Althena Book 2

101. Lovely

After school on Monday, I go to the dress shop with Lila, Hanorah, and Saray. Hanorah picks a baby blue princess gown. I think she just wants to feel like a princess for the night. Saray gets a black halter dress with a lot of shimmer. It has a little train on it and slit up the side. It is pretty and it fits her well. Finally, we pick out our shoes and purses, then go to the jewelry store.

Hanorah picks out a silver sparkly necklace and bracelet. Saray falls in love with an anklet. Then I fall in love with about 12 rings. Lila's on the phone with her dad again.

I call Dacious to see if he would approve it.

"Hello, Thena."

I hear Conner. "Why is she calling you?"

"Saray fell in love with an anklet. I think you said if she needs anything else, it's ok. But I wanted to make sure before we bill you."

He says, "They're in the jewelry store."

"DON'T TELL ON ME."

He chuckles. "I'll come over and look."

"Fine." I hang up. "He wants to see it before he buys it."

"No. Never mind." She hands it back. "I didn't mean to cause anything or waste his time. I don't need anything."

"You're not wasting his time. They take it as a quest to get us out of the jewelry store."

"PLEASE DADDY." Lila starts sobbing.

I shake my head. "Maybe it is a quest." I spot some pink stones and run over to them. I love pink. I pick out a whole set. This is the best color ever.

Then Monte pulls me away. He whispers in my ear. "Order jewelry online."

"But it's pink."

"You can still order it."

"I want it now."

He crosses his arms. "We need to set up another drawing for the casino too."

"Well, I'm not giving this away."

"Woman," He grabs my wrist. "Order this online. At my house."

I get it now. He wants me to order it with Edwardo's card. That is smart. "But I need it. I can't wait."

"You can wait a little bit. This way you can be sure to get the whole set too."

"Monte, it's pink."

"It'll still be pink."

"1 thing?" I put my bottom lip out and let it tremble.

"Just 1."

"I NEED THAT RING RIGHT THERE." I jump to the counter and point at it.

"Yes, ma'am."

Dacious pops up beside me rubbing his face. "What did she want?"

Saray runs over. "Nothing. I don't want anything. I shouldn't have even been looking. We're here for them. I already have my stuff."

"Look, pink." I point.

Saray's eyes about pop out, and she is like a magnet.

"Pull that anklet she likes please."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Here is your ring."

I put it on my finger. "I love pink."

Monte chuckles and pulls me outside.

Lila's all smiles. "Clayton bought me a ring and bracelet to go with my necklace."

"That was sweet."

Hanorah is already in the helicopter. She's ready to go home.

Dacious comes out with his arm around Saray. She's holding her bag and sobbing.

"Can I go shopping now?"

Monte rubs his face. "Give me an hour then we can meet in Mystical Moon."

"Why don't we all go?" I guess Clayton heard that. He's staring at us. "Shopping for what?"

"We have to pick out the casino prize for the next drawing." Monte checks his phone.

"You want to see Mystical Moon?" Dacious rubs Saray's back.

She sobs out, "I need to take care of my brother. I can't."

"Next time."

Monte holds up his phone to Clayton. "I'm thinking something like this."

"I'm buying all the f*****g tickets."

The boys laugh and I peek. It's a sports car of some kind.

Monte helps me in the helicopter. "I'll be in Mystical Moon in an hour. I'll see you then."

Lila smiles. "Can I come too?"

"Of course you can. Everyone else who shows up can roam around while we pick a prize."

"OH." I spin around. "Clayton, just go buy the earrings now, or you'll be doing this again tomorrow."

Lila turns bright red.

Saray burst out laughing through the sobs. "He's your daddy now. Call him instead."

I laugh so hard Monte has to catch me from falling out of the helicopter. Lila jumps in and hides.

Clayton can't stop grinning like an i***t. Lila will not come out of her hiding spot. Saray is sobbing and laughing. Dacious is trying to pull her together. Monte has hold of me, so I don't fall over. I'm laughing so damn hard.

Monte picks me up and puts me in my seat. "We're not holding it together very well. I'll see you in an hour."

Dacious carries Saray in and buckles her straps. "Thank you. You're so nice."

Lila yells from somewhere, "He's your daddy now."

Saray and I lose it. We hold each other and laugh. We're halfway home before we stop.

We get our prom stuff put away, then Lila and I leave for Mystical Moon. Monte and Clayton are already there when we land.

She gives me a dirty look. "You said he wouldn't be here."

I drink some water and try not to laugh. "I said probably. It was just a joke anyway. You'll be fine." We get out of the helicopter and I can't look at Clayton. If I do, I'll laugh. My eyes start to water.

