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This time, I press a hand to her back and push her forward. She walks slowly to the center of the room, her hands shaking.
The men are harshest on her. Probably because of her meltdown the night before.
Rather than anything sexual, they demean Maddie in whatever way they can.
She licks the bottom of shoes, slaps herself in the face, and tries endlessly to complete a cartwheel, each time landing in a crumpled pile on the floor that looks more and more painful with each attempt, her dress hiked above to expose her lace panties to the beasts gathered closely around her.
When the five minutes are up, Edgar openly grimaces as she passes him. Maddie is near tears.
I reach out to comfort her when she returns, but she pulls away from my touch and wraps her arms around herself. Bruises are already forming on her legs.
After that, it is only ten minutes before Edgar claps his hands and grins at the crowd. “We’ve saved the best for last.” He turns to me and winks.
“Number Seven, come on down.”
13
Luka
Watching Eve walk into the center of the room is like watching her move in front of a firing squad.
Every man in the room sits a little taller, eager for her performance.
The game is sick. The things they’ve been having these women do are childish and demeaning—of no real use to anyone making a purchase. It is just a way to give these sick men a sense of power over women since, apparently, they can’t get it in their normal lives.
But, silly tasks or not, I can’t stand by and watch Eve be humiliated.
Eve and I talked this morning about staying away from one another and trying to look less interested, but that was before I knew she’d be at the mercy of these animals.
She doesn’t look at me as she moves to the center of the room, and I am certain everyone in the room can feel the tension emanating off me. I’m practically vibrating with it.
I have to stop this. I have to end it now.
“Your five minutes …” Edgar says, looking down at his watch, “begin now.”
Fox-Face opens his mouth immediately, but before he can get a word out, I find myself speaking. “Pretend you’re doing a strip tease without taking off your clothes. For one full minute.”
Fox-Face snaps around to glare at me, his mouth turned down in a frown.
Eve doesn’t look at me, but she begins to sway her hips to an imaginary beat, drawing every eye in the room in the process as her arms lift and she moves gracefully. I want to kill every man looking at her, but it’s better than some of the tasks other men gave previous women, and it seems authentic.
Edgar watches the time and the men grow restless as the seconds tick past. I, however, am scrolling through my brain for another task. Anything to keep her from exposing herself to these bastards.
I’m counting along with the seconds and studying Edgar, and as soon as he lifts his head to announce the minute is up, I call out another order.
“Sing something sultry. Provide the music for your earlier strip tease. Make it as good as the dance.”
There are audible groans now, and Edgar narrows his eyes at me before nodding for Eve to go ahead and complete the order.
She is not the most incredible singer, but she picks a sexy song and draws out every line slowly and sensuously, once again managing to captivate the entire room. Thankfully, she makes the song last just over two minutes, meaning there are only two minutes left in her allotted time.
As she hits the final note, I try to call out once more, but the man in the maroon mask beats me to it.
“Pose on hands and knees like the dog you are,” he says, pointing to the floor directly in front of him.
For the first time, Eve looks at me and a wave of guilt washes through me.
I let her down. I wasn’t fast enough.
