Page 46 of Loving the Liar

I got what I wanted.

Tonight, I will be initiated into the Silent Circle.

Tonight, I get to save my family.

Chapter Twelve

Ella

Dark Paradise - Lana Del Rey

Who knew you needed so much knowledge to become a whore for rich men?

I’m not really someone who loves studying and my knowledge of Greek mythology is rather limited. So, the first thing I did was google Daedalus. And I found out I was looking for a maze. Daedalus’s labyrinth. It wasn’t hard for me to know where I had to be. There’s a country club on the outskirts of Stoneview that my parents used to go to. As a kid, I couldn’t join them, but my mom always brought me back the individual chocolates they give with tea or coffee when you eat at the restaurant. It had a maze on the wrapper.

I barely make it before sundown, advancing in my dress toward the grand white doors of the property. It’s built like a Greek temple. Tall, thick Doric columns stand behind me as someone opens the door.

I expected an empty grand entrance hall, statues of Greek gods and goddesses, paintings of Greek mythology scenes from Homer’s poems. And there’s all of that. Except it’s not empty at all. There are probably around thirty or so women, their chatter and excitement buzzing in my ears. All wearing the exact same dress as me. They’re so focused on their conversations, giggling about their expectations, that barely any of them notice my presence.

I step farther inside, the door closing behind me, and tap on the shoulder of the first girl I see.

“Hi.” I smile tentatively, still unsure why there are so many of us. “Is this…” I look down at the invite I’m holding, noticing all of us have the same one. “…where the Dionysian Mysteries take place?”

She claps her hands, almost jumping on the spot. “At least that’s the spot we all figured out! I’m sure we’re in the right place, but we’ll know once it’s completely nighttime. You barely made it. Who invited you?”

“Uh, Hades, and you?” I show her my invite, and she takes it, giving me hers.

I look down and read the exact same words that were on mine, except hers is signed Perseus.

“Hades?” she reads. “Who’s that, your boyfriend?”

I shake my head. “No, I…just someone kind enough to get me here.”

“Kind,” she snorts. “You mean someone who wants to fuck you on demand? Same, girl. But I don’t mind if it means I get myself that favor from the Shadows. I’m kind of desperate. I’m Ana, by the way.”

I open my mouth to talk, but a voice resonates behind me. “Ella.”

Ana is already moving on, talking to someone else as I turn around. I look up at Megan, who’s also wearing the same dress. Of course, hers makes her look like she’s about to pose for Vogue.

“You got an invite,” she says matter-of-factly. As if this isn’t the most obvious point. She snatches the invite from my hands and reads it.

“Of course.” She gives it back to me, cocking an eyebrow as her eyes roam over my body. “You’re not going to get in like this.”

I look down at my dress. “I’m wearing the same thing as you.”

“No, you’re not.”

And that’s when I realize she’s not wearing any underwear. No bra. No panties. Nothing. And with the sheerness of the dress, I can see everything.

“Look around you, Ella. You’re not in the sandbox anymore. You’re with the big players now.”

I notice what I hadn’t a minute ago. All the other women here aren’t wearing anything under their dresses either.

“You still have about two minutes to take these off,” she says, pointing at my bra, then my panties, both which can be seen clearly under my dress. “Bathroom is that door over there right next to the painting of Medusa.”

Pulling my shoulders back, I act like this isn’t a problem for me. It can’t be.

“I’ll be back,” I say with a calm I certainly don’t feel.

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