Dirty Daddies Underground

Chapter Thirteen

Harper’s POV

“Harper, wake the f*ck up!”

I groan as I sit up, my eyes still heavy with sleep, only to see Mark pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed. His movements are sharp, angry, like the sound of his footsteps alone could cut through the tension in the air.

“Where the f*ck did all the money go?”

Is he serious right now? I press a hand to my forehead and try to shake the sleep from my voice. “You kept buying drinks for everyone,” I whisper, keeping my tone low, hoping it won’t make things worse.

“Not that much. Where’s your card? Give me it.”

No. I need that card. “I need it, Mark. I’ve got to buy a new outfit. They asked me to get something new.”

They didn’t, not exactly, but I’m doing it anyway.

“With what? Maybe if you hadn’t overspent on food this week there’d be more left!”

I nod slowly, forcing myself to agree just to end this argument before it spirals further. “Okay. I’m sorry. I won’t let it happen again. I didn’t calculate it right.”

“No, you didn’t. You never f*cking do.” He sighs, rubbing a hand over his face, the frustration radiating off him in waves. “Keep the card, but watch what you spend.”

He turns toward the door but pauses long enough to throw one more line over his shoulder. “One hundred. No more. And I’m only doing that because you’re getting money tonight.”

Then he storms out, and I fall back onto the bed like all the energy has been drained out of me. This is too much. One hundred doesn’t go far, not for what I need. But I’ve got sixty pounds in cash tucked away, and if I’m lucky, maybe I can split the payment between cash and card. Some places let you do that, right?

I take a deep breath, push myself up, and head to the bathroom. The water is hot when I step into the shower, and the moment it hits my skin, I feel like I can breathe again. Holding my phone just outside the spray, I snap a picture, it shows my breasts, teasing the curve of them without giving everything away.

Opening the app, I type my message.

BruisedLace: Good morning, Daddies. I’m about to go shopping and find the perfect outfit for tonight.

I attach the photo and hit send.

By the time I’m out, dried off, and halfway dressed, my phone buzzes. I open the app and smile before I even read it.

The_Triumvirate: Good morning, baby girl. Thank you for the picture, it’s truly breathtaking. We hope you have a good day.

I don’t know what it is about their words, but they make me feel warm, even a little safe. It’s not what I expected from them, but it’s exactly what I need this morning.

As I sit down and start fastening my shoes, the phone vibrates again.

The_Triumvirate: Where are you going shopping?

The question makes me pause. Why would they ask that?

BruisedLace: Velvet Vice. It’s one of the closest ones to me.

The message is read immediately, and within seconds, they’ve responded again.

The_Triumvirate: Look for something called The Hellraiser. Try it on and send a picture. Still choose what you like, but I want to see that on your body.

Well damn. The Hellraiser? I have no idea what that even looks like, but if they want to see it, I’ll try it on.

BruisedLace: I will, Daddy. Keep watching for my picture coming.

The_Triumvirate: Good girl. Now go shopping.

I slip the phone into my pocket and glance around. Mark’s not home, which means he must’ve already gone to work. Good. I grab my bag, take one last look at myself in the mirror, and head out the door. The walk to the store takes nearly an hour, but if it leads to something worth remembering, it’ll be more than worth it.

When I arrive at the store, I start browsing straight away, my eyes scanning over the racks with more nerves than I expected. I can’t seem to find what they told me to look for, and I don’t want to waste time pretending I know where it is. Swallowing my hesitation, I walk over to one of the shop assistants, offering her a polite smile.

“Hi, could you show me where the Hellraiser set is, please?”

Her smile is warm, reassuring in a way that calms the flutter of nerves in my chest. “Of course I can. This way.”

I follow her through a few aisles until she stops and lifts a hanger from the display. “Here it is.”

She holds up the set, and I get my first proper look at it. It’s black, strappy, dramatic, exactly what I’d pictured, maybe even more. The metal accents catch the light, and the lace is dark and seductive, just enough transparency to leave very little to the imagination. I nod in appreciation but I’m not ready to settle just yet.

“Thank you. I’m going to look at a few others as well.”

She gives me a kind nod and steps away, giving me the space to wander freely. I start combing through the racks, letting my fingers drift across smooth satin, sheer mesh, and soft lace. I know I need something else too, something to layer over it, a costume maybe. Something that makes an impression before anything even begins. A nurse outfit catches my eye, then a bunny one, and for a second I consider both. I don’t know what they’d prefer, but maybe I’ll find something that just feels right.

By the end of it, I’m juggling more than I planned for, eight lingerie sets in varying shades of black and crimson, four themed outfits, a structured corset, and a delicate basque. It’s a lot, but tonight means something, and I want to be ready for anything.

The assistant reappears with a small smile and gestures toward the changing rooms. “Let me show you to a room.”

I follow her, arms full and heart starting to race again.

The moment I close the changing room door, I feel my heart speeding up. Hanging up the items, I grab the one they wanted to see me in. The set in my hands is bold and heavier than I expected with all the silver metal rings and thick elastic straps. The lace is sheer and soft, delicate enough to look elegant but fierce enough to feel like a challenge. It feels like confidence in fabric form.

I undress slowly, not because I’m hesitant, but because I want to give myself the time to settle into this moment. It matters. It feels like a shift, like something real is about to happen. When I slip into the bra, the black lace cups barely cover me, just enough to tease but not enough to hide anything. The straps crisscross over my chest, meeting in a perfect silver ring that sits like a marker at the center of my sternum. I tug one strap slightly tighter and watch as it draws the shape of my body into sharp focus in the mirror.

The panties are more complicated. Strappy on the sides with matching silver rings at the hips, they cling low and sharp. There’s nothing soft or innocent about the way they sit. They’re made to be looked at, touched, maybe even pulled aside. The matching garter straps trail down my thighs like whispers of control, like the suggestion of being bound without actually tying me.

I glance up and take in the full reflection. I don’t recognize myself. Not because I look like someone else, but because I look like a version of me I haven’t met yet, one who doesn’t hesitate to be seen, one who isn’t afraid of being wanted.

This set doesn’t beg to be liked. It dares someone to say they can handle me in it. And for the first time in a long time, I believe someone just might.

I sigh as I glance at the tag, and my heart nearly stops. It’s over two hundred. I’d been seriously thinking about buying it, slipping it on tonight and walking in like I owned the room, but now? I don’t know. That’s more than what I’ve got to spend.

Still, it deserves to be seen.

Grabbing my phone, I step in front of the mirror, angling the camera just right. I take the shot quickly, before I can second-guess myself, then attach it to the chat.

BruisedLace: The Hellraiser set you asked to see me in.

I hit send, watching the message slip away, then start unfastening the straps. As the set slides off, I move on to the next one. This bra’s trickier, with more hooks in the back, and I’m still adjusting it when my phone vibrates in the corner.

Snatching it up, I open the chat.

The_Triumvirate: God damn, Baby Girl. That looks even better than I imagined. 😲

A smile tugs at my lips, and this time, it isn’t nervous or unsure. I type quickly, fingers flying across the screen.

BruisedLace: That’s nothing. I hope you’re ready for more.

Because I’ve made up my mind now. I’m going to try on every set. I’ll take a picture of each one. Let them see all the possibilities, let them wonder which I’ll choose. Maybe I won’t even send the one I end up picking. Let it be a surprise. Let it be mine.