Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“You’re trying to dress it up.”
“No, Ashley. You’re trying to make this more than what it needs to be.”
She laughed. “This is my fault? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Get your fucking head out of your ass. Your mother landed you in a world where monsters and beasts exist. Yeah, that woman doesn’t necessarily have the life she wanted, but I tell you right now, it’s better than most. Belonging to me, being my property, that’s something special. I happen to look after my women.”
Ashley swiped at her tears. “You’re so warped, you don’t even see it. I’m not just talking about the women on your yacht. I imagine they’ve been brainwashed to believe this is a better life, and maybe you’re right. They’ve got it good right now. But what if their life was destined to be better? What if that woman who was giving me a neck massage originally planned to go to college to study to become a doctor? She could have been the person to cure cancer. Someone who might have stopped a serial killer. Women are not a commodity. You treat us like one.”
“Soup or being fucked?” I asked.
We glared at each other.
She could yell her shit at me all she wanted, it wasn’t going to change the fact. Another shipment of girls had already landed, and that was the dock where we were headed. I had to check them over, make my selections. The others got sold on to lesser clients than me.
Gritting my teeth, I refused to think about her words, her scathing attack.
Ashley didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about. In our world of pain and death, there was no time for heroes and rainbows. She would get everyone killed with her belief in everyone.
Look at what had happened with her mother. She’d been so desperate looking for love from her mother, she’d nearly gotten herself killed in the process.
I was so angry, but Ashley pulled the cover over her body and opened her mouth.
The soup it was.
I picked up the bowl and fed her.
The easiness from a few hours ago was gone. We were back to her hating me. I could bide my time.
Chapter Four
Ashley
I was being punished further.
My ass was completely bruised and sitting on it was so painful. I checked it out in the mirror, what felt like days ago.
Earl hadn’t been back yet.
We docked, I knew that much. His bedroom door had been locked. Only opening for when food was brought in. I didn’t get a woman. I got men.
Three different ones each day.
I’d seen nine men in total.
Three days.
And still, Earl hadn’t come back.
I spent my time going through my notes, looking around the room, and just thinking. I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. I hated it. All I could think about was Emily.
How was she?
Did she miss me?
I knew I’d miss our small apartment. I would do anything to be back there right now, enjoying my friend. I’d even talk about Crude Hill High. The school straight from nightmares. Or Emily’s four men. I usually tried to avoid talking about them, but if that was what she wanted, I’d do it, for her.
I’d do anything for Emily.
By the fourth day, I was going out of my mind. If something were to happen to Earl, then what would become of me? I had no cell phone, no laptop. No way of alerting my best friend that I was in a foreign country, if I was even in one now. The boat had moved so much, the water a constant surrounding me.
Pacing the room was better than trying to sit on my bottom. Because of the pain, I’d even gone without underwear, which was a strange feeling.
I liked wearing underwear. At least I still wore a bra.
I stood near a window, looking out across the ocean, thinking of all the ways I could die at sea, when the door opened.
This time, I didn’t turn to see who it was. I didn’t care.
I hadn’t seen another woman for days. Was this my punishment as well? Had I ruined their lives?
When there was no sound of cutlery being put down, or the click of the door, I turned to see Earl stood in the room. The door was wide open, but that wasn’t what had my attention.
Earl was covered in blood. His shirt was soaked with it, and it had dried.
My mouth fell open.
There was a man waiting at the door, and I still kept quiet as Earl stripped out of the shirt, his pants, even his boxer briefs, removing his watch as well. The man disappeared and Earl closed the door.
Not a word.
He went toward his en-suite, and I heard the shower run.
I stayed perfectly still.
After a few minutes, the shower turned off, and I heard the running of a bath.