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“I will never be okay with this. Never. You may have control of me now, Mother, but I will find a way out of this family.”
Harlow got lucky that night. The man that wanted her was old and couldn’t perform any longer. He just wanted to watch her touch herself. It was creepy and disgusting, but if she closed her eyes, it was alright. She made it through.
At university, she was safe and removed from her crazed parents. No matter what she told them, they continued to buy the expensive cars and homes. She warned them that she would find a way out, find a way to escape their control, and then they’d have no one to use as a pawn in their game. When she left, they would be placing themselves forever in Eddie Quinn’s debt.
Three more times, she was forced to attend his parties, and each time, she was luckier than others. She could leave by her own power. Still ashamed, still disgusted, but whole and in one piece.
It had been a year since they’d called her. A year that she was able to avoid her parents and have what she believed was a normal life.
When they showed up at her doorstep late one Friday, she knew what they wanted.
“We promise this will be the last time,” said her mother.
“No. No, I won’t do it!”
“He’ll kill us,” said her father. “I’m sorry, Harlow, but this time he’ll definitely kill us. You have to do this. There’s a man that wants you, and only you. He’s a very important man in Washington, and this might turn into something long-term, something permanent for you.”
“Are you insane? Something long-term? I don’t want anything long-term with this man or any man. I don’t care if he kills you. It doesn’t matter to me at all,” she ground out. “I will not do this. I’m just getting serious with Jamie. I can’t do this to him.”
“He won’t know,” said her mother, looking away from her.
It didn’t matter how much she protested. They pressed her further, handing her a custom-made gown. She looked over their shoulder and saw one of Quinn’s bodyguards standing next to the limo. She would be forced to go if she didn’t do this under her own power.
“If you ever come to me again, I will call the police and tell them everything. I’d rather be dead than do this again. Your sick little games and problems are just that. Yours. Do not ever come to my doorstep again.”
“You selfish child! He’ll kill your father and I.”
“I. Don’t. Care. How’s that for selfish, Mother? You made this disgusting bed. You’ll have to lie in it after tonight. Not me.”
She stormed into her bedroom, not even bothering to fix her hair. She wore the ridiculously expensive gown, put on one of her mother’s fur coats, and drove to Eddie Quinn’s mansion with her parents.
It was more crowded than usual, and the clientele looked very different. These weren’t old men who wanted to watch. These were young men looking to release some aggression and sexual tension. She’d seen that look before, and she did not want to be here.
“Mom, I don’t want to be here. Don’t do this to me. You know what he’s going to do to me. Please, let me leave. Tell them I ran. Lie to them, please,” said the young woman.
“Listen to me. You are going to do this for your father and me. We’ve given you a great life, and if you want to continue with that life, then you have to be here. Quinn isn’t going to touch you tonight.”
“No, but these other letches are,” she frowned. “I’ve done my duty, Mom. This is my fourth party of his, and I’m done. I have a boyfriend now, and I do not want to tell him about this.”
“You’ll tell no one,” said her mother, gripping her upper arm.
Out of nowhere, a tall, dark-haired man with caramel skin wove through the crowd. There was a large man with a beard glaring at her mother, and she dared to hope he might help. When the younger man approached, he took her hand, pulling her away from her mother and tucking her beneath an iron bicep.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I thought the young lady might like to see the tree in the library.”
“Oh. Oh, yes,” smiled her mother.
Harlow could only glare at her mother, tears filling her eyes, but she nodded, taking the man’s hand. As they left the main living area, another man followed them, and Harlow was feeling intense panic in her chest. One man was bad enough, but if she had to have two men touching her tonight, she wasn’t sure she could handle it.
He closed the library doors, then turned, taking an odd stance as another man came into the room.
“Hello, Nate,” grinned Tobias.
“Fucking asshole. You scared the shit out of me. I thought I’d have to kill you, too.”
“Please, please don’t hurt me,” pleaded Harlow. “I can’t do this. Please don’t make me do this. It’s my parents. They’re forcing me.”
“Sweet girl, I’m not going to hurt you. My car is right out that door,” he said, pointing to the side door. “White Mercedes with tan interior. License plate is on the keys. You take the car and get as far from here as you can. There’s an envelope in the armrest with ten thousand in it. It will get you away from your family. Once you find a place where you can leave the car, send a text to this number.” He handed her a white card with a number, and she stared at him.
