Page 91 of Vicious Sentiments

“Don’t even try,” Julian says beside me, and I rear back to look at him. “Your birthday is the only thing that’s going to get me back on my feet.” He shifts in his chair and stretches out a leg. He doesn’t wince but I can see the strain it causes in his features.

“Julian, it’s in five days. You can’t expect to be up and—”

“Don’t worry, brother. If you can’t get it…” He looks at Marney quickly and then clears his throat. “If you can’t getup,I’ll make sure she has a good time.” He gives me a wicked smile that makes my insides melt.

“I’ll be good as new in five days.” Julian narrows his eyes at his brother.

“See?” Marney says and beams. “The party is still on and we need to go shopping.”

I furrow my brows and frown. “I don’t know…”

“You don’t have a choice.” Marney tells me flatly, and I have no idea how she can makemefeel like a child. “And it’s going to be totallytame so don’t worry.” She gives Cape a not so conspicuous look that he returns with a nod.

Oh no, what are they planning?

Chapter Forty-Nine

The day after next is completely shot. Marney drags me through every store known to man and then some, considering she demanded I also needed a Halloween costume. My heart isn’t in it though, it’s back at the house with Julian. Who surprisingly, is doing way better than I expected, but I still want to be there.

Cape had Julian in the workout room before me and Marney left this morning and was doing some sort of physical therapy with him. I only budged on going on this little shopping spree because Marney said we would be gone an hour tops, but it’s been the whole day. Thewholeday. She had me trying on dress after dress and then some of the same dresses again with different shoes.

I’ve tried to glean what she has planned but she’s more tight lipped than a thirteen-year-old should be. Whatever it is though, it’s upscale, if the dresses she’s forcing me to try on are any indication. The idea gives me a nervous stomach that only dissipates for the hour she allows us to munch on a plate of nachos and fries that we share between us.

If I wasn’t so worried about Julian, I would have to admit that hanging out with Marney is fun though. She has so much energy and she’s genuinely kind to every sales person we come in contact with. I would expect someone like her, with her blonde ponytail and loadsof money, ballet lessons and private school pedigree, would have no respect, but she’s even better mannered than me. And some of the things she says has me laughing till tears hit the corners of my eyes.

When we finally make it to a small specialty costume store, my feet ache, and I feel bad for the chauffeur that’s been waiting for us all day, loading bag after bag Marney gives him into the back. It’s the same old man who drove Julian into the garage, and I wonder if he’s their private driver and not part of a company.

“These are expensive,” I whisper to Marney when I eye a tag on a pirate costume that says three hundred. “Can’t we just go to Party City?”

“Ew, no,” she snaps at me and charges ahead. “I saw the perfect costume for you when I came with Bellemy and got my goldilocks outfit,” she hollers over her shoulder, and I follow.

“Can I at least know what we’re doing for Halloween?” I ask, passing by a frighteningly realistic joker costume.

“Well, Cape said no to the party at his loft so Margo said we could have a party at our house.”

A part of me relaxes, at least I don’t have to leave Julian.

“Here! It’s still here!” she shouts from behind a rack. “Look! Isn’t it perfect!”

I’m a little scared as I round the rack, who knows what she wants me to dress up as. It wouldn’t be as common as a witch or a vampire and when ruling out those two ideas, my mind draws a blank.

“I can do your hair up with the swirls and Margo has a ruby necklace, it’s not blue but it’s still perfect.” She beams as I take in the costume, my eyes pleasantly surprised.

* * *

When we get back home, everyone is congregated near the door, evenDillon. Denny is leaving and has his arms full of tupperware and a wholesome smile on his large face.

“Hate to say it, but I hope I don’t have to come back here anytime soon. Me and planes don’t go together,” he gives a booming laugh, and Margo bats his arm. “But you all come down and I promise no one will get shot this time.”

“Yeah? Youpromise?”Julian holds his wounded side and makes a face.

Denny just laughs and turns to Cape. “Gonna be seeing more of you or?”

Cape folds his arms across his chest. “Depends if I gotta keep cleaning up your mess.”

“I don’t think there’s gonna be anymore messes after what you did. No one is going to want to cross you now.”

Cape’s jaw tics, and I wonder what Denny is talking about.

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