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If he hadn’t called me a good girl, the term triggering my latent resentment overliterallybeing the good girl, I would’ve continued. I would’ve let him have his way with me.

Of course, when the lust dissipated, I knew his good girl carried a different meaning.

But still, I have a choice to make.

I can end our doctor-patient relationship and be together. Tongues will wag because people aren’t stupid. They can put two and two together. My reputation will be ruined. And then what? Rex fucks me until he’s tired of me? He’s never had a long-term girlfriend before. What makes me so special?

Or I stay the course. Try harder to stay away. Even if my heart is telling me to run toward him because no one has ever made me feel this way before.

Treasured. Loved. Seen.

“Ooh, incoming, Olivia!” Lana whispers excitedly. She nudges me.

“What?” Sweeping my eyes around the room, I take in the crowd in gorgeous costumes before spotting a dark-haired man without a mask heading our way.

Shit. It’s Rhys. He asked me yesterday if I had a date to the ball.

I groan and dart into another room, the girls following me.

“What’s the rush?” Bree asks.

“I see someone I want to avoid.”

“Who? The hottie walking toward us?” Lana grins. “Is he your vacation fling?”

“He’s a coworker. And no. Definitely not him. I don’t date coworkers.”And yet, you’re thinking about dating your patient, you hypocrite!

“But there’s someone, isn’t there? Your ears are red.”

I ignore her as I come to a stop in another room, which looks completely different from the one we came from.

“Decadent, isn’t it?” Lana says as she brushes her hand over her blue sequined gown, which molds to her body like a second skin. She’s supposed to be a mermaid tonight.

“You need to give your events director a raise.” I marvel at the furnishings in this room, which is nicknamed “The Inferno Hall.”

The walls are swathed in crimson silks, the room dark except for flickering candelabras and free-standing candles dripping with red wax. Reverent chants rise and fall from the speakers like I’m at a monastery. Guests dance and mingle, their laughter adding to the ambiance.

We walk to another room. This one is cloistered in black silk with iron lanterns hanging from the ceilings. A ghostly mist hovers above the floor, courtesy of a fog machine. Soft gasps and moans pipe from hidden speakers.

“This is the Purgatory Passage,” Lana whispers, glee in her voice. “Spooky and sexy, right? I can’t wait to explore them all. There are heaven and hell-themed rooms here.” She turns toward Bree. “Aren’t you glad I convinced you to come?”

“I was supposed to stay on the cruise ship,” Bree grumbles and stares at her feet.

“Why?” Lana cocks her brow. I’m equally curious because Bree is definitely hiding something.

Bree snaps her head up, her voice pitchy. “Uh. No reason. Just a headache. I don’t like people and going out. I’m an introvert.”

“You need alcohol. That’s what you need.” Lana grabs her hand and motions at me. “Let’s go get a drink, then party it up.”

I shake my head. Alcohol and me don’t mix. My Asian genes will turn me into a tomato if I so much as take a sip, and I really don’t want my face to match the color of my dress. “You guys go, I’ll just hang out—”

“Ladies,” a gravelly voice murmurs from behind me.

A dark shadow strides up to us.

Black hair, black mask, black tux, startling green eyes, and a menacing air all around.

I think I know who this is.