Dark Boundaries (10 page)

Chapter Twenty Three

Garrett~

I can kill that fucker for touching her! Anger burns hot in my chest as I take Kris back to the container. I close the door behind us and drop to my knees. I grab her to me, feeling like shit.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t see until it was too late. I’m sorry, Kris.” I need to hear her tell me it’s okay, that she’s okay.

“Just hold me a bit, please,” she begs instead of screaming at me.

I hold her so tight I feel her body imprinting on mine.

“We leave tonight, Kris. You won’t have to see them ever again after the auction. Tomorrow it all ends,” I can’t keep the exhaustion from seeping into my voice.

I stay with her until it’s time to leave. I don’t trust these horny dicks close to her. Bill comes to the container throwing a new dress at her. “Get the merchandise ready. We leave in ten minutes.”

“Sure thing,” I answer quickly to keep the man happy. I grab the dress and shove it at Kris. I wait with her while she gets dressed. The man’s taste in dresses sucks. The thing has a wide black skirt and some shiny greenish top. It gives her one hell of a cleavage though.

“Let’s go, Kris.” I take hold of the leash and as she drops to her knees, I take hold of her arm, stopping her midway. “You can’t crawl in that. Just stay behind me.”

She straightens back out and when I turn around I feel her right at my back. I meet Justin, Warren and Bill at the van and load Kris into the back with Riza.

“This is it boys,” Bill chuckles and I struggle to smile along with him. “Tomorrow is pay day. Let’s get the merchandise to the auction. Follow behind us.” He points a thumb to Warren and I’m just glad they’re not squeezing into the van with us. There’s only so much space.

We take the long drive back to Vegas, and reach the club just after midnight. We park at the back. I watch a girl being taken inside and excitement starts to bloom in my chest.

“Andrea can already be here!” Justin says, sounding just as excited. “If she is, we grab and run.”

I shake my head. “Don’t act too fast. We don’t want to endanger her. Let’s see how it all plays out.”

We get out and let the girls out of the back. “I feel like a kid in a candy store,” Bill says behind us, rubbing his chubby hands against each other. “Let’s get the girls to the room, then we can go book in for the night. I want to rest well for tomorrow. You never know. I might spot a slut I want for myself.”

We follow him in with Warren tailing behind us. There are two bouncers standing outside the room the girls will be kept in. I just look at them. When we walk into the room my eyes immediately dart from face to face. My hope starts to dwindle as I look at vacant face after vacant face, and then my eyes land on a skinny girl at the back. Her chestnut hair is longer, her brown eyes bruised with all she’s been through these past years. She stares ahead at the wall, not even glancing our way.

I swallow hard on the pain and rage. I want to kill every man here and those who dared to touch my sister. Justin takes a step towards Andrea and I’m shocked back to the now when Kristine grabs his arm and holds him back. “Which one? I’ll sit with her until the time is right.”

I look at her in awe. After all I’ve put her through she’s still willing to help me. She’s fucking amazing. I nod my head in Andrea’s direction and whisper, “She’s the one with the pale blue dress.” Louder I say, “Get your ass in the corner.”

I let go of her leash and mouth, “Thank you.” I grab Justin’s arm and drag him out of the room with me, leaving our girls in the hands of bastards. I can only pray nothing happens to them.

~*~

Chapter Twenty Four

Kristine~

I pull Riza to the back of the room and sit down beside Andrea. She doesn’t even look up at me. I wait for the door to close behind the men before I dare to talk to her. “Andrea?” She doesn’t respond to me. She just keeps staring at the wall.

When I reach out to her, I notice how my hand is trembling. I touch her hand and I’m relieved when she doesn’t pull away. I hold her hand tightly in mine. “You’re going to be fine. It’s all ending tomorrow,” I whisper to her. I can only hope she hears me.

The night is long. They keep bringing in girls until we’re all squashed in the room like sardines. The air grows stuffy and hot, but no one complains. No one makes eye contact. These girls are in a much worse state than me and Riza. One of the girls is sitting with her back to us and I can see angry welts crisscrossing over her back. She’s wearing a red dress that has an open back. I get the feeling they want the men to see the marks. How can men be turned on by seeing how she was beaten?

