NINE: BELLE

DANICA

I looked around.

Belle.

"You brought me to a spa?" I asked looking around.

"Well it's not just a spa," he replied with a shrug.

"Asher you have to stop doing this," I said in a half whisper.

"Doing what?"

"You know exactly what I mean," I replied.

"Danica it's fine. I don't want you to worry about anything." I wasn't worried. He just made me feel more and more like a burden.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked.

"I closed down the place for today so you can be comfortable," he mumbled rubbing the back of his neck.

"What?!" I exclaimed, but a smile tugged at my lips.

"How did... Oh," I sighed.

"You own this place too."

"Ash!" Someone shouted from behind us.

The owner of the voice walked over to us and I assumed immediately that she worked there because she was in a pink uniform.

"When did you get back?" She asked.

"Umm... Danica, this is Janvier—"

"But don't call me that!" She cut in.

"It's Jay. Welcome to BELLE. Come on we're gonna be best friends for the day. I'll show you around, we'll get you all fixed up. Your hair is a mess. We need to get that brown skin glowing!"

She dragged me away energetically.

I glanced at Asher who nodded and waved with a small smile.

This should be fun.

"Girl, ditch the hoodie and leggings," she said handing be a big, fluffy towel that matched the color of her uniform.

She rolled her eyes and turned around as I stripped.

"Done."

She turned around and led me into a steaming room.

"I'll leave you in here for twenty minutes. Try to relax," she said walking away.

"You're not staying with me?" I asked.

"I came here to work not to relax," she replied.

"I won't tell if you don't," I said with a shrug.

"I like you already," she said with a smile.

Soon were both relaxed in the steaming room.

"So you and Asher seem close," I started breaking the comfortable silence.

"We are. We've been friends since we were kids," she replied with a smile.

"I guessed as much. You're the only person I've seen talking to him like that"

"And you're the only person he's ever come here for." She sat up straight and stared at me.

"What?" I asked sitting up.

She shook her head "nothing."

DING!

"Time up!" She said getting up.

I followed her out and she handed me a robe.

I put it on and she did same.

...

The rest of the day consisted of skin treatments, manicures and pedicures.

Jay talked a lot and I just smiled at her little outbursts.

I'd hate to see someone like her angry.

But it was so easy to talk to her. And any normal person would've sensed the beginning of an awesome friendship.

Except, I'm not normal don't know if I can handle any relationship

I shook my head, discarding the thought of it.

She has enough friends, dumbass. Why would she want you?

My subconscious snickered and walked away.

Thankfully, she didn't ask about my scars and didn't notice the words engraved on my arm.

The end of the day was getting closer much to my dismay. At this point, I felt I had escapes from my bitter reality into another. Like a child, not wanting my play date to end.

"Do you think I'm a little... Too much?" Jay asked randomly.

"Well, yeah," I replied

"Bitch?! Excuse you?" A small laugh escaped from my lips.

"I mean, that's what makes you yourself right? You're loud, you're funny and you seem like the kind that's doesn't take bullshit—"

"Damn right!" She exclaimed cutting me off.

"But I'd rather be around you than anyone else," I finished with a smile.

She eyed me trying not to smile.

"You really mean that?" She asked dropping the nail polish and giving into the smile.

"Of course. Besides, everyone else is boring anyways."

She laughed.

"Let's go. We need to fix that nest on top of your head," she said getting up.

"You mean my silky, elegant hair?" I joked.

She gave me a look that said, no.

"I'm the badest bitch at makeovers!" She exclaimed, walking away.

We reached the hair saloon section and she motioned for me to sit.

"I still don't get why Ash had me cover up all the mirrors," she said picking up a hair brush.

I started at the curtain covering up the mirror in front of me.

"That's my fault actually. I..." I trailed off with a sigh. I couldn't even say it without feeling like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.

"I get triggered every time I face a mirror."

There was a moment of silence before she burst out laughing.

I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"What?"

"You're messed up," she stated once she'd calmed down.

"You have no idea."

"Nice tattoo by the way," she added.

I shook my head.

"Why a droplet though?" She asked referring to the permanent mark on my neck.

I shrugged.

"I guess it just has many meanings to me," I replied, partly lying because I wasn't willing to go into the full story. We fell into a comfortable silence.

After a lot of pulling, tugging, stretching and burning, she asked what I wanted to do with my hair.

"You've got some really nice hair," she stated.

"Thanks," I replied.

"Well it's all straightened out now. I guess you could go with the sleek ponytail look?" She asked holding up the hair extensions.

I nodded.

...

A few hours later we were done. She even put makeup on me no matter how much I protested.

Still in our robes, we walked to the clothing section.

I changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a high neck body con top while Jay put her uniform back on.

She flashed me a mysterious grin.

"Shopping time!" She exclaimed literally running through the clothes.

We spent another hour grabbing whatever Jay thought would look good on me. Clothes, shoes, lingerie, bags, makeup...

"Jay I'm not the one paying for these you have to slow down," I said.

"You know imma show up and borrow most of these," she replied laughing.

"Besides, whatever the amount of all of this, Ash makes in two hours."

I gaped at her as she ran off into another store.

...

"I'm hungry," I said.

"Me too," she replied.

Her phone buzzed.

"It's Ash. He's asking if he should send a car right now" she said looking at the text.

"Yeah," I said with a nod.

She replied the text and giggled after her phone buzzed a few minutes later.

NOIR

"Hey Ash," Neil said walking into the living room with a grin.

I sipped my coffee, refusing to look up from the screen of my laptop.

"What?" I growled.

"Well you don't have to be so mean," he scoffed.

He stared at me as if trying to figure our what I was doing.

"Why the fuck are you staring at me like that?" I asked, taking another sip.

He shook his head with his signature smirk.

He opened his mouth to make a witty remark but froze, gaping at whatever was behind me.

I frowned and turned around, almost choking.

I set the mug down slowly and got up, taking in her appearance. She looked down with a shy smile.

With all the hair out of her face I realized she was ten times more beautiful than I thought. The ponytail was straight, down to her waist, drawing attention to her curves. And those damn lips...

"Stop staring at me," she said covering her face with her palms. That small gesture spread warmth inside me.

"Yeah Ash," Neil spoke up from behind me.

"Stop staring," he added walking closer to her.

I flipped him off and walked back to where I was seated, grabbing my laptop.

I could only hope that she couldn't see my heart beating through my chest.

I tried to stay calm and collected but I was a mess on the inside.

once seated, I looked back up at her.

"You look—"

"Fucking amazing," Neil added, cutting me off.

He leaned and whispered something in her ear once he was close enough. She blushed a bit harder before standing on the tips of her toes to whisper something back.

Anger seeped through my veins and I endured an inner battle to contain it.

I cleared my throat, shoving away my annoyance.

She looked up at me through thickened lashes.

"Come here," I said holding out my hand. She took it, wrapping her newly manicured fingers around mine with a smile.

We walked past Neil, earning a scowl from him. I smirked, leading her up the stairs.

You want to play, Neil? Game on.

I opened the door to my study, gesturing for her to walk in.

I closed the door behind us.