Page 30 of Tell Me No
“You know, it barely covers my ass. So I hope you take a Xanax before we leave,” I shrug, pulling the dress out of my bag and stepping into it. “If you kill somebody tonight, I’m not taking responsibility.”
He coughs, choking down a laugh as he pulls his black slacks up his muscular legs, tucking his white dress shirt in and buckling his belt. Watching his finger work across the buckle is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Hell, everything this man does is fucking sexy.
I sit on the edge of the bed, slipping my black strappy heels on and bending to buckle the side strap. Before I can, he kneels in front of me again, his rough hands gripping my ankle and sliding the buckle into place. I’ve never felt as cherished or wholly taken care of as I do with Jason. He kisses the top of my foot before placing it down on the floor and doing the same with the other side.
“I got you a gift,” he says, and I quirk my eyebrow curiously.
“Why? It’s not my birthday,” I reply with a smile.
“I don’t need a reason to buy a gift for my wife, Aurora,” he says, pulling a rectangular box from his pocket. He pauses for a second, as if he’s savoring the moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of saying that.”
Taking the box from him, I slide the black silk ribbon off the edge and pull the top off. Inside, nestled in white tissue paper, is something I never expected. I’ve never been the kind of girl who wanted flashy jewelry or to be showered with expensive gifts. But this? I’ll take this any day.
I pick up the beautiful silver dagger, the weight slightly more than I expected. The blade is etched with the most beautiful flowers and the handle has a simple phrase engraved into it.
Turn your pain into power
Tears well up in my eyes as I touch the delicate words. My power was stripped from me, ripped away by a demon who doesn’t deserve another ounce of my energy. But with Jason, I feel powerful again. I feel confident and strong, like I can handle anything this world throws at me.
“I know it’s not a typical wedding gift, but I saw it and thought of you. I had the jewelry store engrave it last night. You are the most powerful woman I’ve ever known, Aurora. Like a fucking freight train, I swear. There is nothing you can't overcome. You want to dance? You will dance your fucking heart out knowing that no matter what, you have the power to slay your own demons. There isn’t a moment for the rest of our lives that I won’t have your back, but you are strong enough to do this.” He says, his belief in me lifting a weight off of my heart that’s been shackled to me for years.
“I love you, Jason. Thank you for such an incredible gift,” I reply, kissing him tenderly as I tuck the blade into my clutch.
“I’d kill for you in a fucking second, princess. But I’d hate to stain my shirt. So behave, okay?” He says, standing and offering me a hand up. I smirk up at him but nod.
“Good girl,” he grumbles, bending to kiss me. His lips linger against mine, and I smile a devious smile.
“I love it when you call me a good girl,” I tell him, trailing my hand up his chest. “Because we both know I’m not.”
An hour later, I’m feeling the three glasses of whiskey I’ve already polished off. Ember and I are dancing in the middle of the crowded nightclub while the guys watch from a nearby table. I wave frantically at Kelsea, yelling for her to join us, and she does. It hasn’t escaped my notice that she’s been sipping on club soda all night, and I’m dying to know why. She swaps places with Ember and I pull her back against my front, swaying to the deep bass of the club music.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed!” I shout about the noise, and she swings her head around quickly. Red creeps up her neck as a small smile plays across her lips. She leans in to me, coming closer so we don’t have to scream to hear one another.
“Nothing is for sure. I don’t want to jinx it by getting my hopes up this time. But I’m late again,” she says, barely keeping her beaming smile from breaking through.
“How late? Like a day? Or like LATE late?” I ask, keeping all my fingers crossed for her.
“Late. Over a week now,” she says, biting her lip nervously. Before I can even attempt to control myself, I squeal, pulling her in to a bone-crushing hug. Our group looks over at us curiously, but only Everett shoots me a knowing look.
“Shit, sorry!” I say, releasing her, but still bouncing with excitement. “I’m so freaking excited for you, Kels! This is it. I know it. I feel it in my bones, babe.”
My outburst draws the attention of several people around us, including a man standing off to the side of the dance floor. The way his gaze is locked on me, like a predator stalking its prey, makes me uncomfortable in my skin. I tug at the hem on my dress, cursing Jason for demanding I wear it. Ive always known men look at me. I know I’ve got the toned body of a dancer, even though I haven’t trained in years. But the way his eyes slither over me makes me feel dirty, like I need to hide.
Grabbing Kelsea’s hand, I tug her towards the table before the man can make a move in our direction. I curl into Jason’s side, his hand immediately wrapping around my waist, fingers splaying across my hip in a protective gesture. Sensing my unease, his eyes scan over me, locking on to mine and seeing my concern.
“What happened?” He says, his fingers digging in a little more severely.
“Nothing. There was just this guy. He was just staring at me… I don't know… just made me really uncomfortable,” I tell him, trying to force a reassuring smile.
“What guy? Do you see him now?” He asks, standing so abruptly I have to hold on to his arm to keep from toppling over in my heels. He scans the crowd, looking for anyone who seems out of place.
“Honey, it was nothing. Seriously, just let it go,” I tell him, pushing him back into his seat with a kiss on his cheek. “I’m gonna run to the bathroom, okay?”
“I’ll go with you,” he says, standing again and I roll my eyes.
“Jason, no. You cannot follow me into the bathroom in public. Kels and Ember can come with me, okay? Strength in numbers,” I say, doing my best to sound reassuring.
I grab my clutch off the table, snagging Kelsea’s hand as I walk away. Ember stumbles behind her, obviously a little more than tipsy. We push through the crowd, making our way to the bathroom in the back hallway. My phone vibrates in my clutch, the ringtone for my mom blaring through the speaker.