Sitting on the hard floor is a killer, but I don’t dare stand. I don’t want to draw any attention to us. I try to shift a little to ease the pain in my backside.

A huge man comes in and starts to count how many we are. I listen to the number climb until he reaches sixteen. How can no one miss sixteen girls? Some are so young? The girl on the other side of Riza looks like she’s barely thirteen.

I close my eyes to try and escape the room. I let my mind drift to Garrett. I wonder if he’ll take me with him. I hope so. I don’t want to be forgotten. I don’t want to become a nobody to a man like Warren.

I don’t know what time it is when the door opens again. A different man looks at us with a bored expression. “Get off your lazy asses. Form a line down the hallway. If you step out of line, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

We all get to our feet, not one of us making a sound. As soon as Andrea is standing she drops her eyes to her feet. I notice how everyone keeps their eyes down and I do the same. We form a line and the three of us land at the back. It’s me, then Andrea, and Riza is last.

Again we wait, I don’t know for what. Eventually, my legs start to cramp. I’m stiff from the lack of exercise. Slowly the line starts to move, one step every few minutes. As we get closer I hear a man’s deep voice rambling through numbers and I realize they’re busy with the auction. My eyes dart up the passage and down, nervously looking for Garrett. He won’t let someone buy me! I know he cares about me. I could see it in his eyes.

The closer we get and the louder the bidding, the faster my heart beats. The girl in front of me goes next and I swallow hard. My breathing speeds up until they’re shallow desperate gulps. I hear them close the bidding on fifty five thousand. The girl was only worth so little?

The huge man from earlier appears in front of me. He grabs my leash and yanks me forward. I can hear my heart beating in my ears! He hands the leash over to another man, who’s dressed in a dark suit. I follow the man to the stage. I can hear voices, lots of them. It sounds like an angry bee hive.

We walk out onto the stage and I’m blinded by the spotlight shining down on me. My whole body trembles with fear.

“Can I get a hundred dollars for this blonde filly,” I hear a deep voice announce and then it starts – the bidding for how much I’m worth.

When it reaches fifteen thousand dollars the man in the suit shoves my shoulder. “Turn,” he barks. I twirl in a circle and when I stop I’m worth twenty three thousand. The man takes hold of the straps over my shoulders and yanks hard at the dress. To my horror the dress tears down the middle. As he lets go of the torn material it falls to my feet. I’m left standing in a heap of material – naked and exposed to all the prying eyes out there!

The amount instantly jumps to thirty thousand. I’m worth more naked than when I have clothes on! It’s disgusting.

“Her breasts are all natural, no implants,” the voice thunders on and the price keeps climbing to thirty three thousand. “She still has her V-Card for her ass. Come on, who amongst you don’t want to break in this ass.” The man shoves me again and I turn so my butt is on display for all to see.

The amount climbs fast. Numbers are called out and then we reach forty two thousand.

“What’s that I see,” the thundering voice hesitates, “We have a bid for fifty thousand. Do I hear fifty one?”

Silence follows for a few beats and then the voice yells, “Going once, going twice.” There’s a loud smack and my whole body jumps with fright. “Sold to number seventy eight.”

I’ve been sold to a number for fifty thousand dollars.

A clammy coldness spreads over my body, I think it’s called dread.

I’ve been sold. I won’t see Garrett again!

I’m led off the stage leaving the torn material behind. A man comes up to me with a sharpie and writes the number seventy eight over my stomach, and then I’m shoved into another room. Long minutes pass before Andrea comes in, the number eighty four is written on her. Riza is last with the number fifty three written on her.

None of us got the same buyer. We’re being split up. My heart shatters and the hope I had fades away.

I wanted so badly to belong to Garrett. Now I’ll never see him again.

~*~

Chapter Twenty Five

Garrett~

I follow a man in a dark suit down the passage. The number I bid with is burning a hole in my hand. I just want to hold her. I paid sixty five thousand dollars for my own sister. She’s still a virgin, that’s why the price went so high. I’d pay anything for her to be untouched.

I’ve told Justin to meet me out back. He’s anxiously waiting at the rental car we got. I didn’t let him come with me. I think he’ll lose it when he sees her again. He’s at the end of his rope, and he’s never been the patient one in the family.

