She places a wide variety of stringy messes on the rack that is packed full of clothes. Then she pops back out as quickly as she came in. Does no one give a damn about my personal space?
I jerk a shirt on over my head before anyone else can come in. I'm almost afraid of taking my pants off. I had to buy new underwear since I didn't want to scratch... there. But the selection was limited based on my budget. I'd be humiliated if anyone saw these cotton monstrosities.
Without giving it too much more thought, I slip out of my jeans and into another pair without itchy particles all over them. Oh damn. I had no idea jeans could fit and feel like this. No wonder Paul Colton's business is thriving.
I give a twirl in front of the mirror to see my body has been transformed. I'll never be the same. I seriously just fell in love with a pair of jeans. I'm done. I don't want to try on anything else.
Reluctantly, I slip out of them and start making my way through the hordes of clothing. Right when I'm in the middle of pulling my shirt off again, a different girl pops in.
"Mr. Colton said you might need some dressier items in case you felt like attending some of his events, so I brought you these." She hangs up several dresses, and then she pulls out a selection of underwear from a rolling cart. "And he said you'd definitely need this stuff. Just turn around so I can put this on you and lace it up."
She holds out a white corset, but I shake my head. "Why would I need that?"
"Because you'll be wearing dresses that will require some... boost. You've got the ideal chest for this. It'll be perfect for slimming your waistline, too," she says, letting her eyes drift to my midsection.
Sure it doesn't look like I work out everyday, but it's flat enough. Just because she starves herself to be three sizes smaller doesn't mean I have to. Bitch.
I turn around, begrudgingly, and she slips it around my waist and pulls it up. With a flick of her wrist, she's gotten my bra off and tossed it to the floor. With the first tug of the laces, my breath heaves out of me. Bitch! With the second tug of the laces, I refrain from elbowing her in the nose. By the third tug, I'm condemning her to hell.
She's not being the least bit gentle. Does she not see all the monstrous bruises on me? That shit hurts.
After a few more laces, she's finally done, and I'm turning purple from lack of oxygen. She smiles, but her phone buzzes. "Mr. Colton," she says, seeming all too giddy. "Of course we are."
"Can't... breathe," I whisper, trying to draw her attention back to me, but she's too busy sucking up.
I start reaching for strings or laces or whatever they're called, but I can't get the knots undone. She walks out, abandoning me, and I start wheezing and straining harder. I've worn stuff similar to this on Halloween, but damn, this is the real deal. You could shift the placement of organs with this sadistic contraption.
"Help," I wheeze out, still struggling to undo the knot.
"Raya?" Kade's voice sounds out.
As much as I'd really rather wait on anyone - and I do mean anyone - else, it's either him or passing out.
"Can't breathe," I strain out again, and the door flies open.
He bursts out laughing when he sees what's going on, and then he shakes his head while coming to stand behind me. I need air more than I need dignity right now.
He pushes my hair to be over my shoulder, and I shiver when his hand touches my bare skin.
"Don't move," he says, still laughing as his deft fingers go to work.
He manages to loosen it up enough for me to catch the first breath of air, and I actually cough on the abundance of it.
"Don't ever let Sarah lace you up. She's got a nasty habit of making girls with curves pay."
"Holy shit," I cough out, feeling more relief when he loosens it higher, slowly separating all the laces. "It's not like I'm obese," I growl, finding anger when my panic dissolves.
"No," he says, seeming distracted. "Not even close."
I look up to the mirror to catch his eyes intensely focused on my lower back. His fingers have stopped unlacing the corset, and now his hands are gently placed on my hips as he examines something.
"Is this from the roof collapsing?" he asks, motioning to something I can't see.
"Is it another bruise?"
"It's a massive bruise," he huffs out, seeming to curse under his breath.
"Yeah. I've got them all over me."