Page 26 of The Caged Girl

He plastered that signature faux smile across his face. “Have you seen the wonderful film, Titanic, Mrs. Rothschild?”

His nails dug into my flesh as Mrs. Rothschild looked between us and made note of his hand.

“Yes, I have. It’s one of my favorite movies.” Her jaw tightened as she saw the way my spine straightened and my shoulders tensed with Bradley’s touch.

“Do you think there was enough room for Jack?” Bradley glanced over at me before smiling back at Mrs. Rothschild.

“No. There was never room for Jack. Truthfully, I’d have let him drown. He was nothing more than a one-night stand on the ship.”

I looked up at Bradley. I needed to talk to him. He was the only one who knew everything and more. He knew what I’d been through, and I knew him—or most of him.

“I think there was room, but Rose was scared. She’d spent her whole life drowning and finally needed to prioritize putting herself first,” I said.

Something shifted inside him. I could see the way the hatred and rage softened into the deep emotional connection Bradley and I had from the moment I’d walked into the Ivory estate.

“Okay then, this is weird and not what I expected a six-figure resort to get me, but I’m ready to have help in getting dressed for tonight’s masquerade ball,” Mrs. Rothschild said.

Bradley and I stared at each other for a moment longer before I pulled his hand off mine.

“Mrs. Rothschild, shall I help you get ready for the masquerade ball?” I waved her over in the direction of the guest suites.

“Yes, and please stop calling me that. It’s Sage.” She looped her arm into mine. I turned and peeped over my shoulder and saw Bradley standing there. Closing my eyes, he looked the same as the first time I ever saw him. Perfectly coiffed blonde hair, stark green eyes, hollow cheekbones, and pale skin.

“What the hell was that?” Sage nudged me as I swiped my card to access the guest suites. I stayed silent until we walked into her room and the door shut behind us.

“You should request to leave with Declan now.” I looked around her room and frantically opened her closet.

“Demi! What are you doing?” She shouted at me as I paced around the suite.

“I’m looking for the cameras!” I was out of control but didn’t care.

“Demi.” Sage grabbed me and shoved me against the wall. “What is wrong with you? Of course, they’d pair me with a psycho on my one vacation in years!” Tears formed in her eyes as I panted from racing around her room.

“Sage, I’m sorry, but this place isn’t safe for you. You don’t understand where Declan is.”

Sage slammed her hand against my mouth. “I don’t want to hear it! I’m here to enjoy massages and drink pink cocktails while lying poolside. They told me that we’d be assigned a quiet little bird to help us with anything and everything. After all that I’ve been through!” Sage stepped back and took a deep breath as I realized I was making a grave mistake. If she reported me, I’d be killed. I had to keep my mouth shut. Sage, a rich housewife, didn’t need my help. The nightingales and the doves—who were all just innocent girls being bought and killed after torturing them—needed my help.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am.” I changed my entire demeanor immediately.

“Help me get ready for the masquerade ball. I need something to look forward to before tomorrow’s visitation day!”

“Visitation day?” I questioned as I looked at the gown she was holding.

“For my baby, of course.” Sage smiled and turned away.

My lips parted as I looked out the oceanfront balcony doors.

Baby?

“I have a secret, Demi…”

Chills splattered across my arms as Sage smiled and grew closer to me.

“I had two beautiful children from my first husband. They were taken from me when the world claimed I was not fit to be their mother. Now they are with some perfect family and have forgotten that I even exist. I was wasting away when I was admitted and found a new path. But then my uterus was stolen from me and in order to keep Declan happy, I need a baby.” She kissed my cheek, then spun and walked away.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

We were mostlysilent the rest of the time. I helped curl Sage’s blonde hair as she did her makeup. She decided to reject the offer to have Kandi come in and do it for her, preferring it just be the two of us. I had to bite back the looming questions about Sage going shopping for a baby. Had I heard her wrong? Why did she lie to me about having children that lived with her already, and what did she mean that her uterus was stolen from her? She seemed like a genuine woman. But then again, when had I ever found someone who was truly the person they portrayed themselves to be?

---