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CHAPTER TWELVE

I stood in front of the door that was engraved in gold lettering, Cage Eight. The others had already gone into their designated rooms.

My chest was rising and falling rapidly as I pressed my hand against the door, and it slid open.

It was Declan Rothschild, the man I had welcomed to the resort with his wife, Sage earlier. But it wasn’t the man who startled me; it was the room. The room was mostly dark beyond a red light flickering in the corner, and there was a black cage. There was also a table of items: leather whips, handcuffs, knives, and other items I had no idea what they were.

Declan was dressed in a suit, but his button-down was removed. His face flushed red as soon as the door closed behind me, and I pressed my back against the cold metal.

“I…I didn’t request,” he stammered as he began tugging at the hem of his suit jacket.

“You didn’t request what?” I cleared my throat and tried to stop looking at the cage that had a small swing and chains in it. The room was too warm, unlike the rest of the floor.

Declan blew out a breath of air and stood. “Not what…who. I didn’t know it would be you.”

A red light switched to green, and Declan’s eyes widened. “They told us we’d be financially penalized if we didn’t use this time for what it is allocated for.” He slid his jacket off and I pressed my palms on the door behind me. Looking behind, I noticed there was no lock or doorknob. I was trapped.

“Mr. Rothschild, there’s actually been a mistake.”

“She doesn’t let me choke her.” He slowly walked toward me.

I was trembling as his gaze fell all over my body. I hated how dark the room was, and how the whites of his eyes stood out more. I hated how I couldn’t run.

“Mrs. Rothschild seems like such a wonderful wife.” My voice shook as he placed his hands around my waist.

“You’re gorgeous. I’ve never been with a woman who wasn’t White. I’ve always wanted to try someone exotic like you.” He smiled. “I think they didn’t read through my application as carefully.” Declan let out a laugh as he raised his hands up my body.

“Application?” I questioned.

He squinted at me, and I shuddered when he touched me.

“I don’t think I paid all this money to hear another woman fucking yap. Honestly, that’s why I asked for her to be gagged and bound before I entered.” His hand slammed around my neck and my lips parted in shock as I gasped for air.

“Please,” I screeched as his grip tightened and shock flooded through me.

He moaned as he continued to squeeze my throat. I wanted to fight back harder, but my mind wasn’t processing this quickly enough. I slapped my hands around his forearms and dug my nails into his skin, which only caused him to laugh.

“Yes, baby. I love it rough, too.” He slammed my head against the door before dragging my body by my neck toward the bed cornered in the room.

Slamming me on the bed, he wouldn’t let go, even as my eyes rolled. “Dec—” I rasped, but then everything pieced together as he pressed his body weight against mine, completely aroused.

This was Alister’s Euphoria program for the men . Rage, release, and relaxation. This was what the nightingales were being used for.

I was too lightheaded and dizzy as one hand slid down my body and his fingers clawed at the thin, lace panty.

“No,” I whispered as I choked on my saliva and could feel him tug and finally, rip my underwear from my body.

“No,” I said once more. What a simple, yet normally powerful, word, but it didn’t have any meaning in this world. An Ivory world. Declan lifted his hand and swung at me.

The crack of his palm against my already sweating face had my eyes fill with tears as he continued to hit me.

Screaming out, he called me Sage—his wife’s name. “I’ve dreamt of doing this to you! All the times you ignored my needs. I’ve given you everything, you selfish bitch! I paid so much for the life we have and yet, you failed me!”

Everything started to darken around me.

I’m nothing more than his fantasy. His disgusting, vile and terrifying fantasy.

A fantasy where he could violently hurt his wife and do whatever he wanted to with no repercussions. A fantasy he could live out to nurse his fragile male ego.

Just as my eyes started to close, I heard loud footsteps and suddenly saw him.

Alister Ivory was towering over Declan Rothschild, and the glimmer of his gold rings caught my eye.

He was going to hit me, too.

But then, just as he lifted his arm, the gold rings met Declan’s jaw and a crack echoed. He repeated action as I clenched my eyes shut.

“How dare you touch what is mine?” he boomed.

I slowly looked up at Alister as he lifted me into his arms and carried me out.

“Demi, my beautiful, precious little bird.” He kissed my forehead, and just like that, everything around me went completely dark.