“...scheduled port still confirmed?” Joel’s voice crackles.
The captain’s voice, lower and unhurried, answers, “We’re on time. No deviations yet. Everything is going as planned. We have just dropped the internet out to ensure no contact is made outside.”
I freeze.
What the fuck is he talking about?
“Good. The girls are going to have a problem with the internet, how do you plan on handling that?”
“I’ll tell them there has been a technical error, and we will fix it when we dock.”
“Very good,” Joel murmurs. “We can’t risk this going wrong. Bentley has invested basically everything into ensuring those girls arrive where we need them, they are worth more than you are, so don’t make any mistakes.”
“I hear you, loud and clear. I will let you know if we run into any troubles, but so far, they have no idea we’re not going where we promised.”
My skin prickles, like an uncomfortable bug crawling over my flesh.
I feel like I can’t breathe, hell, maybe I’m not.
“Are you confident in the security detail? We don’t need to run into any problems. I would have screened them better, but Bentley was adamant we were out of time.”
“No issues. They are doing their job.”
Joel makes a pleased sound. “And you’re certain the girls don’t suspect anything?”
The captain grunts. “They still think this is some little luxury reward vacation that Bentley provided for all their hard work. They have no idea they are going to be sold to a bunch of creepy, perverted fucks for a fuck load of money.”
“Can you believe that man is actually sellin’ his own fucking kid. That is something.”
I might vomit.
“Yeah, he’s a cold motherfucker. But you can tell him everything is on track.”
Joel grunts, again, sounding pleased. “Good, keep it that way. If chaos unleashes, this whole plan will be ruined. Those girls are worth a fortune and if anything goes wrong, you’re going to suffer for it.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll check in again later tonight. No more calls until then.”
The line clicks off. I feel nausea climb my throat, not from seasickness or alcohol this time.
What the fuck is happening?
What does he mean we’re worth a fortune and we are being sold for money? Where the fuck are they taking us? Is this some sort of brand deal? Are they selling us to some kind of dancinginstitution? I don’t understand. Surely it doesn’t mean what it sounds like. My heart is slamming against my ribcage, but I know I need to move. If the captain opens the door right now, he will see me, and I will have no excuse for being here. I backpedal, soft as I can, until I’m around the corner, my breath coming short and sharp.
Bile burns my throat. I want to run to my room, lock the door, but instead I hurry up to the deck, praying Aggie’s still there, because I don’t know what the hell we’re supposed to do now. If they’re going to sell us, that can only mean one thing, right? Trafficking. Why would my father sell his only daughter, though? Maybe I got it wrong, either way I need to talk to the girls about it.
Aggie’s on her phone, muttering curses at the dead connection. When she sees my face, she sits up straight. “What happened? You look like you saw a ghost.”
I drop into the chair beside her and try to keep my voice steady. “I just heard the captain talking to Joel.”
“Joel?” Aggie repeats. “As in that sniffling little rat of an assistant your father hired?”
I nod.
“Aggie, they’re not taking us wherever we were supposed to go. They said something about a transfer and selling us. About us being worth a fortune. About security making sure we stay put.”
Aggie blinks in confusion. “What? You’re not making any sense.”
