Captivate Me (Book One: The Captivated Series) by S.J. Pierce Read Free Book Online Page A

“I’ll be back by
dinner,” I said and decided to inject some levity, “and I want to
see a smile on that gorgeous face of yours when I
return.”
    His lips quirked into a
half smile. Much better. “Okay, babe,” he said,
planting one last kiss on my head, and he and Ronnie made their way
back to the courtyard. An afternoon with his crazy friends and he’d
feel better when I got back. Hopefully.
    “You guys all right?” Anna asked,
noting our awkward exchange.
    “We’re fine,” I said and debated
whether or not to tell her about the flower. Maybe later. All I
wanted to do now was some mindless dress shopping with my
friends.
    Honk! Honk!
    And to jab a knife into Sarah’s
steering wheel.
    * * *
    The outing was much-needed; I hadn’t
had a girls’ day in months, which really felt like years. I finally
felt like my life had settled back into normal – my new normal,
anyway… minus creepy visitors leaving me flowers while I slept… and
weird dreams about the boy in the woods.
    While riding down the absurdly long
driveway back to school, I slipped on the wedge sandals I had
kicked off once we got in the car to come home, but my feet still
ached. I should have worn sneakers today. We had shopped at three
different dress stores in town, ate at a trendy sandwich shop, and
made sure to browse every store on the square just for fun before
stopping by a shoe store on the way back to find heels that went
with our dresses. We were now skidding into the parking lot with a
few minutes to spare.
    “I’m so glad you went with the black
one, Kat,” Sarah said.
    “Yeah,” Ivy echoed.
    “You sure it doesn’t look like I’m
going to a funeral?”
    Anna shoved me playfully. “Stop that.
It looks gorgeous on you!”
    “And Levi will love the neckline,” Ivy
added.
    “Too late now, anyway,” Sarah said.
“You’ve already bought it.”
    True. It was a done deal. I had
teetered between the black one and the royal blue, but I liked the
way this one plunged in the front – enhancing what little breasts I
had – and the way it flared at the bottom like a princess gown,
showing off my slender waist. The fabric also shimmered with a hint
of silver iridescence. I had matched a scalloped diamond necklace –
well, a cubic zirconium necklace – with it and a pair of strappy
black heels. When I came out of the dressing room, everyone gasped,
even the sales lady, who I could never tell if she was saying
dresses looked good on us because they really did, or if she was
trying to make a sale. Either way, the girls seemed to love it, and
Sarah would definitely tell me the truth. I think her exact words
were, “you look like freakin’ royalty!”
    Because we were the last ones to
arrive back by curfew, we parked in the farthest parking spot in
the back. Just my luck. I’d have to hobble in with my sore feet
like an old, worn out pack mule. I certainly felt like one,
complete with shopping bags. I secretly wished for Levi to come
pick me up at the car and carry me in. He probably would have if I
was able to use my cell phone to text him. Not having cell service
here sucked.
    We all clambered out of the car with
our fists full of shopping bags and hurried for our rooms. Except
me. I hobbled. Anna glanced back. “Don’t wait on me!” I yelled
after them, making a mental note to wear these shoes in the future
when I would only be in them for an hour or two.
    When they disappeared through the
large double doors, I slowed even more, and my eyes involuntarily
cut over to the woods. No silhouette this time, but I felt this
strange pull – like in my dream – to go exploring. My gaze stopped
on a bush with the white flowers from my room this morning, and I
halted. The visitor from my dream appeared in my thoughts, soft,
crystalline blue eyes and all. Now I really wanted to go exploring.
I looked back at the school. Everyone would wonder where I was if I
didn’t show up for dinner, but I could always sneak out and go
tonight. The