Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I slide off the bed to grab my phone. It’ll be hours until dinnertime. Napping feels like a waste of time.
Maybe I’ll do a little investigating.
“Stop asking questions. Stop playing detective. Just fucking stop, little girl.”
Sorry, Caius. My brain doesn’t work that way.
When I want to solve something, I don’t stop until I do.
Romy
I open the door to our suite, expecting to find Solomon lurking. To my great relief, there’s no one around. Since I know the other end of the yacht, past the lounge, stairs, and elevator is Solomon’s owner’s quarters, I make sure to avoid that. The last thing I want is to get caught somewhere alone with that horrible man.
Making my way over to a nondescript placard on the wall, I learn that the deck above us houses the wellness center, gym, and cinema. I decide checking any of those places out won’t be suspicious and take the elevator up. The elevator, which smells of citrus, spits me out in a small area with signs pointing left for the wellness center and gym, whereas the right takes you to the cinema. There are glass doors that lead into each area.
I head for the wellness center first.
With my plush slippers still on, I’m able to sneak around soundlessly.
Upon entering, I’m met with the smell of peppermint. In the front area, there are a couple of white sitting chairs and a shelving unit neatly filled with towels, flip-flops, and a basket of lotions and other toiletries. Beyond that is a narrow hallway. I make my way through, stopping to peek in the open sauna room. The peppermint scent is stronger here. Opposite the sauna room is a plunge bath and massage area with two tables. I continue toward what must be the salon when I hear Ava’s voice, stopping me cold in my tracks.
“That’s it,” Ava purrs. “A little eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. Voilà. You’re beautiful, hon.”
I peek to discover one of her “girls” sitting in a chair as Ava fusses over her makeup. The black-haired girl stares at me—blank and empty inside.
Why is she dressing them up?
I don’t like the idea of this strange woman dolling these girls up when men like Solomon Grayhawk prowl about, without his wife in tow, no less. Backing away from the salon, I turn on my heel and slip out the doors of the wellness center. A quick peek into the gym windows yields nothing aside from an array of unused machinery. The next stop is the cinema.
Before I reach the light-colored wooden door, I stop to listen first. Beyond the door are voices, this time male. One is recognizable. Caius. I turn the knob and open it a bit to listen in.
“…I know, Ted. I’m being careful.”
Ted’s here?
The mysterious, I’m-friends-with-everybody-including-my-dad, Ted?
“We better get going before we’re seen alone together,” Ted says lowly. “Too many eyes of people I don’t know or trust around here.”
Realizing they’re about to come out, I hurry back the way I came, nearly busting my ass when my poor shoe choice slips on the floor. I scramble toward the stairwell, but since the elevator door is open, I dip inside there instead, quickly mashing the button to take me back to the floor where our room is on.
Male voices grow closer, but the elevator doors close before they reach me. My heart hammers wildly in my chest. I can’t believe I almost got caught spying on them. What were they even discussing anyway? What does Caius need to be careful about?
My original thoughts of Ted being with the CIA resurface. Maybe Caius is undercover and their clandestine meeting was to go over their next steps. I roll my eyes at my runaway imagination. Caius isn’t a good man. Definitely not some government plant. That means Ted must be an equally bad guy, which I already figured considering the company he keeps. Unfortunately, my own father was seen with the guy, and I don’t know what to think of that. For now, I lock it away to ruminate over for another time.
The elevator dings when I reach my intended floor. When the doors open, I find myself staring straight into the beady eyes of none other than Solomon Grayhawk. His face splits into a wolfish grin that sends a tremble of fear through my spine.
“You look lost,” he says, stepping closer, stopping the door from automatically closing with his foot. “Need some help, Miss Langston?”
I force a polite smile, though I can feel it wobbling. “No. Popped into the wellness center to check it out, but it was full. Headed back to our suite to get ready for dinner tonight.”
He studies me silently for an uncomfortable long few seconds before giving me a nod. “Very well. I look forward to seeing you soon then.”
I brush past him, disgusted when our bodies touch, trading places with him. He steps into the elevator and watches me intently until the doors close. As soon as he’s gone from my presence, I’m able to breathe more easily. I start for our suite but then have a new idea.