Page 75 of On Edge

“Donotleave here without me. Call me when you’re done. Actually, just keep hold of my card. I’ll find you.” And then he’s gone, leaving me his gunmetal Meridian Vaults bank card burning holes in his jacket pocket.

For the rest of the afternoon, I’m trapped between Lauren and Carly as they fuss over every part of my body and abuse Troy’s card to death. When it’s all over, both stylists wish me the best of luck and remind me that the new wardrobe will be delivered tomorrow, then they release me back into the store.

I wander on my own for a bit. I can’t call Troy to come and get me because I don’t have his phone number. Well, not one that I’m supposed to know.During the fittings, I hid Troy’s phone and the other items Nola gave me inside my shopping bag, but now they are back down my pants. With Troy’s jacket, the bulge they make is less visible.

I’m running a hand over a beautiful hand-carved rocking chair when I hear, “You spent over a hundred grand; what more could you possibly need?”

Shit. I didn’t realize it was that much. Lauren and Carly just kept throwing clothing options at me, and to speed things up, I just kept saying yes to it all.

I look over my shoulder to see Troy, working obviously, set up at one of the coffee tables in the furniture section with his laptop and cup of coffee. I’m fairly sure you’re not supposed to do that, but no one seems to have informed him.

“Honestly, I don’t need any of it. You can take it back.”

He raises his brows. “And what would you wear instead?”

I glance down at the clothes that Kathy lent me. “This?”

Troy narrows his eyes. “You look like you made it from curtains.”

“It belongs to Kathy.” It’s a chenille top in a flowery print with matching trousers, neither of which is in my size or my style.

“Well, that explains it. Kathy loves making her clothes from old curtains, especially those from my mother’s old linen chest. I prefer not to have flashbacks of my childhood horror stories when I look at you. In fact, you should take that off and change into one of your new outfits.”

“Why?”

“Because I just spent a hundred grand and I want to see what I paid for. Plus, I really want my jacket back.”

“I-I can’t get undressed here.” I cross my arms, hoping he won’t try to drag the jacket off me

“Is that a challenge?”

Immediately, I regret the choice of words out of my mouth. “Then, how about you don’t look at me.”

He rolls his eyes again, but then he looks me up and down, his gaze drinking me all the way in. I bite my lip. I hate it when he looks at me like that.

No, you love it.

“You’re…hard to miss. Even lost inside my jacket.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing. Come on. I need a drink.”

I follow Tory to a very glamorous cocktail bar on the ground floor. The host knows Severin by name and even has a table in the corner ready for him.

We each take a seat, and Troy orders himself a White Hart and then looks at me. “Would you like a drink, Sage?”

“Not really.”

He raises a brow. “Not really?”

I don’t want to say my mother wouldn’t allow me, so I smile and choose something called a Sour Temple. When it comes, it’s bright red with glazed fruit on top and tastes like sour cherries. I absolutely love it.

“Another one?” Troy asks when I’ve downed my second.

“I shouldn’t.”

He cocks his head. “You keep saying that. And yet, here we are—two drinks in and no regrets. Imagine the damage you’ll do when youshould.”