Page 87 of No Mistakes
The stylist steps forward, still grinning. “Shall I wrap it up for you?”
“Please,” I say, and the room slowly comes back to life as voices fill the space.
As soon as I step back out of the dressing room, Eva runs over while we watch the stylist slip the dress into a garment bag, the plastic crinkling as she hands it over. I hook it over my arm like it’s worth more than gold, because right now, it feels like it is.
Eva picks up her own bag that is spread out across the sofa. I give her a look, “When did you get a dress?”
She unzips the bag slightly, showing me the disco ball dress we both laughed at. “Shine bright like a diamond came to mind.”
She grabs her coat, placing her champagne glass onto a passing tray, and we head out into the cold. The air hits sharply as we look around the small village of Lake Forest, admiring the Christmas lights that decorate the store windows.
“Coffee?” Eva asks, already steering me towards a corner cafe with fogged-up windows.
“Why is that even a question?”
We push open the door, and the smell of espresso wraps around us instantly. It’s quiet here, just a handful of people as they sit scattered around the tables, having hushed conversations over laptops or cups.
Eva walks up to the till, ordering for us both while I find a booth in the corner. She drops into the chair opposite me, pulling off her gloves. “So… tomorrow?”
The waitress brings over our drinks, placing them on the table, and I give her a nod, silently saying thank you. I take a sip of the latte, the heat seeping into my hands, causing my body to shiver as the warmth flows inside of me. “Tomorrow, I’m going to walk into that room, smile like I belong there, and help save those girls.”
She smirks, wiggling her eyebrows. “While wearing a dress that might cause a cardiac arrest.”
I grin, relaxing into my seat as we enjoy our alone time, something that we haven’t had since this shit show started. “Your job is to make sure you don’t trip over your jaw when you see me in it.”
Eva laughs, leaning back. “If it’s between that and stopping you from killing someone with your heels, I’ll take the heels.”
As she talks, my eyes drift around the room, scanning everyone around us. A shadow moves across the window, someone walking past, head down, shoulders hunched against the cold. For a split second, they glance inside. Their gaze catching mine, sharp and unsettling, before disappearing past the building.
“What is it?” Eva looks around, her head moving frantically as she scans the room. I don’t answer straight away as my eyes stay fixated on the door. I lean back, taking a moment to calm myself as I drag in a breath, shaking my head. “I thought-” My voice falters. “I thought I just saw Adam.”
Eva’s eyes widen, “Are you sure?”
I shake my head, wiping the thought away. “I could be wrong. I didn’t have the chance to see his face.”
But something inside of me tells me I’m not.
CHAPTER 37
AXEL
I lie there for a moment,watching her chest rise and fall, her hair fanned over the pillow as she sleeps. The soft light from our driveway spills across her bare shoulder as it seeps through the curtains, and for a second, I let myself pretend the world isn’t about to turn to shit in a matter of hours.
Ever since that night with Benny, we’ve hardly been apart. Like she finally remembered who I am, and just how far I’ll go for her.
I roll over, leaning my weight on my elbows as I cage her in under me, pressing my lips to her cheek, then her jaw, all the way to the curve of her neck. Slow enough that she stirs.
“Go away,” she mumbles, swatting a lazy hand at me.
A low laugh escapes me. “Oh, come on now, Buttercup. That’s a funny way of saying, ‘Axel, I just love you so much.’”
She opens one eye, giving me a glare that has no heat in it as she glances at the clock on the bedside table. “Threein the morning, Axel. Three.”
I grin, because she’s right. The house is silent as everyone else sleeps, gathering as much energy as they can before we step into a blood bath. In a few hours, I’ll be walking into an auction room full of men I’ve hated since I was old enough to understandwhat they were. Only this time, I’m not just looking to shake hands, I’m looking to end them.
I lean down, pushing the thought away as I kiss her again. I keep my voice low as I kiss along her jaw. “We’ve got a long day ahead. Might as well start it with something I can’t get enough of.”
She groans when I kiss her again, but her arms loop lazily around my neck anyway, and I see a faint smile on her lips. She’s warm, soft, still caught in that in-between state where the body’s awake but the mind’s not ready to join it.
