Rule stood in front of her mirror, unwanted memories floating through her mind of the night she'd been drugged by Nic, the same man she was meeting in a few hours, a towel tightly wound around her body. "Rule," She made no move to answer, a simple blink being the only indication Rule was listening. "Are you sure about this? You don't have to do it," Forcing the best smile she could, Rule turned around and connected gazes with Veronica, Cheryl, and Toni. Veronica had texted the latter two as soon as she heard what Rule was going to do, partially in the hopes that they could talk her out of it. Yeah, that didn't, and wasn't, happening. "He's the love of my life guys, I'd die for him."
And with that sentence, Rule grabbed the black cutout collar dress with a cobalt belt Cheryl had found in the closet, sliding it on with a pair of cobalt pumps and a matching clutch, placing studs the same color in her ears and nose. Cheryl silently did Rules hair in dutch braid updo, Toni doing her makeup to match the cobalt color scheme, a fuschia color on her lips. Crossing the room, Rule strapped her mother's dagger to the inside of her thigh, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling when she walked and grabbed a silver heart locket Sweet Pea had given her for her birthday, the ghost of a smirk on her lips as she fastened it around her neck.
"Okay, I'll call you when its over." Rule stood straight with a false sense of confidence, determination and anger coursing through her veins as she strutted to her truck, her friends watching as she kicked up dust behind her as she drove, the scent of burning rubber in the air. The three girls clung to one another, waiting a few moments for Rule's truck to disappear before piling into Toni's car, trailing their friend as intensity filled them.
A shaky breath sounded from Rule as she sat in her truck, pushing out the fear. Her eyes locked on the picture of Sweet Pea she kept on her dashboard, one Toni had taken at New Years. Sweet Pea had ahold of Rule, looking at each other with nothing but love, her hands in his back pockets and his on her face. When Rule looked at it a sense of determination and confidence filled her from head to toe, her truck door slamming behind her and heels clacking as she made her way into the hotel and up the elevator. Without pausing to think, Rule tapped on the hotel room door, the door swinging open to reveal a rather smug Nick St Clair. Every part of Rule wanted to smack the smugness out of him and slice him apart until he gave up Sweet Peas location, but she wasn't naive enough to think that he would have her true love killed before she'd finished slicing him to pieces.
"Hello Nick," Rule brushed past him into the room, head held high and plan on the brain. For now, she'd play along, be the perfect date, make him think she was really going through with it. For now. "Champagne, caviar, pate. My favorites, I'm surprised you remembered." Rule had gorged on all three the night he attempted to rape her, a shiver running down her spine. "What are you still doing in this hick town? You could make all sorts of money somewhere else,"
"I like it here," Nick scoffed at her answer, I flare of anger flashing through Rule. "This is just a phase, darling. Same for that hayseed, Sweet Pea." The way he said his name made her want to bash the bottle of champagne over his head, cut out his tongue, and chop off his hands for touching her. "If only he could see us now," Rule gave a rather convincing smile, swallowing a gag when she placed her hand on his chest. "No need to gloat, Nikkie, you got what you wanted." Trailing her hand downward in a slow manner, Rule stopped just when Nicks breath hitched, pulling back teasingly. "Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfy?" Rule snatched the bottle of champagne with a mischievous smirk, Nick mistaking it as a good sign as he took a seat.
Popping the cork from the bottle, Rule turned back to the two empty flutes, her hand sneakily undoing her locket and dropping in a tiny pill that evaporated almost instantly. "We could have been a thing, you and I." Rule made her way back over to Nick, sauntering suggestively as she handed him a flute and downed a little of her own. "This dalliance with you and Sweet Pea," Nick scooted closer, Rule suddenly thankful for the drink of champagne she'd just had. "it's beneath you."
Rule smiled at Nick, cocking her head teasingly and placing a hand on his bicep to try and get him to loosen up more. "Could we please stop talking about Sweet Pea? It ruins the mood, Nikkie," Nick held a look of surprised delight, clinking his glass together with Rules. "Why, I couldn't agree more."
The two made small talk for a little while longer, Rule doing her best not to stab the smug bastard in the eye with a butter knife. Hey, it worked in the Divergent series. "Now, answer me this." Nick downed the last of his champagne, jumping up from his seat. "You still like to dance, don't you?" Memories of her dancing with him that night tried to surface, Rule stuffing them down with a smile. She did, in fact, love to dance, but not with this jackass, no, with her boyfriend. But that last word sent her from her seat, walking closer to Nick and his outstretched hand.
Soft music played in the room as Nick placed his hand on Rules lower back, his head somewhat nestled into her neck. She suppressed a shudder when his warm breath fanned her neck, eyebrows drawn together slightly when he sniffed. "Mmm, same perfume. I have to admit, I'm a fan of it. What's it called?" A knowing smirk crossed her lips when she felt him starting to get a little heavier in her grip, her mind automatically making up a smartass answer. "La Serpiente." The Snake. His eyes went wide at her words, starting to crumble to his knees. "You bitch!" Rule laughed cruelly, her heel kicking him in the chest and holding him to the floor. "I'm a snake, Nikkie, always have been, and always will be. Never trust a serpent,"
As he eyes closed, Rule let out a breath of relief, but that changed into a panic when the door was kicked open, her hand going to grab the dagger strapped to her thigh. Rule almost cried in relief when she saw who the figure that had fallen with the door was, the love of her life. Sweet Pea looked at Nick with wide eyes that trailed up the leg of the girl who still had her foot on the incapacitated body. "Angel?"
"Sweets!"
A/N - Happy New Years my bitches! (My inner Charlie Bradburry is showing) Hope you all have a fantastic year. Remember, I love reading and answering your comments so feel free to do so!