THE GILDED CAGE : The honey blood heiress

ai

erth never us

rges Terrace. Floor-to-ceiling glass that made the Swan River look like a silv

he glass w

frame had shifted last winter and Dad said he'd fix

ghts smear through the rain. One of the downlights above the marble island was flickering. It had been flickering

n my driver's licence, on the trust that has exactly $4,112 left in it. My mother thought hyp

tercom

ounced by concierge, and concierge stopped announcing us after D

ercom. Screen bla

el

r. Just

ted from Lyon, with the brass handle shape

Knock

the marble. The heating had been on l

an, like a tradie. "We know you're home. Your little white P

r's birthday presen

ce he left a note on the Smeg fridge that said .THALIA GONE TO S

came aga

id with Alistair's office. Your dad owes Mr. K a lot of money.

door with a c

n who could be your Uber driver or your executioner. The taller one held a man

e smiled. "Hi, Princess. I'm Bren

sn't here,"

ding in a villa in Canggu that Mr. K also own

oor gently. The

, Princess. But you did. So now w

in the gap, and then his shoulder, and then they were

ry. "Wow. It used to be nice up here, eh? My boss

aid. My voi

mer. A small blowtorch. A zip-lock bag and a bot

en explained. "For his a

ers slid out. Loan agreements, with my father's si

erose-Winchcombe. Dated last Christmas. I remembered. Dad was crying, drunk, saying "

ign

d the paper with a wet finger. "And Daddy can't pay. So... ho

ur thousan

counts before we came up. That's why Mr. K sent us. He

on the island. My left hand, with my mothe

and cheap aftershave. He reached out, not

rls like you make a lot in one night. One night to clear interest. He sa

t flickered.

his hand a

le

d. Just fell off hi

r down and picked

en said quietly. "Now we have to d

bracelet, twisted it onto the marble

ed. Bellerose Tower Penthouse, 42A, transferred to K. Hol

hispered as Mik lit the blowtorch with

inches from my bra

or. The one that only goes to t

yed. "Who the fuck..

r doors ope

t, completely dry, holding a black

island with a blowtorch to my wri

use and closed the umbrella wit

u are touching

, bored, but underneath it - rage. Controlled, cold

I bought Mr. K's debt this afternoon. $4.8 million. In cash. So Mr.

now. "Mate, Mr. K didn

ish. He moved. Fast. Too

hand was around Bren's throat, slamming him b

ing. Silas didn't even

years. "You dripped on my rug. You touched my niece's robe. You put a flame near honey blood that has b

me, reaching f

ng - grey to amber, wolf-amber -

will take your hands

fr

n. Bren fell to t

open, shaking. He took his suit jacket off and threw it over me

ce only for me, and this time the

se Mr. K promised him $200k for one night with you. A virgin honey blood night. To clear interest. Mr. K was

as still hissin

oked at it, tore it in half, then quarter

anymore. You owe me $4.8 mil

wall, and smiled - no kindness in it, only owners

in, I will burn his club to the ground with him inside it. And t