hell no,” I yell, racing after him. He gets away from me but I’m determined to say my peace. He turns into the massive kitchen, most likely on his way to lock himself in the den so he doesn’t have to deal with me, but after a few weeks of living in this place, I’ve learned a few tricks.
By the time Colton is walking through the door of the den, I'm already there, staring at him and waiting ever so impatiently. His eyes widen in surprise before he narrows them at me with his usual tough-guy act.
“What the hell is your problem?” I demand. “You don’t get to make those kinds of demands. I’m not going to the party with you. Besides, Harrison said it was double time and I need the money.”
“You’re going to the party.”
“You’re right, I am because I’ll be working at it.”
“You’re not fucking working at the party. If you need the money so badly then you can help with preparations and with the clean up on Sunday. Besides, Harrison never lets the staff do both the party and the cleanup.”
“But …”
“No. You’re coming.”
I stare at him, my brows pinched with confusion. “I don't understand you,” I tell him. “Why do you want me there? Every chance you get you’re pushing me away. You’re usually desperate to have me anywhere but near you and now this? You’re giving me whiplash. I can’t keep up with you.”
Colton lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through his messy hair as his eyes soften and he lets go of that hard-ass exterior. “Just … please.”
My brow raises. I did not just hear that correctly, did I?
“But why? Why do you want me there?”
He shakes his head, silently begging me not to ask him that question. There’s strange desperation behind his eyes and something tells me that he’s just as terrified of the answer as I am, so for once, I do him a favor and leave it.
My eyes drop to my hands. “Even if I wanted to go, I can’t.”
His voice is low and grumbly and at this moment he seems like a complete stranger to the already confusing version of Colton Carrington that I’ve come to know. “Why not?”
“I don’t have a dress or a mask so I’d look even more out of place than what I do now, and in case you haven’t noticed, being different around here is cause for humiliation.”
“You know the guys at school are only dickheads to you because they want you and know that they don’t stand a chance.”
I raise my chin and meet his eyes. “And you?”
Colton sighs and dips his fingers into the pocket of his school slacks before pulling out a familiar little card. He hands it to me and I take it in confusion. “Buy yourself a gown and anything else you need.”
I look down at the card in my hand before trying to hand it back. “I can’t do that. It’s not my money to spend.”
“You can and you will,” he murmurs, his voice impossibly lower. “Someone as beautiful as you should not be in a borrowed dress. You deserve the most expensive gown at the party.”
With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me gaping after him, unsure why my heart is racing so fast, but needing to put it to the back of my mind before I race after him and throw myself into his inviting arm, I pull out my phone.
It rings twice before Milo’s voice comes hollered through the phone. “What’s up, bitch?”
“The masquerade party just got put forward to this weekend and guess who was given a Carrington credit card to go and buy the most expensive gown she can find?”
“No way,” he screeches, excitedly. “WE’RE GOING SHOPPING!”
Chapter 29
The Rinaldi’s limousine pulls into the long driveway that leads down to the Carrington mansion and stops by the gate, marking our names off the guest list.
Butterflies swarm through my stomach. I’ve never officially been on a guest list like this before. I mean, I guess I kinda was for the black and white party but that doesn’t really count. Charles added me on as an afterthought for that one and I felt as though I was playing Cinderella going to the ball, but tonight, I feel as though I belong here.
My white-gloved hands trail over my silk gown and I catch myself glancing down at the golden material as it frames my body just right. I feel like a fucking princess.
Milo