Thrown to the Wolves
. . .
Ellie
Whiskey glared at me like I’d heartlessly abandoned him for life instead of spending one night on the beach while he was safe and sound on a luxury boat.
“Don’t you give me that look,” I warned him, crouching in front of his sun lounger and petting him. Mac lay passed out on the lounger beside my cat, with a paperback resting on his belly. “I know you’re not actually mad. You had loads of fun watching that playlist of your favorite show all night.”
A soft purr rumbled from Whiskey, and he headbutted my chin.
My heart melted into a puddle. “Aw. I love you, too, buddy.”
My fingers bumped into something flat and smooth under Whiskey’s collar that stopped me short. “Oh, what’s this?”
I tugged gently, until a plain paper bookmark came free—making me blink. He’d stolen a bookmark and somehow tucked it under his collar?
My eyes narrowed on Whiskey’s innocent mug before glancing at the sleeping bodyguard. “Does this belong to Mac?”
Whiskey gave a long blink before looking away.
“Lord Whiskerson, you naughty boy,” I scolded, booping his nose. “What have I taught you about stealing? It’s wrong.”
He flicked his tail with disinterest, and my frown deepened.
“This isn’t okay. I was just telling the girls about your progress at our last Pet Bandits Anonymous meeting—”
“Miss Darling?” Out of nowhere, a crewmember around my age in a spotless all-white uniform popped up next to Whiskey’s lounger, and I jumped. She wore a practiced smile, as if she were used to seeing guests talk to their cats. “We’re ready to begin your spa treatments.”
I blinked, dropping my hand from Whiskey’s fur. “… Spa treatments?”
She nodded. “We have a carefully curated list of treatments scheduled for you today as part of the itinerary Dr. Lovejoy prepared for everyone. The other women have already begun their sessions.”
My brows rose. The boat actually had its own spa? That was pretty cool.
But I’d never been to a spa before. I wasn’t sure of the protocol, which felt like something the fiancée of a rich guy should be familiar with.
I guess I’d have to wing it.
“Um, all right.” I cleared my throat and glanced around the deck, which was empty except for Mac snoring on the lounger next to Whiskey’s. “Thank you very much. I’m just not sure where the spa is, if you could point me in the right direction, please?”
With a pleasant smile, she bowed at the waist. “Follow me.”
“Oh, thank you.” I bounced to my feet and brushed off the front of my shorts. I held out my arms to Whiskey. “Want to hang out in the spa with me and the girls?”
He answered by jumping down from the lounger and padding over to join Mac—hopping up on the snoozing bodyguard’s stomach.
I frowned at my cat’s fluffy butt, a little betrayed.
Had Mac replaced me as Whiskey’s favorite person?
The spa was a magical place.
Even the sting of Whiskey’s betrayal faded once I entered its hallowed halls.
Spa staff talked me into a whirlwind of treatments—from facials to waxing to all sorts of different massages.
Everything was exfoliated, my hair was blown out, and there were multiple baths with colorful contents.
I politely declined anything involving needles or cups, but I happily wore a fluffy white robe with matching slippers.
Would it be bad taste to ask Cade if I could keep the slippers after our ruse was over? I felt like a princess in them.
But my fairy tale crashed to a halt when I joined the other girls in the spa lounge.
I hesitated outside the lounge door, giving myself a little pep talk to lie and deceive again, when the conversation inside caught my attention.
“I’m just saying, has anyone told Cade it’s perfectly acceptable to write a check to charity?” Candace asked. “He doesn’t need to take on personal projects himself.”
I blinked. Oh wow. She wasn’t actually calling me a charity project… was she?
“Chill, Candace.” Piper sighed, followed by the rustle of a magazine page turning. “You’re only upset because Ellie beat you in the ropes course.”
Yep. Definitely me, then.
Candace scoffed. “Beat me? Cade had to carry her the entire way. She did nothing.”
I twisted the fake-engagement ring around my finger. She made a good point. I hadn’t exactly come across as a catch for Cade so far.
Not to mention, he’d told me point-blank to my face that I wasn’t his type. Clearly Candace saw it, too.
“So what if he carried her? Harrison practically dragged me across the course,” Madison chimed in. “Plus, Ellie seems genuinely sweet. Give her a chance.”
The knots in my stomach coiled tighter at Madison calling me genuinely anything when I’d been lying to their faces.
Yeah, this was a terrible idea.
I pivoted on my heel to turn tail and run back to my cabin—only to come face-to-face with Dr. Lovejoy.
“Holy—” I just about jumped out of my skin, then quickly pasted on a tight smile. “Dr. Lovejoy! Um, hi. Sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
Lurking silently behind me while I eavesdropped like a Nosy Nellie was left unsaid.
“Miss Ellie Darling, your skin is absolutely radiant.” Her large eyes blinked back at me as she smiled warmly and tapped her cheek. “I may need to get a facial myself. How’s the spa day treating you?”
I was still staring at her like a deer in headlights. “Um, good. I mean great! Really great. I feel like a princess.”
“Lovely, lovely. If things go as planned, you may be transformed from a princess to a goddess by the end of the night.” A mischievous glint entered her eyes that put me on alert, but she grabbed my arm before I could question it. “Let’s join the others.”
I opened my mouth to protest, because that lounge was the last place I wanted to be after what I’d overheard, but Dr. Lovejoy kept a vise grip on my arm while she flung the door open.
