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I’m at a loss, unsure how to reply to the cheerful bubbliness. This counts among the worst nights in my life, and she acts like we’re meeting for a round of bowling.
“You know Aryan, and this is my brother, Richard, and my fiancé, Liam.” Both men look older; not ancient, but while I just graduated from high school, I think they’re closer to being done with college. “And Kendra’s here to make you look pretty.”
I didn’t notice the other woman, as she was concealed by three pairs of wide, defined shoulders. She squeezes between the brother and Aryn, and extends her hand to me. “Lovely to meet you.”
The bright Barbie-pink streaks in her brown hair make me think of Lola. I’m glad I don’t sniffle.
I don’t shake the offered hand or attempt civilities. “We should get this over with.”
Aryan chuckles low, running his hand through his raven hair. “So eager, Brown. Why, if Lola had told me you were such a freak, I would have approached you long ago.”
I could puke. I immediately regret the pastry sitting wrong in my stomach.
These are the men Camden has chosen for his sick scheme. I’m supposed to…I can’t even say it to myself.
“Aryan.” Camden’s tone holds a warning. “And the rest of you, a word.” He walks away, and the three men follow him. Over his shoulder, he tells either Kendra or Juliet, whose nickname I refuse to use, “See that she’s ready in fifteen, in one of the spare bedrooms.”
Then they disappear through the lounge.
Juliet claps her hands. “All right, let’s pamper you!”
Though I’m making my enmity clear, it doesn’t discourage her. She takes my wrist and leads me away from the kitchen, up a spiraling flight of freestanding, modern black stairs. I don’t have much of a choice. I let her take me where she will.
Kendra drags a tall suitcase behind her and follows.
We bypass the first floor and walk up to the second. From the outside, I think I saw three stories. I was too preoccupied to pay much attention to the ridiculously large manor house.
It could have easily fit a dozen families, yet I think Camden and his father live here alone—with the staff he mentioned.
I can’t imagine their world, even when I’m looking in.
We reach a large, handsome bedroom, so well appointed it looks like it belongs in an interior design magazine. It’s also impersonal, sterile. My stomach drops as I take in the large, white bed.
The furniture’s dark, simple, nondescript. Unlike the rest of the house, the walls are painted a neutral light gray, not the striking black.
We could be anywhere at all, in a hotel or a studio. I don’t have to ask myself why I was brought here. This is happening. He wants to shoot his video where his house won’t be recognized.
Juliet’s happily strutting through the room she seems familiar with. She draws the curtains closed and tells me, “The bathroom’s over here. Why don’t you take a quick shower, sweet? Call Kendra when you’re done—no need to get dressed.”
She might as well be talking about the weather—a lovely, sunny day, at that—from her intonation.
“I wasn’t going to post the video.” The words rush out. “And if I had, I would have blurred your face—everyone’s except Aryan’s. I just…”
She smiles at me, tilting her head. “That’s sweet of you to say, Morgan. And smart. You’re clearly very clever. Now, the shower, please. Camden said fifteen minutes. Let’s not test his patience.”
I wonder then if she hates me. If she relishes in my predicament. But I’ll never know because her face shows nothing but what she instructs it to relay.
I make my way to the en suite bathroom.
Closing the door is a relief, and I remain there, head on the cool wall, trying to breathe.
At first, I can’t bring myself to remove my clothing. I can’t bring myself to move at all.
I consider sobbing, but I’m all out of tears after my outburst in the car.
I slowly remove my sweater, my yoga pants, my ridiculous underwear, and hop in the shower.
The hot water does little to calm my nerves, but I remain under the powerful jets all the same—for too long. I just know the minutes Camden allotted to me came and went. I half expect him to burst into the bathroom, but from what I’ve seen, it’s not his style.