When the man opens the door there are several women in the room, all of them have their faces covered with a black sack. Their all naked, and they’re all marked with a number.

When my eyes land on the black numbers marking my sister, I take off my suit jacket. I walk to her and try to be calm about it, as I help her slip it on. I don’t take hold of the leash, but her hand, and pull her out – away from this hellhole.

I keep quiet until we’re outside. Once the back door closes behind us I turn to Andrea and pull the sack off her head. Her eyes are downcast, her hands hanging at her sides. I unclasp the collar around her neck and throw it all to the floor. I take a moment to button the jacket up with trembling fingers, so it doesn’t open by accident.

And then I just look at her. I drink in her pretty face. And I let the tears come. She’s taller than I remember, and much thinner.

“Andrea,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with emotion. Her hair is all over the place from when I removed the sack. I tuck her hair behind her ears, and smooth the rest out. I frame her face with my hands, needing to touch her. To make sure she’s here.

“It’s really you.” I grab her to me and hold her so tight I might just break her. I drop kisses on her hair and rub gentle circles on her back. “Shh … shh, it’s okay. It’s all over.” I place another kiss on top of her head and keeping her body safely tucked under my arm, I walk in the direction Justin is waiting.

When he spots us he breaks into a run. He grabs Andrea and sweeps her off her feet, twirling her once and then he holds her. “I missed you so much, Ladybug,” he says all choked up. When he starts to cry I really lose it.

“Come on, let’s go home. We can’t stand crying in the parking area.” I nudge them both in the direction of the silver sedan.

The drive home is long. We stop only when we need to. We take turns driving and sitting with Andrea. I drive the last stretch.

As I pull up to our home, the most amazing relief unfurls in my chest.

We’re home … finally
!

The front door opens and Mom comes running out. Her arms are wide open. It’s a stunning sight. Justin gets out the back with Andrea and I choke up as Mom grabs her.

“My baby!” she cries. “Oh God, thank you so much.” She keeps repeating the words, raining kisses down on Andrea. Dad nods his head at us, tears welling up in his eyes. He’s not a man of many words, but I know how worried he’s been about all of us. He engulfs Mom and Andrea in a big bear hug.

And then I see it, Andrea responds for the first time. From over Mom’s shoulder I see her eyes tear up.

It’s going to be a long road to recovery for her. But I don’t care. I’ll do anything for her.

“Justin, get the truck and follow me. Let’s go get rid of the car. I’m ready to put all this behind us.”

~*~

Chapter Twenty Six

Kristine~

It took ten days to break me, just ten days.

I tried to get back into the swing of things. Really, I tried.

I haven’t seen Riza or Kelly since I opened my bookstore
‘Dreaming of a Book Boyfriend’
three weeks ago.

My parents keep begging me to see someone, to talk about what happened, but I can’t. I tried to talk to Riza and Kelly, but we all experienced those days so differently. Kelly is filled with hatred. Riza has grown quiet, just like me. I think she misses Justin. I’ve caught her staring off into nothing. I do it, too, and then my mind goes to Garrett.

It’s been three months. Whoever bought us dropped us off at a police station.

In the end no one wanted me.

He stole me. He broke me. I was auctioned for fifty thousand dollars. Now, I don't belong to anyone. But strangely enough I wanted to belong to him. It's his eyes ... I lost myself in them. I now live in a small apartment above the bookstore. I hardly ever leave it, and when I do it’s so I can go get the bare essentials.

I read a lot. It’s the only way I get to experience some kind of emotion, some kind of life. I live through other people’s lives. I’d be lost without my books.

The counter is situated on the left side of the store, facing the display window so I can see everything that happens out on the street. Everything in my life is arranged to keep me safe. I have a bell above the door and it rings when someone comes in, that’s incase I’m caught sorting the new books, or putting up a new teaser against the wall. I don’t want to be caught off guard.

My apartment is the same. It’s an open space. My bed is situated right across from the door, so I can see if there is movement on the stairs. I always leave the light at the back of the store on. It lights up the stairs, that way I can see if a shadow moves under the door. I have a bat next to my bed and another behind the counter, just in case I need to protect myself.

