Chapter Four

Once I completed my performance, I headed back to the curtain. I untied my shoes and pushed the other girls away and bolted down the hallway back to the dressing room.

My heart pounded, my body covered in sweat. The shine from the oil was still there, but I only had one thought on my mind, and that was Amanda. The first time in the years I’ve spent here, someone looked up to me, reached out to me, and I would not let her down.

What I would do, I wasn’t sure yet, but I had to do something. I couldn’t stand back anymore, being idle about it. We both had to get out of here.

The guards at the door stopped me. They grabbed my shoulders and pulled the money from the clothes that barely hung from my body. They pulled too hard, nearly pulling off what few clothes I had left.

Easy there, cunt-cake. I pulled the strap back on my shoulder, and one of them slapped my hand.

The guard scoffed. “What did you call me?”

Well, poop. I said that out loud, didn’t I?

“She’s been in a mood tonight.” One grabbed my wrists and pushed me back to the wall.

The other guard took my other hand and pinned it above my head. “She’s usually well-behaved. Maybe she’s done listening.” The other one snarled in my ear. Their breath is rancid and smelled of sulfur and rot.

“Let me go,” I growled, as I struggled against their grip. “I have to use the bathroom.”

One of them snorted. “Must be on her period then.” He snapped his gaze back to me. “Watch your tone. You may make the most money, but that won’t deter the boss from doing something else with you.”

They both exchanged amused looks before they let go of my wrists.

I rubbed my wrists together and pushed through the dressing room door to look for Amanda. I noticed that someone else occupied her dressing room table.

I grabbed a robe that barely covers my ass and wrapped it around my body. I hurried barefooted to the back of the dressing room and pushed through another door. It’s small. You would think it’s just a closet door holding cleaning supplies, but it’s not. It was a room full of small, tiny cots for us to sleep on with barely any stuffing for mattresses. One small blanket for each of us and no pillows.

I gazed around the room. Not a soul was inside.

She’s not here.

I shut the door and grabbed the arm of the first girl I saw, Roxy. At least that’s her stage name. “Where’s Amanda?” I asked in whispered tones. A guard stood by the door in an Adam’s pose, keeping an eye on the room.

“Who?” she asked, while she covered up her breasts. She took off her bra to put on a new one.

I rolled my eyes. “The new girl, Amanda. The one that flopped her performance?”

Roxy’s eyes widened and sympathy flashed across her face. “Ginger, I’m sorry, but they took her. They took her to the back of the building.” She tilted her head to the distant wall.

It was common for girls to be taken at random, but few would ask where they went after they were taken to the back.

“Dang it,” I muttered under my breath.

“Ginger!” The guard yelled. “You got a private dance in five!”

“Better get going.” Roxy nudged me. “The guards are really on you tonight. They usually leave you alone.” Roxy looked me up and down in sympathy.

I knew that look; she thought I was going to be taken soon too. I’m sure everyone was placing bets right now.

I ground my teeth together. No time for sucking up anymore. I was going to help Amanda. Something sparked inside me tonight to help her. Do something. Maybe part of me was done with this too. Being the sheep, staying careful just wasn’t me anymore.

I swallowed and went to my dressing area. I pulled down the next outfit. I kept my eyes on the guard at the door through the mirror. He gazed at me intently. At least, it looked like he was with those reflective sunglasses. For all I know he was staring at Snowflake over in the corner.

With haste, I pulled off the bright blonde wig I wore and the pins that secured it. I let my natural muted red curls fall down my back. I turned away from him, keeping myself mostly covered. I stripped off my bra, grabbed the cut-off white collared tie shirt, and squeezed my breasts into the small area.

Seriously, why do men get off to this?

The short skirt that covered next to nothing went on next. It could barely go over the lacy cotton panties.

“Hurry,” the guard barked, irritated. I wasn’t giving him a full-frontal show which pissed him off. I saw in the mirror he was walking toward me.

