Seeing Red

The invatation.

"What do we do with all this?" Daisha asked from where she was curled on my couch, staring at her check.
"Spend it, I suppose." I laughed while I poured us each a cup of cocoa, and added a little nutmeg for taste.
"You know that's right." She laughed, bouncing on the couch. "Oh my god, let's go shopping!" She squealed as I set the hot mugs on the coffee table and sat next to her.
"When?" I asked in amusement.
"Right now, silly!" She jumped up and grabbed her mug, doing a little happy dance. "What else do we have to do? Natalia gave us so much time off."
"I know" I said in a more serious tone "Do you think...she's going soft?" Daisha stared at me with a serious expression, and then busted out laughing.
"The shark, going soft?" She snorted "That's a laugh. That woman doesn't have a soft bone in her body. But...." She sat down all serious again "I do think she definitely respects us. You saw her today. Theo Chase is one of the most dangerous men in this city, and she stood there and basically ripped him a new asshole for us. And then you miss sassy pants!" She poked my side "you came in all like pay Natalia too bitch like damn." She laughed. I almost spit my cocoa out, and laughed, throwing a pillow at her.
"Seriously though, who are those men?" I asked curiously. Daisha had been there long before I got hired on, maybe she knew more than I did.
"I don't know what they do exactly" she confessed "All I know, is that people who mess with them, come up missing. And they're respected by everyone."
"They sound scary." I admitted pulling my knees to my chest.
"They can be. It was worse before Mr. Chase came along though." She told me "Before him, whoever was in charge would let the girls get beat to a bloody pulp. One night I saw the same guy that hit us, break a girls jaw right in front of me, and their boss just sat there and laughed, and told us that's what happens when you don't listen."
"What did Natalia do?" I asked in horror
"Nothing. That night was the reason she ended up taking over the girls. Before that, we didn't have a person telling us what to do, or where to go, it was a fend for yourself type of situation. But the boss man got word about the situation, and not even a few hours later, in she walked in a latex cat suit, like she was freaking Wonder Woman of the under world. Last night was the first time anyone's had hands out on them since the day she took over." She said as she sipped her cocoa "She seems like a bitch....well, no shes a total bitch...but that bitch won't let anything happen to her girls, that's for sure."
"I didn't know that about her." I admitted.
"Yeah." Daisha nodded.
"Speaking of things I didn't know..." I said excitedly "I didn't know the spooky elevator guy was your brother, let alone that he speaks!"
"Half brother." She laughed "But yeah, we don't tell people, because we're not supposed to work with relatives, it's one of Real Bad Habits rules. But I needed a job, and we have different last names, so I was able to start there."
"Is he always so quiet?"
"He's always been a quiet person, but there he just kind of chills in the elevator all day. I'm gonna be honest though, half the time he's stoned off his ass."
"That's why he wears sunglasses?!?" I asked with a laugh "I thought it was required!"
"Nah girl." She laughed with me "he wears them to hide blood shot eyes."
We laughed awhile longer, and then agreed that the night was still early, so we finished our cocoa, grabbed our purses, and decided to go shopping. We spent hours and hours shuffling through racks of clothing, and hauling bags back to her Range Rover. After spending a good chunk of money, that didn't even put a dent in our bank accounts, we decided to go back to my place and order take out.
Hauling all of my bags in  was a hassle, it took both of us, making two trips to get it to the elevator. We finally got up to the fifth floor of the building I lived in. We laughed as we grabbed all the bags and practically drug them to my apartment.
"What's that?" Daisha said, as she pointed at my door, with a weird expression. I looked up, and there was a white dress bag hanging there, with an envelope taped to it.
"I don't know..." we exchanged a glance, and then I unlocked my door, and set the bag inside, so I could pull down the dress bag.
"Well?" She demanded as I walked inside with it. It was heavy, whatever was in there.
"Hang in a dang minute." I smirked as I laid it on the back of the couch, and pulled the envelope loose. It was a black envelope, that was sealed with a blob of red and gold wax, with the letters "TC" molded into it. "TC?" I asked out loud, looking at Daisha. She shrugged, and motioned for me to continue. I popped the seal, and removed the card inside.
"It's an invitation."

" Eva Lynch,
You're cordially invited to attend this years
Masquerade ball.  The theme for this year is ~Red~
I understand this is a last minute request for your attendance, so I've provided you with a dress. I do hope you'll find it suitable.
-TC.

"Hmm" Daisha said with a confused smirk "Well, let's see the dress!"
"Okay, okay." I laughed and unzipped it. My breath hitched, just seeing the fabric. It was a deep red, with flowers and crystals embroidered all over it. "Woah." I said in disbelief. "What the hell"
"Oh, girl you got a sugar daddy I don't know about?" Daisha asked, walking over to admire the dress.
"Not that I know about" I agreed "This is insane."
"Are you gonna go?" She asked, holding up the dress, and twirling it around.
"And get kidnapped or something?" I asked in disbelief "No thank you!"
"It says right there on the back, to bring a friend." She shrugged "I'll go with you. I've got enough money to get a dress."
"Really?" I asked in surprise.
"Sure why not? I'll have to go first thing in the morning, to be able to get a dress by tomorrow night, but it sounds like fun. " She laughed, grabbing the take out menus off of my refrigerator "It'll be fun. How often do you think you'll get another opportunity to go to a ball?"
"That's fair." I stared at the dress lost in thought. This really was crazy. What if we get kidnapped. Or killed....then again though, who would by a dress this beautiful, just to murder someone. And why invite a friend to witness it. I'm just thinking to much. I looked at Daisha with a grin "Fuck it, let's do it."