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Gently, Demi drew me over to a bench and sath couple of days I hope I can put yourlike the sex shop you went to yesterday; it’s very clean, and safe, and the staff is attentive and responsible Nothing bad will happen to you while you’re there Nothing that you don’t want to happen, anyway” She dropped a conspiratorial wink

“I proinity on this tour,” I blurted, then felt ht red I couldn’t believe I had just said that out loud

Dehed, but in a nice way “Well, then you don’t have to, unless you want to What our dads don’t knoon’t hurt theht?” She reached into one of her pockets and drew out a travel package of tissues “Here you go,” she said, handing them to me I blew my nose self-consciously

“Tell you what,” De to lend you that dress, free of charge Just bring it back tomorrow”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly—” I began to protest, but Demi disappeared into the back before I could finish She reappeared a minute or so later with a couple of boxes tucked under her arm

“To co theasped The first box contained a pair of knee-high, high-heeled boots; the second, a set of sleek, elbow-length black gloves “Try theed love

De else to co from a nearbystray strands of blonde hair underneath it “And” she looked around “Ah!” She tied a sequinedback to adnize you You look wonderful” De in a self-satisfiedtoward a nearby mirror

I couldn’t help but gasp at the reflection that gazed back at , even Demi appeared behind me

“May I give you some advice?” she asked I nodded

“You ht if you create a new persona for yourself An alter ego, so to speak Slip into a new identity, and you can pretend she’s someone separate from yourself What was the name that creep wanted you to rebrand as?”

“Sexerella,” I said with a little shudder

Derinned “That’s perfect,” she said “That can be your secret alter ego”

“I don’t know” I said