Cherry Bomb [H.S.]

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"Hey, Lo." I knock on the bathroom door of the hotel we've found ourselves in for most of the day, I can hear her giggles behind it - along with Christy's, her makeup artist. "Are you sure I can see you until you're done?"

She had been in there for almost an hour and a half now, and she was still adamant about me not seeing her dress until it was time. It's been a month since her and I went shopping to find my own outfit for the charity auction tonight, and I thought for sure she would've given in by now to let me see what she's going to be wearing as well.

"I told you, H, it's a surprise!" Marlowe's voice bleeds from the other side of the door. "We're almost finished. I promise."

Sighing, I move back to check myself over in the full length mirror on the wall once again. The long sleeve button-up I have on tonight is sheer - all of my tattoos peeking out for everyone to see. A pair of leather trousers covers my legs with a pair of black boots with a slight heel adorning my feet. I run a hand through my long curls as I stare at myself, and I just hope this looks okay. I know Marlowe wouldn't steer me in the wrong direction when I picked this out, but I'm so nervous that I can't help but have doubts.

This was going to be one of her first big events, and it was also the first time we would be out as a couple - not including when the paps managed to snag pictures of us on the yacht that one day. Insecurity has buried itself into my chest since early this morning, and I've found no way of shaking it. I don't want to embarrass her. I want tonight to be as perfect as possible.

Over the past month, it was pretty obvious that the both of us were waiting for some type of repercussion after Rylan saw us out together, but nothing came. I knew how vindictive she could be if things weren't going her way, so I had suggested to Marlowe that Lys keep an eye out on any weird tabloids that might pop up. So far, we were in the clear.

Speaking of Lys, she had been in and out of the hotel room - her phone glued to her ear most of the time. I could tell that she was freaking out a little bit. Again, understandably so since it's one of Marlowe's first big events. I did the best I could to keep her as calm as possible. I brought her coffee when I could tell she needed it. I helped her sit down and take deep breaths to ground herself. Although I know Lys might still be hesitant about me, something that Marlowe hasn't said, but I can see, I appreciate the way she loves my girl. For that reason alone, I wanted to make sure Lys was as relaxed as possible.

Regardless of Marlowe keeping herself hidden from me for the last hour and a half, she's still been talking to me from beyond the bathroom door. There was a time I started feeling really insecure about tonight, and I knew she picked up on it. She talked me down through the wooden surface, and said that if I really needed her to come out she would, but I told her I already felt better just talking to her.

I walk over to the couch that's in our suite and plop down on it, and just as I'm about to pull out my phone, the door to the bathroom opens and I see Christy grinning at me.