Damaged Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,40

comes to the door with a dress for you?”

“Your point?”

“Oh, I have lots of points to make, Winter.”

“I’m going to a thing with them,” I said. “Some kind of rich people event. Some ball or something.”

“Right,” my mother said. “I think I know the one. Believe it or not, I used to have to work a little.”

“Shocker.”

“I know, right? I worked a few of those balls. Just handing out drinks. Flirting. Looking for someone with a big wallet and a stupid heart.”

“Like Dad?” I asked.

“You know, I did love him at one point.”

“No, you didn’t. You loved his money. You had me. That’s all you needed.” I turned around. “And, wait, you ran out of money at one point?”

“No,” she said. “I just wanted more. Your father had a rough couple years where things slowed down. He was even considering selling the house. But he told me how much it meant to you. So I half thought about supporting myself so he could support you. Glad that feeling passed.”

“Wow. Even when you try to sound nice, you’re still evil.”

My mother shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not fake, Winter. This…” She pointed to the dress. “This is fake.”

“This is a plan,” I said.

“This is a plan?” she asked with a laugh. “What plan is that?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I spun around. I stared at myself in the mirror. The dress was black. It kind of shined in the light too. It fit me perfectly. There was nothing perverted about it at all. The perfect length. No cleavage. I mean… Easton did a good job.

“Should I unzip it now?” my mother asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Thanks.”

She pulled at the zipper and I put my hands to my chest.

“Ugh, Winter, you are so beautiful,” she said. “I mean, I know I made you and all… but thank goodness you didn’t get your father’s looks.”

“Wow. That is really mean.”

“It’s the truth. Can you imagine if you looked like him? Those guys would not be flocking to the door with flowers and dresses. You wouldn’t have a Troc sneaking around here either.”

“Okay, stop talking,” I said. “I need to get changed. Okay?”

“Sure thing,” she said. She walked to the doorway and then paused. “Oh, wait, I almost forgot. There was a reason I came up here.”

“Which is what?”

“Something else was just delivered for you.”

I hurried to get out of the black dress from Easton and get back into my normal clothes.

I raced down the main steps to the front door.

When I opened it, there was nothing there.

I stepped outside and looked around.

The only thing there was Easton’s gross cigarette butt.

I kicked at it with my foot.

“Winter,” my mother’s voice echoed.

I looked back.

“It’s in here,” she said. “I have it hanging up for you.”

I shut the front door and walked into the kitchen.

There was a dress waiting for me.

Hanging on a small hook in the wall.

It was covered up.

A note pinned to it.

Your dress. I need this back. And my hoodie.

I caught myself smiling.

“Look at your face right now,” my mother said.

“Shut up,” I snapped at her.

“Is that any way to talk to your mother?”

I reached for the zipper and pulled it down.

I sucked in a breath at the sight of a navy blue dress.

It was soft and smooth. Nothing really fancy about it, but the color and the feel was just…

“Wow,” I whispered.

“You better try it on,” my mother said. “I’ll wait here so I can zip you up.”

I took the dress off the hook and walked to the bathroom just off the kitchen.

I turned on the light and shook my head.

This was really happening.

Noah, Easton, and Xavier were violent. They were mean. Evil. They were bullies times ten. If it wasn’t for their families’ money and power they probably would have been in jail.

And now, suddenly they can show this softer side?

To pick out a dress for me?

We just talked about the ball last night… which told me they had this planned for a while now.

I took a deep breath and stripped out of my clothes again.

This dress had no straps.

It was meant to rest on my arms.

So I kind of looked goofy wearing a bra with the dress. But I didn’t want to take my bra off like I did with the other dress, in case I popped out again.

The sides on my arms and across my chest were slightly ruffled, but not in an annoying way.

The dress was comfortable.

I felt a little more exposed in this one than the one Easton gave me.

I walked out