Page 17

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I woke up feeling groggy and mostly surprised I had even fallen asleep. My arm was aching.

“Madam, I’m here to remove your IV,” a soothing voice called out. Turning my head, I saw a girl in a short white apron dress donning a pixie blonde haircut. Her pale green eyes looked strangely calming.

“IV?” I rasped as I looked down at my arm and saw a needle taped down to my vein. “What is this?” Lifting the blanket off my body, I still had the nightgown on, which didn’t mean much at all.

“You were unsettled at night, my darling raven.” Alister walked into the bedroom, adjusting his cufflinks. He was wearing another entirely black ensemble.

“What did you do?” I sat up and ripped the IV out as the woman—Taylor, I remembered from orientation—stood by the bed and immediately tried to intervene and settle me down as if I were some toddler throwing a tantrum.

Alister came over to me and brushed his fingers against my jawline. “My darling, if I wanted to do something to you, I wouldn’t have drugged you. I’d have made sure you were wide awake, enjoying every moment of it.” He dragged his index finger against my neck.

“You must get back to work today. Except, I’ve decided to make you a floater between heaven and hell.” Alister smirked at Taylor, who was standing in all white. It occurred to me that he had designed this entire resort to encapsulate quite literally heaven and hell.

“I don’t understand what that means?” I slid out of bed.

“Mrs. Rothschild’s husband, Declan. He’s…well, a bit shaken up after last night. Clearly, he isn’t man enough. You’ll need to ensure she is enjoying her stay here while we have Declan complete the Euphoria program.”

“The dead woman he…” I crossed my arms.

“At the end of each guest’s checkout, we have a ceremony where they are to take the life of a nightingale. Those nightingales get to continue serving men, even in death.”

My stomach flipped. He was killing these women, then letting men rape them.

“Taylor, take Demi upstairs, and make sure she’s in her proper uniform upstairs. We can’t have our resort looking like some trashy standard all-you-can-eat bullshit.” Alister laughed as he waved us away.

Grabbing my hand, Taylor picked up her pace and turned toward a small elevator. “What were you thinking,” she shook her head and whispered as we both stepped in. Waving her badge against the pad, the golden elevator doors slammed shut and went up to the floor where our rooms were.

“Taylor, we have to help those girls,” I breathed out as my body shook with how frigid the space was.

“Why?” She shot a look of disgust at me. “Demi, the problem with women like you is that you’re trying so hard to find something wrong. It’s this whole ‘woe is me’ production that I am so tired of.” Taylor grabbed my hand as soon as the doors opened and quickly led me to the wing of the resort we resided in. Swiping her badge against the keypad, the door slid open, and I was once again blinded by the all-white aesthetic. “Kandi is waiting for you. Your hair is a mess, and you look like you just did the walk of shame.” She clicked her tongue and shoved me inside the open door of Kandi’s makeup and hair room.

But just as we walked in, I took a step back and screamed. Kandi was already brushing another woman’s hair. Taylor covered my mouth with her hand and quickly slid her badge to have the door slide shut behind us.

“No, I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.” Sweat beads began to form across my hairline as Taylor tugged me to the small sofa cornered against the wall. Kandi was completely unbothered as she began spreading makeup across the other girl’s face.

“This is sick. You all are so sick,” I cried out as I watched Kandi squint and bend over to meticulously line the woman’s eyes.

Turning to a binder, she flipped through it and nodded. “He wanted red lips.” Grabbing a tube of bright red lipstick, she looked over at me. “Do it.”

I was still wearing the black nightgown Alister gave me to wear. My mind was spinning from everything that had just happened in the past twenty-four hours. In some pathetic way, I was hoping this was just a regular resort with maybe a secret gambling lair for the men. I didn’t think I could survive another Ivory game.

“It’s crazy that you’re their daughter-in-law, and here you are, working with us. If you would just obey and accept this all, then I bet you anything Alister would make sure you were the queen of this entire legacy,” Kandi said.

“Now put the lipstick on her.” She raised her brow as Taylor shoved me off the couch and I stood. Kandi’s eyes flicked to the corner where a small camera was.

“Do it with a smile,” she whispered so quietly I almost missed her words.

My hand shook as I took the tube of lipstick from her and walked around to face the woman in the chair.

Rolling the lipstick up, I leaned forward and swallowed the lump in my throat.

But just as I was about to press the lipstick on her mouth, her head fell forward.

Sucking in a breath, I gasped.

“It’s fine. Rigor mortis and whatnot is wearing off or whatever.” Kandi sighed and aggressively pushed her head back.