"We'll find you soon." Monte grabs my arm.

Lila puts her hands on her hips. "Yea, go with your daddy."

I crack and laugh.

Monte pulls me. "You're the one doing it. She was trying. Clayton, show her the play park."

"Yea, we'll figure it out. We'll calm down."

Monte takes me to his house. I calm down while he gets the credit card. Then he sits on the couch with the laptop. He points it at me and it's the pink jewelry.

I nearly sit on his lap. "I love pink."

"Let's spend some of your dad's money."

He rubs my back while I put nearly everything in the cart. Then he brings up some designer clothes websites. I order those and shoes. I get some skin care items. We spend a lot of money, but it all has to be delivered to Edwardo's house.

"Don't worry about it for now. I'll run up and get it after it's all delivered."

"How long will it take?"

He moves my hair and stares at my neck. "A monthish."

He is so unbelievably sexy. His shoulders are amazing. My eyes move from his neck to his lips and I feel myself getting closer. "That's not too long."

He swallows hard and sits up. "Let's pick out the prize for the casino drawing." He blinks a few times and brings up a car website. "This would be amazing, but it cost 3 million."

"That's a lot more than the first drawing."

"Yea, it's more of a risk. But we can buy tickets with Edwardo's money. It takes the risk out."

"I think it's perfect. It seems like something people would buy a ticket for."

"That's what I figured. We can do another boat in the summer." He rubs my back again. "Let's see who is all asking for donations." We donate to a few places, then he takes the card back.

"DO YOU HAVE A BOTTLE OF WATER?"

"YEA, FRIDGE."

He comes back after a minute and puts his hand on my hip to lead me out. "I'll order the car tomorrow. That way I'll be there when it's delivered. Then we can start selling tickets."

I can't help myself. It's like someone else takes over. I turn and kiss him.

His arms tighten around me, and he sits me on the bar. My shoes fall to the floor and I use my legs to pull him closer. I kiss his neck and he nibbles my jaw. I try to push his shirt off, and he's gone.

"THEY WILL KILL YOU." Clayton shoves him into a chair. Then he pushes me at Lila. "Take her and go somewhere else."

Lila pulls me halfway to the park without saying anything.

"I didn't hear you come in."

"You left the door open. We walked up on the porch and saw what was going on."

"We may have gone a little overboard."

"You need to get his scent off you. It's strong."

"I have more clothes at granny's."

"Do you have some extra shoes? Heels in the woods aren't good."

"Yea."

We get to granny's. Her and Phira each put an eyebrow up as we walk by.

We change in my bedroom. "Did you get everything worked out with Clayton?"

"We're friends."

I roll my eyes. "At least that's something."

"I like him though."

"You'll figure it out. What were you doing?"

"Walking around the woods talking. It is pretty here." We get outside. "You still smell like him even with different clothes on."

"If I take a shower, I'll seem guilty as hell. Nothing screams guilt like an afternoon shower at granny's."

She laughs and pulls me. "We saw the river training course. We can get his scent off in the water. I'll throw you in by accident."

A long sigh comes out of my throat. "Lovely."

We take the shoes off and play on the balance beams. "This stuff is really fun."

"I know. But they only train with it."

"You're boys are here." I get knocked off and go fully under. "Sorry, I slipped."

"Uh huh." I look and my boys, Dacious, Monte, and Clayton are watching us. Clayton is laughing his ass off. I roll my eyes and climb back up.

She shoves me in again. Then she helps me up. "This might take a few times. It's getting better though."

"At least there's that. Let's do the course from here."

"I want to do the rappel part."

We get to the tower thing and a warrior comes with us. He puts a harness on Lila. The boys are starting to play on the course too. I watch them while he does that. But I take the wrong step and down I go. I don't know how far I fall, but I slam into the water on my back. It does not feel good. I think it knocks the wind out of me and my body inhales hard. But all it gets is water.

"You're alright." A warrior picks me up. He doesn't put me down until I'm on the grass. I cough and throw up. All the water comes out.

"You're ok." Monte grabs my arm and rubs my back. I wrap around him and cry. He hoists me up. "I know that hurts. Try to calm down."

"Babygirl, you weren't supposed to take the express route down." Mike takes me and holds me against him. "Breathe with me, baby. You're going to hyperventilate." I close my eyes and focus on him.

"Is she alright?" Drogon rubs my hair.

"She's fine. Just needs to calm down."

I spend the rest of the time we're there stuck like glue to Mike's chest. He doesn't seem to mind though. He carries me around and loves on me.