He was always busy doing something, something that Ava had no knowledge of. Her youthful life had been in shambles, a woman at this age should've been out with her friends, it may have been quite irresponsible, but it was better than being isolated in a hotel, where the lighting was dim and the only natural sunlight only came through the windows of the rooms. Ava sat on her own, in the bar, pouring her own drinks and drowning her sorrows with them. A group of women entered the hotel, their laughter and clatter filling the dark atmosphere of the lobby, only to make Ava sniffle to herself, the loneliness taking over her once more.

Ava wiped her tears off her cheeks with a napkin before jumping off the stool, her silver, cut out heels hitting the carpeting of the bar. The laugher of the group soon faded into never ending darkness of the hotel, a fascist torture chamber, not a hotel. However, Ava was to naïve to know any better, marrying an older man to ensure that she had some protection, even if it was mild. James, he was something else, a menacing man with a sweet and overbearing side when it came to him queen – the love of his life that he vowed to protect. He fantasized about killing her a bunch of times; drowning, stabbing, even strangulation – it would satisfy him to see her die in his hands, where he could hold her forever. But each time, he remembered that he vowed to never hurt her, and what kind of man would he have been to break that promise?

Ava approached room 78, their room, where she took a deep breath before entering. The art deco styled room was truly a work of art, with the freshly cleaner linens carefully placed on the bed, their private dining room was simple, yet staggering. The living area was clean without a single drop of wine on the carpet, the sofas were immaculate and the decorations were placed perfectly around the 'room'. All the work of Ms Evers, James would always say, proud of his little minion's work. Ms Evers was truly a woman of her words. Although it was all to please James March, to get his approval on a daily basis.

The door flew open, revealing James in a appalling manner. He wore his black, leather apron and his blood stained white shirt, his black pants were now covered in blood as well, except it wasn't noticeable. His face was quite red and his hair messy, disorganized, he, himself, looked out of breath. Ava gasped at the sight of him, she felt her heart race at the very thought of what might have happened. James wasn't fazed by his wife's perplexed, and quite wary, state. Instead, he poured himself a drink of whiskey.

"J – James w – w – wh – what happened?" Ava stuttered, clutching her purse as she threw her coat on her bent arm. Her face crimson red from the embarrassment. She hadn't a clue as to why she was so embarrassed.

"Ah, dearest. Quite a sight, aren't I?" James gave her a grin, blood dripping off his chin. Ava felt tears streaming down her rosy cheeks at the sight of him. The man she trusted with her life was a murderer.

"Oh, God. This is your hobby?" Ava screeched. James's face turned dark and angered in an instant at the mention of the forbidden word in the house. Ava gasped as the memory hit her, she remembered him telling her that he wasn't a believer and resented the word,

James sighed deeply, removing his apron as he turned to glance at his wary wife. "Is there a problem, dear?" He uttered. Ava collapsed on the seat, her heart racing but her knees too weak to run. "I mean you no harm. If I did, you would be dead. I will give you all the freedom and liberty in the world, but when the time comes, you will be with me and no one else, you will never tell anyone about my hobby and you will keep this as a little secret between us. Is that clear?"

Silence.

Ava merely nodded at him. "Use your words, dear." James scolded her. He hated when his own wife didn't show any respect or mannerism in the house.

"Y – yes."

"Good. I shall get Ms Evers to prepare tonight's dinner for us. Go get yourself an outfit, dear." James smiled at his wife before walking out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Still trembling, shaking, almost wheezing, Ava attempted to move her limp body out of place. The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet and haunting, while her labored breathing was the only thing alive in the room.

This never bothered you before you knew, never had he touched you in a way inappropriate to you. Why is it so bad now that you know?

No this was different. It was the knowledge of his little hobby that frightened her, what if he turned against her? This hotel always made her suspect that not every door was what it seemed. So if he would turn against her, she would be dead sooner than later.

8:35pm

Ava was ready in her satin, maroon gown. Her neck was covered by a black and white crystal necklace and her wavy, chocolate hair was swept to the side.

James had always claimed that Ava was truly a woman of glamour, while it hadn't always been true, James had certainly made a queen out of her. Even with the luxury of calling Hollywood's most extravagant hotel her home, Ava felt she was missing the person she was.

Ava made her way to 'Room 64' to greet James, with a wide yet elegant smile on her face, like any woman should meet their king. However, the memory of him waltzing into their room as if it was no big deal that a dead man's blood was covering his pale face, it gave he chills.

Upon entering the room, she realized that Ms. Evers was still scurrying around the dinner table, James was clearly annoyed by his little minion as he rolled his eyes at Ns. Evers before warning her with a low yet dangerous voice, "Ms. Evers, you had the whole day to prepare a meal, yet you are running around like a dog without a leash. This isn't what I expect from you, Ms. Evers."

