No, no, no. What the fuck? I couldn’t stop myself from watching in horror as Nicole also kissed Liam. What is happening here? What have I gotten myself into? When Liam brought Nicole into the other room, Rachel was nowhere in sight, but I did see an open doorway on the opposite side of the room, so I was assuming she went through there. I needed to see. I needed to get my eyes on Rachel to know what had happened to her, so I lowered to my knees and crawled across the balcony. Neither Liam nor Nicole seemed to notice me right outside the glass as he laid her on the floor in the circle of black candles. As Nicole screamed out in ecstasy, I scurried faster to the far side of the balcony.

I peeked through that glass and my blood turned cold.

Rachel was in there . . . but so were about ten other women. All of them were lying on little red velvet matts on the floor. Still naked. Still writhing in ecstasy. Still glowing with red skin. What the fuck? What the FUCK? Oh my God. What is this? What kind of cult did I get kidnapped by? That was the only logical explanation. I had no idea what they were doing in there, but I knew it was bad. Bad bad. The air inside had been thick and heavy and hot. As my heart raced in my chest, my mind began to clear a little, which meant they had to have drugged me. That had to be why everyone was so calm, because it was induced lethargy.

Oh my God. What are these people? I had to get out of here. I had to tell someone. I had to find my—I gasped. Memories flashed through my mind like a slideshow on speed. I wasn’t alone and homeless. I had parents who loved me. Parents who’d sent me to college for an education. Parents I spoke to daily. Why did I think I was an orphan in the world? What did they DO to me? My stomach turned and I retched. In a panic, I crawled to the far side of the balcony and puked. The baby kicked but I was too dizzy to stand so I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to the balcony floor, letting the chill in the tile soothe the nausea attacking me.

WAIT.

HOLD ON.