ILARIA (book 3)

11. ILARIA

To keep my mind off the fact there's people looking for me at the minute, Romeo put me in charge of assigning the strippers at his strip club their new outfits.

And there is nothing more I love than clothes.

My penthouse is full of strippers at the minute. I bought nail techs around, masseuses, hair stylists.

Extreme makeover for everybody.

One of my best friends, Malory, walks up with her hair done and nails painted yellow. Yellow is so her colour. "What you got for me?"

I go through the bags of names and hand her the one with hers. She's one of the lead strippers so she has to look better than everyone else.

She peeks inside of the bag and smirks, then walks to one of the spare rooms to change.

Other girls start piling up for their outfits and I give them all, ticking their names off the lists.

I have four bodyguards now. Mom and dad wished for me to have absolutely no relationship with them so that I don't get upset like I did when Mario and Dante died. I don't even know their names. I call them A, B, C & D.

One of by each entrance of my penthouse. They're all big and scary men. One of them looks like he's been dragged through hell and back but I guess that's a good thing.

The girls start walking out in their new outfits and I bless myself for being a fashionista.

They all looked incredible.

"Oh my god, you all look great." I clap excitedly.

Malory has the dream body, and with the yellow outfit and high heels, it just looks perfect.

I adjust some of the straps for the girls and fix some of their skirts if their wearing some. I also change some stuff around.

Then I'm just staring at them as they talk amongst themselves.

I stare at their flawless skin and flat stomachs, their thigh gaps and long legs. I pull my cardigan on, folding my arms to hide my stomach.

I'm never insecure of my body until I see people that I don't look like.

I'm the biggest in this room.

"Ilaria, do you think maybe I can get something more covered?" One of the newer strippers, Ria, asks.

"Uh, yeah, what size are you?"

"2."

Must be nice.

I poke through the bags. "I think red really suits you well. Do you want the cup sizes bigger or-"

"Just something more covering all together, if you can."

I pick up a high waisted lingerie with stockings and she couldn't stop thanking me.

Bodyguard A walks up to me. "Ma'am, there's a man in your elevator. He says his names Asahi. Tall Asian guy. It isn't in your schedule to have anyone over-"

"Let him in, just keep him in the lobby."

He nods his head, walking away.

This penthouse is a mess.

But they're all leaving soon. There is a big show tonight and I don't feel like going.

Another stripper, and her two friends walk up to me. I hate these girls. They're all so mean. "What can I do for you?"

"I want pink." She says.

"Not happening. Pink is reserved for lead strippers, which you're not." I stand up. "Anything else?"