“Ready?”
“I’m ready.”
She steps all the way into my room, then closes the door and walks over to my vanity and stands behind me. Our eyes meet in the mirror and then she leans down and presses her lips into my neck. She stays like that for a moment. I watch in the mirror as her eyes close, then she kisses me. Lingering just a little bit too long.
“What the fuck are you doing?” comes out of my mouth before I can stop it.
She puts her hand over her heart as she straightens. “What?”
“You just… creepy-kissed me on the neck, Leela. What the fuck was that?”
“You’re silly, Cadee. Get up. Let’s get your robe on. Cooper is waiting.”
Yes. I have a robe tonight. It even has a hood. And it’s black. So fucking cliché I can’t stand it. But the robe is a good idea because what I’m wearing underneath it is basically a fancier version of the Maiden’s night gown from the tomb. And by fancier, I mean shorter. And by shorter, I mean doesn’t quite cover anything below my hips and my panties are nothing more than strings. The neckline is elastic so it can easily be pulled down, which is probably gonna be super convenient for Cooper at some point.
Leela insisted that this is what all the “offerings” wear when they get collared. We had a long talk about tonight while I was at the spa. I wasn’t getting my nails or hair done. I have no make-up or nail polish on and my hair is just unstyled and straight. I was there to get waxed. My pussy is so smooth right now, even I want to touch it. But Leela explained that once Cooper collared me, I would have to display my gratitude.
When I asked her what that meant, she said, “It’s up to you.”
I’m just assuming that means a blow job. And I’ve steeled myself for the eventuality that Jack and Leela—and possibly the Chairman—will be watching me give Cooper a blow job tonight.
I want that to be shocking when I think about it, but it’s not. Not really.
Cadee’s conditioning part three is all about hyper-normalization.
You take all those things that once shocked me and you normalize them. Then you expose me to it over and over again until giving my boyfriend a blow job in front of others is just something we do here.
Leela likes to talk about sex. Every time she and Jack fucked it was the topic during our next lunch date. And she was explicit. Told me all about how talented Jack is. She even showed me a picture of his cock. Then she asked me to compare it to Cooper’s.
They are pretty similar, actually.
I am so deep in this rabbit hole, I sometimes don’t recognize myself.
Leela holds the robe up and I slip my arms into the silky, bell sleeves. There is only one satin tie to hold it closed, and that’s at my throat. She stands in front of me and looks me in the eyes as she ties it into a small bow.
Then she leans down and kisses me on the lips.
I pull away instinctively. “Leela. What the fuck?”
She places her hand on my cheek. “You make me so happy, Cadee. I can’t wait to see you bloom into a proper offering.”
I make a face at her. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Don’t worry.” She pulls her hand away. “You will.” She turns away, but then quickly turns back. “No blow jobs.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tonight. If you’re thinking you’ll show your commitment to Cooper with a blow job, I would like to caution you right now, that’s not enough.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Be creative, Cadee. No one is impressed with a blow job. Whores like Elizabeth give blow jobs when they are demoted. Not sweet sacrifices like you during their initial ascension. So think of something else. Remember—you exist to challenge Cooper. Give him the opportunity to rise, Cadee.” Then she opens my bedroom door and pans her hand at the dark hallway that is lit up with pillar candles spaced about six feet apart that lead to tonight’s destination. “Let’s go. The men are waiting.”
The men? And that’s when I hear them. The low rumble of male voices somewhere deep inside the house. “What men? I thought this was private?”
“Private?” Leela cocks her head at me. “Nothing is private, sweetie. Not for any of us. But for you especially. You belong to everyone, Cadee. All of us own a piece of you. Tonight, it’s just Cooper’s peers and the newer members, though. Every blue-blooded male from the last four graduating classes. They’re the ones who have been paying your way all these years and this is the first of their many rewards for that generosity. I won’t be there, or any of the other wives. Not this time.” She pats my hand. “But don’t worry, I’ll be close by.”
“Wait!” I grab her arm. There’s a lot to parse in that statement, but I concentrate on the most pressing one. “What do you mean, Cooper’s peers?”
“Come on, Cades. You know what that means, sweetie. Lars and Ax, of course.”
I’m shaking my head as she talks. “No. Ax would not come—”
“Oh, he’s here. Don’t you worry about that. He’s here. And it’s no big deal, right? You’ve already done that. Lots of times.” Then she winks at me.
“How do you know what I’ve done?”
“Cadee. We’ve got vids, honey. Cooper filmed you. Every single time.”
“What?”
“No more questions. We’re late. Walk in front and follow the candles. When you reach the door, pause until everyone notices you, then walk straight to Cooper and kneel. Just like we discussed. Got it?”
I’m thinking maybe I should make a break for it. Just push this bitch out of my way, hit the patio door, run outside and… then what? Where would I go?
The people I would usually depend on—Ax, and Lars, and Cooper—they’re all here. I don’t even know where Isabella lives. So even if I was dumb enough to go there for help, I can’t. Mona is a giant no, since it’s pretty clear from the way the bodyguards showed up at Victor’s house the other night that they are part of the problem, not the solution.
And then a conversation with Victor from that first day of summer rush pops into my head. There’s a path, Cadee. Right behind the Glass House. And that path takes to you to a gate. And outside that gate lives the real world. You could just slip out the gate and be done with it.
Why didn’t I do it? Why did I stay?
Are the answers that important?
I mean, four months ago I was a millionaire. I had everything. I could’ve left. And if I really wanted to talk Cooper into going with me, he would’ve gone. We would’ve grabbed Isabella and we would’ve left. We would be safe right now. I would not be walking down a dark hallway lit up with candles towards yet another bizarre sex ritual.
Is the truth really worth all this?
The hallway ends and that question hangs in my mind as I realize the path turns down a little alcove that leads to another, much narrower hallway.
I can hear them. They are getting louder because I am getting closer.
The narrow hallway is very dark because there are no candles. But the flicker of firelight beckons me forward towards an open door.
I look over my shoulder, just to check and see if Leela is there.
She is. Not right behind me. She’s back where the narrow hallway began, but she’s definitely making sure I don’t stray off the path.