"I apologize, Mr. March. I spent the time preparing the dinner, I didn't have much time to prepare the table." Ms. Evers answered as she began rolling the small, but luxury, trolley out of the room. James sighed before looking at his wife, giving her a charming smile.

"Shall we?" James gestured towards the table, keeping his charismatic smile. Ava took his hand as he led her to the table, slowly and elegantly as he spoke, "I hope that we can discuss what happened today, my dearest. I am sure that you will be understanding of my little hobby."

James pulled up a seat for Ava before she sat down. James rushed to the opposite side before taking a seat, he grinned at her before taking a sip of his wine. Ms. Evers scurried back into the room with the starters on the trolley, Ava could see that James opened his mouth to speak before Ms. Evers placed a plate full of various starters in front of him, blocking his view from Ava.

Obviously annoyed, James clenched his teeth before uttering, "Ms. Evers, we are having a conversation. Your duties in this room must be complete without distracting us."

"Dear, Ms. Evers is doing her job as told. I do not think that this is a major distraction." Ava spoke as sweet as sugar. James sighed before putting up a false smile once more.

"Ah. Perhaps I have been harsh with our sweet Ms. Evers. Now, shall we continue?"

Ms. Evers rushed out of the room with the trolley once more, leaving the two to make the atmosphere more bearable for one another. Ava tipped her wine glass over her red lips as she drank her wine, silence plummeted into the room, filling the atmosphere with gloom and a certain sadness.

"James, who was the person you killed?" Ava asked, bluntly.

"Ah, yes. It was a... umm - a woman, who isn't appropriate for society."

"So, a prostitute?"

"Precisely." James exclaimed, "she was doing any good for us, except for whoring herself out to men."

"Why kill such useless people when you and I could both benefit from your little... hobby?" Ava smirked. James felt a certain, disturbed but elated, smile creep up on his face, "I mean, darling, you get your... satisfaction and I get their belongings."

"That sounds splendid!" James's face lit up as he rose to his feet, lifting his glass of wine to indicate a toast. Ava followed, "my dear, the first day I laid my eyes on you, I knew you and I shared the same darkness. You just needed a little push, I say."

"Indeed, James."

Ms. Evers gasped at the words flowing out of the young woman's words. Perhaps it as certain jealousy, or perhaps she didn't want to see the woman turning into a life of crime. Nevertheless, the show must go on.

Ava strolled down then streets of downtown of the city of angels, glancing around for a wealthy man, perhaps even woman. Ava's eyes averted from the various men until her eyes caught a certain woman, not much older than her. She stood tall beside the lamppost, her brunette hair brushed to the side, cigarette in hand with a few rings placed on her slender fingers, they were no false diamonds. Her necklace reflected the available light and her earnings hung low from her ears.

James will love her.

Ava pulled up her long, silky white gloves as she approached the woman. Ava's heels hit the pavement at every step she took, the noise echoing through the narrow streets of the area. The brunette immediately swirled around to see Ava, smiling sincerely at her.

"Who are you?" The brunette, snidely, asked. Standing at her full height, she dropped the cigarette before stomping on it.

"It's awfully late. What are you doing out here?"

"What, you never heard of a prostitute before? The amount of money I get from rich folk is just great."

"Hmm. I am sure. Say, my dear husband is celebrating his thirty first birthday, and you seem like a lady who could satisfy him." Ava lit up her cigarettes before placing it into her personal cigarette holder, "he and I aren't on very good terms, but I want him to have some fun."

She scoffed. "If he pays well, I'm good."

Ava smiled brightly. She gestured for the shorter woman to follow her as they headed down the street, Ava placed the stick between her maroon lips, sucking up the smoke before exhaling, "what's your name?"

"Janine. Yours?"

"Ava Cononero."

Ava gestured for the woman to take a seat in the back seat, while Ava sat in the passenger seat. Confused but obedient, Janine opened the door to the back of the, clearly expensive, vehicle. Taking a seat, she noticed the man hidden in the shadows. The only light illuminating the vehicle was the yellow street light, even then the shadows remained silent and deadly.

"Never trust strangers. That will always be your lesson, sweetheart." Ava nonchalantly said, taking a drag of her cigarette as she glared forward.

"She is right, dear. A man like myself likes to hurt others, if that makes sense to you. My wife prefers jewelry that my victims leave behind. I suppose you understand." James explained, pulling out a knife from his inner pocket.

Janine jumped for the door handle, however she was captured by James, his arm around her neck as she struggled for breath. His knife impaled her heart, multiple times, blood splattering on the leather seats. The young girls breath began getting more shallow as James continued.

"Stop."

Ava's voice struck him like a thousand knives, not realizing his limits, he expected his wife to enjoy the mutilation and torture he wanted to put the woman through.

"But darling, the fun has only begun."

"For you, yes. For me, it has ended. I want to go back to the hotel and enjoy my valuables, where you can continue your acts of violence."

James obeyed.