The Island

Will and I are the only ones not drinking whatever mocktails Kenna, Jagged Island’s chef, and Reeve have made. They all smell far too sweet, like cotton candy on speed.

Gross.

So, we’re drinking water. Will sparkling and me still. Harper and Liam are drinking the mocktails. Liam said he needs the sugar hit after a busy day. Harper says she usually eats and drinks a strictly healthy diet thanks to her doctor parents, so while she’s here without them, she’s living it up.

If she’s not used to a ton of sugar, she probably won’t sleep at all tonight.

After a day in the park, we’ve reconvened at the hotel restaurant, where we just finished an amazing meal of jerk chicken, coconut rice, potato salad, and cake. I don’t know how anyone has room for another drink.

“I’ve listened to some of your podcasts,” Will says next to me. “Found myself more interested than I probably should’ve been.”

I’ll take that as a compliment. “If you’re not interested in murder, why did you listen?” I ask him.

He grins. “I checked everyone out when Camilla sent the list of attendees.”

“Ah,” I say, nodding. “I did the same.”

“I like your eyebrows,” he tells me, and I think that’s the highest compliment from people in the beauty world.

“Thanks. I followed one of your tutorials.”

Makeup isn’t something I’ve ever been good at, and I don’t have the energy to do all that contouring crap that confuses your phone’s face ID, but Will posted a video about a quick everyday look that only takes me ten minutes.

That I can do. Besides, if I don’t wear anything, I look too much like my brother.

“You’re all right, you know, angel.”

Angel is what Will calls people in his videos. The ones who do their makeup along with him or fans he does shout-outs to. Somehow he doesn’t sound patronizing.

“What do you think of the park now that we’ve seen it all?” I ask him.

“Well, when I heard Malcolm was a billionaire who built an exclusive park on a remote island, I kind of thought we’d be in for some sort of modern luxury heaven.” He shrugs.

“As opposed to this luxury hell?”

Will laughs. “Well, kind of. I’m not going to lie: this is going to create a much bigger buzz. Everyone is going to want to come here. This must be heaven for you.”

I’m sure my eyes light up. “I absolutely love it! All the gargoyles and the sense of being here completely alone. There’s only one way off the island.”

I smile again because Will looks like he wants to run away.

See, I’m friendly.

“This place is probably haunted. My followers think that. They want me to do a dead makeup tutorial.”

“Like, making yourself look dead?”

He nods. “I’ve done some Halloween stuff. Blood and gashes. Skin hanging off, bones showing. That kind of thing.”

“Nice.” I look up at the ornate Gothic carvings on the ceiling. “Ghosts sure would add to the ambiance he’s created at the resort. Who were they? How did they die? There could be a history here that we just don’t know about.”

“Wow, you really do love all this death stuff.”

“I don’t love death. I’m fascinated with what people can do to each other. I want to know why and how. My parents say I always ask too many questions. I’m too inquisitive. And my brother, though he’s supportive, thinks it’ll get me into trouble one day.”

“Or maybe it’ll lead to a job with the FBI.”

I roll my eyes. “Try telling my mom that.”

That would freak her out more. Chasing murderers would be a huge, scary leap from reporting on them.

“All right,” Malcolm says, drawing our attention as he stands at the head of the table. “I want to thank you all for being here. It’s an honor to have you as my guests this weekend. Please feel free to document your time here as you wish, and if you have any issues, I trust you’ll come to me first. There’s nothing that can’t be rectified.”

Basically, if we find a tiny, curly hair on the sheets, we should call him instead of posting a picture online.

“I hope you all enjoyed the meal. I’m going to retire to my room and leave you to enjoy your evening.” He picks up his sugar-coma-inducing cocktail. Camilla gives us a little wave and follows him out of the room.

“Do you think those two are together?” Will asks.

“I don’t know, but she follows him everywhere.”

“She’s a doormat,” Liam says. “I would’ve poured my coffee over him by now.”

He’s sitting on my other side, but I barely spoke to him throughout dinner. When we first met, I didn’t think I’d ever be on his radar. He’d always be on mine because he’s one of those people you can’t help noticing. A tall, hot jock who can make you blush with a sweeping glance.

Or he could make me blush like that anyway. I’m so uncool.

We’ve already split into high-school cliques. Liam looks like he’d be with James and Ava, but so far, he’s been with us.

“Malcolm is her boss,” I say. My defense isn’t a good one. “She probably has to be nice to him,” I add.

Liam shrugs. “Maybe. I think he’s power hungry. Did you see him barking orders at her all evening?”

Will and I nod.

“I haven’t heard him utter a single please, either,” Harper says.

“He’s a sleaze,” Will says. “There’s just something about him that I don’t like. But the guy knows how to design a park, so I’ll let it go.”

“Can you believe how much it costs to stay here?” Harper asks. “My parents want to come when it’s open. They just love anything exclusive.”

There’s a tone to her voice that tells me she doesn’t feel completely comfortable around all this money. A girl transferred to my school after her parents won a ton of money and she hated how much it changed her life.

Sometimes you just want what you know.

I can barely remember the time when we had to count pennies. I was seven. My parents took a leap of faith on a business, and it paid off massively.

