CHAPTER 7

I get into my room and my dress is hanging on my wardrobe. It's dark green and very long. It has a silky material and looks really good. The straps are made with diamonds and with it they have given me a silver bag to match the straps. The heels are really pretty too. Shiny.

I get ready all day to look perfect. I put on my makeup then on with my dress. I look at myself in the mirror. I don't think I've ever felt prettier. I smile at myself in the mirror. The only thing now is to zip the dress.

My hands won't reach my back. And I don't want anyone doing it for me. They will see the scars my father left me. I try again and again. Trying to reach the zipper.

"Fucking zipper" I shout getting annoyed.

"You need help with that?" Rexford says from behind me. How long has he been there? I nod and hesitate to move my hair. Hoping the dress covers my scars.He walks up behind me standing so very close. He puts his hand on the zipper but stops there. His eyes are staring at my back. Slowly his fingers touch my back. Following the scars with his fingers. "Please don't" I say as a whisper. He stops and zips my dress.

I turn around and face him, eyes closed. "Who did this to you?" He demands. I shake my head not wanting to tell him. I try to smile. "Is it true what my father said, that you get hit at home?" Rexford asks. I don't answer but it's enough for him. "I'll kill him" he says but I shake my head. "It's not that easy. He swore that if we ever did something to him he would kill all of us."

"He has guys who will finish what he didn't. My family will die, whatever you do you can't kill him. Trust me I've wanted to." I say out of fear. He sighs, getting frustrated. His hands clenched into fists. "I will do it Lucy '' he says, not listening to me. "No Rexford you have to trust me on, he won't ever hurt anyone again, I can't put my family in danger" I say stopping every plan he had to kill father. He clenches his jaw out of anger. "I won't kill him now he ever touches you again I will make him regret it" he says. Since when did he care so much about my life? I don't know what got into me but I lean in on him. Resting my head on his chest.

I realize what I'm doing and back off quickly. "I didn't mean to do that" I say and we both try to not think much about it when we leave the house.

This place is like a castle. So big stairs down to the dance floor. A big chandelier at the center of the room. People laughing and talking. I've never been to a ball before. Rexford leaves me to talk to some guys about business I think.

I walk around the place. The buffet looked delicious. I take two plates and fill them with food. Walking back to Rexford I interrupt their conversation. "I got us some food, can we sit down for a minute?" I say to him as I smile at the other guys. "Talk to you later" he says to the guys and we walk to a table to sit down.

I place the plates in front of us. He only looks at his plate. "I didn't know what you liked so I got you all '' I say as I start to eat. He takes some bites of his food then stops eating. "You got me like the whole table" he says and I smile. "Yea so eat it don't waste it." I say.

Now go play: perfect by Ed Sheeran! Trust me it's worth it.

After a while he stands up. "What are you doing?" I asked him. "Asking my wife to dance with me" he says teasingly. I take his hand as we walk up to the dance floor. It's fun how everyone here thinks we are a couple but the truth is we don't even like each other. We hate being around each other. We were both forced to do this and just play along.

He carefully places his hands on my back. I place mine over his shoulders connecting them behind his head. We are closer than ever. Eyes staring into each other. We rock back and forth to the music. His hand drops a little further down. Almost touching my ass. "What are you doing?" I say. "Showing everyone your mine" he says, making my cheeks heat up.Shut up move your hands" I say and so he does. I like when he does as I say. I laugh at that. And he watches me laugh.

Looking only at him makes me realize he would not hurt me and I'm sure of that now. "Did you know no one at school dares to talk with me or even come close to me after what you did to Jayden." I tell him, staring into his eyes.

"They better not," he says. He steps a little closer to make it seem like we are in love. "I'm getting used to you around me and that never happens" he admits. "Really" I say heat running up my face. Hoping the makeup covers the redness. Why am I blushing?

"Even with all the talking" I say because I know how much he hates it when I talk. He nods as we keep on dancing. "We are good at this don't you think?" I ask. "Yea and the fact that we can do this even when we hate one another is impressive" he says and this time I nod in response.

He nods and smiles this time exposing his perfectly straight teeth. "I like when you smile '' tell him. But it fades as quickly as it showed.

When the song ends we walk back to our seats. But something stops me in place. Jayden is here kissing another girl.