Page 102 of Vicious Sentiments

Julian is pressed to perfection in a fitted suit, sans tie. It’s a deep black that I’m sure isn’t your typical black, that or the material is an expensive kind that I’ve never laid eyes on. The slicked back hairstyle he’s donning though doesn’t seem to be cooperating and a sinful slash of hair has fallen across his forehead, as if inviting me to run my fingers through it.

Cape is leaning back in a barstool wearing dress pants so tight that nothing, and I meannothingis left to imagination. The belt around his waist with its black metal is like a cage keeping a beast inside. He’s only in a dress shirt and the first three buttons are undone, revealing his chest and the tattoos that stretch up to the base of his neck.

“Oh, mygod!” Marney squeals. “I am so jealous!”

I suck in my lips and dip my head, embarrassed at her outburst. I may feel beautiful, but hearing someone else say something makes my cheeks burn, especially in front of everyone else.

Margo is wrapped in one of her silk robes and swirling around a glass of wine as she gives me a cheeky grin to go with Marney’s exclamation. Dillon is next to her, sporting similar formal attire to Cape and Julian but doesn’t look nearly as fitted or gifted.

“Sorry. I’m crashing your birthday plans,” Dillon says when my eyes find him. “Hope that’s okay?”

The idea of Dillon coming along doesn’t surprise me as much as the way he genuinely seems worried if that’s okay with me, as if he is trying to mend bridges.

“Uh, yeah?” I say. I’m not sure where we are going or what we are doing. I didn’t have any assumptions about tonight and who would be with us. But now I can see that it’s not everyone, if Margo’s robe is any indication.

“I can’t go unless he comes.” Marney rolls her eyes at Dillon and hops off a barstool.

She’s wearing a pink glittery dress that sashays out around herknees, and her hair is tied back into a sleek bun. She looks so cute and yet mature at the same time that I smile as she comes in for a hug.

“Happy Birthday!” She wraps her arms around me and squeezes. The bruising along my ribs has started to yellow and it’s getting better, I barely feel a hint of pain with her embrace. “I can only stay out until midnight.”

“That’s fine,” I say. “We’ll probably be back by then right?”

She smirks as she lets me go. “Uh, no. Where we’re going things don’t typically get hype till midnight.”

“She shouldn’t even be allowed in,” Margo says and clicks her tongue.

“Then how…?”

“Ididset everything up. It’s only right that I should be allowed in,” Marney says.

“I thinkJulesmay have pulled some strings,” Margo adds, a little ruffled.

“She’ll be fine,” Julian says as if they’ve had this conversation already.

Marney spins around with her hands on her hips. “And Dillon will be there and he’ll bring me home.”

“Don’t think I don’t know you twisted his arm so you can get what you want.” Margo shakes her head.

“He wants to go!” Marney cries and looks to Dillon for confirmation.

“I’m just making sure my baby sister is safe.” He puts his hands up.

“You want to go! You’re twenty-one and you never go out!” Marney spins back to me with wide eyes. “He wants to go!”

Chapter Fifty-Four

There is a limo outside waiting for us, and not just any limo. It has rhinestones around the window frames and the tires are those monstrous ones with shiny rims. The interior is bubble gum pink and all leather. I can only imagine that Marney hand picked this particular style.

The five of us climb inside and Marney immediately hands Cape a champagne bottle to open. She pouts when Dillon doesn’t allow her even a taste but I see Julian slip her his glass while Dillon isn’t looking. She takes the tiniest of tastes and promptly hands it back. Ever the mature young woman.

I sit with my legs held together in a similar pose as Marney, my knees touching Julian and my back side tucked against Cape. He holds a protective arm around my waist while he stares Dillon down across from him. Dillon pretends not to notice and stares out the window, holding his champagne flute on his knee, untouched.

I want so desperately to like Dillon, for Marney’s sake. It can’t be easy having your brother as the ‘weirdo’. I just don’t understand what his deal is. He comes off as such a great guy that cares about his sister and lets her drag him into situations like this, and I know he can be charming. He has all the discipline in the world if I think about all the training he does for that upcoming marathon and he’s quite good looking when he’s not letting his face turn into a tomato.

Is he really just messed up in the head? Can he not control himself when he corners me and makes tantrums in Margo’s room in the middle of the night? Also, the way it seems he’s flipped a switch with me. Is it because I’m finally eighteen and the closer I got the more it eased his mind about me joining the family? Or does he just have mood swings that aren’t being tamed without medication? Either way, I wish he wouldn’t isolate himself in the corner of the limo.

Now, as we wait outside the limo for Marney to find a ring that slipped off her finger, he’s standing off to the side. His face is passive and he doesn’t seem annoyed to be here but he might as well have the demeanor of a stranger.

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