Page 27 of Prettiest Little Thief (Band of Thieves #1)
Lucas wasn’t kidding when he said a couple of phone calls would have everything taken care of.
The designer who had helped me with the dress for the masquerade was back at the house within hours.
Fox and Evie were both informed of the wedding, and the forms for the marriage license were processed.
The only thing left for me to worry about was my hair and makeup.
Lucas said he could have some people over to help put me together, but Evie was a damn magician when it came to cosmetics and hairstyling.
Besides, I needed to unload all of the thoughts in my head before it exploded.
“Are you sure you want to marry Lucas?” Evie asked.
“Do I have a choice?” I stared at her in the mirror as she got to work on my hair.
“There’s always a choice, amore.”
The feelings for Lucas that crept beneath my shield may have been plain to see for a lot of people. But saying it aloud was another story. If I told Evie how right it felt to go through with this, there would be no turning back for me. If Lucas didn’t feel the same, it would break something in me.
The truth was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back down .
“That’s the thing, there isn’t. If I don’t marry him, then the Crimsons will be after me. At least once we’re divorced, I’ll be free to go back to school and start living again.” My hands fidgeted in my lap.
Evie sighed. “And you’re okay with all of this?”
“At this point, what else can I do? I’m a target, and I can’t drag anyone else down with me. Especially you. That night, I was so afraid that you were going to get wrapped up in my drama with the brotherhood.” My eyes burned but I took a deep breath.
Evie set the curling iron down. She placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me a light squeeze. “I would go through it all with you. You’re my ride or die, bitch.”
A choked laugh came from me, almost knocking away the need to cry. “You don’t deserve that. It’s my problem.”
“Something else is bothering you. You never get this emotional without a good reason. What’s going on?” She came to stand in front of me, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms over her chest.
I shook my head and stared down at my hands in my lap. “So much has happened in the last couple of weeks. The accident, jail, the Crimsons… Frankie.”
“Oh. I see. Frankie is the problem.” Anger burned in her brown eyes.
“He’s a part of it. It’s just so weird not having him around anymore.”
“He left you, Roe. He doesn’t deserve your tears.” Evie was right. I knew she was, but it didn’t stop the ache that had settled in my sternum from the loss of such a lengthy friendship.
“I know. I know. I’m just being a big crybaby.” I wiped the tear away that had slipped past my lashes .
“No, you’re human. You have every right to be upset. But promise me something.” She ran her fingers through my strands.
“What?”
“If you see him again, punch him in his fucking face for me.” We giggled together, and the sadness in me lessened. I needed to focus on what was in front of me. Not the past. Not Frankie. If he had been a true friend, he would have called by now. He would have made sure I was okay. But he hadn’t.
I straightened and dabbed at the corners of my eyes one last time before exhaling. “I promise.”
“Good.” A smile graced her beautiful face. “Now, let’s make that fiancé of yours drop to his knees to worship you when he sees you.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“I went to your place and found a sexy little lingerie set to go underneath your dress.” Evie was the only other person who had a key to my apartment. In case of an emergency.
And, apparently, sexy chonies were an emergency.
“We didn’t discuss that.”
Her brow arched. “I know you’ve had the hots for daddy Knight the moment you laid eyes on him. I’m surprised you guys haven’t gone to pound town yet.”
I laughed. “We hated each other.”
“Hate sex is always the best.” She grinned.
“We don’t hate each other now. I think we’re past that.”
“With the way he stares at you, and you stare back,” she shook her head. “I can’t imagine why you guys didn’t just get to it already.”
“What do you mean? I don’t stare at him.” My cheeks burned hot, and when I glanced at myself in the mirror, it was obvious I was blushing .
“Mija, don’t try lying to me. Fox and I both know that you and Lucas have something going on. You just haven’t admitted it to yourself or each other yet.” She rolled her eyes.
I fidgeted in my chair as Evie stood behind me once more and sprayed a mist over the frizzy pieces of my hair.
“Do you think he would want to?” I asked.
She barked out a laugh. “There isn’t a man alive who would deny taking you to bed. You’re gorgeous. You have a beautiful face and kick ass body. An amazing personality and heart. He’s lucky. It’s more than Frankie ever deserved.”
“You’re my best friend. You’re biased.” I stared at my finished hair and makeup in the mirror.
“Roe, if I were gay, I would totally make you my girlfriend.” We both burst out into a fit of laughter.
When our laughter calmed, I asked, “What’s going on with you and Fox?”
Evie’s smile dropped. “I don’t know. He’s so hot and cold. One minute he can’t get enough of me and the next he puts up a wall between us.”
My brows pulled into a frown. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No. I don’t want to get into this on your wedding day.” Evie adjusted my hair around my shoulders.
“You act like it’s a real marriage.”
Evie smiled wickedly. “It is a real wedding. Now, let’s get that sexy little panty set on you.”