One ofSebastian’seyebrows arched up, andhelooked like he was about to say something sarcastic. Instead he just shook his head, and with a seriousness in his eyes said, “Just be careful.”
When he was outside I moved my attention to the woman from earlier. She wordlessly nodded towards a door behind us, and I followed her through it. Fifteen women were sitting in front of makeup mirrors in varying states of undress and makeup.
The Russian woman who told me to call herAnyawent over expectations for my appearance. When she got to the part about makeup, I interrupted her.
“I didn’t bring any makeup with me. Can’t I just go out like this?” I asked.
Anya raised her eyebrows at that, her oversized fake eyelashes still touching the bottom of her brows.
Before I could respond, she gestured for me to sit in a white hard-backed chair in front of her. The second I sat downontothe uncomfortably hard chair, Anya began applying a foundation that was slightly too dark for my overly pale skin.
“Sohow did you get Sebastian?” she asked, her Russian accent shining through.
“What do you mean?” Isaid, turningtoface her.
Anya roughly yanked myfaceback towardsthe mirrorand brushed foundation on my jawline.
“He never takes us up on our offers to service him.” Her brows furrowed as she stared at my face like it’d personally offended her.
“I’m not sleeping with him,if that’s what you’re asking,” I said. Which was technically true, we hadn’t had sex together. And I hadn’t decided if we would in the future. Although, I wondered ifitwas smart of me to reveal any information about Sebastian and I. If some of these women were willing to sell their bodies, it made sense they’d be open to selling information about a woman they weren’t even friends with.
The nearby women began laughing. They didn’t believe me, so it didn’t matter, anyway.
“You’re funny. The men will like you,”Anyareplied, her artificially plumped lips formed a stiff smile.
She moved onto bronzer, and began applying it.“It’s important you don’t underprice yourself. We don’t want to undercut all of our pricing,” Anya said.
“I’m not planning on selling myself,” Isaidwhile trying to keep my face as still as possible.
There were more laughs.
“All the girls say that. Then they see how much money they can make, and change their mind,” Anya said.
“I’m serious.”
When Anya finished my makeup, anotherwomantook over my hair. She transformed it from frizzy blonde curlsto sleekstraight hair.
When they were done, I peeked into the mirror. Definitely not an image I’d be uploading to Instagram. My eyelids were brushed a pale blue with afluorescent neonblue in the creases. Thick black winged eyeliner encircledmy eyes, and long fake eyelashes framed them. The foundation had already been too dark, but the contrasting bronzer almost washed me out. To finish the look, I had a bright redlipstick thathad been over lined in order to make my lips look fuller.
“You should have Sebastianbuyyou lipinjections,” Anya said, assessing me with her arms crossed.
I ignored that statement and asked where the clothing was.Anyaled me to an armoire in the back, and I would have blushed if not for the overly bronzed foundation covering up any hint of redness.
“Do I really need towear lingerie?” I asked, staring at the lacy red bra, and high waisted matching panties.
Anyajust stared at me.
With a sigh, I pulled off my sweatpants. Russian swear words echoed behind me.
I turned around, andAnyawas staring at the bruises on my legs. I’d attempted tocover itup with bronzer before we left the house, butit appeared Ihadn’t been totally successful.
As she continued to stare at my legs,asoftness bled into her voice.“Did Sebastian do that to you?”
I shook my head.“No, some debt collectors I owe money to,” I said.
A look of understanding came over her face. She threw her bony arms around me and pulled me in close.
“It’sgoing to beokay. You’ll make enough money tonight that they’ll fuck off for a while," Anya said.
