Page 89 of The Mistake

I shake my head. And that was a problem.It was never silent and I didn’t like this shit, because it meant they were plotting something else, but until Ivan said otherwise, all I had to do was run the business and stay ahead of them.

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Lottie

“You want me to pick one?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes.”

I look at the five different costumes and then turn to Ive. It’s Halloweennight, and even though I’d been excited about it as a kid growing up, and I was forced to stay at home, I did love it. There were many times I wanted to dress up, go trick-or-treating. Cassie and Rage always made sure I had candy to give out to the kids, which I did. I always pretended that dressing up wasn’t something I was into. It helped me not to feel like too much of a loser when my dad wouldn’t allow me to participate.

My first Halloween with Ive, he’d brought me not one, but five costumes. There was a bloodied nurse’s outfit. Sexy witch, complete with a hat and broom. He had even pointed out a prostitute’s outfit, at least that was what he called it. There was a fairy, complete with wings. There might also be a vampire and then there was an historical costume, which I’m not going to lie, looked uncomfortable.

Glancing over at Ive, I looked back down at the costumes. “What are you going as?”

“Myself? I think I’m scary enough.”

This made me laugh. “Then how about I go as your fairy?” I picked up the pale-blue dress.

Ive laughed. “Try it on.”

I didn’t know exactly what he had planned, but I was intrigued soI didn’t argue with him.

Ive didn’t leave the bedroom and I had no choice but to wriggle out of the jeans while he watched. I only hoped the costumes fit.

The fairy costume was not quiteas modest as I originally thought. The top was a corset, and it really did push my boobs up, and made them look even bigger, if that was possible. The shorts were small, but at least I got to wear tights, and then, Ive placed the wings on my back.

“What doyou think?” he asked.

I turned toward the mirror, and Ithere I stood, dressed up.

My hair fell around me in waves.

“I look … okay.”

“You’re not finished,” Ive said. He crooked his finger, calling me to him,and I went willingly.

Stepping toward him, I waited and smiled up at him.

I hadn’t noticed him holding some kind of makeup kit, which he did. “What are you doing?”

“The whole point of dressing up is to enjoy every single part, and that means completing the costume.”

“You know how to put makeup on women?” I asked.

“No, I don’t, but I know how to make a fairy.” He painted something onto my eyes, and then onto my cheeks, and neck, followed by my lips. “Go and look.”

I returned to the mirror, and he’d givenabove my eyes a blue glittery sparkle. There was also glitter on my cheeks and neck. Not too much, but enough to give me the look of a fairy. My lips were painted red and I turned toward Ive.

“What do you think?” I asked, giving him a bow. “Would I make agood fairy for you?”

“You’re perfect.”

My heart began to pound. I don’t know if he even realized he said some of the sweetest things to me.

“So, where are we going?” I asked.

“We’re going to a party.” He held out his hand for me, and I took it. He locked our fingers together, and we left the bedroom to find Hubert waiting by the main door. We traveled toward the elevator and stepped inside. I watched it descend, taking us down to the main floor.

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