“How did she…” I began as I slowly lined her lips in red. Brushing my finger against the hole in her head, I started to cry. “Russian roulette,” I whispered.

“Smile!” Kandi poked me and cleared her throat.

I forced myself to smile as I covered her thin lips and looked at the dead woman wearing lingerie in front of me.

“She was a nightingale and served the Euphoria program for an entire year. We are so proud of her. Most girls only hang around for a month before they get…” Kandi looked over at Taylor.

“How can you both support this? I don’t even understand.” I looked at the dead woman in front of me and stepped back. Her lips were now a bright red, which stood out against her lifeless, pale skin.

“Do you realize that men with money are what makes the world go round, Demi?” Taylor opened a closet and tugged out a short white dress. “Here, change. We’ve got to go tend to the wives soon.”

I walked to the binder laying on Kandi’s vanity and sniffled as I flipped through page after page. Each image was a dead woman laying in her own blood. I froze. “Oh no.” It was an image of the woman from the lobby who I had mopped up her blood.

“That one tried to run.” Kandi shook her head. “That’s why the best shot is in the head. But the guy shot her in her neck, so she was still able to run.” She shrugged.

“Are you putting makeup on them for their funeral?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Taylor let out a laugh. “Oh, Demi, you’re silly. Alister likes to recycle here. He’s very environmentally friendly.”

“You see, Alister Ivory craves power the way an alcoholic craves another drink. Rumor has it, as a boy, he was always the black sheep of the family. Ian had created this incredible business and carried on their deranged father’s legacy. But then, Alister wanted to be even bigger and more dominant, so he created La Gabbia. The world’s first and finest exclusive resort for the wealthy to live their wildest and most obscure fantasies. Fantasies that would otherwise have you arrested if done on American soil, which is where most of our guests come from.”

I slid into the tight dress in a state of shock, and Taylor helped me zip the back. “There’s a dead woman sitting with us right now.” I looked between the four of us.

“Where are these girls even coming from?” I knew for a fact that Ian was trafficking girls through the man who my parents had sold my sister and I to. But this…this seemed far more detailed, far more complicated.

“These girls are addicts.” The door behind us slid open and I turned around to face a gorgeous woman with long black hair and a black lace gown. “I’m Marisha. Alister has asked me to make sure you head to Mrs. Rothschild immediately before returning to Euphoria.”

I looked at Kandi and Taylor. “What are you going to do with her?”

Marisha tapped her foot impatiently as I stood there, waiting for an explanation.

The silence taunted me.

“Did you know that Marilyn Monroe’s corpse went missing for ten hours?” Marisha stared at me as my forehead crinkled with confusion.

“No. I…I don’t really know much about her in general, let alone facts about her death.” I knew the agitation was clear in my tone, and I swore I could smell death circulating around me.

“A group of men…wealthy men were said to have taken their turn with her.” Marisha opened her hand to me.

Looking at her palm, I shrugged. “They raped her dead body?” Placing my hand in hers, she wiggled her free hand at Taylor and Kandi, who were whispering and working on curling the dead girl’s hair.

I watched the door shut behind us as Marisha glided and stood out against all the white.

She smiled at me. “You really do look just like her.”

“My sister was here, wasn’t she?” I fought the violent rage in my body where I dreamt of killing everyone, one by one, until they told me what had happened to her.

“I guess you could say that.” Marisha quickly turned before swiping her badge.

“I thought only white was allowed up here?” I tugged at the white dress I was wearing.

“You’re right, Demi. I’m just your shadow, and shadows are usually dark, aren’t they?”

“Marisha, I’m begging you to tell me about my sister.”

“I thought you’d want me to finish the story about Marilyn Monroe so you could better understand this business?”

I nodded, knowing no one would tell me about Layla. I hated even picturing my sister’s face because the last image I had of her branded into my mind was when she pleaded with me to end her life with the rust-tinged knife after our trafficker had brutally beaten and attacked her.

“There’s a large group of wealthy men who have fantasies, Demi. Disturbing to some, but empowering to others. They are untouchable in the world, and having their fantasies come true is how Alister Ivory has made billions of dollars. Do you know how much money men will pay to be able to have judgment-free sex with…”

“A corpse?” I swallowed and fought back the nausea that was coursing through me.

Marisha sucked in a breath as we walked out into the lobby. “Yes. Now go, Demi. I must leave.” Marisha turned away as I followed her line of vision.

It was Sage Rothschild, Declan’s wife. I had just seen her husband beat and rape a dead woman. Averting my gaze, she filled the space between us with her white caftan flying behind her.

