Chapter 9

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"What do you mean? You have to welcome me whenever I want! I paid for it." I heard his voice getting angry. Good.

"Oh yeah? But you never do whatever you pay for." I said.

"Listen, Firecracker," I heard his furious voice next to my ear, "I pay to get your time. Now it's my wish what I do—"

"You know exactly what they sell my time for, Roy, so don't try to mold the words. And if you can't do anything, then please stop giving me five stars!" I felt my chest heaving violently.

"Oh, so that's the fucking problem here? Five stars? You know you are the only Firecracker I met who doesn't want five stars! Do you know what having five stars is? Firecrackers can do what not to get five stars—" he yelled.

"Yeah, but Roy, I am not like those Firecrackers!" I never thought I would yell so loud and got afraid that Millie or someone else could hear me.

"I thought you knew that," I whispered, as the wetness trickled down my cheeks and I turned to dig my face in the pillow.

I couldn't even wipe my own tears.

"Of course I knew that, you silly woman, otherwise I would have been treating you like other Firecrackers." His volume lessened, with no trace of rage.

I felt him sit next to me. His hands touched my bare shoulders, and again, I was reminded that I was completely naked. His touch made the adrenaline super active that thrived and ran across my body to touch every cell.

I turned my blindfolded eyes to him, and without warning, felt his lips kissing mine. He tasted of blueberries. We kissed as if finding water in a never-ending desert.

And then suddenly and abruptly, he snatched himself away, tearing away the beautiful moment.

I felt the weight lift from near me as if he had stood up from the bed, but I didn't hear the slapping of his shoes or the door being locked behind him. His voice too couldn't be heard.

After a minute or two, I called his name, but only silence responded.

Where did he vanish?

I waited for Millie to come in as she always did, to free my hands and clean the room, but she didn't come for a long time either.

"I am sorry." I heard him from a distance. My clenched heart relaxed. He was still here.

"Sorry for?" I asked.

Again he replied with silence. Then I felt a finger sliding down my face, and I almost jumped in surprise.

And without any heads up, I felt a napkin on my nose and could smell a familiar smell. Chloroform.

I tried to shriek and wriggle away, but he held me firmly. Not sharply though, not like Rover. Yet, knocking me unconscious was exactly what Rover did.

Before I could think what action was in my power with my hands tied, my eyes blindfolded, and a man pressing against me, and my zero knowledge of combat and self-defense, I slipped away into oblivion.

******

The universe will save you, if you want to be saved. These words tickled the back of my mind.

I wanted to open my eyes, but it felt like they were glued together. Oh my god, were they? No. No. Of course not.

I tore away my eyes to find myself in an alien room. It seemed so much like decorated for a bachelor, though it was neat.

"Scarlet." A voice called my name. I have grown to this voice, with this voice.

"Oh god, Rosa!" I hugged her, clutching her pink tank top tightly, letting in the smell of her rosewood shampoo.

"I am going to kill that Rover." She whispered and I pulled back.

Oh my god! I was a Firecracker. How the hell did I end up here? I was very much sure Rover didn't send me here so that I could meet my sister. Wait, Roy!

"Where are we? And does Rover know about all this? Rosa, he is not at all safe. I have to return—"

"To that girl molestation market?" She replied, frowning as she couldn't believe it.

"Rosa I—" I began, but she cut me again.

"Shut up and listen to me. A few days ago you just vanished, leaving a message that you are going on a vacation with Rover."

"I never sent such a message," I replied, frowning.

"I knew that the second I read it. Because those stupid three dots were missing that you tend to put after every SMS. And I know, if such a plan was made, you would have called me, not just leave a text. I tried to call you, but your phone was at home. I tried to dial Rover's number, but it seemed like he blocked me. So I asked Sam about him since you two met at his party. Turns out Rover is Sam's distant cousin's brother, who never knew he existed until the guy showed at his doorstep saying his mom asked him to drop by. So Sam must have asked him to stay over for the party."

"Why didn't he ever tell us all this? Sam?" I asked.

"Um, because he is an ass? They didn't feel very brotherly towards each other given there was no history, so they just resigned themselves to being 'friends.'"

"So how did you find me? Because last I remember, I was with a client and…" then, just darkness. I felt the insides of me shiver.

"Yes. Roy." She replied and I looked at her. All this was getting more and more confusing with each minute.

"How—" I began, but she raised her hand to stop me.

"Roy came looking for Rover, and watching mine and Sam's reaction to the addressal of that bastard asked us the matter. I wasn't sure if I should tell the stranger everything, but he seemed rich and seemed to be radiating trustworthy vibes.

"He said he knew Rover since he was his regular customer and stated to us what really Rover's business is." She said these lines being so pale as if she was about to throw up. "God, I remember how terrified I was. What did you get yourself into! Anyhow, he thought that all the girls Roy had were on their own wish. With consent. So when I told him that you would have never consented to it, he decided to help. He said he would see you himself, and after that, would make a decision as to whether he really wanted help or not." She said, rolling her eyes before continuing to whisper, "He is too arrogant. And I was so afraid that he wouldn't help you, and instead warn Rover about us. But thankfully, he didn't do any such thing and rescued you from that hell!"

"So you mean he stole me away from that hotel? How? Because I have probably spent every minute thinking of running away and God knows there was no way."

"No. God knows there was a way, and so did Roy. Though I don't know how he managed to search and pursue that way. He just called me today and said that he'd bring you. But he had conditions."

"Conditions?" My heart began to pound.

"Yeah. That you stay here. It's less of a stay and more of an imprisonment—everything's locked because you can't leave the house without his permission." She said with sorry eyes.

"And what if I refuse to play along with his conditions?" I asked.

"Well, he didn't say, but I am afraid he can always give you back to Rover."

Then the realization struck me like a bolt of lightning, gripping my heart with fear.

"Wait! Oh my god, Rosa, I don't think I can stay here." Without warning, tears filled my eyes. "Rover had threatened me that if I run away or not do what the customers asked me to, he will drag you there too."

"He can't. She will stay here, safe." A manly voice replied, and both me and Rosa turned to the source of the voice.

"Roy." She breathed.