Page 70 of Kings & Chaos

The woman smiled. “I’ll ask you a few questions about your style before I start pulling things. Follow me.”

She led us to a luxurious fitting area at the back of the store. Each room was the size of my bedroom in the small house I’d shared with my mom and Emma. A posh private sitting area stood off to the side of each one, and the woman gestured to Neo.

“Please make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something? Water? Coffee? Champagne?”

“Champagne,” Neo said. “For my sister too.”

It was ten in the morning, but okay. This was Neo’s field trip, and even though I’d only be able to afford a scarf here — and that was if I maxed out my one remaining credit card — Neo wanted to havefun.

So champagne and Balenciaga it was, I guess.

“Wonderful.”

The woman’s name was Hazel. She spoke to another woman in the store, and a bucket of champagne on ice appeared with two glasses. Neo poured, then made himself comfortable with his phone on one of the ivory designer sofas while Hazel and I retreated to the fitting room.

She asked me questions about my personal style and the types of occasions I frequented. I felt like I was the bearer of bad news when I told her my weeks consisted of class, lounging around at home and doing homework, and the occasional bonfire, but the truth was the truth.

I left out the part about fucking two of my roommates.

But speaking of roommates…

“Do you have… underwear here? Bras and stuff?” I asked as she was turning to leave.

“Foundational wear isn’t part of our core offering, but we do have a partnership with some of the other stores in the district. I could have some things brought in if you like.”

“Yes please,” I said. “The sexier the better.”

She lifted a perfectly micro-bladed eyebrow. “Of course.”

I eyed Neo, scrolling his phone and sipping champagne, through the crack in the fitting room door as she left.

You want fun, motherfucker? Let’s have fun.

Chapter26

Willa

Istarted with the clothes — a parade of gorgeous expertly made dresses, jeans, tops, and skirts. I almost had a heart attack when I looked at the price tags, so after a while, I stopped looking.

I was just havingfun, according to Neo. After this, I’d make him take me to a thrift store or something.

He made me come out and show him every single piece, and I stifled my humiliation by goofing off and trying not to take the whole thing seriously in between gulps of champagne.

Hazel stayed for a while, inserting her opinion here and there until Neo looked at her without blinking and said, “We’re good.”

She gave a small nod. “Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

She retreated to the front of the store, and I went back into the dressing room. Nervousness tickled my stomach when I saw there were only three pieces left before I’d have to start on the stacks of underclothes Hazel had delivered from La Perla.

I took another big gulp of champagne and chose a tiny mini dress with strappy sleeves and a nude mesh base covered with gold medallions that gave more than a peek at my naked body under the mesh.

Definitely out of my comfort zone, but I’d play.

I chose a pair of towering see-through stilettos that Hazel had brought with the clothes and slipped them on.

Studying myself in the mirror, I had to admit the dress — what little there was of it — was hot.

“Today would be nice,” Neo droned from the sitting room.

---