Aster and Ryan sat in a car across from RED and stared at the building. From the outside, it wasn’t all that impressive. Aster wondered if the inside would be any better.
“Last time I was here, it was mostly sawdust and jackhammers.” She glanced at Ryan. “Hard to believe it’s opening already.”
“A soft opening,” Ryan said, reminding her of the language Ira had used when they were leaving her lawyer’s office and Ira had invited them to stop by.
Aster’s first instinct was to decline. But Ryan, sensing her hesitation, squeezed her fingers with his, prompting her to switch gears and say, “Sounds fun, what time?”
Ira seemed pleased and had given them firm instructions to be there at six forty-five sharp. Not a moment later.
“Is it time yet?” She glanced between her watch and her phone.
“Almost. You ready?” Ryan looked at her.
“Is no a valid answer?”
She figured she must look as frightened and unsettled as she felt, because next thing she knew, Ryan cupped a hand to each of her cheeks and kissed her with such reverence, she veered dangerously close to a full-on ugly cry.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” He acted as though if he said it enough times with enough force, the universe would respond by granting his wish. Just yesterday she would’ve believed it, but now, with Madison on the run, she was no longer sure.
“If nothing else, you have uncontestable photographic proof she’s alive. You couldn’t have possibly killed her.”
“Do you think Ira knows?”
Ryan squinted.
“I mean, the way he kept looking at me today when we were with the lawyers. I had trouble focusing on what they were saying, and I’m pretty sure he could tell.”
“Seems normal to have a hard time focusing when you’re worried about going to jail.”
She paused to consider. “Still, I felt like he was onto me.” She leaned her head back against the neck rest and stared through the sunroof. “I’m so conflicted. I don’t know what to do. I feel like everyone’s playing me, and yet I still kept Madison’s secret. Do you think I should’ve said something while I had the chance? Or am I just being paranoid?”
“I think Ira has a way of unsettling people,” Ryan said, his voice patient and kind. “It’s his superpower and he knows it. It’s the true secret behind his success.” He let that sink in. “Madison will show up eventually. She can’t stay hidden forever.”
Aster wasn’t sure she agreed. “Can’t she?”
“Trust me,” Ryan said. “She won’t want to. She’s addicted to the spotlight, and right now, she’s more famous than ever.” He reached across the console and gave her knee a reassuring squeeze. “So, you ready?”
Aster faced him. More than anything she wanted to reply: Do I have a choice? Or: Hell no! Or: Please do not make me go in there! But in order to prove to Ira he had no reason to suspect her of anything, she needed to get out of the car and join his stupid party or soft opening or whatever this was.
She flipped down the mirrored visor and checked her hair and makeup. She looked all right, she guessed. At the start of the summer she’d been obsessed with her looks; now, she barely gave it much thought.
“I’m all in.” She slipped free of the car, watching as Ryan came around to meet her.
His lips eased into a grin as his gaze slowly took her in. “When this is over . . . when all this is over . . .” He was standing so close she could feel the heat emanating between them. “I’m going to take you away somewhere amazing. And we’re never once leaving our bed.”
“Then it doesn’t really matter where we’ll be, does it?” she teased. “I mean, if we’re just going to stay in bed the whole time.”
He kissed her once, deeply, passionately. When he pulled away, he said, “Fine. We’ll slip out for the occasional meal, but the rest of the time . . .”
He slung an arm around her waist and led her toward the entrance. James was working the door, which came as a surprise. If it was a soft opening that no one knew about, then why did Ira need James?
Then again, Ira never missed an opportunity to make a dramatic display, and it was hard to find a more impressive bouncer than James, who was so handsome Aster was sure he had a hundred better options than working for Ira.
James looked them over, nodded wordlessly, then opened the door and ushered them inside.
The room was dimly lit and done up entirely in white. The only color came from hidden projectors that first cast the space in spots of gray that left it looking shadowed and haunted, before transforming it to a deep, bloody red that made it look like a particularly grisly crime scene.
Ryan hesitated, trying to make sense of it. “I’ll say one thing, Ira sure knows how to make a dramatic impact.”
“But where is everyone?” Aster whispered. Except for them, the room was empty. She turned to ask James, but the door was shut. “On a scale of one to ten, how worried should I be?”
One look at Ryan’s troubled gaze provided the answer. Still, he tried to ease her alarm by saying, “I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. Let’s take a look. See what this place is all about.”
Aster grasped his hand tightly in hers and walked alongside him to an area that consisted of a long white hallway flanked by a series of doors on either side.
“This reminds me of a hypnosis session I did once.”
Aster glanced at him nervously.
“Whatever door you pick is supposed to reveal some hidden part of yourself that gives you better insight into how to conduct your life, or provide guidance, or something like that. It was a while ago.”
“Well, it’s freaking me out,” Aster whispered. “Why would Ira build this? Who would actually pay to come here?”
“Plenty of people,” Ryan laughed. “Anyway, we’re here. What’s the worst that can happen?” Seeing the look on her face, he said, “You’re with me, and I’m not going anywhere. So, go ahead, pick a door, any door. Which one is calling to you?”
Aster gathered her courage and approached the second door on the left. But when she tried the knob, the door was locked. “Did that happen in your hypnosis session?” She frowned.
Ryan looked a bit shaken, but tried not to show it. “When at first you don’t succeed . . .”
Aster screwed up her nerve and tried the door across from it. The knob turned, the door swung open. Tentatively, she stepped inside.
“I’m not sure I get it.” She squinted at what appeared to be a big, white box of a room. “What is this supposed to be? What is this place?”
She turned to Ryan, but he was nowhere in sight.
“Ryan!” she cried, only to have her words echo right back as the door slammed shut, locking her inside.