I hated the sound of the tears from her, so desperate, mixed with the pain. It was enough that I cried too, hating this. Hating what was happening to her and what was coming to me. Churned up by all of this until the door sounded a few long hours later.
And it was him. Mr Sinister himself stood there.
I jumped up like a leap frog, pointing to Rebecca as he stared over.
“She needs help,” I told him. “She needs to see a doctor. She’s in too much pain.”
He waved my concerns aside like they were nothing, and that’s when I knew it for certain. Beyond all else. Beyond anything.
They didn’t give a shit for us in this place. Not if we were well. Not if we were treated fairly. Not if our contracts were adhered to.
Not even if we lived or died.
“Time for you to come with me,” he told me, and my stomach flipped afresh. I looked at Rebecca, but he grunted. “She’ll still be here when you get back, doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere.” He paused. “Unless you want to bring her with you to join in on some action.”
I shook my head in a flash. “No, sir. That won’t be necessary.”
I managed to lay a hand on her shoulder and whisper goodbye before I joined him in the doorway, glancing back once more before stepping out and watching him lock the door behind us.
“Performances can leave you sore,” he told me, like that explained it. “That’s the price you pay for a decent reward.”
But it wasn’t.
It wasn’t price enough for anything.
I would have argued the point if I’d have thought it would mean anything to him, but his eyes were as cold as they’d ever been as he led me in the direction of the dungeon room.
“You have a busy few days,” he told me. “Seems your latest performances have come good for you.”
I didn’t have any questions. Didn’t want to hear another peep about any of it. Seemingly my silence was enough to antagonise him, and he yanked me back by the elbow and thrust me into the side wall, his face in mine.
“You should remember that you’re the paid-for little slut in this place full-time, not just when you’re in front of the cameras. You should be losing the attitude, before I fucking take it from you.”
I tried to nod, but I could feel my eyes burning, unwilling to drop. “Some people want to push it too far,” I said. “Our contracts say we’ll walk away without lasting damage.”
His sneer was horrible. “Your contracts say a lot of things. So does the money you’re paid out on completion.”
“I don’t care about that,” I told him. “Not anymore. I just care that me and Rebecca are ok after this.”
The tip of his head was terrifying, so were his cold eyes feasting on mine. “You should care,” he said. “There’s you and fulfilling your contract. That’s all you need to be concerned with.” His pause lasted long seconds, his breath in my face before he continued. “Talking of which, it’s time to continue. I want you ready for the action this evening.”
My heart pained. It pained so hard I’m sure he could feel it too.
“Oh, don’t worry,” he laughed. “This evening is going to be a memorable one. You have plenty of prospects lined up to please.”
I didn’t want to ask him. Daren’t ask him if it was Brandon’s brother in charge of being sir over again.
Daren’t even comprehend that it would be the same guy who’d messed up poor Rebecca.
As it turns out I didn’t need to ask him, he was already ready to answer.
“Miss Lane will get a night off this evening in light of her discomfort,” he told me. “I’m sure you’re more than capable of captivating the client’s interest. That and I’d like you to meet another of my associates who’s been exceptionally keen to be acquainted with you. You may even recognise him. Royalty at its finest. I hope you know how to curtsey.”
I didn’t want to think about it. The thought turned my stomach. The thought of recognising anyone from the outside world turned my stomach.
But not as much as the next statement turned it.
“But first of all, I have another task at hand for you,” he said, and leaned in that little bit closer. Close enough that his lips were just a sliver away from mine. “First of all it’s me I want you to be curtseying too. The next session with you is all mine. And believe me, there’ll be no cameras watching. I’m more than curious why you had such an obvious impact on our cold-hearted Mr Grant down south.”
“Please, no,” I said. “Please, let me out of the contract. I don’t want it anymore. I don’t want any of it.”