Uppercut Princess (The Heights Crew #1)(35)

Because that’s what he is. A gangster. I can’t forget that important fact.

I try on a bunch of different outfits. Some of them I put right back on the hangers and move them to the side. They’re just not me. They’re not anything I would wear in a million years. All the while, I make sure I’m focused on what I can move well in. Or outfits I can hide shit in. In this life, I’ll never know what’s going to come at me, so I need to be ready for anything. I can’t be wearing anything too skimpy that I can barely hide my private parts let alone a weapon.

The more and more I try on, the guiltier I feel. How am I going to pay for this? And I’m not talking money. By accepting these clothes, does that mean I’ll have to do something for Johnny? He told me his father ruled I was off-limits for now, but he also said he was an impatient man. I want to be off-limits. I want to have my own say in who I get naked with. Is this just a show? A way for him to get in my good graces, so I don’t notice how terrible he is and fall into bed with him?

I sit on the bench in the room, staring at me in a nice, new outfit. If it comes to it, I’ll have to sleep with Johnny. I don’t know why the realization’s hits me just then, but it hits me hard.

In order to keep up appearances, I’ll have to do things I don’t want to do. Things I wouldn’t do in a million years.

But the outcome will be worth it. Right? I can lose a little bit of myself to save my entire self. That has to be worth it.

In a heartbreaking moment, I wish I could leave. I wish none of this ever had to happen, but that isn’t my lot in life. If Johnny demands sex one day, I’ll crawl into the sheets and spread my legs because I’m “his girl” and being his girl gives me access to the real prize.

Taking back my life.





13





In the end, I come out of the dressing room with three outfits. I checked the tags on them first to make sure that they weren’t super expensive. When I walk out with just the three, Lynette and Glo gape at me. “That’s…all you want?” Lynette asks.

My heart clenches when I realize I’ve offended her, but how can I tell her accepting a bunch of clothes means I’m Johnny’s bitch? Hell, I’m already his bitch. I don’t need to press my luck. The only reason I’m taking three is because if I walk out of here with no clothes, Johnny will be the one who’s offended, and I don’t know how that will work out for me.

I’m distracted, so when I walk into the main area, I don’t immediately realize it’s just Magnum there, standing by the main door like he’s making sure no one else comes in. Beside me, the girls blush, but take my garments over to the marble-topped counter to ring them up. I stand in front of them like I know I’m supposed to, but I also have nothing to pay them with. Well, I do, but it’s all in an account I’m saving for when I have to escape overseas to get away from the mess I’ll be leaving in my wake.

Lynette blushes after she’s finished ringing them up and putting them in a bag. Then, we just stare at one another awkwardly. “I’m sure he’ll be back in a minute,” she says.

There’s no reason for her to be as embarrassed as she is. I take another look at her, seeing how red her cheeks are and realize there’s something I’m not getting. I place my empty water bottle on the counter and turn on my heel to approach Magnum. “Where’s Johnny?”

His face remains stoic. “He’s in the back.”

“Okay…” I move that way. Something’s just not sitting right with me.

Magnum sighs. “Where are you going?”

“To get him,” I say. “I’m sure these ladies don’t want to be waiting all day.”

Magnum grabs my wrist. “You can’t do that.”

“Can’t do what?” I pull out of his grip and keep going.

For his part, he doesn’t try very hard to stop me. Either that, or he’s slow, which I highly doubt. The guy is fucking built. I move into the back of the store and turn in the opposite direction of where they set me up with a dressing room. If he was that way, I would’ve seen him.

A muffled noise reaches my ears. I stop. Magnum almost plows into me. My ears perk up when a breathy moan sounds to my left.

Son of a bitch. How many girls were just out there? Just Lynette and Glo. There was another girl, too.

I step forward, but Magnum’s voice stops me. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“Fuck you,” I snap.

I follow the noise to another fitting room and move the curtain aside. Johnny is balls deep inside Ryn who was helping me pick clothes out not fifteen minutes ago. She squeals and moves to a standing position, dropping her palms from the wall.

Johnny’s dick falls out of her. She covers herself, and if Johnny was half the guy he pretends to be, he’d be helping to cover her himself, but he’s not. Instead, he’s smirking. He leans casually against the wall, letting all of him hang out, and trust me, it’s impossible not to see it. “I thought I told you to keep her away,” Johnny muses, staring daggers at Magnum.

“You saw her fight. She’s squirmy.”

I peek at Mag over my shoulder. He lifts his chin in the air. He’s fucking lying. A big guy like that could’ve stopped me if he really wanted to. Hell, he could’ve tackled and pinned me down, but he didn’t. He only made a mediocre attempt to grab my wrist.