Page 9

9

A Pig in Lipstick

“O uch!” I yell, holding my hand to my recently burnt scalp.

“Sorry!” Red pulls the crimper away from me and leans over to see her damage.

“Would ya’ just stop trying to burn all my hair off?”

She tsks. “You’re the one who wanted me to do your hair. You can’t be needy and whiny.” She moves to the next section of my dwindling locks.

“I asked you to do my hair, not ruin it.”

“Ha, ha. Well, it actually looks pretty fucking good, so I would stop complaining.” She turns me around to face the vanity mirror behind me. Staring back at me is an image of myself. Same dark brown hair, metallic brown eyes, dusting of freckles, and my nose ring, but everything is a little different. I push a lock of my styled hair behind my ear, turning my chin to examine the winged eyeliner and new shade of red lipstick Red applied to my lips. I always wear make-up, but it feels like a scene in a nineties rom-com. Seeing yourself under someone else’s creative enhancement is new and exciting. I nod with a smile.

“See you like it,” she says, hitting my shoulder.

“It helps when you have such a perfect canvas.” I caress my cheeks and throw back my head.

“You’re annoying.” Red rolls her eyes and waddles to her bed, attempting to pull herself onto the King mattress but struggles with a huff.

I can’t feign mock annoyance at her comment for long. She’s too cute and helpless. I run to her aid, hiking up her leg so she can ungracefully roll onto the bed. We’d be quite a sight to see if anyone walked in on us. Me in my black lacy bra and underwear, pushing a large pregnant woman onto a bed. I laugh once she groans, rolling to her side and grabbing a pillow next to her to shove between her legs. “That was enough physical exertion for me for the day.”

I tuck a strand of bright red hair behind her ear, examining the dark bags under her green eyes. “You know you didn’t actually have to help me get ready. I just wanted to hang out with you before I’m stuck in a hell of my own creation for the next few hours.”

She props her head with her hand, staring at me. “And you need advice.” She reaches and taps her fingers like tiny claws. “Would you hand me those chips?”

I do as I’m asked, passing her the bag before sitting on the floor and rummaging through the bag of clothes I brought. “Advice? Why do I need your advice?”

“Rude,” she says through a mouth full of crispy potato skins. “I happen to be very skilled at acquiring information from the enemy and even more proficient at the art of seduction. Evidence A.” She rubs a hand over her large belly.

I laugh. “If I end up pregnant after this, something has gone horribly wrong. And besides, you got knocked up by my brother. I wouldn’t be bragging about that.”

The bag of half-eaten chips hits the side of my head. “Rude! Your brother’s hot and has a huge di…”

I pop to my feet, a black cotton dress in my hands. “Okay! Stop right there!”

She throws her head back with a laugh. “I love freaking you out.”

I force my hand into the bag, pulling out a clump of chips and shoving it into my mouth. “You’re not getting this back,” I say, crumbs dropping from my lips.

“No!” she yells.

I toss them to the floor with a smile and step into the stretchy fabric. Just when the straps hit my shoulders, the bedroom door swings open. “What’s going on?”

I scream. “Cameron! I could have been naked!”

“Ew!” he says, charging the bed and climbing toward his wife. “Why aren’t you naked?” he asks, looming over her. Red giggles underneath him and attempts to push him away.

“Get out!” I yell, turning away from the disgusting smooch-fest happening before me.

“Um, this is my bedroom. You can’t tell me to get out,” Cameron says, eyes still fixed on Red.

“This is our bedroom.” Red slaps a hand to his chest from underneath him. “And I want her here.”

“I heard you two discussing me in rather explicit detail. I think I should be allowed to listen.”

I catch a glimpse of the two kissing through giddy smiles through the reflection of the vanity mirror as I sweep off the remains of potato chips from my lips. I’m gonna throw up. I focus my attention back to myself with a groan. Upon closer inspection, I hate my dress, and I hate my lipstick. I grab a tissue and rub the shade off before climbing back to the floor to continue my search through my mess of garments.

“What are you doing?” Red asks, laying on her side to face me, Cameron spooning her from behind.

“I look too slutty. It’s too obvious.”

“Well…” Cameron says, his pitch rising an octave.

“Shut up, fuckface.”

Red slaps him. “You don’t look slutty. You look hot. Why do you seem nervous?”

My cheeks heat, and my eyes dart to her. “I’m about to go on a date with Brick. A man who’s hated me for years and is working with the Hunters. This could end very badly.” My mind replays my last fake date, only a few days ago. That was the definition of disaster. This time, I’m not drinking. Brick may still be able to overpower me, but I’ll put up a hell of a fight.

Cameron scoots to the head of the bed, leaning against the headboard. “Grimm told you what to plant?” he asks, his voice all serious now.

I sigh, pulling out a short forest green dress. It’s basically the same style as the one before, but something about green seems less sultry than black. At least, I think. “Yes, I will mention how Josie is supposed to be home alone tonight, and I’m worried about her. If the Hunters show up at Josie’s house, we know Brick is our man.”

“I don’t understand,” Red asks. “Don’t we already know that Brick is our man? How does this help us?”

“I mean, we’re pretty sure,” I counter, walking toward their closet, shutting the door behind me, and raising my voice so they hear me through the slats. “His aloof behavior to the disappearances, him talking to Richard, and the file on his desk, are all damning pieces of evidence, but we need to be sure.”

“Then what?” Red asks.

I step out of the black dress. “Then I make him fall in love with me and find out where those girls are.”

A knock comes from the other side of the house. “Are you expecting anyone?” Cameron says, his voice coated with alarm.

