Page 19 of Reckless Pawn

The customer turned around and swayed slightly. I immediately got a whiff of a whole lot of alcohol. "Wanted to take care of my tab. It's time for me to go home."

His words were so slurred it was hard to understand him. I sure hoped he wasn't driving. He wouldn't make it to the end of the road in this condition. "Why don't I find Eva then and she'll have someone take care of you." Right after I freaking peed.

"Why can't you do it? I like you." He stepped close, far closer than was comfortable and leaned into my face. "In fact, I think I like you a lot." Even in slow motion I didn't see it coming until his hands grabbed me. I froze. "You've got real nice tits."

With every word, the stench of alcohol and cigars on his breath burned my nose and throat. My vision narrowed as he fondled. My head spun and all of my 'training' from before flashed through my mind.

I had to be still and cooperate or risk retribution later. If I pretended to enjoy it I would be rewarded. It was easy. All I had to do was put on a fake smile and pretend.

"How much?" he asked, jolting me out of my fuzzy thoughts.

"What?" I blinked, unsure what was happening.

"How much to take you home with me? I gotta say, JD adding you onto the roster has really classed up the place."

"I—I don't. I've got to go." I whirled away and ran to the break room door, crashing it open.

"Izzy, what's wrong?" Sasha and Mandy followed me into the break room. I tried to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart and couldn't do it. My brain warred between what I thought I was supposed to do and what I was really supposed to do. I was on overload.

"Jesus, girl." Sasha grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the couch. "Sit and put your head between your legs before you pass out on us. You sick?"

"What exactly is happening here?" Mandy asked, her sarcasm scraping at the inside of my skull. "She looks like she's on drugs."

Thankfully I now had my head between my knees and I didn't have to see Mandy's look of derision. All night, she'd either stared at me with daggers in her eyes from across the room or she mumbled various insults as she walked by me. It had taken a supreme amount of patience on my part to keep my mouth closed.

"Customer pinned me to the wall outside the break room and groped my boobs." I panted each word as quickly as possible.

"Oh, is that all? I thought something bad happened."

I lifted my head and glared at Mandy.

"What?" she asked, looking between me and Sasha. "It's not my fault if the newbie is so green she can't handle a little titty grope. She needs to get over it and grow a pair or she ain't got no business being here."

"Don't be a bitch," Sasha hissed.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my head back between my knees as Mandy's words swirled inside my head.

Sasha sat down next to me and wrapped her arm around me. "Whoa, Izzy, you're shaking like a leaf. Mandy, get her some water or something, we need to calm her down."

"Are you serious?" I watched Mandy tap her foot up and down in front of me.

"Yes, I am. Now pretend for two seconds you have a decent bone in that skinny ass body and get some fucking water."

"I'll show you skinny ass." Fortunately, she turned and walked away. I didn't think I could handle much more of their arguing over top of me.

"We've got a second before she comes back. What really happened out there that got you so upset? Did someone say something?"

I shook my head, fighting the tears welling in my eyes. "I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

"Okay, sweetheart. But this don't seem normal. You do know men are animals, right? This kind of thing is going to come up. You just have to let one of the guys know and they'll take care of it if you can't."

She had no idea about my normal and I wanted to keep it that way.

Mandy stomped back into the room and shoved her hand under my face. "Here, take this. It will calm you."

I sat up and stared at the tiny white pill in her hand. "What is it?"

"Something to calm you down. Don't be such a baby. When I can't sleep at night I take one of these. They're great sedatives." I was about to decline when she continued. "I promise, tonight you'll sleep like the dead."

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