minutes later, trying to peek through my closed lids.
Molly stepped in front of me, blocking the mirror.
“Don’t look yet!” she said, holding out her hands. “You look so freaking good, just relax. Erik’s going to eat his tongue,” Molly said with a triumphant smile.
“Don’t we want him to eat something else?” Lexi asked.
My jaw dropped. “LEXI.”
“Oh please. Everyone was thinking it.”
A few minutes later, after Lexi had nearly burned me with the curling iron, poked my eye out with the mascara wand, and yanked my hair with a brush so hard I could have sworn I was bleeding from my scalp, she stepped back and waved her hands in front of me.
“Voila! Sexy by Lexi.”
I took a deep breath and glanced up, prepared for the worst.
“Holy…”
I couldn’t even get the second word out of my mouth. Lexi had worked some serious magic on my appearance. I angled my face left and right, taking in the soft brown and gold eye shadows she’d used to cover my lids. I had even, tan skin, but she’d done something to make it glow under the bathroom lights.
Lexi crossed her arms, proud of herself. “See? Subtle, but sensual.” She reached out to push my hair forward so the long loose waves fell over my shoulder. It felt like silk against my bare skin.
“What about lipstick?” I asked, taking in my pale pink lips.
“I was going to suggest some, but I figured you’d fight me on it.”
“How about red?”
Lexi squealed and lunged for her makeup bag. “YES. I have the perfect shade for your skin tone.”
Molly laughed and shook her head. “Why do I feel like we’re preparing Brie for more than just the mixer?”
I let a slow-spreading predatory smile unfold across my lips as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
You’re preparing me for war.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brie
Our gymnastics mixer coincided with the opening ceremonies. I was sad to be missing out, and though the parade of nations takes hours on end, it would have been fun to meet the other athletes competing for the United States. Rather than having us attend, the U.S. Gymnastics Association had invited male and female gymnasts from every competing country in an effort to “unite nations” for one common goal: bringing gymnastics programs to the less fortunate across the globe. Our involvement would ensure that enough donors with deep pockets would be in attendance. In exchange, we waltzed around the room, stuffed our faces with hors d’oeuvres, and smiled for the cameras when they were aimed at us.
All in all, it wasn’t so bad. They’d rented out a ballroom inside a hotel in the heart of downtown Rio, a few miles away from the village. The decor was beautiful and the lighting was low, giving off an elegant tone.
“Have you tried the chicken skewer things?” Molly said with a full mouth.
Well, almost elegant.
“Um, ma’am there’s a limit per guest…”
I glanced over to see Molly trying to shove nearly half the tray onto her small appetizer plate.
Lexi stepped forward and waved the waiter away. “Do you realize who she is?! She’s not a guest; she’s the reason we’re all here, buddy. If she wants to eat your skinny little chicken legs, you’d better let her!”
He flitted away, opting not to call Lexi’s bluff.
Molly blushed. “I’m just really hungry from the flight.”
She had a point. We were all athletes with intense training regimes; feeding us tiny chicken bites was just cruel.
I brought my glass of water to my lips and continued my survey of the room. I’d been looking for Erik for the last twenty minutes, ever since we’d first arrived, and I still hadn’t found him in the crowd.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get real food after this,” Lexi assured her. “I saw like twenty restaurants on the way here.”
“Where’s Rosie?” I asked.
“Talking to a reporter. They latched onto her as soon as we arrived and she’s too polite to walk away.”
I cringed. I had no interest in talking to reporters. They asked the same questions every single time: are you ready for the games, have you been training hard, are you nervous, etc.
“Well if she’s still trapped by the time Molly finishes eating her family chicken platter, we should go save her.”
“Where’s June?” Molly asked, holding out her plate for us to steal from. I waved it away, too nervous to eat.
“Eh,” Lexi replied. “Last time I saw her, she was trying to suck some French guy’s dick.”
Had I been eating, I would have choked. “Wait what?”
She shrugged. “She’s over there