“I do hope so.” He spoke back, pinning her with his carnally decadent gaze.
But they had no more time to play as the Head Clothier returned, guiding her now-full crystal rack to Layla’s dais and selecting a sleek deep plum cocktail dress for Layla to try on. Strategically striped in a tiger-pattern with smooth silk and sheer silk chiffon, it gave an illusion of being bare while still covering everything important – a daring and exquisite design.
“Let’s start here,” the little woman buzzed excitedly. “It’s a bit plain, but my helpers will be fetching out plenty more from the highest combs. We’ll find a number of items that will have guests positively buzzing over you, Layla Price!”
“I can’t wait.” Layla spoke with a small smile. Taking up the slinky cocktail dress, she shimmied the thin silk on over her head.
While Dusk watched her in the trio of mirrors, something thoughtful devouring his gaze as he downed his brandy and poured another.
CHAPTER 23 – LATE
It was late by the time Dusk left Layla’s room. She’d spent over two hours in the Head Clothier’s domain and acquired more than thirty items, some for daily and evening wear, and a few for fancy balls that Dusk had insisted on. He’d been surprisingly helpful during the process, as much as Arron had once been while helping Layla shop. Dusk had gone from lecherous to articulate within moments of Layla donning the first item. And though he’d been unable to take his eyes off her while she turned in the most elegant gowns she had ever seen, he’d helped her choose the best colors for her skin tone and the most comfortable fabrics, all while focusing on the outfits that made the most of Layla’s hourglass curves.
It had taken three Guards to help carry Layla’s new wardrobe back from the Hive, and then a full fifteen minutes until Dusk was thoroughly satisfied she had hung everything up correctly in her walk-in closet. He’d given her a stern lecture about keeping her items nice, then made her open the wall-safe so he could put Mimi’s jewelry into new cases made of the same glowing crystal as the Hive. Layla’s nicer gowns had been hung up inside similar cases, and Dusk assured her that the properties of the crystal and the bee-venom that coated it – which was harmless – would keep all metals, gemstones, and fabrics pristine.
Now, Layla stood eating a plate of salami and cheese with grapes for dinner and staring into all that amazing opulence. Most of the items were not anything one could acquire in the human realm, like a desert-sunrise gown in blushes and purples of such a fine silk that it seemed no more than a rippling breeze. Or the white gown that glittered with some kind of snake scale in an opalescent rainbow. Not to mention numerous pairs of high-heels with footbeds as squishy as a yoga mat and straps sleek as seaweed upon the skin. Dusk had assured her that she could walk twenty miles in any shoe the Head Clothier had given her – a royal plum pair currently on Layla’s feet, and so soft she didn’t want to ever remove them.
“Maybe I’ll just sleep with them on.” Layla spoke to no-one as she munched another piece of salami. Dusk had departed ten minutes ago and now her room was silent, thick walls keeping out all sounds except peeper frogs where she had thrown open her windows. Moving to the balcony, Layla settled to a wrought-iron chair, staring out over the topiaries and burbling midnight fountains. The vast gardens rolled away to a forest in the west, and her gaze tracked to the pond with the pale fish where she’d been with Adrian the night before.
Faint sounds of lovemaking caught her ears in the night and Layla’s heart gripped, feeling her fury at Adrian – and then her loneliness. In the expansive hush, Layla realized she’d become used to living with housemates. It was her second night here, and she had no one to lend a supportive ear or share a laugh with. Rikyava would have been good, but the busy Guardswoman was probably fast asleep if she wasn’t working. Dusk was growing on Layla, but she had a feeling he’d give her a lecherous grin if she tried to find him after they’d just spent all day together. And even if Adrian was in the Hotel tonight, he wasn’t going to just come shoot the shit with her – he’d made that plain last night during their argument.
Feeling a steep drop after such a fast day, Layla took up her plate and headed back inside. Her eyes fell upon her red leather purse from Seattle, forgotten in the bustle. Hanging from a dining chair, it reminded her suddenly that she’d made a promise to her friends back in Seattle, that she would call as soon as she settled in. A promise she’d failed to keep in all the hubbub. Realizing with a sinking feeling that it had been two whole days already, Layla fetched out her phone.
And blinked at the notifications on the screen.
“Twelve calls. Shit!” Unlocking it, Layla thumbed open the phone app – to see that half the calls were from Luke and half were from Arron. She felt terrible as a blush rose to her cheeks. Without listening to the messages, she quickly hit the call back icon on Luke’s number and waited, listening to it ring.
But in the middle of the third ring, the sound suddenly cut off.
“Hello?” Layla spoke, wondering if Luke had picked up. It wasn’t all that late yet on the west coast. “Hello? Luke?”
But a busy tone came on the line. Layla glanced at her phone, thinking that was strange. Hanging up, she tried re-dialing only to have the busy tone come on immediately. Frowning, Layla tried Arron – and had the same thing happen; then the same problem with her other housemates.
Frowning very hard now, Layla set her phone down, staring at it. She had a switchable wi-fi phone and it had picked up a local network. She should have been able to make an international call. Fetching her laptop, Layla opened it and selected the only network ‘R’ and got full signal with no password needed. Opening her browser, she searched Google for her phone model and confirmed that it should have been able to make international calls over wi-fi. Opening a new tab, she navigated to her email, ready to write Luke and Arron to let them know she was ok.
And found her Gmail blocked.
Layla blinked, trying Facebook next. Blocked. Twitter, Reddit, any posting board she could think of – blocked. Frowning, she searched for the New York Times. The website came up with no issue, but when she scrolled down to a comments area, they were all blocked; the same with YouTube. All messaging on her phone was likewise disabled. Slowly, Layla closed her computer and set her phone on top of it. With a shiver, she glanced around her apartment, astounded at the Hotel’s cybersecurity.
What kind of place blocks their staff’s contact with the outside world?
Opening her phone again, she tapped Luke’s first voice message.
Hey Layloo. You’re still probably on the plane, I just wanted to call and let you know we’re all thinking about you. Hope your first day goes well, and call as soon as you get this.
His message made Layla tear up a bit. It was Luke at his best; no ranting, no irritation, just a sweet message letting her know she still had friends who cared. It made Layla smile and she decided to save the rest of his messages for later, tapping one from Arron.
Layla, hun-bun. We are all intensely worried, girl. It’s been a full day and we’ve heard nothing from you. Maybe your phone died, but we all need to know thatyouhaven’t died. Can you please call? PS. Luke is freaking out that you won’t call us back because of him, so can you please call him first?
Blinking, Layla’s gut clenched. She felt awful that Luke assumed she wasn’t calling because she was stonewalling him. Scrolling to Luke’s most recent message, Layla tapped it.
Hey Layla.Luke’s voice was deadly serious, an edge of panic to it.We’re all really worried. You should have landed by now and been able to call. PLEASE call us. If you’re still pissed at me, I get it, but at least call Celia or Arron. We’re freaking out. Maybe your life got so amazing you don’t have time for us plebes, but I keep having the worst scenarios run through my head. Please call, Layla. I can’t stand not knowing if you’re alive or dead.
His last message was alarming. Rising, Layla took her phone and went for the door. But before she could go down to the Concierge desk and find some goddamn way to call home, a brisk rap came at her gilded doors from the outside.
“Who is it?” Layla called through the door, feeling on-edge, her senses tingling.
“It’s Rikyava.” The Head Guardswoman’s no-nonsense voice rang through the door. “Dusk contacted me. Said you needed a check-in. Are you alright, Layla?”
