Page 354 of Dark Love

Nothing else is right. Not this car. Not the men surrounding us. Nothing.

One simple touch shouldn’t settle my soul.

Wait, is that—It can’t be—But it is — “Stop the car!”

Surprisingly, the driver does what I say. All eyes turn towards me, but I don’t want to explain. We’re just going to pretend the next few minutes didn’t happen. “I’ll be right back.” I hop out of the car.

Please don’t follow me.

Please don’t follow me.

This one thing needs to be easy.

“Where are you going?” Vex’s voice is way too close to me.

Nope. Nope. Nope. There’s no way I’m going to say the words to explain where I’m going. You’ll just need to figure it out on your own. Pivoting, I turn to face him. “I need to grab something really quick. I’ll meet you back in the car.”

His eyes sweep the area trying to figure out where I want to go.

It should be obvious. This area is filled with smoke shops, tattoo parlors, dive bars that are thankfully still closed, and bodegas. There’s literally only one store I could possibly need to visit… the lingerie shop. Though it’s generous to use such a nice term for it. The store name has made me blush since I was sixteen and started ordering from their catalogs. Now I do everything I need to online, and my purchases are delivered in a nondescript box. I definitely don’t need to shout to the world that I have to buy my bras from a special store that caters to women who believe bigger is better when it comes to boob jobs and smaller is better when it comes to clothing.

Can I please crawl up into a hole and die right this minute? It would be easier. If only I could buy a sports bra from another store and be done with it, but those are useless.

Vex isn’t backing down, nor is he moving an inch.

I’m going to have to say it out loud. Can this day get any worse? “Ineedtogointothelingerieshop.”

“No.” He takes my hand in his.

Excuse me. “Yes.” I yank my hand away. “I need to go inside. I’ll just be five minutes.” Get what I need, pay, and put it on. Thankfully, I’ve been buying the same design for years, so I don’t need to try anything I like I do in other stores.

“You’re not shopping in a store like that.” He glares at the window display.

Like I have a choice? But he doesn’t understand that. No one does. I dress well to hide my biggest flaws. “I am.”

“We’ll go to a nicer store and get you what you need there.”

Wouldn’t I love to shop anywhere else and be able to buy simple sexy bras. “No. I need to go there.”

“Absolutely not. A woman like you doesn’t shop at a place like that.”

The problem is women like me have no choice where they shop. “I’m going inside. I’ll meet you back in the car in ten minutes.” And if he doesn’t like it, he can leave. I stalk over to the store.

A mature woman would have simply explained the problem. I’m obviously not that mature.

“How can I help you?” a salesperson walks up right as I enter.

“I need to buy some bras.”

“Here?” Her eyes go to the coat I’m wearing. “That is worth more than everything in this store.”

Don’t think about that. “And you’re the only store I’ve found that makes bras that fit me.”

“Oh.” Her eyes move to my chest that’s completely hidden by said coat. “What size are you?”

“34G.” It’s embarrassing even saying those words.

“Ahh. I’m assuming you know what you want.”

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