Nico being here. At least it’s a good distraction. “I went swimming. Somehow he snuck out there and was watching me. I don’t know for how long.”

“What did you do?”

“I got out of the pool. That’s when he touched the scar on my back.”

“Maybe he really does feel bad about sending you here.”

I scoffed and picked up another dress. “I doubt that. The things he said to me don’t come from someone who actually cares about you. Plus, they don’t leave you alone in the hospital while you’re recovering from a gunshot wound.”

Sofia’s gaze immediately drops to the floor. Even though I forgave her, the guilt still causes her pain every so often. I put the dress and walk over to her. “Sofia, look at me.”

When she looks up, I can see the tears in her eyes. “I don’t mean you. I know that they kept you all away. I blame Nico and Nico alone for that.

She nods and I know I need to distract her as much as I need to distract myself. My phone buzzes with a text.

“Come on. I don’t see anything that I want here. Let’s go to Isabel’s boutique. I bet she has more than this store.”

It takes her a moment, but she brushes away a lone tear and nods. Miguel gives a strange look when we walk out so soon. His eyes drawn to Sofia. Before he can say anything, I tell him we’re going to Isabel’s and loop my arm through Sofia’s, leading her down the street to where we parked the car.

By the time we reach the car, Sofia’s back to her normal chipper self. All questions about what’s wrong disappear and we start the drive to Isabel’s boutique. We pull up and I can’t help but admire her taste. Even from the outside, the store screams reserved class.

Instead of the bright white buildings that line the streets, Isabel’s boutique has a gorgeous slate gray exterior with black trim surroundings the windows and door. Miguel walks us to the door. This time he comes inside.

“You don’t mind this shop?”

“Not this one. Isabel has a great set up in the back for the men or women who don’t want to shop.”

He leads us to the very back of the store where there’s a spiral staircase to the second floor. We don’t stop there, taking the staircase to the top level. At the top, the room is completely open. The entire top floor is taken up by a lounge where people who aren’t shopping can wait for their friends or significant other.

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