“Brick’s picking me up here,” I shout, glancing at my watch. “But he’s not supposed to be here for another thirty minutes.” I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to get ready and return home. I sent an email this morning to tell him to pick me up at my brother's. He responded just as quickly as he did two days before and confirmed the time. I really needed to get his number. Conversing through email feels like I’m dating a personification of corporate America.

“I’ll check.” I listen as Cameron jumps to the floor and walks toward the front door. Seconds later, he yells, “It’s him.”

I pop my head out of the closet. “What a dick! Who shows up early? I’m not ready.”

Red struggles to sit up as I exit the closet, pulling the green dress overhead. “We know he’s a dick. Brick the dick. Ha. That’s funny. Besides, you look great. You’re fine.”

Cameron enters the room again when the dress is halfway down my ass. “Get out!” I yell. “Stall him.”

He turns his back to me but remains in the doorway. “I want to hear what you both are talking about. I feel left out. Besides, I don’t want to hang out with Brick. I’m not good at faking things.”

I straighten my dress, examining myself in the mirror. “Don’t you want to go stare him down? Act all alpha male protecting your little sister.”

“No.”

“Why? You seemed to love doing that with Kilo.”

“Oh, I want to hear what happened with Kilo,” Red says with a giddy cadence.

“That’s different…”

Brick knocks again, louder this time.

Red sighs. “Oh, Cameron, go get the door.”

“Fine.” He shuts the bedroom door behind him.

I lean over, dabbing on a sheer lip gloss before straightening my dress and tucking and untucking my hair behind my ears.

“Why do you seem so nervous?” Red whispers. The males' low voices seep through the doorway's cracks.

I shoot her a dumbfounded look from the mirror's reflection before turning to her. “I’m about to go on a date with a potential Hunter and plant fake information to incriminate him. Besides, he’s some sort of powerful creature that none of us know about. Of course, I’m going to be nervous.”

Red shrugs. “So. Defeating Hunters is the kind of stuff you live for. You’ve been waiting for your chance to bring them down at the paper, and now the council is giving you a chance to actually kick some ass.” She squints an eye at me. “Do you like him?”

“No!” I whisper-scream much too quickly. “I definitely don’t like him.”

“Carmen! Are you ready?” Cameron yells, clearly uncomfortable.

I turn, giving myself another examination before walking toward the door and slipping on my black strappy heels. “Good luck!” Red calls before pulling her comforter over her head. I enter the living room to find Brick seated on an armchair by the front door, Cameron pouring a scotch into a chilled highball glass.

His eyes catch mine, his pupils dilating, but then he turns his head and takes a big gulp of his drink. He’s wearing a white button-down, the top two buttons undone, revealing a peek of his tanned and broad chest. He spreads his legs wide, his tight gray pants barely leaving anything to the imagination. Damn, he looks good. He usually looks like such a fucking dork, but his hair is even styled differently, less in place, and pushed back.

My eyes wander longer than they should. I shake my head, riding the distracting thoughts from my mind. Why would he dress differently for our date? Is he doing what I’m doing? Trying to impress me to get more information out of me? It’s the only thing that makes sense. I steel my expression, a slight shake of my chin. “You’re early.” I should try to be charming, but it’s just not me. He’ll catch on if I don’t give him shit, especially if it’s something that’s so clearly annoying.

He shrugs, a mischievous sparkle in his eye. “It’s better than being late.”

“Not really.” I cross my arms.

Cameron picks up a glass on the coffee table, walking toward me with the crystal decanter. “Here, why don’t you take a drink before you go?” He widens his eyes and clenches his lips. Clearly, a signal to stop acting like a bitch, or I’m going to blow the mission.

I take a shallow breath. “No, thank you,” I say through a forced smile.

“You sure?” Cameron tries again, pushing the glasses closer to me.

“I’m fine.” My smile fades.

Brick clears his throat and stands. “Okay, well, we should get going.”

I want to say that we have all the time in the world since he so rudely decided to show up early. Thankfully, for his sake, I’m always ready a bit early. I’d like to have more time with Red and Cameron to discuss the plan for this dinner or even just some time to decompress, but nope. Brick is set on making my life difficult. Instead of lying and saying I’m almost ready and hiding out with Red for some time, I nod, plastering on a small smile. “Yep, let’s get going.” Besides, I don’t want Cameron to reveal everything before the plan starts. He’s a mess with the baby on the horizon. One second, he’s about to kill everyone in sight; the next, he’s cuddling Red like a lost puppy. He’s not on his A-game, and having Brick around him for any more time is a risk.

I step closer to Brick, taking in his strong, musky scent. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever smelt before—his own personal fragrance. If I had to name something similar, I’d say smoke, but that could just be because everything about him reminds me of smoke—harsh, illusive, something for secrets to hide in. I stare up at him, still impossibly tall even in my heels, and I’m not very short. He stares down at me. His gaze intense and hard to read. He doesn’t scan me over like I did when I first caught his new look. Instead, his eyes tether to mine as if looking away would be too dangerous. But then his eyes drift to the top of my head. He reaches out, and my breath stops. He grabs a strand of my hair between two fingers. “Did you burn your hair?” he asks, a smile inching up the corner of his lips.

I’m knocked out of whatever the hell he just pulled me into. I take a step back, my hard exterior dropping back in place. “Red did it.” Is all I muster, biting my lip from saying more. No compliments on my appearance or kind gesture, just scrutiny. How very Brick of him. I’m still convinced he’s attempting to draw me in as much as I am to him, but he’s not trying very hard. Or maybe he’s just doing what I’m doing—not wanting to lay it on too thick to seem unbelievable. Only one of us can win at this game, and there’s no universe where a wolf doesn’t outsmart a pig.