Page 99 of Scattered Glitter

Ace and Rosalee. Gone.Because of me.

So why the hell would I want a Mustang now?

Because it’s not just a car, it’s a promise. A way to take back what I lost.

It’s about facing the thing that broke me, taking it into my hands, and making it mine again. It’s about proving to myself, more than anyone else, that I can live with the ghosts instead of letting them bury me. I may never drive it. Hell, I might never even sit in it. But I want to know it’s there, waiting—a symbol of what I’ve survived.

Maybe, deep down, it’s another way to keep them close.

None of it is something I can voice. He wouldn’t understand anyway. So, I cross my arms defensively, a small spark of annoyance flaring up. “Does it matter to you what I’ll do with something I earned by doing the job right?”

“Fair enough.” Koen’s lips twitch, almost like he’s trying not to laugh. “That’s none of my business.”

Huh.

“Look at that. Koen can stay in hisLane,” I mutter, making both of them laugh out loud, and a tingling feeling spreads in my chest that I try to instantly diffuse. “Looks like we can be friends after all.”

Koen glances back at me, his lips curling into a full smile, one that makes my heart flipjust a little. “Looks like it.”

He turns his attention back to the road, and before I realize it, we’re pulling into a parking spot in front of a shop. The building gleams under the sunlight, opulent chandeliers sparkle through the windows, gold accents glimmer at every corner, and the doorman is dressed in a suit that probably costs more than I make in a month. It’s the kind of place where a dress costs as much as a car.

And I’m in sweats.

Perfect.

My heart races again, not from panic this time, but from the sheer weight of where I am.

Can I do this? Step into their world as if it’s mine too?

Steal. Charm. Perform.

I glance over at Koen and Levi, who are already unbuckling their seat belts. Their casual confidence feels like a safety net, but part of me wonders how long it’ll hold before I’m expected to stand on my own.

I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

First, I need to find a dress that makes me look as expensive as the world I’m about to enter and not the stripper I am.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Novalee

Levi is already halfway to the shop door by the time I’m still fumbling with my seat belt. He moves like a whirlwind, his energy too restless to wait while I’m tangled up in a knot of fabric and frustration.

Koen, on the other hand, steps out of the car at an unhurried pace, rounding to my side. He’s pushed the passenger seat forward by the time I’ve finally managed to get rid of the seat belt, then extends his hand to me. He looks silently amused at my struggle, but there’s nothing mocking in his gaze.

I hesitate for a split second, something in his offered hand making me pause. I’ve never needed someone to help me.

Why does letting him be here feel different, even okay?

His fingers are warm and strong as I let him pull me to my feet, and I swear there’s a tiny squeeze before his thumb brushes over the back of my hand, lingering like it’s a statement.

“You could have told me this place is so…” I start, feeling the warmth creep up my neck to my cheeks.

Fuck. Since when am I flustered?

I don’t get flustered, especially not over appearances. Yet, here I am, feeling painfully out of place. I pull at the hem of my hoodie, hoping he doesn’t notice my sudden insecurity.

The panic attack in the car was already enough to bruise my ego.

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