𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

19

"So, I think you should wear your hair up and leave some tendrils out, to show off that fabulous neck of yours. Oh, and Beth is raging at me."

Ainsley rushes around the room while I sit on my bed, exhausted, hair still wet from my second shower of the day. Trying to fight sleep, I rub my eyes with my knuckles and look up at her. "Why is she mad at you?" I ask, watching her stare at herself in the reflection of the window, switching between hoop earrings and studs. "Did you ask if she could come? I mean, it's my mum's party and she said yeah."

She shakes her head, tossing the earrings on the bed with a huff. "My dad said no because she's not from here... only VIPs can go." She shrugs, trying to pretend she isn't bothered, but I can see right through her. "I'll just go meet her later. Maybe I can use my mouth to—"

"Please, don't!" I cut her off before my ears bleed from the potential hours of her talking about the pair's late-night sessions. "Do you talk about anything that's non-sexual?"

"Nope," she says, walking over to the dress bags hanging up on my wardrobe, unzipping them both. "Are you wearing the red or the green one? The emerald is a maxi, Plus, it will go well with the colour of your hair and eyes."

"Then I guess I'll wear that one," I reply, pushing myself up from the bed. "I'm going to go do my makeup. Are you waiting or will I meet you there?"

She tells me that she has to go home and arrive at the party with her parents; they've become massively paranoid about her whereabouts since admitting her relationship with Beth. Apparently, because she isn't from wealth or this area, her mum gave her the ultimatum to split with her new girlfriend or leave the VIP section. Safe to say that her father shut her mother up, warning Ains not to overstep or even speak about her new love in front of them.

She presses a kiss to my cheek before leaving, reminding me to wear the lingerie she had made for me; that matches the green dress. My eyes nearly bulge out of my head when I open the bag in the bathroom.

Not only has she given me a seductive-looking bra and thong set, but she has put in a silk belt that sits around my waist, clipping to the matching stockings.

Who the hell does she think I am?

To be fair, the set is beautiful, and is the colour of the dress. It's enough to stay hidden beneath the material and I don't actually have a bra this shade, so I guess I'm wearing it.

Looking at my reflection with music playing through the speaker built-in to the wall, I tackle the curls with rigorous grunts of pain, trying to free the knots. Nearly an hour passes, and I've finally pinned the majority of my hair up, leaving out a few stray strands to fall down my face. My makeup takes at least half an hour, adding an extra layer of foundation to hide my freckles.

I feel strange, standing in front of the mirror wearing black heels and erotic lingerie. The dark eyes and a deep purple lipstick make me look unrecognisable, like I'm not Danielle McClure, the ugly ginger with no style.

I like it.

My band beeps with a voice note being received, but I ignore it to tidy up the bathroom and wash my hands. I'm surprised that I'm able to hide the dark circles under my eyes. The lack of sleep, hardly any food, and working all day has me in dire need of a day in bed. Preferably with no one seeking me out to either nip my ears off by talking at five hundred words per minute like Ains always does, or Eric wanting to pin me to the ground by his hips and stir something deep within me.

He had taken me straight home before going to see my dad in the early hours of this morning, ignored me when I asked repeatedly what it could be about. He checked every room over before he left, told me not to leave the house or unlock the door for anyone but him or Frank.