Page 401 of Double or Nothing

Just Jack.

My heart aches with the beauty of him. With the pair of them, just being them. Suited excellence, even though ragged.

Which reminds me…

I look down at myself. At the dress Mum chose from my wardrobe. The soft, tasteful colour. The elegant cut. The shape intended to make me look like Christopher’s future wife.

Urgh. Suddenly, I can’t stand another second inside it.

“I love you both, but I really don’t love this fucking dress,” I say to them.

Jack’s head snaps up.

“What?”

“My mother chose it. Like she’s been choosing everything for me.”

I push my stool back and stand up.

The skirt is fitted too tightly for proper movement, so I grip the side seam and pull until the fabric gives with a satisfying rip.

Yes.

It feels so fucking good.

Jack nearly chokes on his toastie, grinning.

Bryce looks at me in shock.

“Alice, what…?”

“I hate it,” I say.

I tear through another section, destroying the careful lining.

“It isn’t me.”

The fabric pools ruined around my feet. I step out of it, in just my lingerie, standing proud and unabashed in nothing but a lacy bra and panties.

It feels much more apt in this environment than the dress ever did.

“Now you’re talking,” Jack says. “You really are home.”

“I want to burn that thing,” I say, and kick the fabric away.

“You should save it. Package it up in a to burn selection.” Jack takes another bite of toastie.

“Where the hell is she going to burn it?” Bryce asks.

“I’ve had my eye on a new place, actually,” Jack says. “It has the perfect place to burn it.”

Bryce and I both stare at him.

“A new place?” Bryce asks.

“Yeah.”

“But it’s great here. You love it here. We love it here,” I say.