Chapter 40

FORTY

I snuck backinto my room and hid my new sneakers and birth control packets at the bottom of my closet. Three months of protection. That's all the time I had to escape and seek help from someone, not just for myself but for the rest of the girls.

The door slid open behind me and I quickly shut the closet doors.

"Baby…" His voice sliced through my body like a million daggers.

I stood and felt my blood go cold.

"I didn't see you at the reception, but Mother told me I should let you be. What you had to withstand wasn't what you deserve. My love, I am so sorry." He moved toward me as I backed away from him.

"Don't touch me, Conrad." I put my hands up and looked at him with disgust.

"What did you just say?" Conrad's voice shifted and he stormed up to me, wrapping his hand around my throat and slamming my head into the cabinet.

"Conrad!" I choked out.

"You little disobedient brat! You're mine to touch anytime I'd like. And you know what… I think I'm sick and tired of waiting." He took his second hand and shoved it into my panties.

"No…" I forced out as he rammed his finger inside me.

His grip tightened around my neck as I gagged harder. "Con—" I gasped for air that wasn't there.

"Conrad!" Mrs. Ivory's voice echoed behind us. Releasing his hands, I hunched over and wheezed loudly while rubbing my neck.

"Oh, my goodness, I don't know what has gotten into you. Go to your room. This is no way to treat your bride." She forced him out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

"Demi, my darling daughter-in-law." She enhanced her Southern drawl for dramatic effect. "Stand up, sweetheart. I've brought you something." She helped me up and handed me a gift bag.

What was this, my birthday?

I hugged myself and gulped down the air around me as I wheezed. "Come on, don't be rude. Open it, now." Mrs. Ivory demanded. My eyes felt like they were going to roll in the back of my head as I tried to steady myself.

Setting the bag down, I ripped the white tissue paper out and pulled out the contents. It was an all-white lingerie set with a dog collar and leash.

"It's what Conrad picked for your wedding night," Daphne said excitedly.

I wanted to die. I used to always think that I'd never be the girl who wanted to die after watching my sister perish. I knew how much she wanted me to live; she wanted me to live, even if it wasn't a life worth living.

"The wedding is in a week. As you can tell, Conrad is more than ready to be your husband and a father. Afterward, you will both go to St. Lucia. Don't even try anything, Demi. Because if you do, I'll make sure you watch us skin Bradley alive." Mrs. Ivory's lips curved in a menacing smile.

That's it.They had something on me, just like Trent did. He always used me as a chip to get whatever he wanted with Layla. That's what happened when you loved someone or cared about them… they became your weakness.

Bradley was my weakness. I truly cared about him and maybe, just maybe, in some twisted way, I loved him, too.

Mrs. Ivory forced me to drink the peony-infused tea. I gagged on each sip knowing what the flowers bloomed from. Death. I fell asleep shortly after. Flashes of Daisy's pained face kept appearing in my dreams, and her screams echoed in the silence of my bedroom. Was that what my fate had?

Unfortunately, I woke up the next day. Daisy, Mason, and Bradley were in the formal living area with the Ivory family exchanging pleasantries.

I'd never felt more fear in my entire life knowing that the only person in this place on my side was leaving me. I was forced to wear a short white dress and let Becca do my hair and makeup for their departure. I was also required to look presentable for my soon-to-be husband, according to Mrs. Ivory. She told me that her son deserved a woman who cared about the way she looked.

"I'd like to work today," I said softly as I walked beside Daphne.

"Why?" she fired back.

"Bradley's leaving. Who will bring the girls food?" I answered without showing much emotion.

"We've already hired someone else to fill in both of your positions. Your only job is to make and keep my son happy, and then give us a grandson." She cocked her head to the side.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied flatly and followed her into the room.

Bradley was sitting next to his sister, but he immediately stood when I entered the room. His contact lenses were back in, and his hair had been bleached blonde again.

Conrad looked between us and stood, coming toward me, causing me to flinch.

"I can't wait for the bastard to be gone." He blew his hot, muggy breath into my ear.

Squinting at him, I kept my lips together and sat down.

Daisy looked beautiful as she was permitted to wear a touch of color. She had her blonde wig on and wore a soft yellow dress with nude pumps.

Dr. Ivory followed my line of vision. "She graduated from the program with flying colors." He mocked with a laugh, and Mason Davenport laughed with him proudly.

