The gentleman’s club is almost as uninviting as Levi’s home. Minus the murderer of my sister – but there are enough sketchy human beings to last a lifetime in here. All with enough money to buy their way out of anything, as I assume Levi would do if prosecuted. That’s the thing about men like him. There’s no accountability when you have enough dollar bills to wipe your ass with.
I step through the front doors, shivering, with arms wrapped around me as I move through the lobby. I scan the crowd for Gregory and don’t find him anywhere. The owner or not, he has to sleep and leave the premises sometimes.
I shouldn’t be surprised by his absence, but I’m pretty shaken up from what has just happened and the disappointment of Gregory’s departure is crippling.
What do I do now?
Where do I go from here?
I don’t think I’d be able to be sold to anyone else while still under contract with Levi and regardless—do I even want to sell myself now? What’s next? This one murdered my sister – I’ll probably find out that the next one poisoned my mother, and it wasn’t suicide.
As unfamiliar faces greet my vulnerable, wide eyes a fear sets in that I’ll encounter that man who’d handcuffed me that night—the one that Levi protected me from. Those words in my head make me grit my teeth because he wasn’t protecting me from anything. He was staking claim to me because he wanted to be my sole tormentor.
I was too stupid to realize. Even dumb enough to confuse the comfort of stability with love. Not that I love him. I was beginning to care for him in my own sick way. I’m nothing but a foolish girl so desperate for a connection with the only person I had left. Levi.
He manipulated me using the most potent thing we had in common, pain. Whereas I wanted to relieve myself of the pain, it seems Levi thrived on its presence, the sadist he is.
I lick my lips as my stomach rolls painfully with a bout of nausea, and I find myself desperate for a place to rest. Anywhere would suffice, so as long as I am safe from the monsters similar to Levi who spend their time here indulging in whatever fantasy millions of dollars can buy.
It’s a fantasy I know I am not going to want to be apart of.
“You look lost,” a soft voice captures my attention as I continue to search around the lobby while contemplating a plan of action that most likely will not be helpful at all. Levi hasn’t accompanied me here and I’m not exactly sure what to do, especially since Gregory is absent and my father’s pull in the club, I assume, is long gone; Dead right along with him.
When I turn in the direction of the voice I am surprised to find a woman in my view. She notes my shock by raising her brows concerned and stepping toward me. I sweep my gaze over her attire, aware of how she’s wearing a diamond-encrusted collar and a lacy lingerie piece that conceals no real part of her body, her nipples, and even her vagina is showing.
She belongs here with someone. So why has she strayed to talk to me?
Cautiously, I respond to her.
“I was actually looking for Gregory but I don’t see him.”
Her mouth forms a knowing ‘O’ before she nods and offers me a small smile.
“He’s gone for the night, unfortunately,” She replies and clasps her hands together. “Are you here with a member of the club? Your Dom?” She probes. Her eyes have widened a fraction to portray a gentleness that I’m not sure I want to believe but in a place like this, her kindness isn’t taken lightly.
“Um… no. Actually, I came to discuss those details with him,” I admit and shrug when she gives me a knowing ‘things not working out’ look. “I guess I could wait until tomorrow, I just—”
I just have nowhere to go.
I don’t want to admit that.
It’s none of her business and it doesn’t exactly put me in the best position when surrounded by hungry gazes. She doesn’t openly acknowledge her suspicion aloud. Instead, she sighs.
“I know a place like this can be intimidating. They do have rooms that aren’t being used tonight if you need a place to stay.”
I am torn. Do I give in and admit I am helpless and hopelessly homeless?
I shift my gaze back to the front doors where I know the cool air awaits to attack my exposed skin.
Or do I deny everything and brace for a night sleeping outside?
The warmth of the club and the promise of a soft bed is too inviting.
“That would be great actually.”
Her face lights up and she claps her hands together. She waves a hand for me to follow her and alarm bells ring in my head. I stop her with a hand on her forearm.
“W-why are you being so nice to me?” I ask with my brows furrowed anxiously as I scan her face for any questioning signs. Her expression softens and she pats my hand that is on her arm.
“I’ve had the same look on my face before, and I wish someone had offered to help me out,” She says softly. I slowly remove my hand from her arm and cross my arms over my chest.
“What look?”
“That lost look…”
Oh yeah. That one.
I firm my lips into a straight line because I don’t know what to say to her. She’s right. That’s that. I am lost. Hopelessly lost. So I follow her past the lobby, through the winding hallways until we arrive at a set of double doors.
“You know this place well,” I comment and she chuckles.
“Well, I’ve been a sub here for a while.”
“How long?”
“About two years.”
Two years? I don’t think I would’ve lasted that long with Levi. Hell, I barely lasted a month.
We move through the double doors along another corridor lined with almost medieval-looking doors until we stop at one. I press my hand to it before she can open the handle.
“Wait, are you sure this is okay? I don’t want Gregory getting upset with you.”
