Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
My hands suddenly come in contact with layers of silk drapery blocking my way. My hand sweeps along the soft fabric, and for a moment, I panic because it feels impossible to find my way through. But then the thin drapery panels part, and I slip through to the other side with a laugh of delight. I blink to try to help my eyes adjust to the bright light again.
“Easily amused, are you?” Simone teases. “Wait till you see the rest of the place.”
On the other side of the black drapes is a blinding-white tunnel with soaring arched ceilings and smooth lime-washed walls. The floor acts as a ramp, and as we walk forward, we rise above the surrounding buildings and come out onto the club level, which sits two floors higher than the street below.
My jaw drops as I step away from Simone and turn in a full circle to inspect my new surroundings.
First of all, the club has no roof. No roof! A forest of trees surrounds the tall white perimeter walls. Not only do they block out the surrounding buildings, they help muffle the sound of traffic down below. The combination tricks my brain into thinking we’ve arrived in an otherworldly destination: Wonderland.
Beyond the modern tables and chairs, there’s no decor, just the verdant green forest, the shining blue sky, and five beautifully pruned olive trees spaced neatly around the club in white concrete planters.
Simone sees my jaw on the floor and decides to fuel the fire. “At night, those trees are lit up with a million tiny white lights. I’m convinced fairies live in them.”
I laugh in wonder, already picturing how pretty they must be once the sun sets.
After she’s given me a second to scope everything out, Simone beelines toward the opposite end of the club, darting around a bank of chairs encircling a fire pit. I follow after her as quickly as I can, because deep down there’s a weird fear that Simone is too good to be true. If we get separated, there’s a chance I’ll never see her again. Poof.
“This place looks like a modern art museum.”
“Yeah, it was designed by some fancy architect from Barcelona, and you can totally tell. I’ve never seen another club like it. Come on, we need to try to find Hugo. He’s going to be well miffed I’m late.”
Two bars stretch the entire length of the club on our left and right. They’re large enough to fit twenty bartenders working comfortably side by side at their own stations. A few of them call out and wave to Simone as we pass. One girl—wearing hot-pink eyeliner that matches her hair—shoots me a wink.
“Who’s the fresh meat?” she calls, but Simone just waves her off; she’s on a mission.
A massive stage sits at the back wall, and next to it, concealed carefully behind a side wall, is a set of stairs that leads us down one floor and delivers us behind the scenes.
Here is the real chaos: the break room, locker room, and offices. A crowd of people pack the central hallway.
“Hugo’s looking for you. He’s pissed,” a guy tells Simone as we rush past him.
“Come on, Isabel. Pick up the pace.”
Finally we arrive outside a door near the end of the hallway, and Simone looks back at me, more wary now than ever. If she’s carried magic with her this whole time, some of it has finally worn off.
“Brace yourself. I’m about to have you meet Hugo. He’s an arse, but we like him. So just ignore his general unpleasantness and smile. Whatever you do, don’t show fear. He feeds off it.”
“O-okay,” I agree, just before she knocks on his door.
“GO AWAY!” Hugo shouts impatiently.
I step back, taking that as a sign to run for the hills. Simone sees it as clearance to open his office door.
“Hugo.” She trills his name like a sweet songbird.
Hugo is a short bald man hovering somewhere in his forties. Judging by the deep-set wrinkles on his forehead, the scowl he’s currently sporting might be a permanent feature on his gruff-looking face. He’s positioned behind his desk, hunched over a messy pile of papers.
“There’s my favorite boss!” Simone says, throwing the door open wider.
He barely looks up when he asks, “What do you want? Why aren’t you at training? And why do you have blood all over your legs?”
“I’m late for training because I had this horrific accident on the way to work. I almost died!” She throws me a quick conspiratorial wink. “Anyway, I’ll get cleaned up in a moment and head to training straightaway, but first, I’ve solved a problem for you. You’re about to owe me massively.”
Until now, I’ve been wedged against the door, mostly out of sight, but with this announcement, Simone takes me in hand and thrusts me awkwardly into Hugo’s office. He takes one look at me, and his frown only deepens.