Page 90 of Good Girl

And the sixth hasbraceletwritten on the line.

Then there are eleven new lines.

Eleven.

This time, when I push up to sit on Xavier’s stomach, he lets me get free. I take the page from Derek as I straighten, ignoring the tape that pulls on my skin, my mouth falling open. “What is this?”

Darcy holds a pale blue envelope out to me. I stare at it, then up at him with some many questions.

One side of his mouth quirks. “I had something else picked out, but I think you will prefer this. I don’t typically enjoy giving gift cards but knowing you will be able to choose exactly what you want means a lot to me. I’ll save my other gift for one of your other rewards.”

Slowly, I take the envelope and open it.

It’s a five-hundred-dollar gift card for the art supply store he took me to yesterday.

My throat tightens and my eyes burn.

I can buy myself all brand-new art supplies. Whatever I want. More charcoals. Another sketch pad. Oh my god, I could buypaint. Or pencils. Or those watercolor markers. And they would be mine. No one would be able to take them away from me.

I make eye contact with Darcy. “Thank you,” I croak out.

He smiles back at me, clearly pleased that I’m so affected by his gift. “This is just to get you started. Once we know where your preferences lie, I can help you pick out things that will work best for you. No more of that cheap shit, though.”

Before any tears roll down my cheeks, a black gift bag is placed on Xavier’s chest. I can barely see his hazel eyes over the top of it, but I put the gift card back in its envelope and open the black bag.

I tilt my head to the side as I pull the first thing out. The packaging is an odd shape, and there is a flat-looking teddy bear staring at me through the little plastic panel on the front.

“Did you…did you get me a Build-A-Bear?” I ask Xavier, my gaze zooming up to meet his eyes.

He stares back at me. “There is another box in there.”

He got me a bear. Because I have the one I bought on Friday for the hotel? Parking my confusion about his gift, I put the bear on the floor and go back to the bag for the box.

There is a tiny little black box at the bottom of the bag. It has black ribbon tied into a perfect bow around it. Carefully, I reach in and pull it out.

I don’t let the suspense build, just pull at the ribbon and open the box.

There, nestled against black display foam, is a gold bracelet with a circular pendant nestled in the center. It’s attached to the chain on both sides and has a black X engraved into the face, with each quadrant displaying a different letter.

D.

H.

D.

X.

Carefully, I pick up the bracelet. The little disc is thick and smooth under my fingers, but the chain is thin and delicate.

“It’s beautiful, I love it,” I whisper because my voice isn’t working right. It’s as if my heart has gotten confused and has now decided it lives in my throat. I offer my wrist to Xavier. “Can you please put it on?”

He moves the bag from between us, and we both have to shuffle so that he can sit a little more comfortably, but I don’t leave my straddle over the top of him.

A few seconds later, I’m cuddled back up to him, the opposite hand wrapped around the braceleted wrist as I stare back at Darcy. “Please tell me I can know about the contract now? I’m dying.”

I get a smirk in return. “Yes, princess. We can talk about the contract now. You might want to sit up.”

Sighing, I shuffle around, careful of the bandage on my butt, and end up sitting on Xavier likeheis the couch, feet dangling over the side and my back against the actual couch.

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