“See, you’re already learning, you stupid cunt. You’ll stay in the room. I’ll have a guy downstairs babysitting, so don’t think you can get away.” He shut the door behind him.
“You’ll die a painful death,” she whispered. “And I’m going to enjoy every bit of pain you get.”
“Don’t.”
Ella gasped and spun around to see a young woman who had clearly been beaten on a mattress in the corner.
“Jesus, what happened to you?” Ella went to her and crouched down beside her.
“I didn’t make Teddy enough money last night.”
“He is one sick fuck, isn’t he?”
The woman nodded but put her finger to her mouth. She pointed around the room at the cameras Teddy placed there.
The woman whispered. “He has them everywhere, so watch what you say. One girl talked like that, and he took her one night, and she never came back.”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Emily. How about yours?”
“Ella.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
Jesus, someone this sweet shouldn’t be anywhere around this place.
“How’d you get here?” Ella asked.
“I dated Teddy. How about you?”
“The same. We’re not the sharpest tools in the shed, right?” Ella whispered.
Emily laughed and then cringed.
“Hell, where are you hurting?”
“My stomach and this side of my face. He always goes for those parts of our body.”
“There’s really no way to get out of here?”
Emily shook her head. “We’ve all tried.”
God, could this really be happening to her? What had she done to deserve the fucked-up life she had?
“There are some clothes in the box.”
Ella walked over and sifted through it. All of it was stuff a slut would wear, but it was better than nothing. She ignored the pain from Teddy’s abuse.
“Do you want to rest with me?” Emily said.
Ella heard the hope in her tone. “Sure.” She needed the rest because she guessed she would have a fight on her hands the next day.
Chapter Four
Ella woke up when several women walked in. Every one of them looked defeated, and she hated that.
“Hey, guys, this is Ella,” Emily said.