Chapter 7 #3
Now, having Traeger of all people tell me to stay put until he calls for me?
Like a dog? I ball my hands into fists so tight my knuckles whiten, and I bite the inside of my cheek, letting the pain distract me.
He gives me a knowing smile, as if he knows exactly how his command irks me, and I blink.
Is…Is he profiling me? I narrow my eyes and he fucking winks at me before strolling off down a hallway to the left of the reception desk.
I stare at his back, wondering who the fuck this man is.
Renee clears her throat softly.
“This way.”
The man with the bushy mustache that had given me food that first night—Holloway, I’d learned—drops my duffle bag at my feet without a word, inclines his head, and strides off.
I blink, surprised they’re actually letting me keep my stuff, but heft the bag on one shoulder.
I follow Renee as she crosses the lobby and heads down a hallway to the right.
“Well, as Traeger said, I’m Renee, and I know that you’re Melody.”
“Mel,” I interrupt. “Just Mel.”
Renee bobs her head, a lock of hair falling back across her face to hide her scar.
“Mel. It’s nice to meet you. You came from The Cove?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard it’s lovely.”
I give the woman a nod, not wanting to think about The Cove.
We go down an oversized corridor with beautiful hand-scrapped wooden floors and large windows looking out onto the lake, pass the elevators, and head into the stairwell.
About halfway up, we pass a woman in a tight, black dress.
I blink in surprise. Little black dresses aren’t exactly standard apocalypse apparel.
“Is he back, then?” the woman asks Renee. She’s pretty, with dark blonde hair and pouty lips.
“Yes,” Renee says, sounding a bit exasperated. The woman smiles and shifts her gaze to me, the smile fading a bit as a challenging look settles in her dark brown eyes.
“Who’s this?”
“A new resident.” Resident? Not prisoner? Not hostage? “Mel, this is Tricia. Tricia, this is Mel.”
I nod in greeting and adjust the strap of my duffle on my shoulder. Tricia narrows her eyes as she looks me up and down.
“Wednesdays are mine, so steer clear.”
I blink in confusion, but she flounces off, her heeled boots thudding loudly on the stairs. Wednesdays are mine? What the fuck is she talking about?
Renee shakes her head and sighs, this time in clear annoyance.
“Sorry, she’s…” She seems to be casting about for the right word to describe this Tricia woman, and lands on, “one of Traeger’s girls.”
“One of his…ohhh,” I say as realization hits. One of his girls. A member of the harem. “So, that rumor is true,” I say, mostly to myself.
“He’ll probably want you as one too,” Renee says as she looks me up and down, the same way Tricia had, but while Tricia had seemed challenging and predatory, Renee seems appreciative and admiring.
That won’t be happening, I want to say, but I honestly can’t be sure that won’t be happening.
If that’s what he demands of me to keep everyone safe, then I’ll do it, but…
I nearly shudder at the thought of being one of “Traeger’s Girls,” of having a fucking scheduled day of the week when I’m designated to be his plaything.
I just stay silent and we both let the topic drop as we continue up and up and up.
We huff it to the fifth floor, Renee breathing a little hard by the time we reach the door.
I guess FOSers don’t take cardio as seriously as the rest of us, I muse.
Too many times in this world, your life comes down to if you can outrun the thing chasing you.
Your life can literally depend on cardio.
I’d made sure that anyone who left the gates of The Cove could run for at least two miles before needing a break.
You couldn’t go on a run or to work at the farm if you couldn’t run for your life, simple as that.
Renee ushers me into the hallway, and I’m surprised to find that there are only two doors along the right wall.
The suites must be fucking huge. We stop in front of the door closest to the stairs, and a moment later, a FOSer emerges from the other, rifle in hand, and posts sentry outside.
Another enters from the stairs and I know without a doubt that he’s about to be taking up his post outside of my room.
Renee locks eyes with the man, a small smile playing on her lips and her cheeks heating a bit.
The guard inclines his head and gives her a crooked grin. Well, that’s interesting.
Renee opens the door and stands back to let me step inside.
My jaw goes slack. It is, in fact, huge, but also gorgeous.
A small dining area with a solid wood table and six upholstered chairs, an over-sized living room with a plush L-shaped couch facing a large stone fireplace and giant flatscreen mounted overhead.