I swiftly reached for the white stocking garter resting on the chair, its smooth texture catching my eye. With determination, I forcefully pressed my foot onto the padding of the chair and felt a satisfying thud. I leaned down, and delicately slid my toes into the garter, relishing the sensation of the silky fabric gliding up my leg. Meanwhile, I fixed my gaze on his sunglasses, wondering what hidden emotions they concealed.

I’d seen some of the other women try to seduce the guards to get them off their backs. It wouldn”t surprise me if they occasionally performed oral sex on the guards to get them to leave them alone. I didn’t blame them for it; it was an act of survival. Not to get hit or pushed around.

I gave no services. My life hasn’t been that terrible for me since I made some money for the club. But I would not give any services tonight, either. My thoughts were on Amanda and finding her.

The guard stopped in front of me, and I let my breasts jiggle in the tightly tied-up flimsy cloth holding them together.

“You’re being a bad girl tonight,” he mumbled.

I blew him a kiss and giggled. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s come over me.”

He hummed, his finger tracing my neck. “Make sure you behave yourself.” He took his once gentle finger on my cheek and grabbed my breast.

I tried not to wince at the rough, abrasive palm that was absent of the usual black-gloved hand. He gripped my breast tightly enough to bruise. I let out a whimper and slapped his face with my other hand. The unwanted touch sent a shrill of unease down my body. The slap wasn’t near enough to make me feel any better.

He barked out in laughter. “There is the red-headed fire I was looking for.” The guard huffed and stepped away. “Now get your shoes. You’re needed in the private dancing room. Think you can behave or does your left tit need to match your right?”

I grit my teeth together and I imagined ripping off his balls. But I nodded and put my shoes on quickly. “I’ll be good, Sir.”

“That’s my good girl.” He smacked my backside hard, making it echo in the room. “Be good and I’ll give you a special surprise when you return.”

No one has ever promised me anything before. “Like what?” I cooed mockingly.

“I don’t know, maybe some of this?” He grabbed the front of his crotch.

I glared, filled with contempt, turned away from him, and headed to the door and out of the dressing room.

That was probably the most personality I’ve seen out of the guards since I’ve been here. And it was disgusting.

Unfortunately, I was too small, too weak, to stand against him and his peers, but it didn’t mean I would not try. The guards let me roam free, not escorting me like the other girls. An advantage I plan to use tonight.

Instead of immediately entering the private room, I cautiously glanced into the bustling main area of the strip club. The room pulsated with the energy of drunken men, their ages skewed toward the older spectrum, their unwavering gazes fixated on the mesmerizing dancers gracefully twirling around the pole. The air was thick with a potent mixture of sweat, alcohol, and a hint of perfume. Amongst the crowd, a few younger men obediently trailed behind their superiors, captivated by the spectacle before them.

I scoffed.

I turned and opened the door that said Private, hoping to find Amanda. I didn’t have a plan at all.

I stepped inside, the sound of my heels echoing through the empty hallway. Rows of doors on either side of the hall came into my vision. As I walked, my footsteps barely made a sound as I walked slowly, the silence of the space enveloping me. I peered inside each office. The sight of empty rooms greeted me, with neatly arranged desks, computers, and supplies waiting idly. Continuing further down the hallway, the distant beat of music became faint, barely audible.

“That girl still crying?” a deep female’s voice of annoyance comes from the other side of one of the cracked office doors. I leaned up against the wall, calmed my breath, and tried not to be heard.

“Yes, she’s nearly wiped away all the make-up that was put on her.” A voice that had to come from one of the guards. They were all so similar in how they talked and sounded I could bet my life on it.

The female hissed curses under her breath in another language. “What am I supposed to auction off now? She can’t be a blubbering mess.”

With a resounding thud, hands forcefully collided with the wooden table, causing a thump to reverberate through the room. In their wake, a flurry of papers took flight, swirling through the air before gracefully descending onto the floor. The rustling sound of their descent filled the room, accompanied by the faint scent of ink and paper. Some of the stray papers found their way under the door, their smooth texture slipping effortlessly beneath the crack.

