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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

I slowly opened my eyes but kept blinking since the darkness still surrounded me.

My body ached as I lifted my head. I wasn’t on a bed; I wasn’t in my bedroom or Alister’s.

“Hello,” I rasped as the taste of blood still lingered on my tongue. Brushing my hands against the cold floor, I pushed up. “Ah!” I cried out as my ribs ached.

They had to be broken. Spitting out the thick saliva and blood from my mouth, I hunched over and patted around. There wasn’t an ounce of light. Wiping my eyes, I looked around.

Nothing but darkness and silence.

A small sound echoed as I jerked back.

“Hello?” I whispered again.

“Shh…” Her voice had my eyes widen and I fell back into the rough brick wall.

I was in the cage.

“There’s been a mistake,” I panted as I bumped backward into the corner of the small space.

“Shh…” she whispered again.

“Who are you?” I cried as fear and panic rose inside me. “Please help me!”

“Shh…they’ll come for you and hurt us both,” the girl whimpered.

Cradling my ribs, I slid back down the brick and held my knees to my face. I was scared. I was terrified. How foolish had I been to test an Ivory man? I made the same mistake again.

“Who are you?” I asked again.

“The caged girl,” she replied and my heart shattered. Did this mean I was going to be one of the nightingales? Every caged girl was deprived of their senses through this dark and silent space, so they’d feel grateful upon release and serve the male clients however they desired.

“And now, so are you.” She let out a sigh as I sobbed into my knees.

It was freezing cold; I couldn’t see anything, and all I knew was another person was in a small cage with me. A cage that I knew resembled one dogs were kept in at shelters.

My head was pounding as I shuddered in a thin, wet gown.

“I’m so thirsty,” I said quietly.

“Please stop talking; they’ll hurt us,” she pleaded.

“Someone help!” I cried again, feeling claustrophobic and suffocated. I began crawling around the small space until I felt her.

She was cold and thin.

“We can get out. When do they bring us food? When do they open the cage?” I asked with panic.

“They won’t bring us anything now because we are talking.”

I patted my hands against her face. Her cheeks were sunken in, and I could feel a tear trail down her cheek.

I stayed silent, knowing yet again, it was my fault someone else was hurting. Everything I thought I was doing was to free all these girls. No one helped my sister or me when we were children being sold by our parents. No one came looking for us, and now these girls… The unloved, unwanted girls were being abused by power and wealth.

“I’ll save you, I promise.” I kissed the top of her head as she trembled.

The air reeked of feces and urine, and I forced myself to close my eyes. There was no escaping the darkness.

* * *

Time didn’t exist here. There was no end and no beginning without light. We shared one small bowl of what I assumed was oatmeal. No words were exchanged, I couldn’t see the person who came down. We were both given a small cup of water, and the other girl with me refused to speak.

If I spoke, we didn’t get food. If I cried, we didn’t get water. I learned very quickly to stay silent.

If not for me, but for her. I lifted my finger and pressed it against her mouth before lifting her hand and pressing it against my chest.

I had learned that when she could feel my heart beating, she smiled. I could tell by the way her cheeks lifted and her lips curved upward.

I wanted to speak to her. I craved the comfort of another’s voice.

But it would be selfish.

So, I just stayed quiet and stared into the darkness, knowing we’d eventually get some form of food. I’d let her have more since she was far too thin.

Brushing my fingers through her long hair, I began to braid it. I pressed my finger against her mouth once again to make sure she approved.

She did.

Another smile.

Every night I’d whimper in pain as my rib protruded out. I knew it was broken so I tore off a part of my gown and wrapped it around my chest in hopes it would alleviate the pain. But this wasn’t physical pain, this was emotional turmoil.

Part of my mind began playing tricks on me. I’d hear her voice and mine, even though our mouths were closed. I thought I’d see a flicker of light, but realized it was my imagination dancing wildly through an empty abyss.

“You must be his perfect wife. It’s the only way you’ll survive. Just save yourself. That’s why I did what I did. It will be a waste if you don’t survive and live. Please, Demilion,” she whispered so quietly into my ear that I pinched myself to make sure I was awake and alive.

A door opened. They’d make sure when opening the first door that it closed all the way before sliding the screen in front of the bars.

