Page 21 of Sold Blood
I get in the shower, turning the hot water on. My body buzzes with excitement at the thought of being able to have a real shower and not being sprayed by a hose with cold, hard pressurized water that stings my skin. Even though hell is waiting for me outside the bathroom, I plan to take pleasure in the small things. Even if they don’t last very long.
I lose track of time, running suds over my body and leaning into the warm sprays of water. My heart pounds from panic and my gaze darts toward the blinking bracelet when I realize I've been in here too long. I shut off the water and practically jump out of the tub, hitting the ground too hard with my feet. There's a towel waiting for me on a rack and its warmth covers my skin when I wrap it around my body.
Someone paces around the room with their shoes tapping against the wooden floor when I exit the bathroom. I swallow hard when the stranger from before is standing in front of the large open window with his arms crossed. "You will wear what's on the bed and you will not speak until I tell you to."
I grab the lingerie on the bed, immediately recognizing it. I run my fingers through the soft lace of the white negligee that's missing the tag on the inside that Isaiah had cut off for me knowing it would irritate my skin. I choke back my words not wanting to disobey the stranger so soon with the ticking time bomb attached to my ankle.
What if the man with the scar has a camera in the room? What if he gave him the remote? What if they gave him this and got it from my home somehow? I pull the soft material over my body, closing my eyes and imagining it's Isaiah standing behind me with a wicked smile on his face. I keep my eyes closed as I spin around, not ready for the fantasy to disappear so soon.
Isaiah's face fades away the moment the man touches my cheek. "Open your eyes. I need you to see everything that happens next." His touch is as gentle as his softening brown eyes. He takes a step back with his eyes circling the room and he pulls something from his pocket, waving it around.
"No cameras or microphones hidden anywhere. They are men of their word when they promise their clientele complete privacy." He moves toward the windows, closing the curtains. "Listen to me very carefully, Joey." He turns around facing mewith his lips formed into a thin line and I gasp at the use of my name. "I'm here to get you out safely, but it won't be easy. We may have to play a part for a while. I was told to do whatever it takes to get you out of here safely and I'm going to do just that, but I need your help."
I nod, still unable to speak. He walks closer with his eyes raking up and down my body. His gaze drops to the blinking bracelet and his jaw tightens. "First things first, we need to get that off you. Were you wearing this device the whole time?"
I shake my head, unable to get the words to escape my lips. He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "You can speak now. I just wanted to make sure it was safe first." He stares at the door and at the clock radio on the nightstand. "Hold on, a little extra noise to drown out our voices never hurts. Who's to tell who has their ear pressed to the other side of that wall."
He quickly reaches the nightstand, pushing a button until jazz music plays on the radio. "There, that's better. Tell me Joey, did you have the ankle bracelet on this whole time and who put it on you?"
"No. It was only put on me when I came into this room and it was the man with the scar on his face who did the honors. I don't know his name. No one ever says it around us like it's some kind of secret none of us are supposed to know. He has the remote and says he can push the button at any time."
He grunts in frustration, pinching between his brow. "Fuck. That could be a problem, leading to another delay. I'll have to get that remote without anyone noticing. He can't die yet, or many people would notice. He seems to handle all the main transactions. I've been watching him the last few days at different clubs and massage parlors. Luckily, he doesn't recognize me which helps give me the upper hand here."
I tilt my head to the side, still confused about what's taking place, and wanting to know what this man's plans are. Is hereally planning to get me out of here or is this some kind of test? "He said it was only temporary and as long as I satisfied you enough to bring back your business, I could get it removed. He wanted to make sure I didn't try to get away. I wouldn't bother trying in a place like this while surrounded by men with guns. I'd be powerless against all of them."
"We both would be. Which is why I won't take you away tonight. We would both die if I tried, but I don't think that's something I have to tell you. I'm sure you already know."
I nod. "Does this mean you have a plan set in place for how you will get me out?"
He runs his fingers through his beard. "I wish I could tell you I knew exactly how this would all go down, but it's hard to set an exact plan for situations like this one. I knew how I'd get here and what would get me in safely, but that is as far as I've gotten. Whatever we plan to do, we need to move fast."
"We? I don't even know who the hell you are or if I can trust you. What if I go with you and I die anyway? What if what you have planned for me is much worse?"
"I want to tell you who I am, but I think for now it's safer that I don't. I think deep down you know who sent me and I also think you know anywhere is better than in this shit hole."
"They rotate us after a few days, I heard the man talking about it. They transport us to different clubs to make sure their clients get a variety and not the same options."
He sneers with his nose flaring. "We will have to make sure they don't send you to the next location. Have you been here long?"
I shake my head. "No. They only brought us here today. There are others ... they are only boys. I can't...I won't leave without them."
"You'll have to. We won't have time to save the others and that makes this operation more dangerous. Taking one of their boys will be hard enough, but taking multiples will start a war."
"Fine, then don't help me. I'll do it alone. I won't leave them behind. The next auction is soon and no telling what will happen to them afterward. I won't be able to live with myself if I have the chance to save them and do nothing."
"You won't be able to save them all. There will always be more auctions and boys."
"I know," I whisper, lowering my head. "But getting them back home to their families is a start and I promised them we will leave here together. I never break a promise."
"I promised a friend something too. I promised to not make a bigger mess than needed and I promised to get you out. Nothing more. I will not have a whole sex trafficking ring coming after us when we leave."
"Either you take all of us or none at all."
He huffs out a breath. "You are as stubborn as he said you'd be. This was not in the plans and I'm never one to step outside of them."
"What plans? You said yourself, once you got here and found me, everything would practically be made up as you go. These men who took me, I will not leave them here alive. Every single one of them will pay. I didn't just make those boys a promise. I promised the man with the scar and all his friends they would all get their just desserts. Like I said before, I'm a man of my word."
"I can tell you won't let this go. This won't be easy, and it will also take longer than planned. I don't have enough money to buy all these boys."
