“This one’s crazy.”
She stirs but doesn’t wake. I struggle to breathe while she’s on me. She’s heavier than me, and now she’s asleep it’s like a dead weight.
“And you thought I could handle her?” I ask him.
He laughs, truly laughs at me. “No. I just wanted to see her tackle you. She’s done it to everyone that opens that fucking door.”
“Thanks, fucker,” I say, trying to shove her off. He leans down and ties her wrists behind her back followed by her legs. Pushing her off, I stand looking down. Her hair is blonde, but it’s cut in a bob style. Her shorts are up her ass, and she has some tattoos covering her arms.
“You still need to shower her.”
I flip him the bird as I watch, waiting for her to wake up. She starts to move but doesn’t get up straight away.
“She’s starting to stir.”
“I can see that, asshole,” I say.
Her head turns, and she looks at me. Tears are filling her eyes, but she has a look of determination in her. I lean down and try to not cry out as my ribs scream at me in protest. “I need you to stay calm, I’m not here to hurt you. Can you move?”
She spits at me. “Fuck off! I know what this place is. You plan to sell me, you whore.”
I look back to Scott who just shrugs his shoulders. “You could make this easy. I just want to take you to the showers. Don’t you want a shower?”
“If they want to buy me, they can buy me like this. Dirty. Because that’s the best they will get.”
Again, I look to Scott, and he turns pointing toward the hose that’s on the wall.
“No way,” I say, and his eyebrow rises. Standing, I ask her again. “Are you sure you won’t come for a shower?”
“Fuck you!” she screams at me again.
“I really didn’t want to do it their way. I would rather do it the nice way. But you aren’t making it easy.” She sneers at me. “Please, would you just let me take you to the showers?”
“Saskia, you’re expected in the Arena, now,” Scott says with a pointed look. I’d rather stay here all night arguing with her than go into that Arena.
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking down at the girl. Turning the hose on, I aim it at her making sure I get as much as dirt off as possible, so I don’t have to hold it on her longer than necessary. When I see the color of her face again, I turn it off, and she spits out the water on the cold cement floor. Scott leans down and hits her on the back of the head, knocking her out cold again then drags her by her feet back into the room.
He locks the door and smiles at me as he comes out. “Arena, now.”
“I feel like you have a dual personality that I’m only just discovering,” I say, following him out to where the entry of the Arena is located. He touches the door handle and turns, smiling, then pulls it open.
“Remember to smile and upsell.”
I flip him the bird when I walk past him into the room. I spot Cecilia straight away standing at the bar with a tray in hand. Walking over to her, she immediately hands the tray to me, then turns me around pointing toward a group of guys.
“Smile, don’t let it drop. Important night tonight, it will be one of our busiest.”
I nod my head, walking over in the direction she wanted me to go. The men take their drinks, one guy even leans in for a kiss, but I turn just in time for him to kiss my cheek instead of my lips. They all leave tips, large tips, enough to pay someone’s rent. But to them, it’s small change.
Walking back to the bar, Amy is standing exactly where I grab the drinks from. Her arms are leaning on the counter as she waits for me to walk over to her. I notice Cecilia, she’s on the other side of the bar, and she’s shaking her head as if to tell me no. If I could turn around without her noticing I would, but her eyes are already on me. The music’s loud, almost deafening, so when I reach her and she starts to talk, I don’t hear the words that leave her mouth. I have to lean in, and it’s not something I want to do.
“Did you hear me?”
My forehead crinkles in confusion and anger takes hold of her face. Her eyes quickly skim the room then she looks back to me slapping me fast across the face. “Now listen, you… you little bitch. Stay away from the stage tonight. If you go near it, I’ll slice a finger off of you. Did you hear that?”