Page 5 of Savage

When Savage withdraws his fingers, I’m both relieved and disappointed. Pleasure held at bay—but it’s the first pleasure I’ve had in months.

Savage wipes his fingers on my ass and steps away from me. “Maybe,” he says darkly. “I have to consider things. If you have any other girls, who aren’t as emaciated—”

Consider things? Consider what things? Isn’t this just supposed to be a lap dance?

“I’ll take a look at our back stock,” Giulio answers. “Maybe there’s another girl still locked up back there, just waiting for you.”

Back stock.

Stock.

His words make me shudder, and I stare down at the floor as I fail to keep another sob from escaping me. Does he have other women locked up here?

What does he do with them?

What’s he going to do with me?

I stay in this position until Savage has left the room with barely a goodbye. Only once he’s gone do I allow myself to fall to my knees on the floor.

Giulio walks over to me and looks down, shaking his head. “Stef, we talked about the crying. Touching happens sometimes.”

“You told me he likes the crying,” I whisper, not looking up at him. I feel like a broken marionette, its strings cut. It doesn’t matter, though, because I’d have cried anyway, and we both know it. But I’d thought I had some sort of strange permission to cry for his friend.

“Oh, he does.” Giulio crouches down in front of me and reaches out to wipe away some of my tears. His smile terrifies me. “I bet he’s gonna call back before the evening is over. Or maybe you’ll be lucky, and he’ll wait for a better-looking model to come in, and I’ll just have to find some other way to torment you.”

I flinch, but I know better than to pull away. “What… I… I thought this was…” I stumble over my words, unable to figure out how to properly speak. “Why are you selling me? I’m… I’m trying, Giulio, I promise.”

“I know you are. But Dr. Savage is a dear friend, and I bet he hasn’t gotten his dick wet in years now. You heard him, he’s like fucking Goldilocks. I couldn’t let his prick shrivel up and die on my watch.” Giulio claps me on the shoulder. “Now get up and get dressed. You still have work for tonight. Some sad fuckers out there want your half-assed lap dances.”

The worst part about all of this is… I’m relieved to be doing lap dances instead of being sold to a man who treats me like I’m cattle.

CHAPTER 2

Stef

It’s the middle of the day, and I’m in my room—or my cell, depending on how you look at it—trying to get a nap in before I have to prepare for the evening. I’ve been having a hard time sleeping ever since that meeting with Savage days ago, especially coupled with Giulio’s threatening words. I’m considering begging Donny for more drugs when my door bursts open.

I startle and sit up, clutching my thin blanket to myself. Ben, one of the strip club’s bodyguards, walks through the door.

Donny, the manager, is standing on the other side, phone in hand. “Hey, Stef.” He looks apologetic. “Sorry about this. Boss’s orders and all.”

“Sorry… Sorry about what?” I ask. It’s not like I expect privacy, and I don’t even care about my partial nudity anymore, but the fact that they’re intruding during the middle of the day doesn’t bode well at all.

Ben comes up to me, holding up a pair of leather manacles. “I’d ask you to come quietly, but…” He looks over at Donny.

My heart is already racing, but it feels like it’s going to pound right out of my chest. “Wait. I will. I’m not going to fight you. What’s going on?”

“Giulio was really clear. Chain her so we can transport her.” Donny, who usually looks relaxed and maybe even kind sometimes, looks grim. He holds up his phone, and I hear the sound of the camera going off.

Ben bends down to snap the manacles around my wrists and ankles. I consider kicking him, but I already know there’s no point. I’m not stronger than him. I’m not even stronger than Donny, who’s about half his size.

“Why?” I ask, trying not to cry. “I’ve been doing better lately.”

Donny grimaces, like he actually feels sorry for me. “I don’t think it’s anything you did or didn’t do. Just one of Giulio’s whims. You know how he is.”

Unfortunately, I do, but that doesn’t mean I understand this. I shiver, wishing I was wearing more than a thin nightgown. “It’s… It’s that doctor, isn’t it?” I whisper, bile threatening to rise up from my stomach.

“Yeah.” Donny gets closer with his phone. “Sling her over your shoulders and push her nightie up so I can get a good photo.”

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