That’s when my eyes caught Lucian’s leather jacket draped over the chair, something glinting in the soft light. My brows furrowed as I stepped closer, spotting the engraving on the inside tag.
‘LM&ST.’
Lucian Mcelvani and Selene Tramp.
My breath hitched. That wasn’t right! This jacket— our anniversary gift—was supposed to have our initials. I’d paid extra to have ‘L&T’ inscribed, triple-checking the order to make sure it was perfect! So why the hell were hers there instead of mine?!
What the!
I held it up, turning it over as though it would somehow explain itself. My heart raced as I walked into the living room where Lucian sat, scrolling on his phone.
“Lucian!” I called, holding up the jacket.
He barely glanced up. “Yeah?”
“Why does this have HER initials on it?” My voice wavered despite my effort to stay calm.
He frowned, setting his phone down. “What are you talking about?”
“This jacket!” I said, stepping closer. “The initials. LM and ST! That’s Selene’s.”
Lucian stood, running a hand through his hair. “It’s just a mix-up, Talia. I’m sure the engraver messed up! Don’t blow this out of proportion.”
“A mix-up? How does a mix-up like that even happen? Our initials were clear. I sent them myself!”
He sighed, his irritation showing. “I don’t know, Talia. Maybe it was a mistake. I’ll deal with it.”
“When? Because this—this isn’t just some mistake, Lucian. It’s—”
“Talia,” he interrupted, his tone sharp now. “It’s a fucking jacket. Let it go.”
I stared at him, disbelief and hurt crashing over me like a wave. Fucking jacket?
“You don’t even care, do you?”
“I said I’d handle it!” he snapped, grabbing the jacket from my hands. “Stop making everything about her. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? Woah! So I'm ridiculous here?” My voice cracked, but I refused to back down. “Lucian, you’ve been distant for weeks, and now this shows up? And you want me to believe it’s nothing?”
He rolled his eyes, already walking toward the door. “I’ve got a patrol tonight. Don’t wait up.”
And just like that, he was gone.
When the door clicked shut, I felt the tears sting my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Instead, I grabbed my phone and dialed the engraving shop.
“Hi. I ordered a customized jacket recently, but there’s been a mistake with the engraving. The initials are wrong.”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry about that! Can I get your name and the order number?”
I gave her the details, pacing as I waited.
“Hmm,” she said after a moment. “It looks like the initials were updated shortly after the order was placed. I can send over the request receipt if you’d like.”
“Please do.”
Minutes later, the email arrived. My heart sank as I opened the file. The receipt clearly showed Lucian’s signature authorizing the change. There was no denying it.
***
The next morning, I tried to focus on something else—my dress fitting. Lucian had promised to come, but after last night, I wasn’t exactly hopeful.
When his black truck finally pulled up to the house, a flicker of relief settled over me. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all. I climbed into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt as Lucian started the engine.
We drove in silence for a while before he turned onto a different road. I frowned and glanced at him. “Where are we going?”
“Just a quick stop,” he said casually, keeping his eyes on the road.
A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a sleek, modern house. My stomach twisted when Selene walked out, wearing a bold red outfit that clung to her like a second skin. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she made her way toward us.
I turned to Lucian, confused. “Why is Selene coming with us?”
“She’s helping you pick your dress,” Lucian said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I stared at him. “What? Why would I need her help? I didn’t ask for this.”
“She’s got good taste,” he said with a shrug. “Figured it couldn’t hurt.”
Before I could respond, Lucian rolled down the window, and Selene leaned in with a bright, fake smile. “Good morning! Ready for the day?”
I clenched my hands in my lap, waiting for Lucian to put her in her place, but instead, he smiled back. “Of course. Hop in.”
Selene walked around to the passenger door, pausing when she saw me. “Oh,” she said, her tone overly sweet. “Talia, would you mind moving to the back? I really hate sitting in the backseat.”
I froze, glancing at Lucian, silently pleading with him to say no. He didn’t. He just nodded. “Yeah, Talia, can you? Selene doesn’t like the back.”
My chest tightened, but I swallowed my pride. “Sure.”
Selene gave me a sugary smile as I climbed out. “Thanks so much,” she said, slipping into the seat like she belonged there.
I got into the back, staring out the window and trying to keep my emotions in check.
As we drove, Lucian and Selene chatted like old friends, her laughter ringing through the truck. I sat there, my nails digging into my palms, wishing I could be anywhere else.
At one point, Selene gasped and turned up the radio. “Oh, I loveee this song! It’s so perfect for a wedding! Talia, you have to use it for your first dance!”
I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my seat. “This song? You’re joking, right?”
“What’s wrong with it? It’s romantic, and everyone loves it.”
I snorted. “Yeah, maybe if you’re stuck in a cheesy rom-com. But for my wedding? Hard pass.”
Selene turned to Lucian, her lip trembling like she was one step away from full-blown tears. “I was just trying to help,” she said softly, her voice shaking. “I thought it’d be nice…”
Lucian shot me a look through the rearview mirror, his expression sharp. “Talia, was that really necessary?”
