“Typical,” the commanding one barked out.
“Let’s see what we have.” I don’t know what I’d expected, but when the third of the group slipped his hand between my legs, roughly grabbing my pussy, I reacted without thinking.
The hard crack across his face echoed in the room.
Stumbling backwards, I recoiled as soon as I realized what I’d done, expecting one of the assholes to retaliate.
Their silence was even worse than any loud voice or act of violence. I’d blown it. My one chance to save my sister and I’d blown it.
“Why are you here?” From this angle, I could tell the man in charge was now leaning forward. With his fingers steepled, I could tell he was losing interest.
In response, I licked my lips before answering, the strawberry lip gloss a reminder of everything I wasn’t. “Because I want to be a model. Why do you think?”
The other two men chuckled. “This is very special modeling.”
Did the gruff-voiced asshole actually growl? Was he kidding me?
“I don’t care what it is,” I countered. “All experience is good experience. No matter what I need to do.”
I’d been prepared to play ‘the girl with no other choice’ game if necessary, but my instinct told me that’s not what they were looking for. They wanted a fighter for whatever show they offered their clientele.
Another few seconds followed by a prompting from the gruff man to the one in charge. “What do you want to do with her, Lucifer?”
Lucifer. What a perfect name for a psychotic predator.
Maybe I’d be punished for my actions, but I shifted closer to where the man sat preening in his chair, cocking my head as I peered down at him. If he was impressed or annoyed, I wouldn’t know it.
The monster was stone cold silent.
“You’ll be given an address for tomorrow night. Be there at precisely eight. If you are one minute late, you will never hear from us again. Is that understood?”
Exhaling, I kept my hard stare for a few seconds too long. “Why, yes, sir.”
“Then we’ll see if you have what it takes to please the Privileged.”
The Privileged.
Predators in suits.
Monsters living in luxurious homes and driving fancy cars.
Men who truly believed they were owed everything in life.
Oh, I hated what I was doing. Exhaling, I checked my phone.
Seven fifty-five.
I’d been in the parking lot for thirty minutes, at least twenty of them with my small but fierce inner voice telling me I was a fool for doing this. Yet every time I was prepared to start the rental car and flee, I thought about the last conversation I’d had with Briana.
We’d argued.
I’d lost my patience. For the first time, I’d finally told her what I thought of her ridiculous, reckless behavior. Especially after she’d decided to throw aside college and pursue modeling. Out of the blue.
The words were burned into my mind, the very reason for sleepless nights and anger like I’d never felt before. All directed toward me and my horrible thoughts.
“Why don’t you grow up, Briana. It’s time you stop acting like a child, freeloading off everyone in your family.”
I’d never been so harsh. The words and the hatred I’d spewed with them would never be forgotten.