It’s left me with a gift. Being able to notice who was born into this life—Ava for sure, Will, Malcolm, and Harper—and who wasn’t. Liam, James, and me.

Camilla is a hard one to read. She walks around with super straight posture that’s right out of my private school, but I can tell her outfits aren’t as expensive as they look.

Malcolm definitely does not pay her enough. I don’t think there’s a sum large enough for me to be Malcolm’s servant. Now that he’s gone, everyone feels free to talk.

“Did you do the ghost train?” Harper asks the others. “Me and Paisley nearly died!”

Liam’s eyes dance. Dammit, he really is gorgeous. “I didn’t get on that one yet. Hey, Paisley, maybe me and you could do it tomorrow?”

He asked the question in a totally normal tone. No sign that he’s joking.

I don’t dare look over at Harper and Will. It’s not necessary, anyway—I can feel the look they’re giving me. They’ll have goofy smiles for sure.

Um. He really asked me that. Liam wants to spend time with me. Calm down, he’s probably just being nice. “Sure,” I say, trying not to sound like a complete idiot.

“Cool.” Liam nods and goes back to his chocolate fudge cake, joining in a conversation about a new video game with James and Ava. Ava’s eyes look bored as hell, but she’s smiling like it’s her job for James’s sake.

Harper pulls a thriller from her lap and opens it on the table. Her napkin falls to the ground as her focus is on the book. I’ve done that more than once.

“I have an idea,” Will says, leaning over and whispering so that no one else can hear. “Let’s sneak into the park when everyone’s asleep tonight.”

I jolt and raise a brow at him. “Seriously?”

“Why not? We’re alone. How much trouble could we get into?”

A lot, actually. “It was a rule.”

The safety information sheet clearly states that we cannot go into the park or be on the jetty alone. There was nothing stating the consequences of breaking those rules.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, angel?”

I smirk. “Oh, I wasn’t saying no.”

Will laughs. “Let’s meet by the fireplace in the lobby at midnight. Everyone should be in bed by then.”

It’s only nine now but everyone looks dead tired. We’ve all had a full-on afternoon in the park and walked thousands of steps. I feel my bed calling me, but I want to see the park at night more.

“Okay.”

After dinner, we hang out in the game room a bit. I play a couple games of pool with Harper, Will, and Liam.

Liam hits the ball into the pocket. We’re on our last game, best of three. So far, we’ve both won a game.

He looks up at me and grins. “You ready to lose, Pais?”

“I’m not out yet. Do your worst.”

Chuckling, he hits the white again and this time misses.

“See, that’s what happens when you get cocky,” I tease.

“I’m just giving you a chance,” he replies, stepping back.

Rolling my eyes, I walk around him and lift a brow. I don’t know where I got the confidence from, but I can’t say that I’m not enjoying it.

The attention from someone like Liam is flattering, though I’ll only ever admit that to myself, but I’m not stupid enough to think that it’s more than a little flirting.

I pot the next three and miss the fourth, but then we’re neck and neck. Liam lifts a brow.

“You thought this game was yours,” I say.

To be fair, he has the advantage now. If he gets the next two in, he’s onto the black. I lean against the table and watch closely as he lines up his cue.

“Paisley, distraction is cheating.”

“I’m just watching.”

“Sure, you are.”

Why would me standing here be a distraction? I’m not giving that a second thought. Nope. Don’t think.

Liam hits the ball but misses.

He looks up, playfully scowling.

“My turn.”

He watches with crossed arms as I win the game.

“Fine,” he says. “Well done.”

“How hard was that to say?”

Laughing, he replies. “Very. I think everyone is splitting.”

Stifling a yawn, I say, “Yeah, I should get to bed.”

We all drift up to our rooms at the same time.

There are a lot of videos about to be uploaded on TikTok as we all will probably try to get content out there. I have footage from dinner and playing pool, but I haven’t had time to post.

I say good night to Liam and Will, whose rooms are past mine, and go to get ready for bed.

Well, that’s what I should be doing.

In an hour, Will and I are sneaking out. I spend the time messaging my parents and Blaine, telling them that I’m safe and having the best time. I send a few more pictures, but only my brother gets the torture equipment ones.

Ten minutes before midnight, I can’t wait any longer. Opening my door quietly, I slip out and tiptoe along the hallway. Will might be early as well. I can’t wait to see what the park looks like at night.

Will is only a few doors up but I’m not going to knock. We might be caught, and he told me to meet him by the fireplace.

I take the stairs and try not to let the complete silence freak me out.

The lights are turned down low, a soft orange.

It would be comforting if it wasn’t for the grotesque characters carved into the ceiling staring at me, watching my every move.

I slide through the door and into the lobby. My Converse-clad feet are light on the dark stone floor. The only real noise I can hear is my own breathing.

Along the far wall of the lobby, the medieval weapons shine against the artificial light in the case. One catches my eye and I walk up to it to get a better look.

It’s a crescent-shaped weapon that looks sharp enough to take off a head in one swing. The craftsmanship is phenomenal.

A second thing catches my eye. Wait a second…Maybe I just missed it before, but there are two sets of hooks along the large knife section of the cabinet that aren’t holding anything.

I guess Malcolm’s collection isn’t complete yet.