Elegant Sins - Stasia Black Page 0,19

they started the process.”

“What process? How do you know so much about this?” I felt lost in the wilderness, but Delilah just treated it like it was all normal. I was starting to think they’d picked the wrong girl. She would’ve been perfect for this. She was sexually adventurous and, like me, had nothing to lose.

“Well, you’re starting a new life. And you can’t exactly live two of them at the same time. So, if you get chosen, they’ll shut this one down.” Delilah waved all around us. “And if you want to know the truth, I know it all because it happened to a friend of my favorite aunt. She got the invite when she was about your age.”

“Wait. What? How long ago was that?”

“I don’t know. Twenty years ago, maybe.”

“This has been going on for twenty years?”

Delilah laughed at my credulous expression. “Don’t you get it? It’s been going on for way longer than that. Hundreds of years. It’s a way of life for these rich guys.”

Hundreds of— “They just go around buying women? That’s disgusting.”

“My aunt’s friend didn’t think so. Especially when she got to live the rest of her life in a mansion on the French Riviera, where I might add, she later fell in love with a duke vacationing in France. Now they live happily ever after.”

“That sounds made up.”

Delilah’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “It’s true! Look. My aunt is still friends with her on Facebook. I’ll show you.”

Delilah pulled up her phone and scrolled, then shoved it in my face.

I frowned but took the phone. On it was a woman who looked like an aging model—her beauty was still clearly visible, just wearing a little around the edges.

She grinned widely at the camera as she leaned into a distinguished-looking gentleman with an arm around her shoulders.

They looked so… happy.

And rich. They looked rich as sin. There was a mountaintop chalet in the background. It was probably easy to be so happy when you were also so rich.

“I’m telling you, Grace, you’ll be around men who are really powerful and influential. You can have whatever you want.”

“Said the spider to the fly,” I murmured.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I waved her away and breathed out heavily. “All right. So, where do we get started?” I looked down at the gown and then thought about the box full of underthings.

I’d never know if I could do this until I tried.

“First, we have to start with your hair and makeup. Go take a shower and blow dry your hair. I’ll get out my makeup box I brought with me. I’ve always wanted to do a makeover on you!” Delilah clapped giddily and did a little spontaneous dance.

I took one quick peek at her heavily made up racoon eyes and winced. I could only hope for the best, right? I barely wore any makeup and had certainly never done glam makeup before.

I’d just have to trust that Delilah could restrain herself. I smiled at her. “I put myself in your capable hands.”

Delilah nodded but was already pulling out all sorts of creams and eyeshadows out of her makeup caboodle. “Don’t you worry about nothing. I’ll make sure you’re the belle of the ball.”

6

Grace

I looked like the bride of Frankenstein.

Sad but true.

I didn’t have the heart to tell Delilah she’d gone overboard on the eye makeup, especially when she was so extremely proud of herself when she’d stepped back earlier and said, “Ta da!” urging me to go check myself out in the bathroom mirror.

I didn’t look anything like myself, it was true.

And if tonight went as disastrously as I thought it might, maybe that was a good thing. Nobody would know who I was, and I could just sneak away with my tail between my legs.

It really was a shame about the dress, though. Because the dress was a true work of art. And the way it fit my body…

Delilah had made me put on the dress before I looked at myself in the mirror so I could get the full impression. Thank God for that, because I’d been about to cry once I saw the clown-like makeup.

Then there was the dress. It hugged the curves at the top of my body before billowing out in a cloud of organza. It looked like I was dancing even though I was standing still. The slightest movement made the gown shimmer.

Then there was a knock on the door and Delilah was squealing about a limo outside.

I’d never seen a limo in real life,