Page 55 of Red Flag
“And you’ll look sexy as shit in it,” she agreed. “Get changed. I’ll grab your trousers.” Taking my room key, she left me to dress.
It was definitely different to what I would have pickedout. My breasts were a little bigger thanSaliha’sand they bulged out the top. Sitting in front of the mirror, I cringed at myself.
This wasn’t very me.
I was more into bubblegum pinks and blazers. Not this sexy ensemble. The contrast between the pyjama bottoms and the top was laughable.
“Yes!”Salihacried as she came back in. “Oh my god, you have to keep it. It looks so much better on you.” She looked me over with a satisfied smile. “This is exactly what you need.”
“What I need?” I asked as she put my makeup bag down on her desk.
She gave me an unimpressed scowl. “Don’t act oblivious. Frank can’t take his eyes off you normally. Now, tonight…” She wiggled her eyebrows and got to work taking my hair down.
We only had time to run some straighteners through it as I applied blush, mascara and lipstick.
Normally, I would wear foundation, concealer, the works.
But my fears were completely slaughtered when the table of men wolf-whistled as we came over. “Saliha,Livie!”
Lucastood at the end of the table and gestured to us both before turning to the long table. “Hands off, everyone! These girls are onmy team, remember? You’ll have to get through me and, frankly, none of you are good enough.”
We laughed andLucasat me down in the spare seat by Frank. Maybe whatSalihasaid did have some substance. Being so late,Salihaand I didn’t have the option to sit by each other but she wasn’t too far, just on the other side of Nix, who sat opposite Frank.
Before me were two cocktails, one a lighter pink than the other.
Frank put his arm around the back of my chair and gestured to them. “The first I ordered started to get watered down by the ice, so I got another.”
I stared at them, my heart suddenly louder than the drunken chatter of theStormSprintmembers and the music.
“Sorry, I didn’t think I would come and then… thank you,” I said, not taking my eyes off them. I couldn’t. I couldn’t drink them.
How could I explain that I couldn’t do it? How could I—
I’d look so ungrateful. People would judge me. Call me a bitch. But I couldn’t risk—I couldn’t drink them. I couldn’t.
My breathing accelerated, numbing my thoughts as there was nothing but my thundering heart.
Frank was saying something about being glad I made it, but I really wished I hadn’t. That I hadn’t made it.
I wasn’t going to make it.
There was no way out of this other than to drink those drinks with my now trembling hands. To risk it.
“Liv, you okay?”Lihaasked, breaking through the blur of noise.
My eyes were wet from staring at the drinks for too long and I blinked a couple of times before turning to her. “I just… I need a second.”
I was up from my seat and out to where the lifts were before she could respond.
Salihawas at my side, rubbing my arm up and down, trying to soothe me.
All I could try and do was breathe through the blockage in my chest, head back resting against the wall.
“What’s happening?”Salihaasked, voice higher than usual.
I couldn’t open my eyes to see her worry; I just had to focuson breathing—simply breathing.
“Did Frank say something? You look horrified.”
