“No. Don’t. I wanted you to have it. I’ll pay for it.”

  I nodded.

  When we were finally driving away, I remembered what we were doing, and I managed to find my words again after he blew me away.

  “I don’t know what kind of dress to look for or where to look,” I admitted.

  He glanced at me. “I do.”

  Okay. I tried to relax. I was going to be dressed appropriately. His parents were going to be among friends, so they wouldn’t make me leave. Or would they? Was Declan going to be his date? I wanted to ask all this, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Not after he gave me and my sisters phones. I didn’t want to bother him at all.

  He pulled in front of a dress shop that had chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and velvet furniture inside. The price tags on those dresses were going to be insane.

  “This looks expensive.”

  “It is,” he replied before getting out of the truck and coming around to open my door and once again taking me out with both his hands on my waist. “Relax,” he said, still holding me against him. “This is supposed to be fun.”

  I glanced up at him, and he flashed his dimple at me.

  “I’ll try,” I told him.

  He placed a hand on my back and led me toward the shop. When he opened the door, he stepped back and let me go in, but he followed behind me, so close that I could feel his warmth. The women turned to look at us, and I felt so out of place. I was sure they were about to ask us to leave.

  “Saxon.” An elegant lady with a platinum bob smiled at him and walked around the counter to head in our direction. “This must be your friend you called about.” She reached out and touched a strand of my hair as her eyes roamed over my face, then down my body. “You’re right. She’s breathtaking. This way. I chose some dresses in the colors you requested, so we can start there first.”

  I glanced back at Saxon as she rattled on about the design he’d suggested and color choices. I was shocked. Again. He kept doing that.

  We stopped at a white door with a crystal doorknob. The lady twisted it and entered. I looked inside to see a dressing room the size of my bedroom at Saxon’s house. There were mirrors from floor to ceiling on every wall. A white velvet chaise lounge in the center of the room and dresses hanging on a gold rack.

  “Would you like me to stay and help you, or do you prefer Saxon?” she asked.

  I glanced at him and her nervously. I didn’t want anyone in here with me while I was changing clothes.

  “I’ll wait outside, and if she needs any help, she can ask me,” he suggested.

  The lady nodded. “Very well. I’ll give you some privacy and space. You let me see anything you like. I want to make sure the fit is perfect.”

  “Thank you,” I said, unsure of what else to say.

  She left, and I turned to Saxon, who was standing at the door, leaning against it, watching me.

  Shifting my gaze to the dresses on the rack, I said, “Crimson, royal blue, and silver,” before looking back at him.

  He nodded. “I like those colors on you.”

  “When have you ever seen me in silver?” I asked.

  “In my imagination. I’ll be right out here if you need me,” he said, then reached for the door and closed it.

  I stood there, staring at the closed door, replaying his words in my head. I was in his imagination? I wanted to open the door and ask if this was post my breaking up with him or pre. I wasn’t going to ask it, but I was tempted.

  Looking back at the dresses, I had several to try on. I pulled off my sports bra and then slid off my leggings. Looking down, I saw the damp spot I had been afraid of. It was all his fault for being so … so … him.

  Tossing my clothes over the chair, I reached for the first crimson dress and slipped it over my head. It was strapless, satin, and floor length with a slit that went above mid-thigh. The fabric hugged my chest and waist tightly with a little flare the rest of the way down. I was able to fasten it without help and look at myself in all the mirrors before opening the door to step out for Saxon to see me. There was a flash of something in his eyes, but it was gone so quickly that I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined it. I felt like a princess. I’d never worn anything this nice before.

  When he shook his head, not smiling, my moment was over. Turning, I went back into the dressing room, not bothering to look at myself again. I hung the dress up and reached for another red one. This one had chiffon and was low cut in the front and back. It was also shorter hitting right above my knees. Like the last dress, I loved the way it made me look. I had never imagined looking like this. However, when I stepped out and Saxon shook his head, the same disappointment sank over me. It happened again with the other red dress and then two green dresses.

  I was starting to dread walking out that door. What if I didn’t look good enough in any of these dresses? What then? Maybe you couldn’t dress up a girl to fit in. It could simply be me making the dresses not work.

  Reaching for the metallic-silver dress, I felt nauseous. When Saxon had looked unimpressed with the other dresses, I’d been scared to try a silver dress. What if I didn’t meet his expectations or look like he’d imagined I would? Now, I was stuck with trying this one or the last green one or one of the burgundy dresses she’d left for me.

  Might as well get it over with.

  I slipped into it, knowing already that this was going to be the dress I needed help with. The back did some strange zigzag thing with a thin, shiny string; otherwise, my back was bare. I pulled it on and looked at it, holding it up so that it wouldn’t fall. It hit at my ankles, and the slit was higher than any of the others. It was off the shoulders and gathered in the waist. The entire look of it reminded me of something a celebrity would wear on the red carpet.

  He was going to want to see me in silver. This was the only silver dress. I opened the door, holding the dress up.

  “I need help,” I told him, stepping back inside.

  Saxon came in behind me, and I looked at him through the mirror with my back to him. He closed the door and looked at my back.

