Page 8 of Unholy Cross

“You can’t be traced to anything,” he assured her.

She let out a big, dramatic sigh and shot Lorelei another look.“You two can take the spare room on one condition.I don’t want to hear any of your sex noises.Okay?I need my beauty sleep.”

Heat spread across Lorelei’s cheeks and she ducked her head.Cross was a handsome, sexy man.No way he’d ever want a nobody like her.No ass, small boobs, without hips to hold onto, she was brutally honest with herself that she was nothing special.

“Crude, Jessica,” Cross said as the older woman scooted to one side, allowing them to enter.

While holding onto her hand, Cross led her up a set of stairs where a door was left open.Lorelei glanced behind her as they entered the apartment, and Jessica threw her a wink.The heavy acrid smell of cigarettes clung to the interior, causing her to wrinkle her nose.It seemed Cross knew where to go, and led her down a short hallway, past a bathroom, to a bedroom.

“G’night, Jessica,” Cross called out and closed the door before the older woman could make a response.“You’ll get used to the smell.”

Her eyes widened.How did he know what she was thinking?

“You have a very expressive face,” he said.“You want a shower or just sleep?”

She folded her hands together as if praying and held it against the side of her face to signify sleeping.

“Yeah, me too,” he muttered.

Again, there was only one bed, and she felt bad that he had slept in a chair.So, she pointed to him and then pointed to the bed.He settled his hands on his hips.

“I’ll sleep in the bed if you sleep with me.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“And I meant sleep as in sleep,” he elaborated.“Get your mind out of the gutter.”

She pointed to herself and then rolled her eyes.Amusement lit up his eyes, but it didn’t reach his lips.Cross, she was quickly discovering, was one of those people who liked to keep things close to the vest.She bet he rarely ever smiled.

“Go use the restroom,” he instructed.“I’ll go after you.”

Slipping the duffel off, she left the room to go pee.After doing her business, she washed her hands, not bothering to look in the mirror.She was pretty sure she looked like death warmed over.Entering the bedroom again, she crawled onto the bed.Bone-weary, she closed her eyes, not caring if she slipped under the covers or not.A moment later, the bed dipped and she rolled toward Cross’s large body.He wrapped her up in his arms, and the next moment, cocooned in warmth, she was out.

****

The nightmare foundher again.

Hands reached for her, yanking her from her bed and tying up her arms.Gagging her to silence her screams.She was dragged away from her home and thrown onto a stage where she became one more girl sold to the highest bidder.

Only this time, the person holding her down was the man she killed, with the rod sticking out of his eye socket.The image burned through dreamland and jerked her awake.Lorelei sat up, heart pounding in her chest.It took a moment to realize she was safe.That she wasn’t locked in her cell, trying to hide from the ever-present stare of the camera lens.

Long shadows decorated each corner of the bedroom.Lorelei stretched as she remembered she and Cross had taken refuge with Jessica.She squinted to read the clock and realized she must have slept through the day because it was already early evening.Rising, she headed out of the bedroom, looking for Cross, but the apartment was empty.Needing to empty her bladder, she closed the door to the bathroom and saw a folded towel, washcloth, and new soap on the counter.A sticky-note rested on top letting her know she was free to use the shower.

She quickly peeled off her clothes and turned the water to a temperature just above scalding.The heavenly hot water poured down her sore body.Easing the aches and pains.Once she washed her hair and was thoroughly clean, she exited the shower.Steam blanketed the air, so she grabbed her clothes and went back to the bedroom to dress.The cool air caused goose bumps to rise on her skin.In the duffel was a hairbrush and a few scrunchies, so she braided her wet hair and went in search of Cross.

Lorelei noticed another door at the bottom of the staircase and opened it.The chatter of voices drew her forward and she realized it led to some type of dressing room.She halted as she saw some women half-dressed, standing around in thongs with tassels on their nipples.A few others wore sheer robes that ended at the knees.One by one, they stopped talking and turned toward her with questioning looks on their faces.

“Who are you?”one asked, looking her up and down.“Hate to break it to you, kid, but men like a little meat on their bones.”

There were a few snickers.

“How old are you?”another woman asked.“Are you even legal to be in a strip bar?”

Lorelei touched her throat and shook her head.

One dancer cocked her head.“You can’t talk?Are you mute?”

She nodded and saw a few of their stares turn into pity.

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