I didn’t dare pick them up, but I did my best to read the headings. It was just bills and requests. One customer named Andriel Demon and Simone Angel requested particular humans if they came into possession.

The hell? They take orders? For people?

“I can pull another stripper to complete the auction until Amanda calms down. It isn’t a problem. Do you have a preference?”

A chair scraped on the floor, and I pressed my back up against the wall again.

“No, I don’t care. Why do you have someone in mind?” I heard the paper flip on the desk and she tapped it to straighten them.

“Yes, I do. She is one of the top earners, but she has given some attitude today.”

Uh oh.

There was a pause. “Take her out. The client she is with now will be happy to hear about it.”

Crap.

I took a step away to sneak back down the hallway, but the door opened abruptly. I tried to remain calm, like I was supposed to be there and continued walking, sashaying down the hallway. I heard the footsteps shuffling behind me, and I tried to push myself to go faster.

I’m not fast enough.

A large hand wrapped around my upper arm and squeezed. I squirmed and kicked but it did nothing. He’s too strong.

“What are you doing in here?” The guard’s voice growled into my ear.

I swung my arm back, but he quickly caught my hand and held it tight against my back.

“Oh, me?” I feigned innocence. “Just looking for you. You said you had a surprise for me.” I batted my eyelashes.

I knew very well this wasn’t the same guard. There was no way, because the one that offered me a surprise was on the other side of the building. The guard hummed, and instead of calling me out for my lie and taking me into the office with the mysterious woman on the other side, he smirked.

“I did, didn’t I?” His hand trailed to my left breast and squeezed, hard enough to leave bruises, again. I growled at him and took my other hand, ready to slap him. But he caught it with his other free one.

My eyes widened.

How the hell did he know?

“There now they are even, like I said they would be.”

I tilted my head.

The other guard must have told him. A camera, his radio.

He gripped my arm harder and pulled me into the office to face the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen. Her breasts were large, which matched the rest of the women that worked here. However, she wore an expensive white collared blouse, a pink blazer, and a tight black pencil skirt. Her blonde hair was completely overdone, however, teased and curled, rising high above her head.

She must have heard the saying the “bigger the hair, the closer you are to god” and boy, did she need it because she was running an illegal operation here.

“This her?” She pulled a pencil that magically appeared out of her hair and pointed at me.

I wonder what else was in there?

She curled a lip at me.

“Yes, this is her.”

“Is this the one you were going to bid on?”

The guard licked his lips. “If I’m allowed a break.”

“Don’t care as long as you pay. Just know Nicholas Marskonov is bidding.”

The guard grunted in acknowledgment.

“Bidding? Bidding on what?” I asked.

The woman stayed silent as she continued to write, and the guard pulled me closer to him. “For you, Ginger. Auction night is the first of the month. You wonder why all those girls disappear into the back? They go to new homes and live as sex slaves.”

My breath came in uneven pants, my heart wanted to race out of my chest.

“Don’t worry. I’ve kept you dancing here long enough so I could save up enough for you.” The guard straightened his shoulders. “Got a cage and everything for when I’m not there. You’re gonna be mine now.”

No words left my mouth as I stared at him.

I had to get out.

I had to get Amanda out.

“Here.” The woman ripped a sheet a paper out of the notebook. “Put her in a cage with the rest of them. She’s dressed fine for the auction.”

I stayed silent as the guard walked me down the hallway. This club was larger than I thought. I tried to memorize the maze that he led me through to the cages. If I had my bearings right, we were right on the edge of the building. Which meant there could be an exit somewhere close.

The guard had one hand around my arm, the other fiddled with his pocket until he pulled out a set of keys.

“Just another hour until the bidding starts. Then you’re mine.” He put the key in the lock. He turned to me, and before I could fully form a plan in my head, I kneed him straight into the balls.

His eyes widened in shock, and he grabbed them.

I didn’t stop. I took my heels and ground them into groin. Onto the floor he fell. He yelled in pain. He was making too much noise, so I took my thick shoe and kicked him right in the temple.

He stopped screaming, and I just prayed to the universe that it was enough.