"She'll start speaking in a week, if you want her to. And of course, if there are any problems with your purchase, we uphold the Ivory family sixty-day guarantee." Dr. Ivory handed Mason something that looked like a receipt.

But then a pit in my stomach grew and I knew, it didn't look like a receipt. It was one.

"I don't foresee any issues with this custom-designed bride. Ian, Daphne, thank you both for providing this brilliant service." Mason stood and buttoned his suit jacket.

"And you, my dear, are one lucky girl to be next in line for this empire." He let his eyes graze over my entire body, which caused nausea to pool in my stomach.

"Can you believe I chose her?" Conrad sighed before looping his arm into mine.

"An Ivory man always knows what he wants," Mason snarled.

"That is true, my friend. And Demi had always been the favorite girl." Dr. Ivory came up behind me, letting his hand brush against my ass before patting my back.

Bradley's fist clenched as his jaw ticked. I shook my head slightly in hopes he'd see me, praying that he'd keep his emotions in check. The way he was looking at me shattered my strength because I knew his was barely there.

Conrad and Ian made their way to have a private conversation with Dr. Davenport, leaving Daisy standing like a statue next to her brother. I hadn't seen her make eye contact with him even once.

I didn't blame her or him. How can you look your sibling in the eyes after they've been brutally raped? How can you look at your sister, knowing a thin piece of glass separated you from possibly protecting her? How can you look at your older brother, knowing he watched you be victimized and wasn't able to save you?

How can we all continue to live like this? What did any of us do to deserve being trapped in a nightmare come true?

"Daisy, I'm so sorry." I looked into her icy eyes. She was so pale that her skin was almost translucent—the result of not seeing sunlight for god knows how long. The result of being caged in an all-white, colorless, soundless room.

Daisy tilted her head and stared at me. She parted her thin, pale-pink lips and then…

She smiled at me.

"Daisy is happy," she rasped.

Bradley's eyes widened in shock as he looked at her. "Daisy…" He reached out to touch her arm, but Conrad prevented him from doing so.

"You know no bounds with another man's wife, do you?" He swatted Bradley's hand away.

Daisy threw her arms around Conrad and hugged him tightly. Bradley's brows knitted together as he looked at the shocking interaction. A sinister and satisfied grin grew on Conrad's face as he patted her like a compliant dog.

"Bradley," I began, but immediately stopped when Conrad looked at me with fury.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Bradley's been invited back to our nuptials, and he'll have another front row seat in watching us in the holy room."

"No." I shook my head in disbelief. The one comfort I had held on to was knowing that Bradley wouldn't witness what would surely be my own personal wedding from hell.

"Oh, baby, we've really got to teach you to be silent, don't we? Perhaps you'll learn after a few days in the cages." He brushed his fingers across my lips.

"I promise, I won't…" I stammered.

"That's what I thought." Conrad smiled proudly. "Now if you'll excuse me. I must print off the final payment information for Mason, and then they'll be off. See you at dinner, my love." Conrad forced his lips on mine.

Everyone dispersed except for Bradley and me. I took two steps forward to be closer to him, but he quickly looked up in a corner of the room.

A small camera focused directly on us.

"It's off. I snuck into the security room because I knew this would be our final goodbye."

"Don't come to the wedding," I said pleadingly.

"You know I have to, Dem." He looked down at my feet. "Did you try your shoes on?"

The simple yet completely ordinary question made me almost smile, and maybe if this situation wasn't abnormal, I'd be able to respond like a normal girl who had a crush on a guy.

"I did. They're the perfect fit. Thank you again. But I won't be able to wear them…"

Bradley looked back up at me. He didn't even need to ask why. He already knew. How could I explain where they came from?

"But I'll wear them in my room. And every time I do, I'll think of you and how I wish I could use them to run away with you." I bit my lower lip, full of nerves.

"One day, I'm going to come back for you, and we won't have to run. You can wear the highest heels and it wouldn't matter because we'll walk out of this house of horrors hand-in-hand." Bradley lifted my chin with his index finger and locked his lips onto mine.

"Demi, I really, really like you." He brushed his lips once more before pulling back.

I couldn't help the tears that fell. It was all too much, and the thing was… I didn't think I really liked him.

I think I loved him. And not because I had lost my virginity to him, or because he bought me shoes I had only dreamt of, but because for my entire life, I had never had a home.

But if I knew what home felt like, I'd take a wild guess that it was what I felt whenever I was with Bradley.

He was home to me. And now, I was losing the only home I had ever known.