Chapter 21
Out of the frying pan,
Zelda
I shot Lily a warning glance the moment the word “strippers” left his mouth. Did he just refer to us as strippers? Now I was even angrier than how I was earlier that day when I saw saw Julian walking in with Chloe. This was worse. And thatbitch named Melinda. Of all the things Melinda could have thrown at me today, she just had to send us to these degenerates.
“Well?” The bearded one – Alan, I assumed because I read his file briefly – slouched deeper into his
leather chair and waved his empty glass at us.
“Don’t just stand there. Pour us a drink,” his eyes were especially on me, raking over me in a way that
made me want to shower for a week.
“Who the hell do these people think we are?” I grunted through clenched teeth. My hands were already
curling into fists when Lily’s fingers wrapped around my wrist.
“Just play along,” she whispered tightly. “For the contract. We need this.” I could hear the tremor in her voice as well, which meant she was just as disgusted as I was. But this is playing along game, I knew it
wasn’t going to end up good for us.
The walk to their makeshift bar felt like walking through molasses. Every bottle I touched made my skin crawl, knowing what was coming. The amber liquid sloshed against the crystal as my shaking hands attempted to pour their drinks. My father would be rolling in his grave if he could see what his company had become; doing business with men like this.
“Bring those over here, beautiful,” Alan called out, patting his knee with a grin that belonged in a shark tank. His brother, whose name I didn’t remember and didn’t care to recall, watched us with glassy eyes
that held nothing but bad intentions.
I tried to just hand Alan his drink, but he quickly pulled out his arm, wrapped it around my waist and yanked me down. The stench of stale whiskey and cheap cigars invaded my nostrils as I landed awkwardly in his lap.
My fists clenched so tight I could feel my nails cutting into my palms.
“Drink up.” He thrust the glass foward my face, some of the liquid dripping on my blouse.
“Consider it a welcome gift
No, I’ve had enough now. I couldn’t take this insult anymore. And so I jumped to my feet immediately,
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Chapter 21
angry.
“Are you insa-“
“I’ll drink it!” I suddenly heard Lily, causing me to turn my head in surprise. I gave her a look that said ‘what the hell are you doing?’ But it seemed her mind was made up already.
The other brother’s laugh was ugly and wet.”
“Now that’s what I like to see. Enthusiasm.”
Alan’s eyes never left me as he addressed Lily. “But you gotta earn that drink, sweetheart. Come sit right here first,” he patted his thighs with a leer that made bile rise in my throat.
I watched in growing horror as Lily moved towards him, her steps small and hesitant. What was she doing? She perched on the edge of his legs like a bird ready to take flight, and I could see her hands shaking as she raised the glass to her lips.
The moment she finished and tried to stand, his hands clamped down on her hips, dragging her back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” His fingers started wandering, grabbing and groping while Lily struggled to break free. The sound of tearing fabric split the air as she twisted away. Her shirt was ripped
at the shoulder.
The sight of her exposed skin and the fear in her eyes snapped something inside me. My hand found the neck of a nearby bottle before my brain could even catch up with my body and I raised raised it like a club, ready to aim at that scrunched up head of his.
“Get your fucking hands off her. Now!” I shouted in a deadly tone, even as I was vibrating with a lot of emotions that included fear. But right then and there, I didn’t care about contracts or companies or anything except wiping that smug look off his face with the bottle in my hand.
As I was about to make a swing, Alan’s brother grabbed my hand forcefully.
“Teisty bitch, aren’t you?” His breath was hot against my ear, making my skin crawl. But he’d forgotten one thing… I still had the bottle.
I swung it backward with all my strength, feeling it shatter against his chest. He howled, his grip loosening just enough for me to take advantage of his pain. I spun around and swung the broken bottle at Alan, who was still struggling with Lily. The jagged edge caught his arm, drawing blood.
“Run!” I screamed at Lily, grabbing her hand and yanking her toward the door. We burst into the hallway, our heels clicking frantically against the floor.
Behind us, I could hear cursing and the sound of furniture scraping.
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Chapter 21
“Get them!” Alan’s voice boomed. “Don’t let them leavel”
We made it halfway down the corridor before the thunder of footsteps told me security was coming, Lily suddenly pulled me to a stop, her face pale but determined.
“You need to go,” she said, pushing me toward the exit. “Get out of here, call the police. I’ll hold them off.”
“Are you insane? I’m not leaving you!”
“I can handle myself.” She gave me another push. “Go!”
Before I could argue further, two men in black suits rounded the corner. Lily planted herself in their path, but one of them simply shoved her aside.
The first guard reached for me, and I ducked, but the second one’s fist caught me across the face. Pain exploded in my cheek as I staggered backward. Through watering eyes, I saw Alan and his brother approaching, their faces twisted with rage.
“You’re really going to pay for that,” Alan growled, as he reached for my blouse. The fabric ripped as I twisted away, but the guard behind me grabbed my arms.
I didn’t know how it happened, but I sank my teeth deep into the guard’s wrist until I tasted tastied blood. He grunted and cursed in pain, releasing me just long enough for me to break free.
Iran. Ran the fastest I’ve ever done and not caring where I was going. Every door I passed was locked and footsteps were getting closer. At the end of the hallway I noticed an open window.
A
We were on the second floor, I would get hurt to some extent if I jumped but I didn’t let think too much about it. I climbed up the sill. The ground seemed miles away, and my stomach lurched. But I could hear them getting closer, could still feel phantom hands grabbing at me.
I jumped.
Everything around me spun as warm wind rushed past my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the impact that would surely shatter my legs.
But it didn’t. I had madness into someone, whose arms had caught me. The scent of cedar
cologne immediately filled my lungs.
and expensive
