I follow him from the room, up the stairs. This time, we go to the west wing, opposite of where I was kept before. There aren’t as many doors down this hallway, and it feels… colder. Emptier. And even a bit scarier.
Luca opens the last door, stepping aside for me to enter. My gaze goes to the golden cage in the center of the room. It looks like a cage for a bird, only it’s the perfect size for a human. There’s a swing that hangs by two chains, but other than that, it’s empty. Luca closes the door behind me, and I hear a lock sliding into place.
He stands next to me. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Had it made just for you.”
“You’re sick.”
He shrugs. “I’ve been called worse. Come.”
We walk around the cage, past his massive bed, to a door that leads to the biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen in my life. If I wasn’t scared that my life was about to end, I’d take the time to appreciate how luxurious the room was. Instead, I watch as he goes to the massive walk-in shower and turns on the water. Steam fills the room, and he turns to me.
“Get naked.”
If there was anything left in my stomach, I’m sure I’d be vomiting right now. He stares at me with a hardened glare that has me moving. I will never admit it, but it’s a relief to get the icy cold material away from my skin. But standing naked before him presents a whole new set of problems, especially when his gaze trails slowly down my body. To make matters worse, my body reacts. My nipples harden and there’s a rush of moisture between my legs.
“In.”
I scurry inside just to get away from him. What I don’t expect is for him to remove his clothes and join me.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Showering.”
He reaches past me and grabs the shampoo. As he pours it into his hand, the same rose scent from my shower earlier fills the air.
“Didn’t peg you as a floral guy.”
“This isn’t for me. It’s for you.”
I’m shocked as hell as he rubs the shampoo into my dark locks, lathering it.
“You bought me shampoo?”
“No.” My chest falls as he continues, “All the women who take part in the hunt use the same products in case we have to send out the hounds. They’re trained to find this scent.”
Now I feel like the world’s biggest idiot. When I was allowed to bathe earlier, it never crossed my mind that I would do something that would help my captors find me.
“I guess I made it pretty easy on you, didn’t I?” I huff. “God, no wonder my father sold me.”
“I would have had you even if your father hadn’t agreed to the sale.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
He’s silent as he finishes washing my hair. The next bottle that he opens is more masculine scented, and he uses it for his own hair. Looking up, I can see how this shower was meant to be used for two people. There are two shower heads and jets, so that each person can enjoy themselves. Well, in most cases. Right now, this just feels like I’m walking slowly to my death with no way to stop.
Luca tips my chin. “Time to wash our bodies.”
I reach for the loofah, but he stops me. Instead, he takes it, adding body wash to it. My body is on fire as he washes me. When he gets to the junction between my legs, I try to stop him, but he only slaps at my hand.
“Little bird,” he warns.
“This is embarrassing, okay? I don’t like people touching me.”
Or looking at me, really.
“You seemed to have no problem lettingHenritouch you.”
He says Henri’s name with so much venom that I laugh.