Ethereal Love (Book 2 LS Series)

Chapter 30

Skipper's POV

I admire myself in the mirror, turning in circles, and adoring the way this little black dress looks on me. It sticks to me like a glove right up until my hips, until it tapers off into a ruffled flounce skirt.

I attempt to zip it all the way up my back, as a person standing in the mirror scares the hell out of me. It isn't X, but I'd really rather it be when I see who it actually is.

"That's a beautiful dress." Sperm Donor takes slow steps toward me, his arms crossed, and a neutral expression fixed on his face. "I know," I answer equally as cool. He approaches and gently pulls up on the zipper until the dress is snug.

"You're a beautiful girl. I did well." He gazes into the mirror, his hands on my shoulders. I don't meet his eyes, though I can feel them raking over me. "The tag says it's over a thousand dollars. How do you plan to pay for that?" Oh, just with the debit card a strange man gave me.

"Don't worry about it." I answer in a sharp tone, leaving him standing by the mirrors, and changing back into my street clothes inside the dressing room. I have many other purchases picked out, and I can more than pay for them with my drug money, I just choose to use X's card and save the cash for when I need it.

"I shouldn't worry about you, a broke teenager, paying for a Valentino dress?" Designer brands are the best.

I want to tell him I am far from broke, but instead I shrug. "I have the money." "Who gave it to you? Or did you rob a bank, because I know you didn't come up with that kind of money yourself." "Lay off."

"Skipper." He snaps, and I roll my eyes, opening the door to the dressing room. "Michael gave it to me." I come up with a quick fib.

"Really? I thought you guys weren't on good terms at the moment." I shake my head. "We are, and he gave me his debit card to go shopping with." He studies me through narrowed eyelids, before excepting my explanation and moving on.

"Where have you been for the past few days? I've been all over searching for you. Your friend... Becky, was it? She told me to come here if I needed to find you." "That bitch..." I growl under my breath, carrying my dress and several new pairs of Louboutins toward the check out lane.

"Well, your room is all set up at my place, so as soon as you pay for that, we will head over there. Where did you take your suitcases? I assumed you moved them to the house yourself, but the maid said you hadn't." Damn it. I should've known that's what he was here for.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say. Hey... Oh crap, I accidentally got a size seven instead of six in these heels, can you wait for me outside while I exchange them?" He shrugs. "Sure, just don't take too long, I've got things to do."

"Yeah, I'll be right there," I smirk once he's turned his back. He couldn't get any more stupid and gullible, could he?

After buying the dress and the shoes, I hurry through the store to get to the back door. Luckily the heavy metal thing opens without setting off an alarm, allowing me to slip out undetected, to the alley out back.

I laugh to myself as I escape Sperm Donor's grasp yet again, hailing a cab and disappearing into it. "Where to, Miss?" The cab driver asks, looking at me in the rear view mirror while chewing on a toothpick.

"Upper West Side, please."

****

Michael's POV

My anger only grows as I approach that motherfucker Jay, who is sitting alone in the quad with his face in some paperwork. I need to know: What the hell is he doing with Skipper, and why?