I’m standing inside a bathroom. Thebirdcagehas a goddamnen suite.
Unbelievable.
It’s also super fancy. Like the bathroom you’d expect to find in a Victorian castle, with just the right amount of modern renovation. There’s a toilet in here—thank God, because I reallyhave to pee and with no bucket, I was beginning to wonder—an elaborate shower enclosure and separate bathtub, surrounded by soft tile and stone, more bronze and gold fixtures, and flowers.Of coursethe flowers…We’re basically inside a giant garden.
This has to be one of the most lavishly designed bathrooms I’ve ever seen. It’s completely crazy that something so ornate is hidden inside what’s essentially a hole in the wall, adjacent to a birdcage prison cell. But then this is theIvory Mansion, after all…
All of the rooms in this place are elegantly designed, just on the brink of being gaudy. Though I have to say, the guards’ quarters feel a bit toned down compared to the rest. It leaves me to wonder why he would want something so luxurious inhere.
The one area I’ve never been able to explore in all my time here is his floor. I’ve never made it up the stairs to hislair. It was always too dangerous. But now I’m even more curious…
If this is the type of decor he uses for his own floor. And if so, why incorporate it into a holding cell?
I could very well be hallucinating all of this, but whatever. I’m in desperate need ofeverythingthis bathroom has to offer right now. Seriously, the ancient shower in the staff house was all well and good, but I’m physically giddy at the idea of getting into this shower and just standing under hot running water for like forty-minutes.
I go about utilizing the amenities of mycaptivity, all the while scoffing every time I uncover something that has clearly been purposefully stocked in anticipation of someone being in here. The longer I’m here, the clearer it becomes that The Ivory planned all of this out, and I just have to wonder if he wantedmein this cage, or if he’d settle for whomever was gullible and foolish enough to be lured inside.
I sincerely hope it’s the latter, because the former is beyond infuriating. Flattering… but enraging, nonetheless. Although part of me feels like that’sexactlywhat this is…
He put all of this together knowing with full certainty that I’d be back, and he’d throw me into this cell. Intricately designed down to the last detail to distract from the fact that this isone hundred percentkidnapping.
I mean, come on. It’s abirdcage.
It’s obviously for me.
Was this his plan all along? Did he really build this cage in his mansion just for me? In preparation of one day abducting me??
My initial gut reaction is to be sort of… charmed.
But thenew. No.I quickly pull my head out of my ass and remind myself of thecorrectresponse, which is to beoutragedby the blatant kidnapping.
You’renotsupposed to be flattered by someone wanting to abduct you, no matter how nice the pit in Buffalo Bill’s basement is.
Jesus, idiota. Not cute. Creepy.
Not flattering. A felony.
Let’s just recognize the appropriate feelings of indignation here.
Who knows, maybe it’snotfor me… Maybe this is just where he keeps his victims, because he’s pretty much a serial killer. Only he’s way too rich and powerful to do it thenormalway, so he resorts to ostentatiousgames, like hunting people for sport.
I’d honestly be very surprised if he doesn’t already do that. He’s got the private island and everything…
An hour of jumbled thoughts later, I’m freshly showered, and despite my insides being all twisted up, on theoutside, I feel like I’ve been reborn.I really needed that.
But then the thought of putting my dirty nighty back on my clean, freshly exfoliated skin has me frowning.
Boo. That’s no fun.
Padding out into the cell with a towel around my waist, I go for the dresser, not at all surprised to find it stocked with clothes. All brand new, tags on everything. I don’t even need to check to know they’re all my size.
Of course they are.
Lifting up a pair of lace panties, my eyebrow cocks. “You’ve gotta be kidding me…”
“No te gusta?”
I jump nearly a foot in the air, the panties flying out of my hands.