  “It’s complicated,” I told him. “If you can’t get it, the saleslady can come do it.”

  He glanced up at me and smiled before looking back at the way it laced up, then tied at the top. When his fingers brushed my bare skin, I shivered. He stilled for a moment, then went back to adjusting the back—tying it, I assumed.

  Finally, he stepped back and looked at it, then up at me.

  “Turn around,” he told me.

  His gaze roamed down the dress and stopped on the slit before lowering. When his eyes came back up to mine, he sighed. “You look incredible. I’m struggling with the slit and the amount of cleavage, but, damn.” He shook his head, and his eyes traveled over me appreciatively again.

  “Is it too much cleavage and leg for your parents’ party?” I asked, wanting this dress simply because of the way he was looking at me in it.

  He chuckled. “No. Not at all. My mom will probably be showing more skin than this. It’s my personal issue. How do you feel in it?”

  His question surprised me.

  “Beautiful,” I admitted.

  He rubbed his chin. “Yeah, you left beautiful way behind. This is another level.”

  Okay, I wanted this dress. I might wear it every day if it got that kind of reaction from Saxon. Heck, I would sleep in it.

  “I’m thinking sparkly red heels.” He was looking at my leg again. “Shit. That’s gonna …” He shook his head. “No. This is it. Take it off.”

  I turned my back to him and waited for his help. He stepped forward and slowly began undoing the back. It took less time than lacing it had. I forgot to hold the front, and it started to fall. I caught it just in time to cover my nipples. Looking up, I caught Saxon’s eyes looking at my boobs through the mirror. He didn’t move. He just stood there and stared.

  There was no mistaking the interest in his brown depths. He wanted to see more, and I was so close to letting go of the dress and giving him a full view. The fear it would mess things up with us was the only thing keeping my hands in place.

  Before I could cave to the temptation, Saxon turned and left the room. I gasped and leaned against the wall. My nipples were so hard that they ached as badly as the area between my legs did.

  It took me several minutes to get ahold of myself before I could finish taking off the dress. I changed back into my leggings and sports bra. Once I had the dress hanging up again, I went to the door and walked out with it. Saxon stood, taking the dress from me, and walked me over to the corner of the store, where there were shoes.

  The saleslady appeared. “Oh, she found one. You should have called me over. If there was any area that needed altering, I could have handled it.”

  “It was perfect,” Saxon informed her.

  The woman grinned at him, then turned to me. “Ready to find the perfect heels?”

  I nodded.

  Saxon slid a hand over my hip and nodded toward a red pair. “I want to see her in some red ones.”

  I wasn’t sure I was going to survive this shopping trip with him.

  Nineteen

  Haisley

  The moment we arrived back at his house, I went to my room to call Jamaica. She burst into tears when she answered the phone. Jamaica didn’t have to be pregnant to be emotional. She was always the one I worried about the most. Her demons went deep, and she was so fragile.

  “Don’t cry,” I told her, choking up myself.

  “I can’t help it. I miss you so much.”

  “I miss you too. Tell me how you are. How things are at home.”

  She sniffled, and I could picture her wiping away the tears on her face. “The same, except I have a newfound respect for all you did for us, growing up. Your shoes are really hard to fill. I don’t do as good of a job.”

  “I’m sure you do a wonderful job. You’re much nicer than me.”

  She laughed. “Not so much these days. DJ called me a bitch when I made him clean up their room, and Vulcan said he misses your cooking, that mine sucks.”

  “They are all assholes. I love them, but they’re still assholes. Don’t let the boys get to you. How is Silver? I’m going to call her next.”

  Jamaica sighed. “She’s been difficult. She’s angry with Mom. In a bad way. She hates her for sending you away. She rarely speaks to her, and she stays out late. She’s seeing this older guy, who I know is in a gang. I wish AJ would come back and help with her.”

  I rubbed my temple. Silver was always the wild one. I had worried about this.

  “I’ll talk to her. Maybe I can do something.”

  “I’d ask how you are, but seeing as how Mr. Hot and Sexy Saxon Houston showed up at the trailer, giving us phones, I’d say you’re doing good. When did that happen? Last we heard, you were living in Gainesville in an apartment with some strangers. DJ yelled at Mom about it. He swore if something happened to you, she was going to pay.”

  I winced. DJ was trying to be the head of the house with AJ gone. I should have guessed that.

  “I’m doing good. Saxon found out about the pregnancy and moved me into his place. He got me better medical insurance and a really good OB-GYN. We heard the baby’s heartbeat.”

  “Ohmigod! You did?! I wish I could have heard it. I’m so glad you are safe and being taken care of. It will be easier to sleep at night.”

  A door slammed in the background, and I heard Vulcan and Thorn yelling at each other. Smiling, I lay back on the bed. I missed the assholes.

  “You got a fucking phone?!” Vulcan shouted. “How?”

  “Haisley’s baby daddy gave it to me. This is her on the phone. Want to talk to her?”

  There was noise, then a, “Hayes!” Vulcan’s voice was changing.

  I squeezed the phone tighter.

  “How’s my favorite oldest twin brother?” I asked him, smiling.

