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My own neck cracks as I pull in a few breaths to calm me down, and I look back at them both. They’re over by the wall, both of them looking scared, but at least Miri’s not crying anymore. Naja looks at me, uses those eyes of hers to full effect to say thank you maybe, but she’s as wary of me as I’ve ever seen her now. I get that, but this is who I am when these Cortez lot aren’t around to spoil my own sense of fun.
“You both need to go and get dressed,” I mutter. “Carry on as normal.”
“But,” she looks back towards the door Elias is now in, “what’s happening up there? None of us understand.”
“You’re being sold. Act like you don’t know that and don't tell the others.”
Mira starts sobbing again, and Naja just stares at me. “Sold?”
“Yes. And I need the time. Do as you’re told.”
“Time for what?”
I move, grab her neck, and kiss her to try telling her what I mean. Fuck knows what I mean in reality. We don’t have any time other than about four minutes per girl per dance, but I need to make the most of that time to organise whatever I’m about to do.
She gazes up at me as I let her go, grabs hold of Miri again.
“Go, Naja. Trust me. Just do your job.”
She takes one last look at me, smiles slightly, then turns and hurries them both back towards where they’re supposed to be.
CHAPTER TWELVE
NAJA
Just do your job. Just do your job.
The words play in my head as I cling to Miri. Her sobs have only quietened, and I can still feel her body quake and tremble against mine, as she struggles to process what’s happening.
Do your job.
We weren’t here to work. We shouldn’t be here at all, but that’s not stopped anything we’ve been through so far.
“Sold?” Miri whispers through her shakes.
“Shh,” I hush her. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” I pull her close as we sit and wait in the room the trainer left us in.
I squeeze my eyes shut, but as I do, the vision of Jackson, his hands around Elias’ neck, springs forward. The strength in his hands, the callous look on his face as he choked the life from him.
I didn’t want him to stop. All I could think was that he’d never be able to hurt Miri again, but that was only for a second.
A second.
And then his body slumped like a heavy sack against the floor, and reality swept back in. Jackson killed someone.
“What’s wrong with her?” I open my eyes and see one of the other girls standing over us. She’s never said much to us during our time here, and as I look at her, I hope it’s concern I see in her eyes.
“What do you think?” I say protectively, pulling Miri in closer. “Come on.” I pull Miri up, and I take her over to the small counter with a vanity and makeup.
She sits down on the plastic chair, and her vacant reflection, smeared with blood, stares back at me in the mirror. It reminds me that everything I’ve done is for her.
For us. And that includes sleeping with Jackson.
It was my job, as he so calmly told me to get on and do.
The other girl still hovers as if we have answers to her unspoken questions. And we do. But I’m not about to mess up our one and only chance, even if it’s a slim one.
“You know it’s only a matter of time.” I hold her stare. My voice holds an air of warning, and I hope she heeds the message. We all need to.
