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Thirty-Five
Seb
When Jamie returns from the toilet, she’s smiling about something, but she doesn’t tell me, instead she kisses me to shut me up, I’m sure. I will get it out of her later—In the bedroom.
Most of the crowd have already gone up to the VIP floor, so we make our way towards the door. The guard there watches as we approach, eyeing Jamie in particular, and my jaw tightens as trepidation swirls in my gut.
Jamie’s smile has been replaced by tight lips and low brows, but she lifts her chin as she slips her hand in the crook of my arm. Jay walks to the other side of her and leans down to whisper something in her ear, and her pursed lips loosen into a small, but strained, smile.
My eyes dart around the room, and I can almost feel the half dozen eyes I know are watching us, and I get the feeling we’ve been busted. We’re not going to be allowed up those stairs.
Swallowing down my concerns, I shutter my emotions. I can do this. I’ve done it a hundred times before and this is no different. Only that little voice in the back of mind won’t shut up. This is different. You love her. She could get hurt. I slam the door in its face because that will never happen. I won’t fucking allow it.
Jay’s voice breaks me from my thoughts as he greets the guard and asks where Tank is tonight. I haven’t seen him all night and is a question I would’ve asked myself.
The guards face barely moves as he tells Jay that Tank is working the floor upstairs tonight. I detect a hint of jealousy about that, but who knows with this beefcake. His whole demeanour screams I’m a grumpy arsehole.
As we go to walk up the stairs, he stops us.
“You,” he says pointing to Jamie. “I need to search you before you can pass.”
I grit my teeth and am just about to knock this fucker’s out, but Jamie squeezes my arm, letting me know it’s okay. But it’s not fucking okay. I haven’t seen him search one other person that’s gone up those stairs, so what the fuck is going on.
Jamie releases my arm and steps forward, spreading her arms out to the side. The guard scans her face, down her neck, then runs a hand up each arm, across her shoulders before dropping them to below her arms and doing the same down her ribs, slowing down as they pass her breasts, and I watch as a smirk lifts the corner of his mouth. My hands curl into tight fists that are burning to damage this arsehole’s face, but I don’t. Instead, I remain still, quietly seething with rage until he’s finished, and if I hadn’t been concentrating so hard on his face and imagining it breaking under my fists, I would have missed the imperceptible nod of his head.
I don’t turn around even though I know someone important is watching from behind us and just gave permission for us to go upstairs. But I can’t help pausing as I pass him and say, “Touch what’s mine again and I’ll cut off your fucking hands.” His eyes widen as a snarl rips from him, but he doesn’t move toward me, instead he steps aside.
The whole floor has been transformed from the night of Dana’s birthday. Jamie doesn’t know, but I came up here that night and watched her from the shadows. Tonight though, this floor isn’t so much a club but something out of a fashion show with its catwalk that runs the length of the room. There are even chairs set out along each side, where the buyers can get a good look at the girls on sale.
From the corner of my eye, I can see Jamie’s nose scrunch up in disgust and hear her curse under her breath.
“You okay?” It’s a lame question because I know she’s not really and is putting on a brave face. I just hope she can keep it up when the girls come out.
“I’m fine.”
Those are two words no woman ever said and meant, but I don’t push it. Spotting some empty seats, I steer her that way, and we sit down just as the lights dim and several spotlights come on, lighting the catwalk.
A voice greeting everyone echoes around the room, and I take the opportunity to scan the floor and note there are guards at each door on this floor and more on the only other exit. Still no sign of Tank, and that’s a concern because if there’s anyone in this place who might be half decent it’s him.
A door at the end of the walkway opens and a guy leads a girl out. And that’s exactly what she is. Nothing more than eighteen, wearing only underwear, eyes half closed and barely able to stand. He walks her up the walkway toward us, and I feel Jamie tense beside me, but she keeps her eyes forward. Her hands are in her lap, twisting round and round each other, and I reach out and grab one, bringing it to rest on my thigh, slipping my fingers between hers.
We watch as she’s paraded up and down while these sick cunts place bid after bid on her, and I feel sick to my stomach and can’t imagine what Jamie must be feeling. Finally, the bids end when a guy across from us buys her for a measly couple of grand.
As the fourth girl is brought out, I recognise her immediately. I don’t know how, but Jamie knew too.
“That’s her, isn’t it?” I give a nod as we watch her walk unaided down the catwalk.
She looks in better shape than I feared, although she’s sporting a few bruises, and she doesn’t have the same glassy eyed look the other girls had. As the bids begin, a man a couple of seats along from us makes his bid, and as I look down the row, I realise it’s the bastard she was running from the night we first saw her.
Jamie’s eyes follow mine before she leans in and whispers, “Bid on her.” I jerk back from her like she slapped me. “You need her, right?” I nod. “So bid on her, Seb.”
“Fuck no!” I whisper shout, looking right at her with a deep scowl. I see the moment she makes the decision, and she keeps her eyes on mine as she shouts out her bid.
My eyes burn the side of her face as she turns to look at Natalia as she passes by again. I look over to Jay, hoping to see that he thinks Jamie’s lost her damn mind like I do, but the bastard just gives me a quirk of his brow and that ridiculous smirk.
Jamie continues to bid, and we aren’t talking small change, until eventually, it’s just her and the fucker along the row. When Jamie places her next bid, his head swings this way, and she turns, tilting her head as though daring him. He just watches her, and just when I think he’s going to bid the voice calls out, ‘sold to the redhead in row three’. His eyes turn dark, and rage rims then like the fires of hell, but Jamie just lifts her middle finger to him, kissing the tip.
Jay laughs, but me, I’m stunned and pissed she’d be so fucking stupid. What the hell was she thinking? I slap a fake as fuck smile on my face as people turn to look at us, but inside I’m seething with rage at her.