  “Missing your grilled cheeses. Jamaica can’t cook anything but noodles.”

  “She’s learning. Don’t be so hard on her.”

  “Your baby daddy is bringing phones to us now? What’s up with that? He taking care of you?”

  I glanced at the closed door. “Yeah, he is.”

  “Good. One last person’s ass I gotta kick.”

  I laughed, shaking my head. This was exactly what my heart needed.

  Saxon didn’t say much when I stepped out of the bedroom, dressed for the party. His eyes said a lot, but that was all I had to go on. I worried on our walk to the house that my hair wasn’t what he wanted. I’d curled it and then twisted it up so that it was off my shoulders and neck. Maybe he liked it down better. But then I hadn’t said anything about how he looked in a tuxedo either. My words had left me, and my mouth had gone dry.

  The house was all lit up as guests arrived in expensive cars. Once we reached the house, people called out to him, and he greeted them. He clearly knew how to live in this world. Me, on the other hand? I was clueless. I managed to smile and say something when I was spoken to, but it wasn’t much.

  Saxon’s hand on my lower back as he led me up the stairs was my only source of comfort. The front doors were wide open with music and the smell of Christmas spilling out. It was even more decorated than it had been earlier this week.

  Saxon’s mother saw us, and she put on a bright smile as she walked our way, wearing an emerald-green dress that did in fact show a lot more skin than mine did. She also looked amazing in it.

  “Saxon,” she said, fake kissing his cheeks. Then turning to me. “Hello, Haisley. You look lovely.”

  “Thank you,” I replied. “So do you.”

  She held her bright smile, but I could see the disapproval in her eyes. I wasn’t good enough for Saxon. I never would be.

  “Please go mingle,” she said before moving past us to greet someone who had just arrived.

  “This is what she loves,” he whispered, leaning down to me.

  “She’s very good at it,” I told him.

  He didn’t seem impressed. He just nodded his head in agreement.

  We walked into the large living room, where we’d had our meeting, and it had been transformed into something straight out of a magazine.

  “I’m going to get a drink. You want a water? Club soda? I can send someone to get milk from the kitchen if you prefer.”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m fine.” I was afraid I’d spill anything I had on my dress.

  He stepped away, then over to the bar, and I was alone. In the midst of a crowd of strangers. I hoped he hurried.

  “We meet again,” a deep voice said beside me, and I turned to look up at who I thought was Kye.

  Tensing, I shifted away. I didn’t want him to close.

  He chuckled. “You wound me, beautiful. I don’t normally elicit that response from women.”

  I tensed. “Just the ones you gag and hold a gun against their back?” I asked.

  He laughed. I didn’t.

  “Come on now. That was just business. You were safe.”

  I didn’t find the humor in it. I never would.

  He leaned down close to me. “I don’t like that you’re scared of me. Let’s be friends. I’m a great friend,” he said, his voice lowering, as if he meant something else.

  “Kye,” Saxon said, coming up beside me.

  I was right about his name.

  Relieved, I backed up until my back was touching him. His hand slipped around my waist.

  “Don’t let him scare you. He’s full of shit,” Saxon said to me.

  “Looks like you two are cozy again,” Kye said, grinning as he took a drink from his glass. “It’s always good when the parents can get along.”

  “Did you not bring a date?” Saxon asked him.

  Kye shrugged. “Wasn’t in the mood for the drama. Plus, I have to step out early. Genesis needs me.”

  The best friend that everyone thought was more than that, but she was engaged.

  “Wedding plans?” Saxon asked.

  “Something like that,” Kye replied, and his demeanor took a complete one-eighty.

  The easygoing flirt that hinted at the danger underneath now looked damaged and unsettled. Maybe they were onto something with this best friend of his. I just hoped he didn’t end up killing the guy she was engaged to.

  “Saxon.” Declan’s voice made my stomach knot up. “Your mother said she saw you come this way. I’m sorry I’m late.”

  Her eyes went to Saxon’s hand on my stomach, and they widened. Then, she glared at me.

  “Where’s the popcorn when you need it?” Kye drawled.

  “Saxon, we need to talk. Alone,” Declan told him, shifting her hateful glare from me to him.

  “We did that already. You know everything. What more do we need to talk about?” Saxon asked, his hand dropping from me. It was as if he’d slapped me in the face.

  “Yes, we did. But what you told me and what I am seeing are two different things. If she’s some girl you accidentally knocked up and are having to take care of because she’s poor, then why are you touching her like you’re here with her when I’m your date tonight? Our seats at the table are together.”

  I was going to either be sick or cry. Probably both. I needed air. My gaze swung around for an exit, but outside was full of people too.

  “Excuse me,” I said, stepping past Declan and heading in a direction where there were no people.

  I didn’t stop until I made it to an empty hallway. Then, I looked around, opening doors until I found some stairs, and decided to take them. I would mess up my makeup if I cried. I just needed a moment. I could get myself under control. I was tough. I could do this. I would be fine.

  At the top of the stairs was a wider hallway with doors scattered down each side. I stood there, taking several deep breaths, not sure if I should open doors, looking for a bathroom, or just stand here until I was okay to return downstairs.