Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (22 page)

A young woman appeared beside
us.
 
She was model material
—
tall,
fine bones, creamy skin, dark brown hair.
 
If Blackwell
’
s
demands annoyed her, she didn
’
t
let it show.
 
Her mouth was set in a
half-smile.
 
“
Good morning, Ms.
Blackwell,
”
she
said.
 
“
How may I help you?
”

“
Stella
McCartney,
”
she
said.
 
“
Something red.
 
Bright red.
 
A gown.
 
Very pretty, very chic, very
Stella.
 
Ü
ber,
ü
ber,
ü
ber.
”
 
She motioned toward my chest.
 
“
And it needs to fit that.
”

I blushed.

The woman tilted her head to the side
and appraised my chest, which I thought was humiliating.
 
“
I think I have something,
”
she said.
 
“
It arrived this
week.
 
It
’
s a showstopper.
 
Her size isn
’
t on the floor.
 
Let me take you to the one that will fit
her.
”

“
It
’
s as if we
’
re going to a viewing,
”
Blackwell
said to me.

“
Excuse
me?
”

“
You
know, a corpse.
 
A viewing.
”
 
Her brow furrowed.
 
“
But you don
’
t
know.
 
You
’
re too young to
know.
 
The idea of death means
nothing to you at this point in your life.
 
But it will
—
just
wait and see.
”

We followed the clerk into a large
fitting area with dressing rooms surrounding us in a circle.
 
A pedestal stood in the center of the
room.
 
Tall mirrors on the dressing
room doors surrounded it.
 
The woman
used a key to open one of the doors, but it didn
’
t lead to a changing room
—
instead, it looked like a storage
area.
 
She disappeared inside for a
moment, and then came out with the dress draped over her arms.
 
“
It
’
s
exquisite,
”
she
said.
 
And then she let the bottom
of the dress drop as she held it up so we could see all of it.
 
She turned it slowly so we could see the
front and the back.

“
It
’
s stunning,
”
I
said.

“
It
’
s modern-minimalist,
”
Blackwell
said.
 
“
A stretch jersey gown.
”
 
She went over to study it.
 
“
Blood red.
 
Sleeveless.
 
Lovely flow
—
look
at how it moves, Lisa.
 
Wait until
you feel the material.
 
The back is
gorgeous.
 
See how low it dips?
 
You can carry that off.
 
Very pretty.
 
Very now.
 
Oh, Stella.
 
No corpse here.
 
Divoon.
”
 
Her
eyes flicked up to meet mine.
 
“
Are you a true size
zero?
”

“
I
am.
”

She turned to the clerk.
 
“
Will this fit her?
”

“
It
might be a size too large.
”

“
Try
on the dress,
”
she
said to me.
 
“
I
’
m too stressed out to
think that it might not fit.
 
We
know the obstacles
—
your
runaway boobs that never ran back.
 
Naturally, I
’
m
concerned.
”
 
She looked at the clerk.
 
“
What
’
s
your name?
”

“
Pauline.
”

“
I
believe we
’
ve worked
together before.
”

“
In
fact, we have.
 
I
’
ve never forgotten it.
”

“
How
could you?
 
I do give memorable
shopping.
”

The woman smiled at that.

“
You
have a tailor for me, don
’
t
you, Pauline?
”
Blackwell
asked.

“
Of
course.
”

“
And
this can happen today if it doesn
’
t fit?
”

“
For
you, I can make it happen within an hour.
”

“
Je
t
’
aime.
”

I went into one of the changing
rooms, and put on the dress, which went on easily and seemed to fit.
 
Then I looked at myself in the
changing-room mirror, and just stopped.
 
Was that really me?
 
Seriously?
 
The dress
practically molded itself to my body.
 
I could only imagine what I
’
d look like when Bernie was finished with me.
 
I turned this way and that, took a
breath, and walked out of the changing room, knowing that I was about to face
Blackwell
’
s
judgment.
 

I braced myself for whatever she had
to say.

But there was no judgment.
 
When she saw me, she held up her hands
in what looked to me like a show of relief.
 

“
Turn
around,
”
she
said.
 
“
Let me see.
”

I did.

“
Turn
to your left.
”

I did.

“
Now
face me.
”

I faced her.

“
This
is the one
—
and
on the first shot.
 
How in the hell
did that happen?
”

“
I
believe it was Pauline
’
s
idea.
”

“
Pauline
has vision
—
I
’
ll give her that.
”

She turned to Pauline in what looked
to me like a show of gratitude, and then told me to turn, turn, turn so she
could see, see, see.
 
When I
finished laughing, she said,
“
All
we need to do is take it in a bit at her back, which will make it appear as if
she actually has breasts
—
so,
there
’
s a
bonus for you, Lisa.
 
Tonight, you
’
ll have something of a
rack.
 
After that, we
’
re good.
”

When we were finished, we found the
perfect pair of Manolo Blahnik Bakhita double-buckle sandals with three-inch
heels.
 
They matched the color of
the dress and I loved them on sight, so I was relieved when Blackwell
agreed.
 

Finally, after happily raiding the
undergarment section, we went back to pick up the tailored dress.
 
This time, it fit to perfection.
 
We found the perfect clutch, and paid
for it all.
 
Blackwell blew kisses
in the air around Pauline, who seemed bemused by the action, and then, after
three hours of shopping, we left.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Later that evening, after Bernie and
Blackwell had their way with me, I studied myself in the mirror, and was beyond
pleased with the results.
 

Everything was simple and elegant.

My hair was pulled away from my face
and wound into a tight chignon.
 
My
makeup was light and fresh, with the boldest statement being the red lipstick
that matched my dress and shoes.
 
Jewelry was minimal
—
I
wore only diamond ear studs and a simple yet large pear-shaped diamond that
hung just to the tip of my cleavage.
 
The jewels belonged to Jennifer.
 
Earlier, Blackwell had told me exactly what to grab before I came to get
ready.

“
I
love it,
”
I
said.

“
Who
won
’
t
respect you in that?
”
Blackwell
asked.
 
“
You look nothing like
you did in the editorial shoot we did.
 
Boss hated your look
—
if
I remember correctly, I think he had a little tantrum about it
—
but
he
’
ll
have a difficult time dismissing you in this, as will others.
 
Tonight, what you
’
ll show everyone is
that you
’
re
willing to take risks where it matters.
 
When it doesn
’
t,
you can be conservative.
 
Beneath it
all, the message you
’
re
sending is that you can look wildly diverse.
 
That
’
s what going to make people interested in you and
fascinated by you.
 
Fashion has the
power to do that.
 
Fashion can
change everything.
”

Ever since I was a child, I
’
d read all the fashion
magazines.
 
I still did.
 
Vogue
was my bible.
 
I knew what she was saying was
true.
 
I thanked her, and then I
looked at Bernie in the mirror and reached out to grasp his hand, which I
squeezed.
 
“
And thank you.
 
I don
’
t know how you do it.
 
The only way I can explain it is that you
’
re an artist.
”

“
It
’
s my pleasure,
Lisa.
 
And I should thank you.
 
When I work on young, beautiful women
like Jennifer and you, I
’
m
at my happiest.
 
Barbara and I come
up with a concept, and she challenges me to go further, which in turn allows me
to challenge myself.
 
She wants me
to press my limits, which any true creative wants.
 
I don
’
t get to do this sort of work every day at my salon
—
far
from it.
 
It
’
s only on rare
occasions, such as this, that I
’
m
allowed to be so free.
 
When I work
on you and Jennifer, it
’
s
like I
’
m a
kid again.
”

I asked Blackwell what time it was.