Page 44 of Captive

I stand up and push the chair back into place. A high end prostitution ring. Fuck. The only light of hope was that they dropped the last girl back on the streets when she didn't work out. If that was the case, I was sure Ten would know exactly what to do to get herself out. I just needed to teach myself patience and wait it out.Right.

My laugh echoes through the hallway as I head back to mydesk.

30

Angie

Ifeel almostlike a tiny kitten who has just opened her eyes for the first time as I walk several hesitant steps behind Blake to what I can only assume is the main entertainment room. As we near two large mahogany doors, I can hear music and voices mingling behind them. A pair of aspirin has done little to squelch the pain in my head, and I have to consciously avoid rubbing my skin. As I learned just after Blake finished dressing me, the more I rub the more the invisible critters crawl. The idea that a person could rub their skin raw during withdrawals now seemed perfectlyplausible.

Blake stops and looks back at me. I hate the constant look of worry I've seen on his face since I decided to skip an injection. "Are you ready?" he asks but seems unsurehimself.

"Yes, let's rip the bandage off." I add a smile to reassure him I can pull this off. It's the first time I have had any shred of confidence since I walked into the place. Maybe it's just because people from the outside world are waiting on the other side of the door to remind me that it all still exists. Or maybe it's because effects of the nectar are fading fast, leaving me a clear thinking human for achange.

Blake opens the door. A handful of the people look up to see who has entered. There are at least a dozen young women, some wearing skimpy lingerie, some in satiny bras and underwear and some completely naked. My extremely short, sleeveless dress looks like a priest's garment compared to theothers.

About ten men are sitting in various places around the room with their highball glasses and important looking suits and ties. Their formal business attire is nearly comical considering the room is dotted with scantily clad and naked women. Some women sit on laps. Others are draped provocatively over arms of leather chairs or backs of upholstered settees. The only stark contrast to the sensual festivities are the two guards, one at each side of the room. Each one is well over six feet tall and with shoulders to match. They are dressed head to toe in black and standing still as statues with arms crossed as they watch the party in front of them. Blake had mentioned that the members were kept in line so that none of the women gothurt.

A table is overflowing with sumptuous dishes of lobster and prime rib. My stomach curls up to remind me how empty it is, but at the same time, my appetite hasn'treturned.

A pretty woman with pale blonde hair piled up on her head and a butterfly tattoo on her right breast sashays across the room to us wearing only the leather cuffs and anklets. She stops and licks her lip as she looks me up and down. "My gosh, Blake, she looks ready to go toconfession."

"I was following orders," he says quickly, apparently hoping I'll miss the comment.Orderscan only come from one source. That I learned on dayone.

"Really? Guess he doesn't want anyone else looking." The woman continues the topic, making Blake fidget. He reaches back and grabs my hand. "Excuse us, Eve. I'm going to get Tawny adrink."

Blake hustles meaway.

"Am I not supposed to talk toanyone?"

"Not Eve. She's toxic." That's his only comment about Eve. He hands me a whiskey sour. I crinkle my nose at the drink. He leans closer. "Darlin', you're still in pretty solid shape, but you're going to start missing that last dose more and more. And I don't want to get introuble."

I stare angrily at him and gulp the horrid tasting drink like a kid finally giving in and finishing the glass of milk that came with dinner. I wince as I pull the glass away. "God, that'sstrong."

"Good, drink some more. I've got to go. Mr. Freestone doesn't like me hanging around the clubevents."

"So you're leaving me out here alone with the wolves?" As I finish my statement, I catch a rude tongue lick being cast my direction from a small squat man sitting on the couch. There's a brunette on his knee dressed only in satin panties. He's clutching her waist as if he owns her. At the same time, he's making lascivious gestures across the room at me. The brunette doesn't seem to mind. She laughs when she catches him with his tongue out. She smiles my direction and then leans and whispers something into his ear. Whatever she says seems to excitehim.

I look away from the couple and catch Blake just as he's about to turn away. "Where is Mr. Freestone? I thought I'd see him tonight." I hope I'm only imagining the slight desperation in my tone. I've been trying hard not to think of the man. Not having the nectar has helped some, but suddenly I wish he was standing in theroom.

"He'll be here soon, which is why I have togo."

As he speaks, a man, who looks fortyish and like the kind of guy who wakes on Sunday morning to make pancakes for the kids, strolls past us. He has playfully bound his necktie around one of the women's eyes. She is giggling as he leads her out of theroom.

"Avoid the squat guy with the brunette over there. They are hatching a plan for a threesome. You're part of that number." The mention of the threesome should be the stunning part of his comment but something else has grippedme.

I grab Blake's arm before he turns away. "So that's it then? He's grown tired of me after all. Is that why I'm here? You can tell me, Blake. I can take it." I know the last sentence is a lie, but I try to make itconvincing.

"If only that were the case," Blake says quietly before pulling free from my franticgrasp.

My only friend vacates the room, leaving me alone in the middle of what seems to be nothing more than a high end brothel, but with one magnificent perk—the women are buzzing on a powerful aphrodisiac. Paying customers are hanging out, getting drunk and deciding which woman to whisk off for the night. I wonder just how much the fee is to be part of Kane's private club. My mind is still muddled but I know two men were bludgeoned to death in their expensive houses. Were they ex-members who threatened to reveal the entire scheme? It seemed that they'd keep quiet just to keep their own reputations intact. What exactly did they do to get their heads bashed in and who did the bashing? Was it Kane or one of the muscular body guards at each side of theroom?

"You must be the new little treasure Freestone's been keeping to himself," a voice says from behind. I turn to face the man. He's middle aged with a paunch to match. His dark moustache looks almost fake as if it's been stuck there with a piece of tape. He looks me up and down in a way that brings a bitter taste to my mouth. I'm clearly not drunk enough. It's easy to see why the nectar is a necessity. The man has apparently been eating something with garlic. His breath is so strong it makes my eyeswater.

"I'm glad he's finally decided to share you with the rest of the club. I saw you and decided to swoop in before anyone else movedfirst."

"I think I'm here strictly as Mr. Freestone'sguest."

A laugh comes from the other side of me. It's toxic Eve. "What makes you so special, honey?" she sneers. "If you're at the party, then you're here for the club members. Besides, I'm surprised you kept his interest this long. You're far too skinny and just not thatpretty."

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