Page 1 of Until the Ink Dries

Isat at the vanity in the bathroom of our suite, applying my makeup. Tonight was the annual charity dinner thrown by my boyfriend’s family and I was low key dreading going. I hated these things. It was never anything but a bunch of stuck up rich folks taking turns flaunting their money for a “good cause.”

Sure, they were donating to charity, but the cost of their attire was often just as expensive as the checks they were writing. It was basically a fashion show. The looks would be talked about more than the good they were doing and the thought of being a part of that always disgusted me.

Here I was, sitting in an expensive dress with even more expensive jewels, when the money spent could have gone to a family in need. When my boyfriend told me I didn’t need to pack a dress because he’d already had one for me, I should have known he went all out.

I’d been dating Ellis Thompson for two years now and at this point, I was on the fence about continuing this relationship. True, I cared about him. I even loved him, but I felt so much of the woman I was drifting away to become a woman he wanted me to be.

A woman that he could present to society and his parents. Status seemed to be so important to him, especially in the eyes of his mother. The woman never liked me. She found flaws in everything about me and never had a problem saying it to my face in a nice-nasty way.

There was nothing I could do to please her or be good enough for her son. It bothered me when it shouldn’t because I’d always been a very likable person. I was friendly and could talk to anybody. Even that had changed about me lately. I’d found myself becoming closed off and isolated because I just couldn’t deal with people anymore.

“Baby, are you almost ready?” Ellis asked from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Just a minute!” I called.

I sighed heavily as I put the finishing touches on and stared at myself in the mirror. Even I had to admit that I looked good. The dress he’d chosen was a beautiful burnt orange, mermaid style gown that hugged my curves. The bust was covered in sequins, and it flowed all the way to the floor.

My hair was straightened and sleek, styled into a classy top knot. Diamond studs adorned my ears while a diamond necklace and bracelet complimented it. I’d done a light, natural beat for my makeup and added some mink lashes to bring it all together.

This was all Ellis, not me.

Sleek. Poised. Well put together.

A fucking trophy.

With a deep sigh, I left the bathroom and headed back into the bedroom. After filling my clutch with my essentials, I made my way into the living room area. Ellis stood at the bar, pouring himself a drink. The sound of my heels clicking across the floor caused him to turn around.

He smiled at me. “Did I do good or what?” he asked, coming to meet me in the center of the room.

“It’s nice,” I said flatly.

“Come on, Willow. Have a better attitude than that. Look, I know you don’t like these things, but I need you at my side.”

“I’m here, Ellis. Are you ready to go?”

I tried to walk past him to the door, but he gently grabbed my arm.

“Baby.”

With a roll of my eyes, I turned back to him. “Yes?”

“You know I love you, right?”

“I know.”

“I appreciate you being here. I know this isn’t really your scene, but it means the world to me that you’re at my side. Tonight is going to be special and we’re going to have an amazing time.”

Pulling me into his arms, he placed a kiss to my lips. He smiled as he took my hand and led me to the suite door so we could leave. As we took the walk to the elevator, I said a silent prayer that tonight would be good and go by fast.

* * *

Three hours.

That’s how long I’d been subjected to the snooty attitude of Dr. Marcia Thompson and her equally snooty friends. Ellis had left me at the table with them while he went to mingle. There wasn’t a single soul here that was in my circle, so I was forced to sit with these folks.

“You’re awfully quiet, Willow,” Mrs. Thompson observed.

“I really don’t have much to say.”

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