Page 42 of The Caged Girl

“Demi, Mr. Ivory wants you to meet him in the peony garden tonight at eight.”

Chills ran up my arms as I looked at her. “There’s a peony garden?”

Marcie nodded. “Of course. Where else would the good ones get to rest?”

“Marcie…” But before I could even ask what she meant, she left the room.

What did Alister want from me? I brushed my hair into a tight ponytail and quickly wiped the smudged eye makeup off completely. I wanted to kill Dr. Davenport, and I would, but I knew I couldn’t do anything I wanted to without someone else. Someone far more powerful.

I needed to go tend to Mrs. Rothschild and find Bradley. I wasn’t crazy; I know I saw my sister. I needed to find her, and I needed to find Jamie, now. I had to figure out where these girls were disappearing to.

Exhaling, I looked into the mirror. “You cannot be good anymore, Demi. Good has only hurt you.” Swiping the nude lipstick across my lips, I smacked them together and smiled, even though I cried with every step I took. I had to ignore the burning pain between my legs.

Why be a victim when you can just get ahead and be the villain?

* * *

“Demi, today I get to visit the store and then, I get to see Declan. I’m getting quite homesick now and triggered here, if I’m honest.”

Sage Rothschild was wearing a fitted white jumpsuit, small pearls, and clutched her designer bag to her chest. She was looking around with paranoia seeping out of her.

“Okay, that’s fine. We can go to the store, and then I’ll ask the front desk about Declan and when you both are reuniting,” I reassured her. I had no idea what the “store” was, considering I’d never been, and Mrs. Rothschild was my very first actual guest I’d been trusted and paired with.

“Thanks, Demi.” She patted an embroidered handkerchief against her forehead.

We walked side-by-side until we made our way to one of the narrow hallways that led to the elevators.

While Sage kept her eyes forward, I was looking at all the colored images of women plastered on the walls.

“Oh my god,” I breathed out. Pausing in front of a missing spot, I glanced around. The photos were hung in alphabetical order.

“Jamie…” The photo was missing completely. “No…no.” Guilt hit me as it was my fault for pushing her to talk about Alister and the sick things happening behind the façade of a beautiful resort.

“Mrs. Rothschild, will you give me a moment? I’m so sorry.”

She looked at me and then back to the images. “What is it?” She placed her hand over her heart and followed me as I sped up and walked to the other hallway. The hallway that held black-and-white images of girls.

Racing to the letter ‘J’, I slapped my hands across my mouth. “Jamie,” I whimpered when I saw her black-and-white image framed next to others.

It was my fault. She was so scared and followed the rules. I just had to push her to speak up and talk to me.

Sage dug her nails into my arm and tugged. “Demi, I really would like to go to the store.”

I looked at her and noticed she was wearing light green contacts, which sat slightly off her pupil. They weren’t her natural eyes.

“Sage…” I began, but quickly stopped myself. I’d done enough damage.

Swiping my badge against the white elevator doors, they opened silently. She stepped in first and then I entered.

Pressing floor number ten, I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“About?” Sage asked with agitation.

“Nothing. Sorry.”

The doors opened, and we walked out into a strikingly bright and beautiful space. It was completely white with minimalistic furniture.

A woman with a neat blonde bun, green eyes, and nude lips greeted us. “Demi and Mrs. Rothschild, so nice of you to visit our stores. It’s shopping day!” She clapped her hands excitedly.

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