Or getting upset with me, but I think it goes without saying. She sighs and drags her fingers through her hair.
“Gregory wouldn’t be upset. You know he’s not completely heartless.”
She’s right. When he saw me at the club for the first time, he was kind despite my “annoying innocence” as Levi would say. Besides, if there are as many rooms available as she says, me occupying this one for a night won’t be an issue.
“Thank you again—” I begin to thank her before realizing I don’t actually know her name. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
I pull my hand from the door and she shoots me a smile as she opens it and she walks into the darkroom.
I follow suit. When we enter, it isn’t her that speaks again. It’s a familiar voice.
“Hello, Sasha.”
The light turns on and I’m swarmed with worry as I spot Judas sitting in a leather chair that’s angled towards the door I’m now standing at. Judas nods to the woman who’s led me with false intentions, and suddenly I feel the cool steel of handcuffs going around my wrist.
I yelp, moving to yank my wrist from her grasp but she’s secured the metal. It bites into my still wounded skin before she shoves her body against mine to knock me off balance into the door and cuffs my other hand so they’re both subdued in front of me.
“What the hell is going on?” I hiss angrily as the woman steps back.
“Thank you, Cara,” He says to her and it only makes me fume greater to be ignored.
“Judas, I don’t understand—”
“It won’t be hard if you shut your mouth and listen, now will it?” He snaps and I’m taken aback by this demeanor. At Levi’s he had given me the impression he was worried for my safety—even gone so much to warn me—yet here he is now apprehending me for malicious intent I have no doubt.
“You are a liability to the business, Sasha. Every waking moment you spend with Levi jeopardizes something he has not built.”
Judas strokes his chin contemplatively but there’s this look in his eyes as if he’s giving me his farewell speech but I’m the one leaving. Panic begins to surge inside of me and I pull against the cuffs.
“Judas, y-you don’t have to worry,” I stammer before hissing as pain stings my skin, “I left him. I walked out. I’m not planning on going back. That’s why I came here.”
I hope this will be enough to persuade him, but he doesn’t seem satisfied. He shakes his head and clicks his tongue disapprovingly.
“That’s not enough. He won’t let you go.”
I frown at that statement because that is exactly what he did. He let me go. I walked out of his home and he didn’t lift a finger to stop me. Probably from all of the guilt inside of him for murdering my sister.
“That’s not true! I know what he did to my sister. I know that I was just some sick joke to him. He let me walk out of his life probably with the hopes I’d die out by myself in the cold. He doesn’t give a shit about me!” I shout frustratedly. I twist around on my heel attempting to pull at the doorknob, but it doesn’t move.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. It’s quite the contrary. He cares very deeply for you.”
I shake my head.
“No. You’re lying.”
Judas sighs as if he’s grown tired of the conversation which seems to loop. He rises from his chair and pulls out his phone before he taps his fingers against the thing quickly and finally turns his attention back on me.
“Oh, he does care for you…. And once he is done attending to what I’ve asked him to, he will come for you, but you will not be here.”
“Where will I be?”
“You will be somewhere internationally after we sell you at this next showing…..”
It makes no sense. It’s against club rules. Besides, I couldn’t be sold without consent. I haven’t filled out any paperwork, no discussion of my compensation—nothing.
“You can’t do that! I’m not signing anything,” I spit at him and he chuckles knowingly.
“You don’t have to sign a goddamn thing. This is a different kind of clientele. Legality isn’t a concern of theirs.”
Oh my god.
Oh my god!
He’s going to sell me!
I huff angrily as I attempt to free my wrists of the cuffs but it’s not working. I scream for help through the door, but after a few seconds my hair is grabbed, and I’m yanked backward hard.
“Ow!” I yelp but Judas doesn’t give a shit as he shoves me down into the seat, he was just in. I scramble to my feet, but a slap forces me back down as pain lances in my cheek, and dizziness takes over.
“After the performance, he won’t be able to save you. Just as he wasn’t able to save your sister, and we will be done with this once and for all.”
“Performance?” My voice is raspy as I question him because I can’t be hearing him right.
“Oh yes. We are going to show the bidders exactly why they want you as a pet.”
He pulls out a knife from his pocket and makes quick work of cutting my dress away from me. I try and fight him but as soon as he gets the dress cut open, he holds the blade to my throat.
“Fight it and die.”
I don’t move. He nods for a moment and steps back before pocketing the blade.
“Good girl. We don’t want to waste time. We need to do this before Levi gets here.”
As if he’ll know where to find me.
“Why are you so sure he’ll come here?”
“Because history repeats itself. It’s where your sister came one day when she was looking for him. Big mistake.”
I gasp for a moment at the knowing smirk on his lips.
“So, I know he will come here in search of you.”
The look Judas casts on me has me shivering with fear and I find that the man I’d condemned, Levi, is the one I’m praying gets here in time to save me.