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Instead of taking me to the lounge like every other morning, Kari takes me to the back of the inn where the servants’ quarters are. When we get there, the slaves are all gathered in one central room with concrete walls. Edgar is counting heads and then nods when he counts me and realizes we are at thirteen.
“We are meeting here today because I want to give you all a moment to gather yourselves and perhaps even practice a little bit.”
I look around and realize everyone is wearing the same thing today. The virgins are still in purple and everyone else is in red, but we are all wearing the same short robes and high boots.
“Today is about performing,” Edgar says. “Every day has been a performance, but now that the week is nearing the end, you want to do whatever you can to ensure these men want to bid on you.”
Or else you’ll be killed.
The words hang unspoken over the room.
“You need to show these men how willing and eager you are to please them. So, one by one, you are going to do your best to please me.”
Up until this morning, I knew Edgar was a monster simply because he was involved with the Cartel, but he was a strangely sexless part of the operation. Now, however, I can see the lust in his eyes as he scans the women in front of him.
He nods for Number One to step forward as he sits down in a chair. He directs her movements until she is straddling him and circling her hips on top of him.
It is obvious how much he is enjoying it when the girl stands up. The bulge in his pants is hard to miss.
Just as he said, one by one the women come forward and do whatever he says. Some of them kneel in front of him and massage his thighs as Kari mentioned. Others suck on his earlobe and kiss his neck.
The rule all week has been to avoid anything explicitly sexual, but clearly that rule does not apply to today’s activity.
When he gets to Maddie, she steps forward on trembling legs.
“Hurry up,” he commands, waving her forward impatiently.
He commands her onto her knees, which she obeys, but then he tells her to unzip his pants.
All of the air seems to escape from the room. I feel frozen, and Maddie must feel the same because she doesn’t move. She doesn’t even appear to breathe.
“Now,” Edgar demands.
Maddie jumps and then reaches for his crotch. When her hand brushes along the front of his pants, Edgar groans slightly, and Maddie pulls back, covering her face with her hands and whimpering.
“Not again!” he shouts, flinging his arms to the side in frustration. “You haven’t pulled yourself together yet? There are only two days left in the auction. Do you want to be the last woman left standing after everyone else is gone?”
Maddie’s shoulders begin to shake. Her sobs start quietly but grow in volume as her emotions take over.
Edgar stands up and kicks at her, softly at first. But just like Maddie’s crying, his anger only grows. His second kick is a lot harder, and it sends her splaying across the concrete.
“I’m sorry,” Maddie sobs, wiping at her eyes with the backs of her hands, smearing her makeup. “I’ll do it. Sit down, and I’ll do it.”
“I give the orders,” Edgar says to Maddie and the rest of the room.
He grabs her by the front of her shirt and pulls her to standing only to pull his hand back and crack it down hard across her cheek. She slumps to the floor again, and I can’t watch another second.
I dart from my spot in the line and reach for Maddie, but before I can, Edgar hits me too.
The slap stings across my cheek, and I barely have time to react before he wraps his hand around my arm so tightly I wince and begins dragging me back into line.
“And you,” he growls through gritted teeth. “You are worth a lot of money, but I’ve had enough of your insubordination.”
He pushes me back into position and lifts his hand like he is going to hit me, but he doesn’t. He takes a deep breath and then lowers his hand to his side, smoothing down his shirt and vest.
“You deserve a more thorough punishment, but you are as good as another man’s property at this point,” he says, glaring at me. “I wouldn’t want to damage you before the purchase is final.”