They didn’t want us to see even a sliver of light because that would give us some form of hope. All this time I had feared bright lights and white, but now I realized this truly was a hell greater than all.

No wonder the nightingales were subservient. They’d rather please these sick men than be thrown back here.

A warm arm grabbed me and dragged me to my feet. “No, wait,” I called out as her hand released mine. “Who are you?” What did she mean it’s why she did what she did?

“Goodbye, my sister.”

My entire world shattered as the cage slammed shut. The second door opened and shut behind us.

Light. A small flicker from the lantern hanging in the narrow hallway made of all black bricks. I slammed my eyes shut before slowly opening them.

Falling to my knees, I realized it’d been so long since I even stood. My body didn’t have the strength.

“Demi, please, let’s go.” Opening my eyes slowly and shielding them from the light, I looked at him.

“Bradley, my sister…” He lifted me and carried me in his arms. His lips were in a tight line as we walked to the elevators. This entire time I was with my sister. I was with Layla.

“Save her, Bradley. Put me back. Kill me. Just let her out. You congratulated him, Bradley,” I cried and choked on my own saliva.

Bradley didn’t speak as his eyes flicked to the red light in the corner of the elevator.

They were watching us.

“Alister wants you to receive medical care and rest today. Tomorrow is your orientation as the co-president of La Gabbia.” He glanced down at me and instantly shut his eyes, as if he were in physical pain looking at me.

I couldn’t stop crying. My sister and I had spent time together in a dark closet when we were trafficked in Nashville. And now this…

What did Layla do? What did she mean I had to be the perfect wife to survive?

“The next time, he’ll kill you and her.”

“Was my sister with Alister?”

Bradley carried me out of the elevator and looked over his shoulder before walking forward and then making a quick halt before turning around.

He was getting us on camera that we were heading to the right place. Scanning his badge against a door, it slid open, and we walked in. I kept my eyes closed. Everything was bright and all white.

Feeling something on my face, I opened my eyes. Bradley had put sunglasses on me.

Laying me down on the bed, he immediately walked to the wall-to-wall window and drew the curtains closed.

“Demi…” He sighed before lifting me back up and carrying me to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet with one hand, he checked the water and slid me into the oversized tub, then quickly lifted my gown off my body.

“Ah!” I cried out as the warmth burned my skin. The clear water instantly turned shades of brown, red, and black.

Sprinkling in Epsom salt and soap, he dropped to his knees and turned my head toward him.

“I don’t understand anything, Bradley. I’m so tired, I’m so scared. You must go back down there and get my sister. You…you love her.” I rested my head on the curve of the tub as the water covered my aching body.

“I don’t love her, Demi. You know that. It’s always been you…” His eyes filled with tears as he took a washcloth and began cleaning my face.

“The cage, the way you were kissing her… You’re sleeping with her. Of course, you love her, Bradley. You have to save her. Why is she there? I thought…”

“Alister is making you see what he will do if you don’t obey him, Demi. This is how he makes everything work. He finds the weakest link in you. How do you think he gets all these wealthy couples to never leak what he does here? He has videos of their wives and the men. He could incriminate them all.”

“Why can’t we just call the police? There has to be someone,” I whimpered as he scrubbed my arms and body.

“Demi, the most successful people in life know two things: everyone has a price tag, and everyone has something or someone to lose. When you know the answer to those things, then you hold the power to destroy them. Alister Ivory knows that and more. He has the police trembling in their boots if they get on his bad side. He owns this island, so who would come? Some of the guests here are federal agents and police officers.”

“So, what am I supposed to do, Bradley? How can I save these girls and my sister?” I sank deeper into the water until it brimmed my chin.

“You know what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to realize Layla sacrificed her life for yours. You’re supposed to realize that this is it, Demi…for all of us. There’s no saving the nightingales, the doves, the caged girls, the favorite girls; there’s no saving me or you. This is our reality. The sooner you accept it and stop acting like some one-woman army, then you will live your life and let all of us live, too. Because if you don’t, Demi…he will slaughter her and me and air us to dry out the way he does to the rest of them.” Bradley began draining the tub and turned the water back on.

“Some people have to learn to accept that there will be no light in their life and that they simply need to adapt to living in the dark. That’s us.” Lifting the attachment, he washed me off.

