Free SHAFTED: an erotic thriller by Rachael Hayden Page B

the boards polished to a high gleam. A long carpet runner was stretched the length of the corridor which now muffled my footsteps as I wandered into each room.
    The bathroom immediately to my left had been turned into a storeroom with a back-up toilet and shower and it was packed with cleaning supplies, linen and baskets. Now each room had an en suite, it wasn’t needed exclusively for bathing anymore.
    Bedroom 2 was now the Arctic Room . Its walls, ceiling and floor were all an ice white and it was stark and cold, imitating an ice cave. A modern, low white bed was flanked by white side tables and a low crystal chandelier. The en suite matched it perfectly.
    Bedroom 3 was now Africa Room and it represented an African savannah, complete with ropes suspended from the ceiling. It had dark brown walls, animal print carpet and a round bed.
    Bedroom 4 was now the Asia Room and it resembled a Japanese garden. The bed was very low to the floor and the décor green, black and white with bamboo partitioning.
    Bedroom 5 was now the France Room. It was sumptuous, rich and very Louis XIV Renaissance. Imitation gold leaf flecked and glinted in the sunlight that streamed across the heavy ornate four-poster bed.
    Bedroom 6 was now the Mexico Room; its red and tan décor could have been lifted from Central America and placed here. Geometric, woven wool tapestries hung in front of stucco walls and a dark, rectangular wooden, four-poster bed draped with transparent fabrics.
    Every room had a mirror above the bed, adjustable lighting, massage showers and personal sound systems. As it was illegal to install cameras in rooms, each room had a panic button and each prostitute would wear a bracelet which would also set off alarms.
    All over the house, large paintings from both modern and 19th century artists had been hired from an art collection and were all for sale with a small commission for the club. Candice had thought of that one, smart little cookie that she was.
    During the day, the house and yard buzzed with several staff, busily sorting out linen, food and other items, all governed by the steel-for-spine Freya. The Warrior Stick (as I’d nicknamed her) had been here for a week and although she was efficient, she’d been haughty and dismissive of me from day one. I couldn’t stand the sight of her. Once Candice and Dan went on their merry way, I’d be firing her skinny ass and relished the idea.
    Otherwise, more staff would be starting at the end of next week, just before the opening. The party was scheduled for the Saturday night in ten-day’s time and it was going to be a big one.
    And right then, temporarily assured by the quiet, shiny house while standing in the upper hallway, I made my decision. I leant on the bannister at the edge of the landing and formulated the plan – I was contracted to give two weeks’ notice for my job and so I would. Tomorrow, I would email my company and resign. Screw the bank’s advice, I wanted to stay here and run the club my way, after getting rid of the Baronets and Freya. It would be great. My confidence was high and my shoulders dropped in relief that the decision was made.
    I clomped down to the kitchen and made myself a simple meal all while composing the resignation letter in my head. Short and sweet or long and informative ? I ate at the table in the staff room and watched trashy TV, relaxing and enjoying the silence. My fanciful self could almost feel the house humming in happiness around me, grateful to be beautiful once more, knowing it was in my capable hands.
    The only hitch was the loneliness. I missed Dan, despite his complications, but except for that one night where he’d confessed to be falling for me, we hadn’t been together like that again. It’d been the only ‘moment’ we’d stolen since those first couple of weeks and I reflected fondly, sipping the delicious coffee from the commercial machine that gleamed on the end of the bench.
    An hour later, freshly showered,