I don’t have any cupboards for people to hide in. The few meager outfits I have, hangs on a rail against the wall. I don’t even have a bathroom door, no shower curtain … no hiding places.

I spend all my time either reading, or sorting out books. I make teasers for authors and help promote their books online. I look at the book I received this morning. The author wants me to do a review for her. The title says it all,
Poke-her.
It’s about a professional poker player. He wins a girl when the man he plays against can’t pay. Yeah, like I said, the title says it all.

I moved down to Florida. I was actually on vacation, trying to escape my family and friends when I spotted the little quaint store to rent.

It’s perfect, situated a few streets from the beach. The atmosphere is relaxed.

Every man with dark hair or dark eyes catches my attention. I never stop looking for him in every face I see. When I read a book he takes the role of the hero.

I don’t know his last name so I can’t even look him up. Not that I’d know what would happen if I had to see him again. Will I break down in his arms? Will I lash out and hit him for leaving me? Will I run away, scared to see the pieces of myself left in his eyes?

The bell rings and my head darts up to see who is at the door. A beautiful woman walks in. I’d guess her somewhere in her forties, but then I’ve never been good at guessing someone’s age. Her chestnut hair curls in soft waves around her shoulders. She’s dressed in a dark pair of jeans and a white silk blouse. Plum colored toes peek from her sandals. A perfect mouth smiles at me. “Morning, I just spotted this little store and I couldn’t resist. I live for books,” she greets me brightly.

“Morning,” I smile back timidly. “Just say if there’s anything I can help with.”

I watch her walk through the shelves. Every now and then she stops to look at a book.

I go through my Facebook posts while she’s looking around. I have a blog I started a few weeks ago and I like to post about new releases and freebies, especially for indie authors that are still trying to get their names out there.

It’s so much easier to deal with people online, than face to face.

I notice she stops at the signed book shelf. I’m really proud of that shelf. It’s only for display, along with all the swag I’ve gathered from my favorite authors over the years. Now when I get doubles I give them away on my blog to promote the author.

“You’ve got so many,” she says in wonder. Then her eyes spot the big sign for the upcoming signing I’m having for an Australian author. She’s my favorite and I can’t wait to meet her in person. I’ve devoured all of Kirsty Dallas’ books a hundred times. “You do signings,” the lady asks, her dark brown eyes sparkling with delight.

“I do.”

She comes to the counter and gives me the books she’d like to purchase. “I’ll take these, for now. I might be back before we leave. We’re buying a stunning house on the beach. I can’t wait to move here. Everything is so peaceful.” She reaches her hand out to me. “I’m Liza Macht. I write,” she waves a hand in the general direction of the bookshelves, “…books. Actually, I’ve only written one book.”

My mind goes to Riza and for a split second I wonder how she is. I should phone her, a good friend would check in on her and Kelly.

I love meeting authors. They’re my rock stars. “What’s it called?” Chances are good I’ve read her book already.

“Hollow.” There’s a flash of sadness in her eyes, but then she smiles again. “I’d love to arrange a signing here. Not immediately though. We’ll be moving here sometime in the next six months. Maybe for then?”

“Sure. I’d love that. That will give us plenty of time to get everything ready. I make swag and teasers as well, and I promote authors, so I can put together a whole package for you.” My excitement is getting ahead of me. “That’s if you’d like me to?”

“That would be wonderful,” Liza says. “Do you have a piece of paper so I can give you my details, then you can email me the prices?”

“Yeah.” I grab a little pad I use for instances like these. It has a pretty baby blue print of bears. I hand it over to her with a pen.

I watch her write down her phone number, email and name. She hands it back to me. “I’m on Facebook if you want to find me on there. I’d love to connect more.”

“I’d like that,” I smile and ring up her books. While she takes out the cash, I place them all neatly in a bag.

Before she leaves she lets her eyes wander through my little slice of heaven one more time. “Can’t wait to come back here,” she sighs and then leaves with a wave.

Immediately I start to put together a package with some images of the previous swag and teasers I’ve made for other authors. I spend the rest of the morning working on it and getting lost in my world of books.

~*~