We come to the top of the staircase and are spit out on to a wide, glossy deck. My mouth dries as I stare atEmpress, sprawled in front of me in all its glory: Cream-colored patio furniture offers areas for outdoor lounging, and large potted plants wave gently at us from their spots near the low taffrail that spans the open deck. The shining teak floor we’re standing on stretches out fifty feet, the deck offering spectacular views of the ocean and Ligia.
My skin is damp with sweat again, but the breeze makes it feel freeing instead of unbearable. All I can smell is salt and sun and something sharp, something foreign—the scent of the wild ocean in the absence of humanity.
A tern wheels above us before dipping down toward Ligia. I watch its small shape dive into the palm trees, and my heart swoops with it.
“Okay, so that promenade off to the left, that will take you around to the back ofEmpress. There’s a smaller deck there, only like a fraction of the size of this one, butthatone leads up to the roof deck, which is legit.” I realize that Viv is babbling at me, and I try to refocus my attention on her. “I’ll show you, but I wanna take you through the interior first. You’re going to lose it; it’s so gorgeous.”
She takes my hand and pulls me across the deck toward giant, reflective panes of glass that separate the deck from the inside of the yacht. Viv’s palm is soft, squishy, and a little cold; it’s like I’m holding a dead jellyfish. The image of the face in the water flashes in my head again, and I want to drop Viv’s hand, but I don’t want to offend her right off the bat.
You’re Charlie! Friendly, approachable, always-giving-books-a-good-review-even-when-you-hated-them Charlie. Be nice.
I swallow my anxieties and step inside the yacht. The main floor is a sprawling open-concept living room and kitchen with floor-to-ceiling glass windows on three sides. More potted plants with huge fronds sway in the air-conditioning; white leather sofas and armchairs form a semicircle on one side of the space, and a gorgeous chrome-and-stainless-steel kitchen fills the other. A large marble island is surrounded by see-through glass stools that look like they cost more than my car. Crystal pendant lighting illuminates the state-of-the-art kitchen appliances. There are end tables strategically placed around the room—some boast heavy vases filled with white roses, while others showcase small bronze statues of abstract shapes.
The horizon is everywhere; no matter where my eyes go, the skyline presses in through the windows. Only the back wall is windowless—it leads to a short hallway with a pair of white staircases, one leading up, one down.
“Okay, so the lower level has four bedrooms,” Viv says as she pulls me toward the hall, barely giving my eyes a chance to take in the main level’s opulence. “Two on each side of the hall. Rachel, Ashley, and Fiona are down there. You’ll be staying next to Fee. Upstairs is where Piper and I stay. I have the VIP suite since I’m basically Trey’s second-in-command.” Viv grins at me. Her demeanor is playful, her tone light, but there’s something in her eyes that makes me think she wants me to question her, demand why she gets the best bedroom.
“What about the girl I’m replacing?”
Viv’s expression shutters. Her smile vanishes, and she drops my hand like it’s a burning coal. She turns away, gesturing I should follow her. The change is so sudden and so unexpected that I take a step back instead.
“Elena left us,” Viv says flatly. “She’s a nonfactor.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize…” I trail off, not sure what I should say.
Viv glances around, must see something on my face, because she reanimates and slaps herself on the side of the head. “There I go, being all dramatic again. It comes with the territory, you know? Content creators; we gotta make a big deal out of everything!” Her breathy voice is back. “I get sensitive because Elena and I were close,so it sucked when she quit. But everything happens for a reason, right? If she didn’t leave, we wouldn’t have gotten you!”
“Sure…”
I watched a few of Viv’s videos on social media before interviewing with her. Her mannerisms, expressions, tone—they are all the same in real life as they are online. Which is strange because it comes across as insincere.
Except when talking about Elena, Viv’s voice changed. Her expression dropped.
“Come on, let’s finish the tour,” Viv says, chattering loudly now as if she’s trying to cover her slip. “Oh, wait, let’s drop your bag off in your room first.”
“I can do it myself! Which one is mine?”
I need a minute away from Viv. It’s been almost two hours in her presence, and I’m starting to feel overwhelmed. I want to sit in a quiet room and take stock of my situation. I want to splash cold water on my face. I want to revert to my real self for five fucking minutes.
“I’ll show you; it’ll be easier!”
I suppress a groan and follow Viv once again, this time down the sleek staircase and into the belly of the yacht. It’s darker here, on the lowest level. We aren’t under the water, but there aren’t any giant windows of glass either. Instead, there’s a long hallway with two rooms on each side. Tinkles of laughter, murmuring, and the clink of pool balls comes from the open space at the end of the hallway.
I almost forgot there were other people here.
“The billiards room,” Viv tells me. “The others are playing pool. I hope that means they finished their content for the day!” She smiles through the edge in her voice.
“I’ll have to meet them,” I reply, hoping I’ll be allowed to freshen up first. I’ve been on a plane, a bus, and a boat. Sweat is drying uncomfortably along my spine. I’d die for a shower.
“This is you,” Viv says, showing me the door on the left, closest to the staircase. She pushes the onyx-colored door open and moves aside, so I can enter and finally drop my duffel bag on the plush peach carpet.
“It’s lovely,” I say, because I know she’s expecting it.
It’s not a lie. My place in Wisconsin is cramped and ugly; this bedroom is meticulously decorated, even if it’s only slightly larger than my bedroom back home. The king-size mattress is piled with cushy white bedding; the headboard is made of silver mirrored shapes that create an intricate pattern, and there are softly glowing bulbs affixed to ornate wall sconces on each side of the room. A small port window allows sunlight to filter in. Best of all, there’s a private bathroom, complete with a shower.
But the moment I step into the room, there’s a pause, as if the space is inhaling and holding its breath. I keep waiting for the release, but it never comes. There’s a tight sensation in the air, and I wonder if it’s coming from me, from my desire to get clean and relax.
“Okay, come on!” Viv chirps before I can even imagine steaming up the bathroom and washing off the day’s travel. “You’ve got to meet the other queens!”