“Demi! Where the hell have you been?” Sage tilted my head up.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Rothschild… I was assigned to help out.”

“You sneaky little bitch. You did it!” Sage let out a laugh before crossing her arms. “You got to the bottom floor where the men go and play, didn’t you?” She was truly beautiful. Her face was glowing and her shiny blonde hair sat in perfect waves.

“Why did you and Declan decide to come here?” I looked around nervously. There were more couples checking in.

“Demi, is everything okay? Is Declan okay?” Sage tilted her head and looked at me with immense concern.

“Mrs. Rothschild…” I began as my heart pounded against my chest. This woman had a family with the man I saw down there. I saw a normal, everyday kind of guy turn into a monster.

“Demi.” A cold hand snaked around my back. Turning around, my lips parted as I looked into his eyes. Bradley.

“How…” My voice cracked as tears filled my eyes. “I knew it was…” I began, but he cleared his throat.

He plastered that signature faux smile across his face. “Have you seen the wonderful film, Titanic, Mrs. Rothschild?”

His nails dug into my flesh as Mrs. Rothschild looked between us and made note of his hand.

“Yes, I have. It’s one of my favorite movies.” Her jaw tightened as she saw the way my spine straightened and my shoulders tensed with Bradley’s touch.

“Do you think there was enough room for Jack?” Bradley glanced over at me before smiling back at Mrs. Rothschild.

“No. There was never room for Jack. Truthfully, I’d have let him drown. He was nothing more than a one-night stand on the ship.”

I looked up at Bradley. I needed to talk to him. He was the only one who knew everything and more. He knew what I’d been through, and I knew him—or most of him.

“I think there was room, but Rose was scared. She’d spent her whole life drowning and finally needed to prioritize putting herself first,” I said.

Something shifted inside him. I could see the way the hatred and rage softened into the deep emotional connection Bradley and I had from the moment I’d walked into the Ivory estate.

“Okay then, this is weird and not what I expected a six-figure resort to get me, but I’m ready to have help in getting dressed for tonight’s masquerade ball,” Mrs. Rothschild said.

Bradley and I stared at each other for a moment longer before I pulled his hand off mine.

“Mrs. Rothschild, shall I help you get ready for the masquerade ball?” I waved her over in the direction of the guest suites.

“Yes, and please stop calling me that. It’s Sage.” She looped her arm into mine. I turned and peeped over my shoulder and saw Bradley standing there. Closing my eyes, he looked the same as the first time I ever saw him. Perfectly coiffed blonde hair, stark green eyes, hollow cheekbones, and pale skin.

“What the hell was that?” Sage nudged me as I swiped my card to access the guest suites. I stayed silent until we walked into her room and the door shut behind us.

“You should request to leave with Declan now.” I looked around her room and frantically opened her closet.

“Demi! What are you doing?” She shouted at me as I paced around the suite.

“I’m looking for the cameras!” I was out of control but didn’t care.

“Demi.” Sage grabbed me and shoved me against the wall. “What is wrong with you? Of course, they’d pair me with a psycho on my one vacation in years!” Tears formed in her eyes as I panted from racing around her room.

“Sage, I’m sorry, but this place isn’t safe for you. You don’t understand where Declan is.”

Sage slammed her hand against my mouth. “I don’t want to hear it! I’m here to enjoy massages and drink pink cocktails while lying poolside. They told me that we’d be assigned a quiet little bird to help us with anything and everything. After all that I’ve been through!” Sage stepped back and took a deep breath as I realized I was making a grave mistake. If she reported me, I’d be killed. I had to keep my mouth shut. Sage, a rich housewife, didn’t need my help. The nightingales and the doves—who were all just innocent girls being bought and killed after torturing them—needed my help.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am.” I changed my entire demeanor immediately.

“Help me get ready for the masquerade ball. I need something to look forward to before tomorrow’s visitation day!”

“Visitation day?” I questioned as I looked at the gown she was holding.

“For my baby, of course.” Sage smiled and turned away.

My lips parted as I looked out the oceanfront balcony doors.

Baby?

“ I have a secret, Demi…”

Chills splattered across my arms as Sage smiled and grew closer to me.

“I had two beautiful children from my first husband. They were taken from me when the world claimed I was not fit to be their mother. Now they are with some perfect family and have forgotten that I even exist. I was wasting away when I was admitted and found a new path. But then my uterus was stolen from me and in order to keep Declan happy, I need a baby.” She kissed my cheek, then spun and walked away.