“Sure,” I agree.
Browen eyes me shrewdly. “You just have this girl waiting for us?”
“Waiting for whoever will pay.” I assure him. “She's incredibly patient as long as I’ve dosed her properly.”
Garrett chuckles at that, not realizing I actually meant it. He doesn't know that she was actually awake throughout his entire assault, just waiting for me to tell her it was over.
“And is she dressed like that? The big dress, I mean? You got any other... outfits for her?”
I lift an eyebrow, wondering what exactly he's getting at. “She's not dressed in much at the moment, but I suppose we could put her in the dress if you like it.”
“It's not the dress he likes.” Bear grunts a laugh. “He likes that she looks like a kid in it.”
I freeze at that, unable to breathe.
He likes that she looks like akid?
Sure, she looks younger in the dress, I suppose... like some sort of Victorian doll come to life. I glance back at the picture on the phone, my stomach curdling with disgust at the idea of his perversion. I've excused a lot of fucked-up shit because of my own terrible proclivities. But this?
“She is legal, right?” Jenko asks warily. “Not like a teenager?”
“Twenty-two.” I nod.
It's not even old enough to get a discount on her car insurance. Not old enough to get a rental car without extra fees. A lump forms in my throat as I think for the first time about how young she is... about how hardened she is for that age. It's not that I'm much older than her. But at twenty-five, my father still pays for my health insurance.
My life hasn't been ideal; I'm a fucking murderer after all. But it's been privileged, thanks to my father's money. And maybe, just maybe, thanks to the fact I'm not a woman.
I knew when she came to me that my little doll was a perfect victim, but I haven't asked her to open up to me. I won't make her do that. I've made her do enough, I realize. But it's clear by the way she's handled everything since she woke up that she's been through more than anyone her age should have. More than anyone should ever have to go through. Offenses against humanity.
“I have a teddy bear in the car I got for my niece's birthday next week. I can get another if you want to take that.” Garrett says, appealing to his friend.
Browen's eyes light with excitement. “Deal.”
“I get to fuck her first, though. That's my commission for bringing clients.” Garrett looks to me to confirm as much.
I nod. “It's true. That was the deal.”
Kev opens his mouth to argue, but he's cut off when Bear stands, the chair screeching against the cheap linoleum floor. I think he expects me to be intimidated by his burly stature, but there’s no fear when my beast is in control. I’m not even worried anymore for my little doll, because there’s not a single fucking chance that any of these men will lay a hand on her.
“What's your angle, Callum Kensington? You got cameras set up to record this for blackmail or something?”
“My angle?” I laugh. “Just what Browen said. Is it really a crime if they never even know?” Shrugging, I look at all of them. “It's a passion project, you could say. Have you never wanted to do something you can't get away with cause you don't want the girl to scream or get mad?” I spot the ring on Kev's finger. “Haven't you ever wanted to fuck your wife like a goddamn whore, but you know if you do, she'll hold it over your head every time you argue?”
A glance at Bear shows me I've hooked him. “We’ve all got money in this room. You want to risk everything you’ve worked for in lawsuits because you have to fulfill your kinks with cheap sluts who won’t let you go that far without going after your bank account? Haven't you ever wanted to justenjoyit without hearing their damn sounds... all the gasping and whining?”
“I like the crying.” Bear shrugs, stroking his frazzled beard. “But the whining I can't fucking stand.”
“Right. I called off my engagement last year ‘cause I was sick of the whining. I’ve spent a lot of time fucking whores since then. And every time, I may have come, but I wasn't satisfied because I couldn't do what I really wanted with them. Not someone recognizable like me... not someone who stands to lose everything if some little bitch who got her feelings hurt decided to run to the cops. My father would cut me off for drawing negative attention to myself.”
That part is true. It's why we live in separate states. Why I stay out of the public arena. Why I've had to suppress my urges even harder for all these years.
He knows I’m a killer.
I know he’s exceptional at looking the other way when something doesn’t directly impact him.
“This is the solution. I've had this one for months, and it's been transformative... freeing.” That is another truth. “See for yourself. Or don't.”
Of course, they do.