“I don’t understand what Layla did for me. She led me to the Ivory estate in Charlotte. She ruined my life…” I removed the sunglasses and blinked repeatedly.

“Do you remember Trent?” Bradley filled the tub with clean water and continued to rinse me off.

My chest tightened at the mention of his name. “Of course, I remember the monster who turned Layla and me into caged girls before we ever met an Ivory.” Trent was the man my parents trafficked us to. He kept us in a closet in an apartment in Nashville, where the music from the bar below radiated so loudly, no one could hear us screaming. He’d rape, beat, and attack my sister. He’d withhold food and force Layla to do unspeakable things to save me.

“Trent is an Ivory—was an Ivory. He’s Alister’s cousin’s son.”

My lips parted as I felt sick to my stomach.

“Demi, you just don’t understand how much this family is interconnected; they’re everywhere. You can run, but you will never be able to hide. Look at what happened to us in the ocean. You tried to kill me, and then we were found by Ivory employees. Every boat, car, plane, train, everything that an Ivory touches is tracked. There is no way out.”

“But what does this have to do with Layla?”

“There’s two positions that an Ivory cannot fill and must be filled by women the men will marry or reproduce with.” He paused as I covered my breasts with my arms. Now that I could think somewhat clearly, I felt embarrassed to be on display in front of the man who took my virginity—and who I’d just seen have sex with my sister.

“What are the two positions?”

“The favorite girl and the caged girl.” He brushed his hand through his hair. “The favorite girl marries the son—in your case, it was Conrad. You were supposed to be the perfect wife and take over the family business. The caged girl is sent here to Alister’s private island, where they reproduce as back up inventory for wealthy couples. The caged girl is also the girl who sets an example for the nightingales, the doves, and any other woman who steps foot within these walls of what happens if you don’t obey.” Bradley took a deep breath.

“Trent told Layla that being selected as the main caged girl was basically being dead while living. It’s hell, Demi. You don’t understand how much Layla’s gone through. She was in sensory deprivation, both light and dark. Then she’s had…”

“She had what?” I asked while tears streamed down my cheeks.

“Demi, you’re healthier and genetically better than her, according to the medical records we have on you both. Trent told Layla that you were going to be sent here, but she refused. So, she set everything up for you to get away. She wanted you to kill her, so she’d never have to be the caged girl, but Trent found her in time. He saved her to send her here and make his money.”

“She wants you to be the favorite girl because that means you get to rule beside him. You get to live a life of luxury.”

I looked at the soapsuds in the bath. This wasn’t survivors’ guilt, this was just…living guilt. Guilt that I was alive, and Layla had done all this in order for me to, what? Get the better position in the Ivory family?

I turned and looked at Bradley. “Why us?”

“Conrad, Alister, and Ian saw you both from the binder of girls that have been trafficked. Everyone blurred together. Many became the prisoners or caged girls that you saw, and others are here in the morgue for…other purposes. But you and Layla had something the Ivory’s craved. You both spoke to them from the pages. You reminded them of their mother, who was loving but also the most loyal woman in the Ivory family.”

I let out a dry laugh. “We are living the American dream, aren’t we?” I wiped away the tears from my face. “What do I do now? How can I help my sister the way she helped me?”

“Just be Alister Ivory’s favorite girl and an amazing wife, Demi.”

“Why should I do that?” I shook my head.

“Because Layla is pregnant.”

My eyes met his in shock. Sadness washed over his face. “There’s a client…Mrs. Rothschild. That’s why she came in to see us. She wants a mixed child with excellent genetic makeup. Nearly perfect.”

“But I just saw you together in bed. How is she already pregnant?” I sniffled.

“Demi, we’ve been together for a while now. We are nothing more than breeders for Alister, but we are also married. The only way Alister will let us both live somewhat peacefully is if you keep him happy.” Bradley held my hand in his.

“We’ve been through a lifetime together, and yet, we never got our chance. I want you to know everything I did was to keep you safe, to keep us safe. When we got here, Alister forced me to marry Layla. He wanted you to see me with her and know there was no chance for us. Alister is obsessed with power, wealth, proving himself worthy, and most of all, well…you.” Bradley pressed his lips against my hand.

“I’m begging you to force yourself to fall in love with him, Demi. It’s the only way we can all survive.”