Chapter 38

MADDISON

I knew I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t have the green light. I’m supposed to have permission to climax, and I hadn’t been granted that privilege.

My gaze drifts. I’m a party girl at heart. I love to indulge in drugs, alcohol, and a bit of mischief.

Jonathon doesn’t approve; he thinks I’m too mature to be the life of the party. My parents echoed the same sentiment, insisting it was time for me to grow up—and that’s why my father sold me.

“You need a reality check,” he declared, as if my life at home wasn’t challenging enough. “You’ll see what some girls endure,” he vowed.

The irony is, I’ve learned that lesson, and I’ve evolved in ways I never anticipated, but I still love to party, and I still love to get high or drink excessively…I still relish dancing on the edge of consequences.

Is that what I did this morning? Is that why I pleasured myself until I couldn’t contain it any longer after weeks of self-denial?

Why did I come here? What was my end goal? Oh, right. Now I remember.

Ebony and Addison. They were my reason for coming here. I was trying to shield them from the terrors of sex trafficking and—and Asher?

Would he harm them? I’m not sure. I think that uncertainty is what led me to hail a cab to the wrong destination.

I should be at work, at Starbucks, but instead, I find myself in this billionaire’s lavish apartment. I hadn’t grasped the extent of this jerk’s wealth when I first encountered him.

A naive, hopeful part of me wished he was just a lost kid from the dance floor seeking some fun. But instead, I discovered he was indeed on the hunt for girls. Young girls…

And yes, I’ll confess that I wanted to sleep with him in the hallway, but I knew better. I knew there were hidden cameras, and above all, I knew I was under surveillance, my behavior being scrutinized.

They don’t trust me, even now after months of sleeping with their damn clients for them for free on my crappy hostess salary. But then again, I suppose I’m not trustworthy, and this will confirm that.

I pull away from Asher after he’s held me close to his chest for what feels like forever. He’s adorable, a decent kid, I think, but I can’t help but wonder what he’ll do in this massive apartment with those underage girls.

He supplied Ebony with drugs; maybe she pleaded. It wouldn’t be the first time—the club had her hooked on the hard stuff. But if he can do that, then what else is he capable of?

Damn, he’s attractive. The kind of guy you’d find next door, the unexpected type. The one people underestimate because they have the looks, the car—the wealth.

“I need to leave,” I inform him abruptly, maneuvering around the sofa to head for the door I came in through.

I’m rattled, and my shaky balance reflects that as I stumble in my rush to flee him, this apartment, and the wrong I’ve committed. Surprisingly, he doesn’t stop me or ask me to stay. He doesn’t rise from his seat, and he doesn’t say a word as I open the door and leave his apartment.

The girls are safe; they’re okay for now. I’ll return; I’ll make sure he doesn’t exploit them. Even if that means I have to sacrifice myself for the team once again.

I’m already damaged, so why not add to those scars instead of inflicting new ones on innocent girls?

I hurry down the hallway toward the elevator, pressing the button and waiting anxiously, fearing my luck might run out, that he’ll be there if I turn around. But he isn’t, and I confirm this when I step into the elevator.

The ride down is smooth, not stopping once, and I exit the small box and trot through the lobby to step out onto the street. Flagging down the first taxi that passes the hotel’s entrance, I jump in and mumble the address of Starbucks.

I made it out. I wasn’t caught. The girls are safe!

That’s the mantra I repeat to myself throughout my morning shift—letting the loud noise and mindless chatter wash over me as I stand in the coffee shop with my thoughts.

I’m relieved when the shift ends swiftly, passing by without a hitch. But then the day’s biggest surprise walks in.

Jonathon enters, his good looks turning many heads as I prepare to leave. The silence is so profound, it’s as if a pin drops. My body reacts to his presence before I even see him, my skin prickling with awareness. I look up, and our eyes lock immediately.

~What’s he doing here? Why today?~

His voice, deep and resonant, fills the shop, quieting the chatter. It’s a sound that makes my insides clench with a need I’m not allowed to satisfy. Every woman in the room hangs on his every word, as if he’s speaking to them and not me.

A pang of jealousy hits me, but I laugh it off. This is the man who claims to want me, to respect me, yet he’s never touched me. Despite his promises, he takes a different woman to bed every night.

“Well, look at my beautiful girl all mussed up from a long day at work,” he croons.

I swallow hard, forcing a smile while he grins back at me, looking like the devil himself.

“Did you come to take me home?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, trying to hide the emotions from this morning.

It’s not unusual for him to pick me up, but today it feels more dangerous, especially since I haven’t showered since this morning.

“I did, but not before we go out. You ready, baby?” he asks.

I take a moment to really look at him—tall, dark, and handsome, his face unmarked, his five o’clock shadow hinting at his masculinity.

He’s a man, no doubt about it. But beneath his handsome exterior, he’s cold and calculating. He’s a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants—a man who isn’t afraid to use any means necessary to get his way.

“Yeah, give me a few moments to freshen up, and I’ll be right back out,” I tell him, planning to use the restroom to hide the evidence of the pleasure I’ve allowed myself—the pleasure he’s forbidden me.

We have an agreement, him and I. Until I agree to sleep with him, I’m not allowed to experience pleasure. Any man I sleep with, I must not enjoy it. No foreplay, no emotion…

He knows about my past, the things I’ve been through, and he accepts them. He says he’s not disgusted by them. So, when I stumbled upon Sanctum for my job, he claimed me for himself.

He claimed me in a way I hadn’t expected. I didn’t know what I was walking into that day. I hadn’t expected to be sold from one bad man to a group of others.

But in a way, he saved me.

“No, no, no,” he murmurs, a secretive smile playing on his lips. “We haven’t time. We’ll use the restroom when we’ve arrived at our destination,” he tells me, smirking.

~Is he taking me away again to scout other girls?~ I swallow my shame and nod, letting him lead me from the safety of the shop to his waiting car.

I wave goodbye to Abigail and Derren. They return my grins. They think I’m safe; they believe I’m happy.

But walking beside this man is like standing in front of a loaded gun pointed at my face.

When he decides to pull the trigger, my life will probably end.