Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy)

Clothing within your room is only your choice when a Harkwright is not in attendance

I pull out said dossier, and each page has a different face, name and basic description. It will take a while to associate these names with the correct faces, but time isn’t on my side. So, I spend all night looking over the photos, with the various ages and names that go with them. By the time I have it straight, it’s five in the morning and there isn’t any point in me even trying to get any sleep. Guess I might as well select the appropriate clothing for today instead.

I go through the sheet and see that I have to wear the lace bra and matching panties, I’m not even allowed to pick the color. A royal blue satin top with a cowl neckline and a black, knee length pleated skirt with stockings and kitten heels. I duck into the bathroom and have a quick shower - unlike Carly I ensure there’s enough hot water to go around - before climbing out and sitting in front of the small vanity that we have in our bathroom. I don’t even know where to begin, I don’t have a lot of skill with makeup or hair and I definitely need to do something so I don’t look like a reject from the Living Dead.

“Hey, can I use the bathroom please,” comes Millie’s voice and I call out, “yes,” I may as well give up while I’m ahead.

“What’s wrong?” She asks as she takes in my face and flinches.

“I can’t do this girlie stuff,” I sigh and feel it work its way through me and then she’s standing before me with a brush in her hand and a smile on her face. “Let’s get to work.”

Our escort arrives right on time and we’re ushered out and led back through the hallwa

ys and past the doors where the ‘true numbers’ live. We don’t meet anyone else on our way which is strange, surely we should see at least one person. Are we the only ones being forced to take the tour at six sharp?

We’re shown the library, swimming pool, small gym and the mess hall. It’s not much of a tour and yet I still don’t really know where the library can be found or which gym I’m allowed to go in. My sense of direction has always been poor so I really hope they give us a map or something.

“Because there are four of you, the assignment of Zero may get confusing. Nevertheless, the Men will not bother to learn your names. So should they call a Zero, I suggest you take the risk of being turned away and hurry over to whoever summoned you,” says our escort and we still don’t know her name.

She opens the door to the mess hall and leads us inside, to a table with a Zero marking it. I guess this is where we’ll be sitting for the next month, at least we won’t be dining alone.

“Breakfast is usually served buffet style, select what you want from the card and a waiter will collect the food for you and bring it back to your table. You can serve yourselves, but it isn’t done,” she looks down her nose at us before flicking her straight blonde hair over her shoulders and walking away.

No goodbye and no map, thanks bitch.

The doors open once more and the rest of the attendees fill the space and claim their tables, no numbers for them. The only table off limits is the one sitting on a platform with a crystal chandelier hanging directly above it. Clearly, that table is for the guys, the pretentious assholes.

Not a single girl goes to get her own food, as the waiters rush around collecting orders from the fifty plus girls waiting to be fed. This is ridiculous, I don’t miss the looks Caitlyn and Millie shoot me as I push to my feet or the smirk on Carly’s face. I just think it’s a good idea to be self sufficient. Surely getting my own food can’t be that bad and I hope that having one less demanding girl in this place will be seen as a positive thing.

Walking over to the buffet station, I can feel my mouth pooling at the sight of French toast, pancakes, perfectly crisp bacon and creamy scrambled eggs. I claim the largest plate I can find a take my fill. I know I’ve chosen more than I would ever eat on a normal day, but I can’t choose and if I have to be the plaything to fifteen men, then I’m eating whatever the fuck I want.

“We have waiters for that,” says the man with the voice that haunted me when I was taking my shower. The dirty voice who nearly made me come undone with nothing more than a flower.

I don’t want to look up, if I put a face to the voice then the illusion will be shattered and I can no longer pretend it was all the figment of an overactive imagination.

“I like choosing the best bits,” is my quiet reply as my hair falls across my face, shielding me from him.

“Bullshit reason, but I’ll let you have it this time Zero. Maybe if you're so good at selecting food I should have you gather mine for me. Every morning, have you select my food and bring it to me, how does that sound?” His voice drops another octave, sending goose bumps across my arms.

“Of course, if that is what you wish,” I all but whisper in reply as my hands tremble. He’s talking about me being his waitress and I’m quivering, I am beyond screwed.

“Look at me Zero,” I feel a glide of fingers down the column of my neck and my breath hitches as he sweeps my hair over my shoulder and his fingers linger on my shoulder blade.

I look up into a pair of hazel eyes, surrounded by dark, long lashes and a face so sharp it could split my skin and it is chiseled to perfection. A slightly crooked nose, plump bottom lip with a hoop piercing running through it and a tattoo sneaking down beneath the collar of his shirt. Aeron Harkwright, one of the few pictures that I couldn’t stop returning to, why does he have to own that voice? It isn’t fair, this guy is built for sin and I bet he fucks dirty.

“What’s my name Zero?” His eyes are sparkling and I can’t help but feel that he knows the exact effect he has on me.

“Aeron Harkwright, you’re twenty-six and this is your second time attending this Academy,” I reply, my voice shaking but at least I didn’t stutter.

“Do you know who I am outside of this Academy?” He asks and my face must show my confusion because he laughs and even that’s dirty and I think I may need to abandon my food, just so I can change my panties.

He leans in close, his breath is whisper soft against my skin, which is great. Because I’ve forgotten how to breathe. “Enjoy your breakfast Zero, I’ll be seeing you,” he drops me a wink before walking away and there isn’t a single set of eyes not watching either me or him.

I return to my table, my food all but forgotten as I look at my fellow Zeros, Carly is looking at me as though I’m a piece of shit on her shoe, Millie looks shocked and Caitlyn looks damn right awed by me and I hate it.

“I think I’m going to go back to the room,” I say as the French toast leaves an ash-like taste in my mouth.

“Don’t do that, eat your breakfast and then we can check out the library,” Caitlyn says and I almost agree.