Page 31 of Cipher's Baby Girl
“Hey, we have plans today,” Luna throws her arm over my shoulders, her perfume making my stomach roil threateningly.
"Plans?" I glance at Rash, who gives me a subtle nod. He'll keep my secret.
“Ladies night out tonight, ” Angel announces triumphantly, spinning in a little circle that makes her dark hair fan out.
"I don't know..." I hedge.
"No excuses," Luna says firmly, her tone brooking no argument. "We're taking you to Shadow's Edge, a dance club downtown. It’s the perfect place to cut loose for a night."
"A club? But I’m not old enough?—”
“No worries. Diesel set us up with fake IDs.” Sophie waggles her brows. “Besides, the MC owns the club, so there won’t be any problems.”
"I don't have anything to wear to a club.” I gesture to my leggings and oversized sweatshirt.
Luna grins, her eyes lighting up. "That's part of our plan. Shopping trip first, then makeovers at my place, then the club. The complete transformation package."
"I really don't think—" I begin.
"Rose," Angel interrupts, her expression softening as she takes my hand. "One night. That's all we're asking. Don’t ruin ladies' night, please.”
Put that way, how can I refuse? The women look so excited, and it feels really good to be included—to have friends for the first time since I was in fifth grade.
"Okay," I concede. “Let’s do ladies' night.”
Chapter 12
Rose
"No. Absolutely not." I shake my head, staring at the scrap of fabric Luna is holding up—a dress so tiny it would barely cover the essentials. "I can't wear that."
"Why not?" Luna pouts, dangling the black dress from her fingertips. "You have the perfect body for it."
Angel plucks the dress from Luna's hand, examining it critically. "Maybe something a little less...in-your-face. We're trying to give her confidence, not throw her to the wolves."
We've been shopping for two hours, moving from store to store in the local mall. Bags already dangle from our arms, filled with jeans, tops, and shoes that the women insisted I buy despite my protests. It seems I have money. Unbeknownst to me until today, Ghost opened a bank account in my name and has been depositing a paycheck every week for the chores I do around the clubhouse.
We're currently in a boutique that seems to specialize in club wear, searching for the perfect outfit for tonight.
"What about this?" Sophie emerges from a rack with a deep burgundy dress. It's still more revealing than anything I've ever worn, with thin straps and a neckline that would showmore cleavage than I'm comfortable with, but the skirt is fuller, falling to mid-thigh rather than barely covering my backside like Luna's selection.
"That could work," Angel says, assessing the dress with a critical eye. "Rose?"
I take the dress, running my fingers over the soft material. It feels expensive—silky and luxurious. Part of me wants to try it—to see myself in something other than oversized jeans and t-shirts. Another part would just as soon remain invisible.
Why, though? Why am I hiding? I’m no longer being held captive in a prison of isolation, yet I continue to create one in my own mind. The thought brings a flash of anger that heats my cheeks.
“I’ll try it," I say, surprising myself with the firmness in my voice.
In the dressing room, I strip down to my plain cotton underwear, hyper-aware of my body in a way I've never been before. My stomach is still flat—no visible sign of the baby growing inside—but my breasts are fuller, tender to the touch. I can't help running a protective hand over my abdomen.
The fabric slides over my head like cool water, settling against my skin seductively. I adjust the straps, smooth the material over my hips, and finally make myself look in the mirror.
The woman staring back seems like a stranger. The dress hugs curves I didn't know I had, the deep burgundy making my pale skin glow in the fluorescent light. The neckline dips lower than anything I've worn before, revealing the gentle swell of my breasts. I turn slightly, watching how the material catches the light, how it moves with me, transforming my usually invisible presence into something that demands attention.
"Rose?" Luna calls through the door, impatience coloring her voice. "Can we see?"
I hesitate only a moment before opening the door.
