Page 7 of Villainous
He eyes the lion with a crown tatted on my right arm, and then his eyes snap up to mine. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he sits forward, resting his arms on the desk.
“I want to rent a woman for a week. I’m vacationing in Key West with friends.”
Devious has very strict rules on renting our women. This is not a sex slave he wants; he’s ordering from our escort service, and these women are willing to work for us. This is our clean business as well, but we also use it to cover up our prostitution and sex slavery business. In the media, I am known for my elegant strip clubs and escort services.
“You do understand that if any harm goes to the escort, then there will be consequences? So, if she decides to turn you down for sex, then she has the right to. If I hear one complaint from her, then you can’t rent any of our girls anymore.”
“I’m well aware of the rules, Villainous. Just send her in.” He sounds a bit annoyed.
I understand why, but I can’t stress these rules enough. Some men and women think they can treat the escort girls the same as the sex slaves, and that’s not the case. Escort girls are our recurrent clients, and sex slaves are a onetime buy.
“It’s protocol to let you know what happens. We treat our merchandise with the utmost respect.”
I nod at Manos, and he disappears, then strides back with Harper. She’s been working for us since she was eighteen years old. She had her breasts done recently to attract more clients. We pay these women twenty-three percent commission, and the longer they are with us, the more they get paid. These women live a lavish life, unlike our sex slavery industry.
Jacob eyes her like she’s a piece of meat as he licks his thin lips. His eyes trail up to her curly brunette hair and her hourglass figure. She wears a dark skintight dress that barely covers her plump ass.
Harper has attended events with me when I didn’t have any pets at the time, but it’s as far as it goes. She has offered to sleep with me for free, but I don’t fuck my workers, especially recurrent ones. It’s always bad for business because the women tend to get attached and want to form relationships and get out of the escort business.
She offers him a meek and submissive smile and waves at him.
“I want her,” Jacob says with delight.
“Manos, have her gather her things,” I reply, and my eyes jump up to Jacob. “The cost is four hundred thousand dollars and thirty-five cents.”
I fire up the desktop, and the glass screen that’s built into the desk lights up. After the death of our father, we got rid of the paperwork and do everything online so it’s harder for the feds to trace our illegal business. Using the internet has made it a lot easier to do our dirty work. We traffic women and sell weapons and drugs all online.
“Sign on the dotted line,” I tell him, taking one long drag of my cigarette, then placing it between my index finger and middle finger.
Jacob does what I say. His penmanship is sloppy and very hard to read.
“Have her back by Sunday at nine sharp. Not a minute late. If you’re late, you’re going to be charged three thousand dollars for a late fee every hour. Unlike the slaves, she has other dates to fulfill this month.”
He pulls his phone from his breast pocket and types on it, and several moments later, my phone dings, telling me he paid in cryptocurrency. It’s a system we use to accept payments so it’ll be hard to track our money online.
Jacob stands up from the chair and reaches out his hand.
“It was nice doing business with you,” he says, then straightens out his tie.
“Likewise. My soldier will escort you to your car, and she’ll be ready shortly.”
He nods, leaving me in silence. I take one last drag of my cigarette before I stab it in the dark ashtray. I stand up from the executive chair, tucking my hands in my dark dress pants pockets. My eyes venture to the skyscrapers of New York City. The weather is brutal around this time of year as sheets of rain tap the glass of my window.
I might head to the strip club a little early and check in with the manager, Tony, to make sure things go smoothly tonight, and then I’m going to head home. I met my quota this week for how much the company is supposed to make. This day is going to be long, and I can’t wait to bury my dick inside Maya. I don’t know what fucking hold she has on me, but it’s always been that way since we were in high school. Being around her makes my shit difficult because I still have feelings for her. I thought by locking her up in the dungeon after I kidnapped her and seeking revenge, it would change how I feel about her. And I never took on a pet that I had feelings for. It was simple to me. Use them for sex, and when I get bored, then discard them like used napkins. But Maya, she’s not like my other pets. She can use how I feel about her against me, and I can’t have that. I’m so deep in this relationship with her that I can’t get out. I tried to move on, I really did, but I can’t. I need closure, and once she gives me what I want, then I’ll get rid of her.
I need to check my emails, so I snatch up my iPhone and see I have a text message from Devious.
Devious: Get your candy ass over here next Friday. We’re having a get-together in celebration of me becoming a father.
My brother is the only person I know who’s excited to have children and who is also a famiglia man. He just made up with his wife, Roselyn, after three months of their breakup. Now, they are happy. I’m excited for both of them, even though I’m not into the whole famiglia thing. When I saw how toxic our parents were during their marriage, there was no hope for love until I fell in love with Maya. Now, I know for sure love is another term people throw around. Well, except for Devious—I have no doubt in my mind he’s in love with Roselyn. He doesn’t even cheat on her, and in the mafia, it is a common thing. My brother and I have different views on relationships.
Me: I’ll be there.
Devious: We received an invite to the annual business meeting. Bring our top-dollar merchandise to display. I’ll send you the email in a few minutes. Talk to you soon.
The annual business meeting is where the other famiglias are there to sell their women and other merchandise to different clients. They attend to show off their merchandise and show off their pets. Only the rich and prestigious receive an invitation.
Me: Okay, tell Roselyn I said hey.
