Page 140 of Desperate People

And make sure no one forgets who she belongs to.

Chapter Thirty-Five-Lucy

The air in the tent is thick with perfume, hairspray, and energy—too much energy.

Everyone’s bustling.

Touching.

Talking.

Coordinating.

And me? I just need a second.

A single breath of real, unfiltered air.

I know this is all for a good cause, and really, I don’t typically mind doing things like this. Especially not for family. Or for charity.

But something just feels off.

“I’ll be right back,” I murmur to the assistant who keeps fluffing my outfit.

She nods distractedly, already talking into her headset.

I’m wearing nothing but a series of strategically placed nude pieces—somewhere between a corset and panties.

The fabric is just thick enough to cover my nipples and the rest of what my mother would call the mystery, but let’s be honest, it leaves very little to the imagination.

Wrapped around me is layer after layer of nude tulle, each one heavy with crystals.

Thousands of them.

They shimmer like stars caught in spider silk.

So basically, I look naked.

Naked and sparkly.

It’s high fashion, sure.

Art, apparently.

Classy? Maybe not.

Definitely not the pajama pants and comfy tank top I wish I was wearing.

I grab a black silk robe and drape it over my shoulders, trying to appear inconspicuous.

But I keep reminding myself—good cause and all that.

This shoot is for Drew’s Place.

It’s supposed to be raw, beautiful, ethereal.

But still.

I can’t help the way I shift on my heels, suddenly aware of how exposed I feel—not just physically, but emotionally.

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