PROLOGUE
JESSICA
Nine months after I buried my mother, I walked into Olympus, a strip club four blocks from my house. With two weeks left on the eviction notice looming over my head and no one else to rely on, since my neglectful alcoholic father was useless at taking care of himself, much less my little sister Lily, I needed another job to try to keep a roof over our heads. My mother used to work here as a bartender. When she was on her deathbed, her co-worker, Syd, let me know I had a job there if I wanted.
The outside of the club looked utterly run-down, perfectly camouflaging the clean and lavish interior.
I headed to the locker room to put my belongings away, leaving me in my black bodysuit with black boots and black fishnet tights. I finished putting my blonde hair in a high ponytail and went to my station.
Before I knew it, it was two in the morning. If I didn’t hurry, some of the lights on my way home would be put out.
Syd waited patiently for me at the door. She lived two blocks from me, so any time we worked together, we would walk home together. She was a petite brunette with bright hazel eyes and curves for days. Tonight, her curls were braided off to one shoulder. She placed a gray beanie on her head.
“Ready to go, Barbie?” she asked.
Barbie was my cover name at the club. I nodded as I wrapped a scarf around my neck. The bite of the frosty air nipped at any exposed skin as I wrapped my arms around myself tightly.
“Fuck, it’s cold out,” I grumbled.
Syd linked her arm with mine and rubbed my shoulder. “We need to get you a thicker coat, babe. This is way too thin for New York winters.”
“I know. I have one in my Amazon cart. I just need to purchase it.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that all my money was going to more important things, like a roof over my head and food for Lily. I could suffer a while longer without a winter coat.
After parting ways, I was rounding a corner a block away from home when two dark figures approached me. I tried to speed up without being too obvious. The sound of salt crunching under my boots and the beat of my heart thundered in my head. A strong hand grabbed my ponytail from behind, slamming me against a brick wall.
“Why is a pretty thing like you out so late?” a man’s gruff voice whispered in my ear. The smell of smoke and whiskey permeated my nostrils.
I squirmed to get free, only making my attacker hold on to me tighter. “Let me go, you bastard!”
“Oh, we got a fighter, eh?” I felt the bulge in his pants press against my back. “I love a challenge. Makes me rock-hard.” The man rubbed his nose along my neck. I held back the bile that rose in my throat.
The other man walked in front of me while the first grabbed both my wrists and pinned them behind my back. The tall man before me wore all black and a ski mask. He gripped my chin.
“What do you want?” I spat as I tried to fight out of their grips.
“We are here to give your dear old dad a reminder not to fuck with Butcher.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” My voice sounded shaky as panic coiled through me.
“That’s okay, darlin'; you don’t have to. All you need to tell your dad is Butcher wants his payment. He’s waited long enough.”
A blinding pain shot through my stomach as he punched me in the gut. I let out a cry as another blow hit the side of my face before I heard fabric tearing. Callused hands palmed my breasts through my thin bodysuit. I began punching, thrashing and bucking my hips when I saw the glint of the man’s knife shine in the moonlight.
“Please… don’t do this!” Tears streamed down my face.
Putting the knife to my throat, the man bent down to eye level. “If you don’t want to die, bitch, you will let us do as we please and tell dear ole dad the message I gave you. Do I make myself clear?”
I felt myself begin to shut down as if there were a switch shutting off all functions of my body.
“Yes,” I managed to whisper before I was sent into darkness.
I woke in the same alley where the attackers had their way with me. Snippets of the men groping me and squirting their cum on my battered body played on repeat in my mind. My limbs ached, and my head throbbed. I felt raw between my legs, and my ears rang. I yelped when a delicate hand touched my shoulder.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I mean no harm. Let me help you up.” I let out a cry when the woman pulled me to my feet. “Easy, honey. You’re banged up pretty good.”
“Everything hurts,” I sputtered in between breaths. “Who are you?”
“Someone who wants to help. But you can call me Nellie.” Nellie adjusted my arm that was slung around her shoulders and used her body to prop me up.
