The footsteps sounded coming down the hall and I straightened up in my seat throwing on a soft smile which caused Julian to raise an eyebrow at me, but I ignored his questioning stare. When the footsteps stop we all look back to the door to see Mr. Pierce smiling “good morning, sorry we had to leave so early” he laughed while moving towards his seat at the table. “Your mother went up to bed Amara, she’s been weirdly tired lately” he said looking a bit in thought and inside I wanted to laugh at his statement but instead all that passes my lips is a light hum. “I would like it if the two of us talked, got to know each other a bit more, and maybe did lunch for you, me and the boys” he said in a questioning tone and I looked over at him with the smile on my face still present. “Really?” I ask with a small laugh “well I think that would be nice Mr. Pierce” I said respectfully and a smile broke out on his face and I watched him nod. “Alright, why don’t you finish breakfast and then mee
Standing up I stretch my arms above my head causing my back to pop and me to let out a satisfied groan at the release of my joints. Deciding to keep the long sleeve shirt on I change into a pair of plain black jeans, not needing to be real fancy for the restaurant making me feel slightly relieved along with the fact that my mother wouldn’t be going making some of the pressure fall from my shoulders. Walking into the bathroom I put my hair up into a ponytail before checking my face, I didn’t put makeup on this morning but my hair was down and covering most of my face and anything would probably be chalked up to a shadow if it was seen but if anyone realized anything nothing was said. The marks weren’t too bad, the fingerprints on my face were barely present but the bruises were there nonetheless, the mark of my mothers slap last night was closer to my ear so no one had realized it. Pulling out some concealer I begin putting it on my marks and blending it in with the rest of my skin
The next day came rather quickly leading me to where I am now, sitting in a boutique watching my mother try on wedding dress after wedding dress even though she has about six at home. When I brought that up she yelled at me, saying it was bad luck to wear the same wedding dress that was used for a previous collapsed marriage, but maybe if she stopped marrying men for their money it wouldn’t always be so bad. The boys had their tuxes fitted in another room until they were allowed in with us as well, all spread out across the room on the giant couches while I sat leaned forward on a separate chair my legs spread out a bit wearing black slacks and a blue blouse to look presentable as my mother put it. She stated before we left that if I wasn’t going to wear a dress I had to at least not look like a rat that had crawled out of the sewers trying to steal a diamond on its way across town so that I wouldn’t cover it in shit. Basically meaning if I didn’t look the part I would be a disgra
“The dress is nice” he whispered, stepping up behind me and grabbing my hair to move it over my shoulder to get full access to the back of the dress. “Please don’t tell anyone” I whispered and I watched him take a deep breath behind me as he pulled the zipper up his fingers lightly touching my skin as he went, sending a shiver up my spine. “I won’t I promise” he stated in full seriousness as he pulled my hair off my shoulder and smiled at the reflection in front of us. “You truly look beautiful though, scars and all” he whispered and I took a deep breath, a weird fluttering in my chest at his words. “Thank you” I whispered and he smiled as I looked at the dress falling over my body, it was a deep maroon shade the breasts were lightly exposed with a criss cross pattern over it the lining falling into a v-shape but not too low. The dress was long hitting the ground around me but there was a long slit on the right leg leading up close to my hip, it was exposing but not in a bad way
Hours passed, practicing places for seating and looking at the venue before going home and discussing the seating arrangement and the guest list for the fiftieth time making every part of me scream for an escape. By the time dinner came my mother was late doing something up stairs as the rest of us waited sitting at the table in an awkward silence until Mr. Pierce cleared his throat and turned his attention towards me. “Did you find a good dress for tomorrow?” he asked, trying to make small talk. “I did, thank you, the people there were very nice as well” I stated with a smile and his eyes widened. “Really? Your mother said it was the worst service she ever got” he said with an airy laugh and I nodded. “Mom’s not known for her patience, but for her meticulous nature” I said and he nodded along with my words. “And you boys, the tux’s fit well” he asked and all of the guys nodded in reply leaving us in silence as heels clicked from down the hall making there way to the dinning room
Checking the time I let out a large groan, knowing that within the next few hours I had to be walking my mother down the aisle, again. Pulling myself out of bed I throw my hair up real quick, a messing bun now on top of my head a few strands dangling here and there before putting on a bra and a large shirt as I walk to my door and head to the room next to mine on the left side of the hallway. Yawning I knock on the door “Jace” I call out expecting him to already be awake but after waiting a moment I get no response so I knock again this time a loud bang follows from inside the room and I hear a groan in pain causing me to let out a sigh. Slowly opening the door I see him partially wrapped in blankets on the ground, twisted round the lower half of his body and he lays there, his face planted onto the ground and his hair falling all over the place. Crossing my arms I step close “you alive” I ask and he grunts his body slightly moving before he stops again and the room goes silent.
"Hi, you're Amara right" a woman said almost frantically as she came up to me; her breathing was heavy as she leaned down on her knees, her pencil skirt crumbled up in her fingers as she caught her breath. "Yes" I said with a soft smile "why is everything okay" I asked, showing a bit of worry in my tone as I stared at the woman who looks like she's on the verge of balling her eyes out. "I'm Mrs. Yoon, your mothers assistant and she said she needed you," she said almost nervously as she twisted her fingers together, straightening her posture up as much as she could. "Alright I'll go as long as you show me where" I said gently while grabbing her arm, the poor young woman looked at me in thankfulness and fear as I help her stand up fully looking over her tired state "it's alright Mrs. Yoon," I said reassuringly while sending her a soft smile causing her to sigh in a small bit of relief. Slowly she walked me to a separate room before knocking on the door softly "what" my mothers harsh
"You look pretty boss," Jack said, smirking over at me arrogantly, causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance. "Yes and you look dapper now, let's skip the chit chat and get to work," I said and he let out a small sigh, his smirk falling until he looked Axel up and down causing Axel to blush at the boy and a laugh to escape my lips causing Axel to turn and look at me with a slight glare. Looking over at Jack I cleared my throat in an attempt to gain his attention, "you located the main target correct," I asked, and he nodded his head tearing his eyes off of Axel and bringing them back over to me before explaining. "Darren already slipped him the stuff when he gave him his drink at the bar," he said, causing me to smirk knowing that the plan was already set in motion. "Good and the other targets," I stated in a questioning tone as I raised an eyebrow at the boy looking at him expectantly but his eyes kept glancing over at Axel who decided to lean against the wall and check Jack out.