Madison, Piper, and Candace sat on a couple couches inside, sipping champagne and flipping through magazines in their own fluffy white robes. I wasn’t sure what this place’s obsession with white was—it left me endlessly paranoid about food stains.
“Good evening, ladies.” Dr. Lovejoy gave me a solid push further into the room, and I struggled to catch my footing with the slippers on such smooth flooring. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”
I’d have to be blind to miss the sneer Candace directed my way. It made me want to bop her on the head. But I forced a smile instead, because I had a feeling physical violence would be against the contract Cade and I had signed.
Besides, I’d taken an oath to spread kindness when I became a cuddler. Seeking vengeance didn’t really vibe with that.
“You’re not interrupting at all.” Madison beamed, patting the couch cushion beside her. “Get over here, Ellie. Have a seat.”
Straining to keep my smile, I shuffled over to Madison’s couch and perched next to her.
Dr. Lovejoy glided to stand in front of us all, raising her arms slightly in welcome.
“I invited a very old friend of mine, Indigo Reyes—a highly renowned love guru—to speak with your partners today while we chat,” Dr. Lovejoy explained, and my brows rose at the name. “He’s with them now. Madison, please thank your husband for sending the helicopter to pick Indigo up.”
“Oh, of course.” Madison waved her off, as if loaning helicopters to pick up love gurus was no big deal.
The therapist smiled, sweeping her gaze over us. “Spa time was overdue, wasn’t it? Everyone feeling relaxed and refreshed?”
“Feeling incredible,” Piper answered, and Madison quickly agreed.
Candace adjusted the fluffy headband holding her hair back. “As far as luxury services go, it was all right.”
Everyone except Candace looked at me, and I cleared my throat. “Totally. So relaxed.”
I slowly reached under my sleeve to scratch an itch on my forearm.
“Good to hear, especially after such a thrilling adventure this morning!” Dr. Lovejoy laughed with delight.
“Which brings me to the next item on our agenda. Earlier today, you solidified your trust and teamwork with your partners. Tonight, you’ll share even more sacred energy with your partner to weave your auras together and strengthen your bonds. ”
I blinked twice. “We’ll what now?”
“You’ll explore each other physically,” she said evenly.
That same serene smile spread across her face—as if she were encouraging us to stroll barefoot through a field of flowers instead of go bang our brains out.
Dr. Lovejoy reached into her giant tote bag and pulled out four little white gift bags with gold tissue paper.
“Nurturing a sexual connection takes thought and intention. That’s why I’ve prepared holistic intimacy kits for each of you.
These should assist with your evenings.”
The other girls eagerly accepted their goodie bags, while I took mine after a long beat of hesitation. I was afraid to look inside.
The first thing I pulled out was small and solid—a red die with different stick-figure sex positions drawn on the sides.
There were many sides.
My eyes widened, and I dropped the die back into the bag.
Other items included a pamphlet with tips on achieving multiple female orgasms, a small bottle of water-based lube, and neon orange ribbed condoms.
“Oh my,” I murmured, though I couldn’t resist taking a second look at the pamphlet.
I wondered how Cade’s talk was going.
After the impromptu naughty gifts, Dr. Lovejoy insisted on a private dinner with just us women. You’d think that would be awkward after she’d just given us homework to have sex tonight, and you’d be right.
I focused on scarfing down my food, while Dr. Lovejoy talked about all sorts of anatomy-related things I didn’t even discuss with my doctor.
Dessert was the evening’s only saving grace—partially because that meant the end was near, but also because the chef had prepared chocolate soufflés.
I ate two.
The men joined us after dessert, and Dr. Lovejoy quickly sent us off to our cabins like a proud mother pimp.
Seeing Cade after being ordered to go off and sleep with him was…
an experience. It had me eyeing the strong line of his jaw closer than before.
My gaze wandered back to his large hands, remembering just how good they’d felt rubbing me with sunscreen.
Dr. Lovejoy’s little speech had thoughts entering my mind that were in clear violation of the Cuddle Code, and they made my whole body feel alarmingly warm.
I wouldn’t say it was awkward to walk back to our room alone with Cade after receiving a sexual pep talk, but it definitely wasn’t ideal.
Especially when he had his own little black bag with silver tissue paper.
“Did you get a sexual goodie bag, too?” I asked, my curiosity piqued at the contents.
He didn’t even blink at the question, only holding up the bag so I could see it better.
“It has a pamphlet about how to unlock our inner beasts,” he answered dryly, somehow saying it with a straight face. “Roaring is highly encouraged.”
I burst into laughter, and Cade’s lips finally twitched.
Laughing might’ve been a bad idea, because it took my focus off carefully shuffling in my slippers, and I slipped on the smooth floor.
Cade caught my arm before I inadvertently did the splits—something I hadn’t attempted since a middle school pep rally—and he hauled me back up to my feet. A dark brow lifted. “All right there, Darling?”
“Yeah, thanks.” I swallowed and straightened, then snorted a laugh. “I just can’t believe they gave us homework to go have sex. It’s like the exact opposite of high school.”
His lips curved up in a slow, devastating smile, and he let go of my arm long enough to drape his arm over my shoulders. “Well, come on, then. Let’s go set the sheets on fire.”
My laughter grew as I shoved at his side—not hard enough to push him away and lose his warmth, though.
But I had to give the butterflies that swarmed my stomach at Cade’s simple touch a quick lecture to play it cool.
They didn’t quite get the memo that none of this was real.