Page 24 of Ludovico's Vengeance

She waves her hand at me dismissively. “Oh dear, after what Janelle put you through, I will open a boutique in one of the extra bedrooms exclusively for you if you ask me to.”

My eyes well with tears as I take my time to look at all that she’s brought. I’m not sure how long I’ve been perusing when my arm begins to complain about the added weight. A giggle escapes when I realize I’ve loaded up on pieces I want to try on. Vanna has tears silently streaming down her cheeks that she tries to wipe away before I notice them as soon as I turn around.

“Is it ok?” I ask Tabatha who nods with a wink. Abel lifts the clothing from my arms and follows me to mine and Giovanni’s room. He lays the pieces across the bed before disappearing back into the hall as he pulls the door closed behind him.

The next hour is spent as I would expect a nineties movie montage of wardrobe changes to happen. A number of jeans, dresses, tops, jackets, and shoes of every type are strewn about by the time I’ve finished and decided on what I want to keep. A handful of dresses that are much fancier than what I'm used to. Jeans that fit like a glove and a few shirts that show off my – uh, assets. I’m standing in front of a floor length mirror with a pair of red bottom platform boots. A tan exterior with a heel to give me some height but hopefully thick enough that I don’t fall on my face.

I take a few unsteady steps across the length of the bedroom when I hear a gasp from the direction of the bedroom door. When I turn to find Vanna leaning in the doorway, I smile shyly unsure of what to say.

“Sweetheart, you look fantastic! You need those shoes. This entire outfit is absolutely you.” She exclaims as she claps her hands excitedly and walks toward me to get a closer look at the dark wash blue jeans and purple cropped long sleeve shirt. It’s cut in a low square showing off just enough of my chest that I feel sexy but not like I’m about to fall out of the top. A faux leather jacket over top finishes off the look. My cheeks flush as she spins me to get a full view.

“I feel good. I’m afraid I’m going to hurt myself in these shoes though. How do you walk in those?” I ask as I point to the thin stilettos she’s always wearing.

She chuckles as she lifts her shoulders in a shrug.

“I know you had a rough first outing, but I have an idea.” Vanna’s smile is infectious, “You’re going to be twenty-five in a week, yet you’re still reading a book for teenagers. Would you like to go to a small bookstore with me? We can find you something more age appropriate.” Her lips turn up into a wicked grin as I cross my arms over my chest to protect myself. “I promise you, Sweetheart; I won’t be out of earshot, and I know damn well after how you spoke to Tabs, you’ve got a handle on your emotions enough to fuck someone up if they speak to you inappropriately.”

My jaw drops for the second time today before my shock turns into a fit of laughter. She leads me out to say goodbye to Tabatha, who is just as giddy as Vanna was over my style choices.

Abel pulls the SUV up outside of the bookstore, Under the Cover. My eyes go wide when I get a glimpse of the inside. I follow Vanna quickly as soon as she opens the car door. Abel and Rand are barely out of their seats by the time I’ve reached the entrance. A staccato rhythm beats in my chest as soon as I step through the threshold to find a woman with a radiant smile behind the counter.

“Hi! Welcome to Under the Cover, I’m Brittany. Let me know if you need help finding anything!” She announces just before Vanna joins me. She’s beautiful, she’s got a wild air about her with beautiful tattoos covering every piece of skin that’s on display, and that’s most of it given she’s wearing a fitted tank top with a mini skirt. The ink on her legs is obscured a tad by the fishnet stockings, but just a little. You can still see the beauty with the little bit that’s hidden.

“Hey, Sweetheart, how have you been?” Vanna walks to the counter where Brittany steps around to greet her with a warm hug. She’s adorable, her hair is dark with a bright pink ombre effect. Her makeup is flawless, a peachy eyeshadow makes her hazel eyes pop. They stop me where I am several yards away.

“V! I haven’t seen you in months.” She exclaims as soon as she gets her arms around Vanna.

The two of them begin chatting while I look around. Just taking time to appreciate my surroundings. I’m living my best Belle fantasy life when I see the wooden ladder that slides along the wall. There are several reading nooks plus a swing with silk flowers and vines wrapped around the ropes that tether it to the ceiling. I spin when I register someone approaching my side.

“Hi! It’s so nice to meet you. Vanna said that you love to read, but you’ve not been able to get anything new for a while. I’d love to help.” Brittany’s confidence has my brain whirling.

I take a step back as I suck in a deep breath to center myself. She’s not threatening, she’s just friendly. It’s fine, I’m fine.

“Yeah, I’ve not had,” I pause, contemplating my next words. “I’ve not had access to anything new for quite some time. I got a hold of a book by an author a while ago that was well, hot. But, I forget the name of it.”

Her already bright smile has turned into a wicked grin mirroring one I've seen from Giovanni. Vanna is acting interested in whatever book she picked up, but I can see the smile in her eyes from where I stand. Traitor.

“Oh, Tink – we're going to get real close, real fast.” Brittany giggles as she talks faster than I’ve ever heard someone speak. “Tell me everything about you. What are your kinks? Your likes, dislikes? We’ll start with something that you actually enjoy and branch out from there.”

My cheeks heat and I look anywhere but at the other people in the store. This is embarrassing!

“I uh – I don’t know.” I admit as I allow my hair to fall in front of my face like a curtain.

She wraps her arm around my shoulder as she directs me toward a wall of books, “You’re vanilla. That’s fine, let’s see.”

“What? No, I mean, I’ve never –” The words die on my tongue as soon as I realize she understands.

“Oh. My. God! A virgin! Miss ma’am, this is going to be fun!” She squeals as she spins me in the complete opposite direction toward a different wall of books as she points out her favorite books for beginners.

Giddiness floods my veins as I observe the scene before me. Michael slices into the torso of one of Mr. Barone's dealers. Loud wails sound from the man who clearly never expected his chosen profession to land him in this situation. What a pity, most people who get into illegal dealings know their death will likely be a painful one.

“I didn't ask for this! They forced me to do it!” He exclaims as his chest rises and falls with heavy breaths.

Michael takes a step back and glances over his shoulder at me. A silent conversation passes between us. He doesn't trust the man and quite honestly neither do I, but I nod allowing him to take a break while I join in on the interrogation.

“Who forced you?” The man whose name I've already forgotten stares up at me with wide eyes as I wait for a response.

He blinks rapidly before speaking, “Frederico and Mateo. They told me if I didn't they'd kill my wife.” The man’s eyes are filled with fear, which you'd expect, but something is missing.

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