Page 144 of Thorns of Malice

I gape at her.

She nods. "He did, just like the jewelry."

"Wow. I need to step up my dating game," Via says.

Kristen claps, instructing, "All right, ladies, we have to get moving. If I don't keep you on schedule, Dax will be upset with me. You know how punctual he is."

The doorbell rings.

"Who's that?" I question.

Kristen answers, "Oh, that'll be Marcus."

I arch my eyebrows. "Who's Marcus?"

"He'll do your feet while Laura does your nails. He got stuck in traffic."

"Oh," I utter and shake my head. Then I admit, "This is all really nice, but I think Dax has gone a little overboard."

Jackie huffs. "I'd be okay if someone went overboard on me."

"Me too," Via says.

Marcus comes flying in and gushes over all the gifts and me.

Before I know it, I'm sitting in a chair with my feet in a pedicure tub full of water.

Marcus gives me a pedicure.

Laura works on my nails.

Via goes through makeup choices with me, and Jackie curls my hair.

My nails get painted whore-red, and my hair gets styled in long curls. Via contours my cheeks, gives me smoky eyes, and applies fake lashes. She holds up a whore-red lip stain and says, "Time to get you ready to pucker up."

I laugh.

She applies it, then holds up a mirror, claiming, "Perfection!"

I stare at my reflection. "Wow. I look..."

"Amazing!" Kristen gushes.

Laura states, "I was going to say glamorous."

"For sure," Via agrees, then hands me a tube of lipstick, stating, "Dax said for you to put this in your purse."

I glance at the familiar tube. The label says Whore Red.

I ask, "Why did he want you to give this to me? You just applied the stain."

She shrugs. "I don't know, but that's what he directed."

I stare at it and then get up. I go over to the table and open the purse.

A travel-size pouch of wipes is inside, along with another note. I carefully unfold it.

Ivy,

---