Page 14 of Lies Like Love

Maren pauses with her lipstick hovering, as she glances at me through the mirror. Her eyes sweep me from head to toe, and she grins.

“Girl, you look hot.” She sets down the lipstick and spins around, immediately fluffing my hair around my shoulders when she does.

“I was going to put it up.”

“Don’t. Guys go crazy for your red hair. Leave it wild.”

After tousling my hair a couple more times, she pulls me to the makeup counter and gets to work on a look that’s a lot more dramatic than the minimal makeup I’m used to. She draws thick lines that swoop up in the corner of my eyes, drawing out the blue in them. Shimmering my cheeks until my whole face practically glows.

“Here.” Maren hands me some bright red lipstick that almost matches my hair.

I paint it on and assess my reflection. This might be the first time in my life I’ve felt sexy, and I can’t help the shame that wells up with how much I don’t mind it.

If Mom saw me now, she’d turn over in her grave.

By twenty-six, she expected me to be married and living in a mansion in the hills. Attending mind-numbing brunches with trophy wives while nannies watched my children. She wanted me to beher.

Little did she know, her path of security was the beginning of her own end.

“Well, she’s cute.” Some girl in a leopard one-piece swimsuit stops in front of me.

She crosses her arms over her chest, and it pushes her breasts up even further. Her platinum hair is stick-straight and her dark blue gaze is icy as she skims me over. I’m not sure what’s sharper, her glare or her inch-long nails.

Maren barely glances up long enough to roll her eyes. “Fel, this is Brea. Brea, Fel.”

“Nice to—”

“You’re new,” Brea cuts me off, kicking her hip out, and planting a hand on it. “So let me be clear, hands off and we’ll get along.”

“Hands off what?”

She smiles. “Cute, playing the innocent act, huh?”

“I’m not playing anything.”

“Get lost, Brea.” Maren spins around.

Brea doesn’t spare her a glance, but her smirk tells me she’s enjoying getting under our skin. Wetting her over-inflated lips with her tongue, she brushes her white-blonde hair off her shoulder.

“Just issuing a friendly warning.” Brea winks. “Wouldn’t want the new girl getting herself into any trouble.”

“How nice of you.” Sarcasm laces Maren’s tone, and from the wicked grin on Brea’s face, she doesn’t miss it.

“Catch you later, girls.”

Spinning on her heels, Brea turns and walks away. Her hips tick back and forth with each step, drawing attention to her curves. Girls like Brea know exactly what they’re working with and how to use it.

If I thought for a second I could walk in here like I belong and come out unscathed, I was wrong.

“What was that all about?” I turn to Maren.

“Some of the girls are territorial.” Maren shrugs, turning back to the mirror to finish painting on her lipstick.

While I’m in the lion’s den with claws aimed in my direction, Maren is unfazed. Managing to make herself a part of any world she steps into.

“Territorial over what?” I plant my hand on the makeup counter, not letting it go. “I’m not taking their spot. You said there were enough fights to go around and that they needed more girls. What’s she worried about me touching?”

“The guys, Fel.”

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