She spins around and hitches an eyebrow. “One of my dresses?”
I nod, and she practically squeals as she runs over to her closet.
All of Mila’s dresses are ridiculously tight and uncomfortably short. Which is exactly what I need right now if my plan is going to work.
To get to Saint, I’m going to go through Kole, and I finally figured out what I need to do to make that happen.
“Who are you trying to impress?” Mila pulls a few dresses out and starts holding them up to me one by one.
“No one.”
“Oh my God, Violet, you are such a liar.” She shoves a dress into my arms. “Here, try this one. The blue will bring out your eyes.”
Slipping off my pajamas, I’m careful to keep my bracelets over the mark Saint carved into my wrist so Mila doesn’t see it. The bruises might have faded enough to hide them with makeup, but that particular mark on my skin isn’t as easily hidden.
I slide the pale-blue dress up my body and wiggle into it. “Seriously, there isn’t anyone. I just need to get out of the house.”
“If you say so.” Mila shakes her head. “But for the record, I’m not complaining. I always said you were too good for Liam, so I’m glad you’re getting out there and broadening your horizons.”
She spins me around as I adjust the straps and, as if the dress isn’t tight enough, when Mila zips the back, it sucks to my ribs like a corset.
Gripping my shoulders, she turns me back around. “Damn, girl, that dress was made for you. This is a dangerous look walking into Sigma House.”
Exactly.
If Kole thinks he can keep Saint in hiding, I’ll tempt the beast until he has no other option than to come out to play.
Mila steps back, running her fingers over her floral crop top. She’s paired it with black jeans that fit her like a second skin. And as always, she could have been cut from a magazine because she’s perfection standing in front of me.
“We’re going to freeze,” I point out, turning to examine both our outfits in the mirror.
“Yep.” Mila laughs, nudging my arm. “And it’s totally worth it.”
After we finish putting on our makeup, we try to convince Patience and Teal to come with us. When they refuse, we head to Sigma House alone, which sounded like a good idea until we got here.
Now, I’m standing outside the iron gates that lead to hell, staring at the sculls twisted into the center of them,wearing a pale-blue minidress that does nothing to keep me warm, wondering what the fuck I was thinking.
“Crap.”
“Don’t chicken out now.” Mila snakes her arm through mine and tugs me through the gates to the front door.
“I won’t.” I squeeze her hand, hoping I’m not lying to myself, even as every step feels like a warning.
Someone’s puking in a bush as we walk past while two women are making out on the hood of a car in the driveway.
“Hey, Mila?” I pause, glancing over at her.
“Yeah?”
“Do me a favor and forget anything you see tonight.” I bite my bottom lip as her green eyes flick to mine.
“You know it, girl.” She smiles, leaning closer. “Just promise to let me know if you need help burying any bodies.”
She starts giggling, tugging me back to her side, not noticing how my spine stiffened at her comment. To her, it’s an innocent joke. But that’s only because she doesn’t know what really happened last time we were here and how real that threat is.
Mila guides us through the front doors, and I’m overwhelmed with the stench of marijuana and alcohol. It takes me back a step even as Mila pulls me forward. She doesn’t release me until we’re fully inside, letting me go to brush her hair off her shoulders.
Real confidence is something you can’t fake, and Mila has it. It doesn’t matter where she is or what she’s doing; she knows how to carry herself. And as her gaze connectswith Marco’s across the room, she doesn’t falter. Which is especially surprising considering the half-naked girl dangling at his side.