Page 12 of Worthy

I melted a little. Gina always asked about Lucas, and it meant a lot. “He’s doing well. This latest round of treatment’s been hard, but he’s tough. He’s lucky to be in the program. Thank you for asking.”

“My pleasure.” Gina motioned for me to follow her. “Come on. Let me bring you to your room. Then I can show you around the house. You are one of the first girls here. There will be plenty of time for introductions later. Your roommate, Tate, will be arriving this afternoon.”

“I have a roommate?” I asked.

“Yes. All of the girls have roommates. Two to a room.”

I nodded, wondering what Tate was going to be like.

But I soon stopped wondering. As we entered the mansion’s doors, all thoughts and questions ceased. I stood in the grand foyer, blinking, utterly overwhelmed. Light spilled from the enormous crystal chandelier hanging from the ultra-high ceiling. “Oh my goodness.”

Gina smiled warmly. “I told you so. The mansion is incredible—and this is just the foyer. Wait until you see the rest!”

I gaped as I followed her up the sweeping, grand staircase to my room. It was large and comfortably decorated. With its generous queen beds, cheerful curtains, and plush throw rug, it was the nicest bedroom I’d ever had by a mile. Gina showed me the bathroom I’d be sharing with Tate. It had an enormous shower and tub and was stocked with expensive brands of makeup, shampoo, and perfume. Holy wow. “Do I get to use all this stuff?” I asked.

“Yep,” Gina said, eyes sparkling. “Wait until you see the clothes.” She threw open the closet to reveal a dozen evening gowns, designer-label jeans and tees, Christian Louboutin high heels in every color, as well as an assortment of lacy-looking lingerie that I refused to inspect more closely.

“We’ll tell you what you’re expected to wear for each part of your day,” Gina explained. “There will be a schedule that all the girls will adhere to. Breakfast, morning workouts, pool time, lunch, naps, cocktail hours, dinners, and, of course, club time.”

I nodded. “Of course.” Just talking about the schedule had me feeling overwhelmed.

I must’ve looked worried, because Gina reached out and squeezed my arm. “You’re going to do fine, Faith. All the other girls are in the same boat. No one I hired has ever worked in a club before, and even if they had, no one has ever experienced an environment like Club 444 before—because there’s never been an experience like this. It’s the first of its kind.”

I swallowed hard. “When does it open?”

“Tomorrow night. Come on, I have more to show you.”

Gina brought me to the patron’s suites, which were located in the left wing of the second floor. The suites were decadent and luxurious, with dark damask drapes, crimson bedspreads, and huge mahogany beds. I spotted boxes of cigars, crystal ashtrays, and expensive-looking bottles of bourbon. I wondered who the members were and what exactly they planned to get up to in their suites.

I had a feeling I was going to find out sooner rather than later.

Next, we toured the first floor, where I met the enormous housekeeping and kitchen staff. Everyone was female, dressed in uniform, and, unlike the male driver and the security guards, warm and friendly. “You’re allowed to speak with the female staff,” Gina explained as she ushered me from the kitchen, “just don’t get too friendly with anyone. Mr. Blackwood wants the girls to keep to themselves.”

“He’s the owner, right?” I asked.

“Yes,” Gina said. “You’ll see him at the club tomorrow night.”

I nodded, wondering what the mysterious club owner was like in real life. All I knew was that he was a billionaire; he wanted virgins working at his club and didn’t want the male staff anywhere near his prized possessions.

We toured the rest of the first floor. It boasted a library, several formal living rooms, and an unbelievable view of the infinity pool and the ocean beyond. I felt as though I was walking through a movie set; I’d never been around such luxury before. The furniture alone likely cost more money than I would ever see in my life, even though I would be a millionaire myself by the end of the year.

That still didn’t seem real. I’m going to be a millionaire, I told myself again. I looked down at my cheap flip-flops. If you say so…

“Before we go downstairs to the club, I want to show you the grounds.” Gina brought me outside to the enormous infinity pool, and my jaw dropped. The pool’s view opened up right on the private beach, the gray sands sweeping before me, waves crashing and thundering. Rows of lounge chairs were set up, and what looked like a pool house commanded the far end of the setting. “This looks like it belongs at a fancy hotel,” I said.

“It’s nicer than the Four Seasons, and it’s heated, thank goodness. Summer evenings in Rhode Island can get chilly,” Gina said. “The pool house is fully stocked with a restaurant and bar. We’ll be hosting lots of parties out here all summer. It’s going to be so elegant and amazing. Let me show you the grotto next. Follow me!”

Gina led me out of the gated pool area and across the lush, green lawn to what looked like a pond. I’d glimpsed the grotto earlier. There was a structure abutting it, a wall with rooms carved into it, dotted with statues.

“This is the grotto,” Gina said. “It’s actually a man-made pool. Can you believe it? They made it look like a freshwater pond.”

We stepped closer, and I saw that the water was indeed crystal clear; you could see all the way to what looked like a sandy bottom.

“What’s that?” I asked, gesturing to the wall interspersed with statues.

“Those are the grotto rooms—they’re for members to relax with the girls outside in nature. You can enjoy a swim, then choose a room.” Gina grinned. “This is going to be a very popular feature.”

I glanced at the rooms—there were canopied king beds inside. I swallowed hard. The grotto was going to be a popular feature, indeed.

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