Free Hidden Sins by Karice Bolton Page B

me home. I think my location was compromised. There was a man who confronted me at the beach…”
    “Oh no.” Her jaw dropped open.
    “He’s in custody for now, but the long and short of it is that I think I found a job, but I need to go there tonight. I need to leave the house as soon as possible.”
    “I’ll drive you,” she offered. “Or better yet, you can borrow my car. Then you don’t have to feel rushed during the interview or whatever it is you’re doing tonight.”
    “You’d do that?”
    “Of course.” She tossed me the keys and smiled. “You’ve seen my car. It’s not like much more could happen to it.”
    I couldn’t help but laugh. She had a valid point.
    “Thank you so much. I think this’ll be a good job or at least one that pays decent.”
    “Where’s it at?” she asked.
    “Buttons?” my voice went up an octave. “Have you heard of it?”
    “Of course I’ve heard about it. It’s the place to be. How in the world did you get an in there?” she asked, perplexed.
    “I ran into a girl who works there, and she found out I was looking for work…”
    “Wow. Well whatever it is you have to do tonight, I’d say do it because jobs like that don’t come around very often.”
    “She said it was like a club and she promised it wasn’t like stripping or anything…” I was hoping for confirmation.
    Rikki smiled. “It’s just a place where people want to be. There are all kinds of stories about what goes on there, but it’s all urban legend. You’ll have to tell me all about it.”
    “Deal. Now I wonder what I should wear,” I said, feeling extremely anxious about what I’d possibly gotten myself into.
    “Something stylish and revealing.”
    My stomach sank. I owned neither.
    “I’ve got something that might work,” she said, leaving my room.
    I groaned and fell against the mattress.
    Rikki came back in holding a tiny black dress that I didn’t think would stretch enough in any direction to cover any one part of me. “What shoe size are you?” she asked.
    “Eight.”
    “It’s meant to be,” she said, waving a pair of strappy, black heels. “I’ve heard there’s some sort of dress code there.”
    “Well, I haven’t been hired yet so…”
    “Once you put this on, it’ll be a done deal.”
    I laughed. “I hope so. Do you know how far away it is?”
    “About an hour or hour and fifteen.”
    “Seriously? What time is it?” I glanced at my phone. “I better get ready. I’m supposed to meet her before her shift.”
    “If you need any help let me know. I can’t wait to see you before you head out.”
    “Thanks,” I said, grabbing the dress from her before she walked away.
    I quickly stripped out of my jeans and shirt and pulled the dress over my head. Somehow, it managed to cover—just barely— all the vital parts. I walked into the bathroom and did a spin, surprised by my new look. We’d always been told to dress modestly and this was anything but. I kind of liked it.
    My hair was a bit unruly after a day at the beach and a ride in the police car, but there wasn’t much I could do about it without a shower. And God Forbid I took a step in the tub.
    I heard a whistle from the hallway, and Rikki grinned. “You clean up nice. I printed off the directions to Buttons. Do you have a curling iron or flattening—”
    I shook my head.
    “I’ll be right back.”
    I began dotting on some foundation in a vain attempt to make me look like I was a solid sleeper and not running for my life. It wasn’t working.
    Rikki reappeared and plugged in her curling iron. “Should heat up in a minute or so.”
    “Thanks again for loaning me the dress.”
    “It’s gotta get some use somehow,” she laughed, testing the iron. “It’s ready.”
    Without skipping a beat, she began wrapping chunks of my hair around the rod, and I looked steadily in the mirror as I drew on eyeliner heavier than normal.
    “You’ve got this,” she said, working her way around my head.