“She’s going to hurt herself,” Silver rages as she flies into the bathroom.
I watch in horror as Bridget digs a blade out of a razor until her fingers begin to bleed. The whole time she removes it, Silver is trying to talk her down while reaching for the weapon. Bridget slices into her wrist, her eyes wild as she saws at her own skin. There are a few screams from the other women as blood gushes like a fountain, and my tears fall.
“You can all stay in thishellhole,” Bridget seethes. “But I’m getting the fuck out of here one way or another!”
Silver finally pulls the blade away from the woman before tossing it aside and rushing to gather some paper towels. She sniffles lightly, swiping at her tears as her hands shake and she presses the paper towels to the wound, but it’sno use. Bridget’s face is draining of color, and she looks like she’s about to pass out as she sways.
“What’s going on here?” A woman’s voice calls from the door. I turn to the newcomer, surprised to see an older woman dressed in designer clothes standing in the doorway. Her golden hoop earrings sway as she cocks a hip and folds her arms over her expensive blouse. Her expression is pinched with distaste as she observes the scene in the bathroom. “Bridget. I should have known.”
“Mrs. Poole, we tried to stop her—” Charlotte tries to defend, but the woman holds a hand up, her golden bracelets making a twinkling sound.
“I don’t need your pathetic excuses. Let the poor thing die. She was reaching her end anyway. As for the rest of you, there’s a party coming. Make yourselves presentable.” The woman turns on her heels as we all scramble to help Bridget.
“Who was that?” I ask Charlotte quietly as we pull more paper towels off the roll and hand them to Silver.
“Holden’s wife. She’s a cunt.” Charlotte says as she tears a shirt into a bandage.
“What was she saying about a party?” I question.
Silver eases Bridget down onto the toilet’s closed lid as she doctors the woman’s wound. “Once a week, they hold a party. It’s their chance to flaunt us around in front of potential new buyers. They make us serve drinks and…otherthings.”
She doesn’t need to elaborate for me to know her meaning. We’re expected to put on brave faces as we face the very beasts who will hurt us.
“It’s your first one,” Silver says quietly. “Stick to the outskirts and try not to draw attention to yourself.”
She helps Bridget into bed, drawing the covers over her as everyone begins to get ready. Silver brings me a lingerie set—it’s black and lacy and looks like it’s been through some wear and tear.
“Sorry, but it’s the newest one I have.” She apologizes as she lays it on the room’s dresser. She’s holding a pink one in herhands for herself as she motions for me to sit on the floor.
She paints my lips and puts some mascara on me in the quiet. Once she’s done, she runs through the rules of the party. “If anyone asks to take you upstairs, you can’t refuse. If you do, Holden will have one of the guys punish you after the party. Just smile and be polite. I know it’s uncomfortable, but it’s life or death, Rose. We have no choice.”
I nod, staring at the ground as I try to battle the nerves eating away at me. It doesn’t help that I’m starting to feel lightheaded from the lack of insulin. I only have a little bit of juice left, and I need it to last until…something.
Fierce longing grips me as I think of Roman, Kairo, and Maddox. I’ve hoped they figured out what happened and are fighting to reach me. Going through this without their strength is like being shunted back into my former life—cold and unforgiving. I feel…lost.
Like a piece of me is missing.
It hurts like hell.
No matter what happens, my heart will always belong to them. My body could be elsewhere, but I’m theirs. Whatever horrors I face will never dim that light, and I have to be brave. I have to fight.
For them.
Cara shows up a few minutes before we finish getting ready. She’s quiet as she stumbles to her room. Her eyes are hollow, and she looks like she’s just going through the motions as she fishes a blue lingerie set out of her dresser across the hall and takes her clothes off. She stands naked, and I see the deep bruises littering her flesh. There are fingerprints over her hips, and the inside of her thighs is swollen.
Charlotte steps into Cara’s room, her feet padding softly towards the woman caught in a trance as she stares at the dresser’s mirror. “Cara…”
“I’m fine,” she says, but her voice wavers as she pulls on the lace.
Charlotte watches with concern as Cara movesrobotically. Her muscles are full of tension, coiling tightly with every movement. She’s hurt…
Luna joins us shortly after, anger fueling her as she grips the handle of the dresser and pulls with all her might. She snatches a purple set out of it, slamming the drawer back closed as she mumbles to herself bitterly. “I wish I could cut off his fucking shrimp dick.”
“I’ll help,” I offer.
Her eyes flicker up to me. “We’ve got big dreams, don’t we?”
Chapter Forty-Nine
