If this was the kind of pain for beauty, Abriana would stick to only doing it for special occasions.
Now, she had to sit perfectly still. If she even breathed too hard, Raven grabbed her face and kept her into position. Raven was the boss and was clearly used to getting what she wanted.
Abriana, well, she was used to being bossed around.
Fortunately, no one had hit her yet, so she was considering that a plus. No pain and she was a happy girl.
“Where are we going tonight? The clubhouse?”
“Nah, there’s a bar near the town that the boys visit often. They’re not going to be there, so I figured we could have some fun with the locals. Dance, that kind of thing.”
“I don’t think I should.” She wasn’t allowed to dance with men.
“Abriana, he’s not here, and the last time I heard, he was at the shack.”
“The shack?”
Raven cursed. “Let’s just say it’s a place that women are willing to fuck anything with a dick. You’re not a mafia princess anymore. You’re club, and we’re giving you some experiences your teenage ass should be enjoying.”
“If my father ever heard you say stuff like that, he’d have made an example out of you.”
“You speak to your father yet?”
“No. I’ve not called them, and I don’t know the number, why?”
“Just curious.”
“I hope I never have to speak to them.”
“Why?”
“I … he’s not a very nice guy.”
“That I can tell with the bruises. You didn’t think to hit back?”
“Trying to defend yourself only makes it worse. If I take it, he gives up and the pain goes away.”
Raven paused, staring at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. We’re two completely different women.”
“You would have kept on fighting.”
“When I’m banged-up and bruised, you should be more worried about the other guy.”
“What about the bruises around your neck?”
Raven’s hand went to them.
Abriana wasn’t going to point them out, but seeing as Raven was prying and judging, she didn’t see a problem not to.
“Sometimes I don’t know when to shut my mouth,” Raven said.
“Did you hurt the other guy as well?”
“Let’s drop this.”
She had other questions, but seeing as Raven was the only person to come and visit her and to even talk to her, she was more than happy with the company and didn’t want to scare her off.
“Do you have a bike? Is that how we’re riding?”
Raven laughed. “I do have a bike, but no, there’s no way I’d let you ride my bike wearing a dress like that. I’m not that mean. I’m done, and you’re finished.” Raven put her makeup down and held up a mirror.
Abriana stared at her reflection, a little taken aback. Raven had given her sexy eyes, enhancing their brown but not making them look mousy. Her hair was coiled around her face, and she looked pretty.
“You have a gift.” It was nice to sit with someone and not have them complain all the time about how ugly she was.
“They’ve done a real number on you, haven’t they?”
She didn’t know what she was talking about.
Raven got up, stretched her body, and Abriana quickly averted her gaze as the other woman stripped down.
Covering her eyes, she tried to think of something to say.
“You’ve got to get used to seeing a bit of flesh. The men at the clubhouse, they don’t exactly hide their natures,” Raven said.
Lowering her hand, she saw Raven had changed into a small shirt that showed off her cleavage and stomach. The skirt also emphasized the length of her legs with the shortness of it. Some knee-high boots and Raven looked on fire. Her long hair she left down, and she went with minimal makeup.
“You got to learn to own who you are, Abriana. Confidence is always the key.” Raven winked at her.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“You’re sure … Ugly Beast won’t mind me going out?”
“You don’t like saying his name, do you?” Raven asked.
She followed Raven down the stairs and they both went for the door. “No.”
“Why not?”
“It doesn’t suit him.”
Raven’s brow rose.
“I know his scars are a little…”
“Ugly.”
“Scary,” Abriana said. “But I don’t think he’s ugly. I don’t think he’s a beast either. He’s … different. Intense. Scary, but not, ugly.”
Raven smiled. “He’s not just called Ugly Beast because of the way he looks.”
Abriana tilted her head to the side, feeling like she was missing the joke.
“Why is he called that?”
“You’re going to have to ask him yourself. There’s only so much shit I’m willing to cause. Come on, I promise we’re good to go. I don’t see him here ordering us not to go out.”
She couldn’t argue with that, so she left the house. Raven locked the door, pocketing the keys.
Abriana’s nerves kicked in as she climbed into the car.
No one was around. There were no guards tailing them. Raven was driving them, and as she pulled her seatbelt on, she couldn’t help but make the comparisons. Her old life was very much over.