Floor to ceiling windows look out over the lake with another sitting area with two over-sized chairs and a fur rug sitting just before them.
What at one point was a fully stocked bar sits just to the side, and rustic looking furniture adorns the balcony just beyond the windows…
which I’d bet now are actually doors that can slide into the wall and open up the space to the outdoors completely.
I can only imagine how much one night at this place would have cost.
There’s one door on the right side of the room.
I peek inside and find an empty bedroom.
On the left side, there are two doors. One is closed but the other stands ajar, giving me a glimpse of a huge canopy bed of deep red wood sitting atop a crisp white rug on a raised platform.
Another wall of windows looks out to the lake and mountains beyond, and I can only imagine how gorgeous the sunrise would be from this vantage point.
Everything is luxurious but not over the top.
I almost huff out an incredulous laugh. It’s like whoever had designed it had plucked it right from my brain, to be quite honest. This is exactly what I’d always envisioned my dream cabin would look like inside.
Light colors, clean lines, oversized furniture you could nap in on a rainy Sunday.
I whirl back to Renee who’s been watching in silence as I explored the room.
“What is this?”
“It’s a room?” Her voice is hesitant, obviously confused by the question.
“I mean, why am I here?”
“This is where Traeger wanted you placed. So, this is where I’m placing you,” she says simply.
“But…but I thought…Aren’t I supposed to be a prisoner? Shouldn’t I be in a cell or a cage or something?”
Renee’s lips twitch, but she doesn’t answer. Instead she says, “Traeger will send for you soon. Until then, you can shower and rest. I’ll have food brought up too.”
“But—”
“Patience,” she interrupts with another soft smile before heading out of the room and leaving me alone.
Once the door clicks shut, I stand for a long moment, dumbfounded.
None of this makes a lick of sense. I’m a hostage.
A prisoner. A war prize. I’m supposed to be tortured and miserable…
so, why the fuck am I staying in the penthouse suite?
? Is it just so that Traeger can keep a close eye on his newest investment?
Only the best of his men would be put on guard duty on this floor, so if he wants me watched liked a hawk, this is the logical place to put me, I guess.
But it still doesn’t explain why, not really.
I’m sure I’d be watched perfectly fine in a cell.
I decide it must be more of his mind games, and tell myself to stay alert.
I immediately start snooping, studying every inch of the room for weapons, means of escape, and even cameras.
I’d put nothing past Austin Traeger. I find pretty much diddly squat, though.
I’m surprised that the doors to the balcony actually open.
Guess they aren’t scared that I’ll fling myself off, at least not yet.
I eye the closed door off of the living room and Traeger’s words echo in my mind: I want her in the adjourning suite.
“Oh you’ve got to be shitting me!” I hiss as I yank the door open.
Sure enough, it opens to an identical door that I know leads into Traeger’s room.
I jiggle the handle, but it’s locked. I could pick it pretty easily, but don’t want to push my luck too far on day one.
I close my door back and curse loudly when I find that it doesn’t have a lock at all.
I glance to the main door: no lock there either.
“Ohh no you don’t,” I say through gritted teeth.
I huff and puff, but eventually drag one of the large chairs from across the room in front of the door leading to Traeger’s suite. He could still probably bust through if he was determined to, but he’d at least be slowed down a bit.
I don’t know how long it’ll be before Traeger calls me like the good little doggie I am, so I decide to take a shower.
If he comes while I’m in there, he’ll either bust in like the bastard he is, or he’ll wait.
Either way, I’m showering. I feel gross after three days on the road, so I shrug and head into the ensuite bathroom.
It’s just as gorgeous as the rest of the place, all white marble with rustic accents here and there.
Body wash, shampoo, and conditioner sit in the large, tiled shower stall, but I fish my own out of my pack, wanting the familiar scents surrounding me.
To my delight, the water grows hot after a few seconds.
I do my best to quickly scrub away the grime and not linger, but the hot water feels so good on my tight muscles, that I stand there letting it beat down on me longer than I should.
Eventually I sigh and get out of the shower.
I eye the oversized tub while I dry off, wishing I could take a nice long soak in it. I used to love a good bubble bath.