“You could say kissing ass is in my nature.” Kas grins.
The girl with black hair doesn’t look any more amused.
“Anyway…” I walk over to the array of dresses, grabbing a black one just so we can get the fitting started and move on from this devil dick measuring contest. I look at the woman. “Will you… sorry, what’s your name? Are you able to help me with the zipper”
“It’s Chanel, and that’sactuallywhy I’m here.” She glares at Rosier, who is ignoring her, looking rather bored with his knuckle pressed against his cheek. Chanel takes my wrists and pulls me into the changing room, drawing the curtain with a huff. “Ugh, those two are so fucking annoying. Kas really found his match made in Hell with that one.”
“You’re talking about Rosier?”
“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes. “That one.”
She holds out a hand, and it takes me a second to realize she’s asking for the dress. I hand it off to her before undressing.
“Are all Princes like him?” I ask.
“Like Rosier? I wouldn’t know. I’ve only been to Hell once, and I certainly haven’t spoken to any devils with actual rank. You’re going to have to take your bra off.”
“Right…” I completely strip the upper half of my body while Chanel preps the dress. “Succubi can go to Hell whenever they want, right?”
“Yeah, we can jump between Hell and Earth. Beings of two worlds or whatever.” She talks like she’s telling me her commute. “But Hell is a shitty place.” She looks at me in the mirror. “Revolutionary, right? Bet you wouldn’t have ever guessed.” She pools the dress on the floor so it’s easy for me to step into it.
“I guess, but it’s hard to picture.”
Chanel pulls the dress over my body and starts securing it in the back. It’s a scoop neck dress with a mermaid silhouette covered in black sequins.
“It can’t just be fire and brimstone,” I say.
Chanel responds by opening up the dressing room and motioning me to step out onto the little stage. I follow her silent directions, and I’m greeted with a dozen versions of myself from different angles. I run my hands over the rough sequins. The top is loose, and I can definitely see parts of my chest that should be covered. There are also sections where there’s more fabric than needed, creating pockets.
“It… sure is sparkly.”
Rosier snorts.
“Those sequins are hand stitched,” Chanel sneers.
Which is an impressive detail, but it’s still a bit too much, not to mention uncomfortable against my bare arms.
“I’m not sure I want to go with black,” I think aloud. The color reminds me of a funeral, and I’m tryingnotto die so soon.
Chanel complains, “Then why’d you pick black?”
“Could you keep your fat tongue in your mouth?” Rosier bites. I turn to him, finding both Kas and Chanel are looking at him a little bewildered. Rosier’s ire is focused on Chanel. “If we wanted to hear how expensive your dress collection is, we would have asked. Minnie is classy, not coveting.” His smoldering eyes shift to me. I frown, not really a fan of how he’s talking to Chanel. “Purple might look nice on her… a lilac color…”
“I like purple,” I hesitantly agree.
Not because I don’t think lilac would look nice but because I don’t want to encourage him. There’s a shifting of hangers. Through the mirror, I look back at Rosier, who focuses on me. Or, I should say, on my ass. His eyes are narrow like he’s glaring, but the curl of his lips is unmistakable. You let a guy touch you once…
Okay, twice.
Chanel walks back over, holding a pastel purple dress with a slit that reaches up to the hip. The fabric is silky and catches the dozen lights surrounding the mirror.
I smile. “That’s perfect.”
I take Chanel’s arm and lead her into the dressing room. As soon as we’re inside, I notice she’s staring at my hand wrapped around her arm.
“Sorry,” I say softly before shutting the curtain on my own. Chanel hangs up the dress and starts undressing me. “So… when you went to Hell–”
“Why do you care?” She helps me slide out of the dress. I open my mouth to explain, but Chanel is faster. “I don’t know what it’s like for damned souls.” She slides the purple dress over my head. I realize there are a row of cloth buttons in the back. Chanel starts buttoning me, leaning in close to whisper in my ear, “But if you’re curious for the reasons I think you’re curious, I wouldn’t worry. You’re not going to languish in the bottom tiers. Clearly Rosier has plans for you.”