Without confirming his well-being, I forcefully snatched the keys from his lifeless grasp and swiftly inserted one into the lock. The mechanism yielded effortlessly, and as the door swung open, a sickening sensation churned in the pit of my stomach. A dreadful sight awaited me—ten women confined in cages; their elegant attire unable to conceal their impending fate.

Some cried, but the one that cried the most, wailing in the corner, was Amanda. I went to her first, fiddling through the keys. A master key, there must be a master key.

Amanda pulled me closer to her as I pushed the key into the lock. First try, it sunk into the lock and the door clicked. Someone was on my side tonight.

“Thank god, Ginger, thank you, thank you!” Amanda held me tight, like a lifeline, and I smiled, trying to hold the both of us up.

“My name’s Juniper, and we aren’t out of the woods yet.”

I quickly got to work and unlocked all the cages. I urged Amanda to go to the back door of the room with the EXIT sign above it and told her to leave. She wouldn’t. She stayed by my side and helped me open all the doors.

As soon as each door opened, each woman threw a quick thank you and left.

As the last door creaked open, a dim light flooded the room. The last woman we rescued engulfed me in a tight embrace, her lips pressed against my cheek, and she forcefully guided us towards the exit. At that moment, a low groan echoed behind me, causing Amanda’s terrified scream to pierce the air. But the warning was futile, for the inevitability struck like lightning. My body crashed onto the cold, unforgiving floor, sending a shockwave of searing pain radiating through my back.

“Run!” I choked out a scream. The woman we just released darted out the door. Amanda, being stubborn, tried to pull me across the floor. “I said run!” I pushed her away. She stumbled and cried, but I saw her scurry out the door.

Someone pulled my ankle, the exit becoming smaller from my sight. Whatever was digging into my back goes deeper. The searing pain came full force again when the guard stepped on the opposite side of the wound and pulled whatever was sticking out of it.

I screamed, my nails digging into the floor. I did my best to turn to look behind me. A jagged knife dripping with my blood hung in his hand. The left side of my back was bleeding. I could feel it running down my side and watched it pool on the concrete floor.

I gathered enough strength and gazed at the guard I had kicked him in the face. He was bleeding on the side of his head and his sunglasses were missing. And for once, I wish they had stayed on.

His eyes were blazing red with big yellow pupils. A black ring surrounded his eyes, making them look like they sank further inside his head. My mouth hung open in terror. For whatever reason, my legs couldn’t work. The heels were too hard to maneuver in my shocked state. I took my good arm and pulled myself along the floor again to get away.

The guard chuckled, licking the knife with his thick tongue, and hummed. “You taste good. A minor price you have to pay for taking things too far.”

Clicking heels filled the room, and the gorgeous blonde stepped in. She scratched her head with her long red fingernails and scowled at the guard. “Koozoth, what is the meaning of this?” She stared at the empty cells. “Where are all the girls?”

He sheathed his knife and growled. “Don’t say my name, or would you rather I say yours? And she let them all out, they got away.”

She bared her long white teeth, and I swore I saw fangs hung over her lips. “Damnit, now we have to find them all.” She let out a breath. “And it doesn’t matter if she knows your name. She’s about to die, anyway. Take her out back. I don’t need customers hearing her screams or getting more blood on my floor.” She turned her back and pulled out a cell phone and dialed. “Yes, I call in a favor…”

A wave of horror washed over me as I watched in disbelief as Koozoth slowly turned his head towards me. My heart pounded in my chest, the sound echoed in my ears like a steady drumbeat. The air around us felt heavy and suffocating as if his presence alone was consuming all the oxygen in the room.

I felt my body quivering uncontrollably as I desperately tried to crawl away from his menacing figure. The floor beneath me felt cold and unforgiving against my trembling hands. But no matter how much I strained and struggled, I felt trapped in a nightmarish web, unable to escape.

Suddenly, searing pain exploded across my cheek as his massive hand contacted my face. The impact sent a jolt through my entire being, making my vision blur and fade into a terrifying darkness.