Page 2 of Grimm

“Ashland isn’t in the market right now,” the unfamiliar speaker replied, dousing her with hope.

“He’ll change his mind when he sees her. She’s a beauty. She’ll make him ten times what’s left over from Samuel’s stock.” Marcus’s finger trailed along her jaw. She bit on her gag, wishing it was his finger.

After a long moment, the man answered, “We’ll see. Follow me.”

Her stomach rolled. Marcus pulled her forward, and she hurried to keep up with him. Her bare feet made no sound on the wood flooring, but Marcus’s heavier steps echoed throughout the cavernous entryway.

“In here,” the stranger said, and after a soft click a cool breeze ran over her face. More light seeped through the blindfold.

“Komisky.” A male’s voice pulled her attention to the right.

Marcus dropped her arm.

“Who is this?” he asked, not giving Marcus a chance to speak.

“Ashland, this is Daniella.” Marcus spoke with something like pride in his tone. He couldn’t believe he had anything to be proud of; he’d stolen her from her apartment.

“I told him you aren’t in the market,” the first stranger’s voice came from behind her, and she turned her head toward the speaker.

“And I told Peter you needed to see her. She’ll make you good money in the Annex. Good stock.”

Humiliation burned her skin. A year ago, she’d been accepting her college diploma with an elementary school teacher position waiting for her. Now she was ‘good stock’ for Ashland Titon’s whorehouse.

“Peter’s right. I’m not in the market.”

“Ash.” Marcus forced her forward with a push to her back. “Take a good look at her. It’s the least you can do for me. I came all this way.”

“Where d’you get her from?” Peter asked.

“She made promises she couldn’t keep.” Marcus oversimplified the worst night of her life. Hands grabbed hold of the neckline of her dress and jerked downward. Fabric split again and again until the dress fell open.

She tried to curl inward, fold her shoulders forward and hide herself while turning away, but Marcus grabbed her neck and forced her to stand straight.

“No bra?” Marcus’s slime-inducing question was followed by a laugh.

She groaned. The dress had a built-in bra, but she wasn’t explaining that to him. Even if she could move her lips.

“What do you think?” Marcus asked.

“I think she’s not here willingly.” A deep voice drew her attention to the left. How many men were in the room? How many eyes roamed over her naked form? Her body went hot.

“Like I said, she made promises she didn’t keep,” Marcus said.

“Right. Not here willingly,” the speaker said again.

“Marcus, I’m just starting to get everything organized, so until that’s done, I’m not taking any more girls in,” Ash said. “But even if I were, I wouldn’t take her. Unless the girls come on their own, they won’t be employed here.”

“Employed?” Marcus’s voice dipped. “I’m not asking you to hire her. I’m asking you to buy her from me and get her off my fucking hands.” Marcus grabbed her arm and shoved her forward.

“Put her back where you got her if you don’t want her,” the speaker to the left said flatly.

“No chance. She cost me fifty grand. I’m not walking away from that.”

“How’d she lose you that kind of money?” Peter asked.

“She was holding a stash for one of my guys. When I went to collect, she had nothing. Fifty grand of product, just gone. She promised she’d get it back, I gave her a chance, she didn’t come through.”

Daniella started talking fast through the gag. If these guys thought she’d stolen his money, they might be more inclined to help him. It wasn’t her, though. She’d explained this to Marcus over and over again. Megan’s boyfriend, Steven, was always dropping stuff off to keep in Megan’s room. Daniella never got involved in their business, but here she was, paying the price.

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