DECODE (Book #1)

TWO

When I woke up, I quickly noticed that I was no longer in the office. Instead, I was placed neatly on a California king bed, buried beneath a mountain of pillows and blankets. I tossed pillows out of my way, as I began to sit up. My mind was still a total blur, huge chunks of what had transpired in the last 24 hours missing.

The piercing sheen of golden sunlight illuminated the room, revealing how luxurious it actually was. Plastered on the wall was a 75 inch OLED TV, broadcasting the local news. There were tall, hickory dressers with gold accents. I pulled myself from the bed and began walking towards what I assumed was the closet, but was actually a master bathroom. Not only was the toilet fancy, but so was the shower. I fantasized about how heavenly the water pressure must be.

As I leisurely explored my new home, a part of me felt guilty for relishing in these things; what had happened to the young woman? I could barely remember her face, but I could still hear the pain in her voice when she cried. Dr. Bennett's ominous words left me shaking with fear. I wished that I had a clue as to what she meant by it, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

I continued to walk through the big room, soon finding my way into the living room. It was similar to the bedroom in terms of decoration, everything had a very sleek design and feel. The maroon couch was the only pop of color. I took a deep breath and plopped down on it, as I looked down at my body. I was wearing a rather short silk nightgown, it was a nice shade of purple. Before I could contemplate who put me in this gown, there was a series of three knocks at the front door.

I leapt to my feet and headed over to the door. I unlocked it carefully, pulling it open. Awaiting me on the other side, stood a towering individual; his skin was rich, a deep Terra cotta tone. His hair was cut close, but left his soft curls on top. A few of them dipped below his perfectly arched eyebrows. Matching his dark curls, his beard was neatly trimmed. I was too busy taking in every bit of him to notice how gorgeous his eyes were. They were almond shaped, the soft amber color warm and inviting.

The enchanting man smiled brightly, revealing his perfect teeth. "Hello there, Ms. West." His voice was soft, and sweet. It slipped inside my eardrums, burrowing itself inside, filling my mind with the silkiness.

"Hey..." I replied.

The handsome devil smirked. "My name is Mahari, and I'll be taking you to President Bennett's office,"

Mahari began walking away, leaving me rushing to catch up with his long strides. I took the time to observe the building, amazed at how stunning it was. The building was like one of those fancy hotels in movies, the ones only the elite could afford to stay at.

"I'm sure you've got plenty of questions, and I'll be sure to answer them after your meeting," Mahari interrupted my wandering gaze, spinning on his heels to look at me. I quickly nodded my head. "Okay, sure. Should I change?" I suddenly felt severely under-dressed.

"Nah, mama. You look good,"

Mahari led me down the winding staircase, often stealing glances at me along the way. We soon stood outside of President Bennett's office, the door slightly cracked. "Just go inside, she's expecting you. I'll be out here." Mahari gently nudged me over the threshold, softly shutting the door behind him.

President Bennett was reading something from her computer, her glasses reflecting tiny words. She brought her attention to me, waving her hand at the plush chair. I nodded and took a seat. "Thank you, Mrs. Bennett."

"No need for that, just call me Jessica. We have much to discuss, and I'm a busy woman. I've got a flight to catch." Jessica placed her legs on top of the desk, smirking at me as she did so.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time, but why am I here?"

Jessica's smile faded slightly. "You've been saying such nasty things about the Divine Republic on your social media platforms, Eden."