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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

“Marcie, please let me see her one time before I leave. It’s a dangerous job that I’ll have. I’ve never gotten to even talk to her,” I pleaded with her as she brushed her blonde locks. My shoulder was aching as I decided to play a game of operation with myself. I had a large band aid covering where my tattoo was.

“Fine. Only if you’ll bring me back the new Louis Vuitton from Miami. I want the white with the colorful logo.”

I nodded eagerly. “Of course. Alister is letting me take plenty of cash.”

Squinting at me, she shrugged. “Let’s go.” I had tried everything to see Layla, but nothing worked. Alister had me on zero access to my sister.

I clutched the small tote bag to my chest. I was wearing my favorite lace dress with the long sleeves and slight high neck.

“Why don’t we have a quick drink? A toast?” I slid the two rosy champagne glasses between us.

Marcie paused as she held the white keycard in her hand. “You’re being way too emotional, Demi.”

“One last drink?” I nudged Marcie as she lifted it and swirled it around.

“You know I can’t pass up the glass of this stuff. I mean, it’s blended with the peonies that are grown on grounded up girls who were just too weak to survive heaven on earth. Imagine living at a resort and complaining?” She scoffed as she drank the champagne I had poured for her.

We chatted for a bit as I waited for the medication to dissolve. I didn’t want to kill Marcie; I just needed to have her sleep for a bit.

And it worked. As soon as she stood, she grew dizzy and slurred her speech.

“What… Demi…what did you do?” She collapsed onto the floor, and I tugged the white card from her hand. I didn’t have time. She’d be just fine, but for now, I had to see my sister and say my goodbyes.

The rush to get to Layla was one that went by in a blur. My white heels clicked against the cold floor as I kept looking over my shoulder and waiting for Alister or Marcie to magically appear.

But they didn’t. I made it. I slid Marcie’s badge over the keypad and waited for the door to slide open. It was the most deranged living situation. Alister Ivory was truly sick. Layla was asleep on a small cot in the middle of a life-sized bird cage. One small light flickered by her.

How afraid and alone she must have been all this time, being used to reproduce for elite couples and entertain the highest bidder as they gawked at her. I slid my heels off and walked barefoot against the cold, black marble. She was truly beautiful. Her long black hair hung over the pillow, and I watched her breathe softly. Tugging the cage door open after using the gold key I found in Marcie’s pocket, I halted as the creaking echoed and woke her up.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. Bruises covered her face. I’d have thought that Alister would keep her extra safe since she was pregnant, but I suppose he had allowed someone to have their turn with her for the right price.

“Demilion,” she whispered as she blinked faster and stood slowly as I entered my sister’s cage.

“Layla.” I fought back the tears and closed my eyes. I was taken back to the memories of us as little girls with big dreams. We thought we’d grow up and have a beautiful little shop on the beach, selling seashell jewelry. We thought we’d grow up and marry princes and buy homes next to each other. We thought we’d have a lifetime of memories being sisters.

“What are you doing here, my sister? I thought you went to Charlotte?” She glided over to me and lifted her hands, but didn’t touch me. She froze mid-air.

Tears fell from my eyes as I questioned, “Why won’t you hug me?”

She smiled with sorrow lining her lips. “Because I’m scared you’re not real.”

Throwing my arms around her, I squeezed my sister tightly.

“Why didn’t you go to Charlotte? Why did you not let them keep you as the favorite girl?” I sobbed.

“You were born to soar, my Demilion. You weren’t meant to be caged. Mama and Papa sold us…they tore us apart. I wanted to protect you, even though I knew it was the lesser of two evils.”

“I miss you…” I cried, unable to compose myself the way my sister was. “How can you be so calm?” I clutched her even tighter.

“I’ve been kept in the darkness most of the time, but today, my light is finally here…my beautiful light. We appreciate the light so much more when we’ve been trapped in darkness for far too long.” She held my face in between her palms and kissed my forehead.

“I’m sorry about Bradley. I didn’t know, sister. I didn’t know. I just obeyed Alister’s demands, and Bradley…” Layla looked to the floor.

“He’s a good man.”

“A baby…” My hand brushed against my sister’s stomach. “Do you love Bradley?” I asked her, knowing we didn’t have much time left.

She offered a small smile. “I’ve only ever loved one person in my life, and that person has always been you. But with Bradley, I felt safe, and I suppose that feeling safe with someone is its own kind of love. I just didn’t know you and Bradley had a love story of your own, so sister, I promise you this child will go to its rightful family, and I’ll beg Mr. Ivory to seek a different man to breed with.”

The way my sister was speaking crushed my soul. She had been brainwashed. “I don’t love Bradley.” I forced myself to say. “Layla, I need you to lay down and turn around for me and trust me.” She looked at me curiously as I guided her to her small cot. Laying my tote bag out, I tugged the bottle of alcohol, a small sewing kit, and a knife.

She jerked away in fear. “Demilion!”

I covered her mouth and begged her to trust me. “Please, Layla. It’ll hurt for only a moment.” After a few minutes of pleading and explaining to her why I had to do this, she sobbed and held me in her arms, trying to change my mind.

I slid the blade carefully into my sister’s shoulder blade, right under the matching raven tattoo. She began bleeding, and I calmly grabbed the gauze and dug around as she cried out in pain, but bit down on the makeshift gag I had stuffed into her mouth.

There it was. The fucking microchip that was what dogs have inserted into them. Stitching her wound up messily, I prayed she’d have a chance to be seen by a real doctor, but at least now we weren’t two animals. We were two human beings.

“I love you.” I held her in my arms and handed her the rest of the items in the bag.

Looking down into it, she pressed her forehead against mine. “I hope to see you soon.”

Shaking my head, I knew I’d never get to see her again. This was it. I was going to be free.