I smiled at him. “Iknow.”
This time, my smile was wide and unafraid. Hunter made me feel brave. Like I could doanything.
At half past eight, he left to take his place in the third story hallway. I sat on his bed and chatted to Trina, heart racing with anticipation as I waited for Camila to callme.
The fundraising gala was in full swing on the first floor now, and the sound of music, clinking glasses and lively chatter drifted up to us along with the faint smell of delicious hot canapes and spiced wine. It felt incredibly strange to know that so many people were down there having fun and thinking they were attending a normal party, when in reality, a shady sex ring was operating just a few floors abovethem.
Fifteen minutes later, my phone buzzed on the bed next to me. It was Camila.We’re almost there. Hope you aretoo.
“Time to go,” I said, turning to Trina. She gave me a big hug before walking me over to the door and wishing meluck.
I crept downstairs and headed around to the western entrance on the first floor of the mansion. Camila and the other Medusa girls showed up a few minutes later, all dressed in the same Greek goddess outfits from lastweek.
“You look perfect!” Camila said, smiling brightly at me. “Are youexcited?”
I nodded. “Yes. I can’twait.”
She led me up to the main third floor hallway and stopped at a door with a gold rosette on it. A key for the room hung on a thin golden chain around her neck, and she bent down to unlock it before ushering me and the other girlsinside.
It was just like I remembered from when I accidentally stumbled upon it a few months ago; a small, dusty old library with barely any light in it. A leather-bound book with golden lettering stood out from the other books on the shelf on the opposite wall, and when Camila pulled on it, the shelf swung around, revealing a secret room on the otherside.
The room contained a steep spiral staircase made of sturdy carved wood. We headed up the steps one by one until we reached a small foyer lined with white candles. A big oak door with a golden rose-and-serpent motif on it stood at theend.
Camila stepped forward and opened the door just a crack. “This is it, Laney,” she said to me, forehead creasing. “Are you sure you’reready?”
“Yes.”
“There’s no going back once you walk into this room,” she said in a warningtone.
I nodded. “Iknow.”
The door swung all the way open. I took a deep breath and steppedinside.
The party room was already filled with people—Network men in masks and young women in gauzy dresses and flower crowns. I knew now that those women were the older Medusa girls who still had to attend all of theparties.
The dim space had been set up to look like the clearing on Harker Island. A large golden throne sat on one side, and colorful floral arrangements lined the rest of the room along with flickering candles set in ornate gold candelabras. Familiar rhythmic music was playing, and most of the people in the room were dancing, drinking, popping pills, or snorting whitepowder.
When they noticed our arrival, they raised their glasses and cheered. A tall gray-haired man in a red and black mask stepped forward. “Welcome back, Laney,” he said with a genial smile. “I’m glad you decided to join usagain.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, bowing my head. “I’m so sorry about lastweek.”
He waved a hand. “It’s all right. I understand you had a negative reaction to the ritualdrink.”
Camila rested a hand on my shoulder. “She did, but she’s ready to go now, sir,” she said with a simperingsmile.
“Good. We’ll get started as soon as everyone’s here,” he replied. “Until then, you can dance, drink, eat… whatever youwant.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you,” I said, mimicking Camila’s deferentialattitude.
His smile grew wider. More predatory. “Have fun,girls.”
Camila pulled me over to the floor near the throne and took both of my hands. “Dance with me!” she shouted over the music. “It’ll get you in themood!”
I did as she said, grinning from ear to ear like I was actually excited to be here. As I twirled to the beat, I spotted Hunter. He’d just arrived at theparty.
A few of the other men went over to him and greeted him with handshakes and pats on the back. None of them seemed to notice that anything was amiss with his appearance, even though he was an inch and a half taller than hisfather.
I wasn’t surprised. Trina had done an amazing job with the hair and makeup, and with the candles producing the only source of light in the dim room, along with the mask covering a third of Hunter’s face, it was almost impossible to tell that he wasn’t actually Charles Connery. Even if a finicky person noticed the height difference, they would probably just assume he was wearing lifts in his shoes. Lots of men did that thesedays.