Chapter One

Eighteen months earlier

Alison sat in the living room waiting for Ken to get back from his business dinner. This weekend he had a few things that needed his attention, so he’d booked a hotel room for them downtown, instead of driving an hour back and forth. She was about to head to bed when she heard the door to their suite open, but instead of Ken walking in, she found Ken’s bodyguard, Richard, standing there. His white dress shirt looked like it had been soaked in blood. Alison wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. He closed the door behind him and rushed towards her.

Alison stood from the couch. “What’s happened? Why is your shirt covered in blood? And where’s Ken?”

Richard took a deep breath and rubbed the top of his bald head. Richard was Ken’s right-hand man. Ken never went anywhere without him and here he stood alone. “Ken’s dead.” He tugged her by the elbow and ushered her to the bedroom. “Seems this is your lucky day, Alison. There is nothing to keep you here any longer. I suggest you get the fuck out of here quickly and forget you ever met him. I may be fucked up for working for a man like Ken, but he kept my family from starving when I had no money to feed them. I was always loyal to him even though he did what he did to you, but now that he’s dead... here’s your chance to run while you can and never look back.”

Alison looked at him in complete shock. Ken’s dead? I’m free.

She wasted no time in quickly filling the bag that he had thrown on the bed for her to fill up with her things. She grabbed a few of her belongings and changed into something more comfortable. She wasn’t surprised Ken was dead and, in all reality, she was thankful her prayers had been finally answered. For the past five years she’d lived in fear of the man, did whatever he said and endured the worst kind of life with a man she didn’t know. All because her stepfather, Bob, had sold her soul to the devil. Now that she was no longer Ken’s slave, paying off her stepfather’s debt, she wasn’t about to stick around any longer than she had to.

Ken’s dead.

Richard handed her some of Ken’s jewelry that was left on the dresser and a wad of cash he had lying around. “Take this and keep it somewhere safe. It may not be much, but it will be enough to get you started. You’ll need to pawn the jewelry when you have the chance. Don’t be stupid and stick around town. Go as far away from here as possible.”

Richard had always been a decent man with her. He didn’t say much and never harmed her in any way. That was Ken’s job, but as she watched Richard help her gather her belongings, she saw a softer side to him. She’d always had a feeling that he didn’t like the things Ken did as a human being; Richard did them because it was his job. And now that his boss was dead, Richard was also free.

As she walked past Richard in the bedroom, she turned to face him one last time. She needed to know one thing from Richard before she left, never to see him again. “Who killed him?” For her peace of mind she needed to know who’d killed the man who required her to call him master. He was also the monster who’d robbed her of her virginity and took away all her rights as a human being.

He quickly ushered her to the elevator and pushed the button to take her down to the parking structure. “Your stepfather was waiting for him with a gun outside of the restaurant.”

Alison gasped. Bob was the reason she was with Ken in the first place. For the past five years she’d hated the man who’d helped raise her when her mother passed away. After he’d handed her off to a complete stranger in payment for his mistakes, she had no sympathy for the fact that he would now pay the price for shooting Ken. 

“Before the police took Ken’s body away, Bob confessed to the cops why he did it. He said Ken got what he deserved for the pain and suffering he’d inflicted on Alison for the past five years.”

She didn’t give a shit about the pain and suffering Bob had endured when she was sold to Ken. For years she’d wished Bob all the horror she went through because he was a selfish bastard. She had been given away like her life meant nothing. Ken got what he deserved and she hoped Bob rotted in jail for the rest of his life.

“Then I guess that makes us both free now, Richard.” That was all she said before the doors to the elevator closed. Her fate was sealed. From here on out, she was looking forward to new opportunities. Fuck the shitty past... let’s bring on a new start.

Alison caught the first taxi she found and headed straight for the train station. She didn’t know where she was going or where she would end up. All she knew was she wanted to get as far away from this hell as she could possibly get. She purchased a one-way ticket from Chicago and headed west.

Alison caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window as the train moved down the tracks. She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. She contemplated cutting it short because she’d only grown it out long for him. Ken liked her hair long and flowing down her back. Now that Ken was dead she no longer had to live by his rules. Alison Arbor was free to live her life the way she had always dreamed. Free from being Ken’s slave after the past five years of being under his watchful eye.

It had been a long time since she had gotten a good night’s sleep. Each night she stayed up, never knowing when to expect Ken to come to her. And each and every night he would come to her, expecting her to pleasure him in any way that seemed to suit his sexual needs. She hated him, wished for the day someone would kill him or take her away from the monster who forced his seed inside of her body. Now that the monster was dead, her wish had come true, and she could finally get a good night’s rest.

She was his slave. No matter how many times she tried to escape from him, he would torture her body once she was found and make her pay dearly for ever trying to leave him. Ken knew more people than she thought. There was no escaping him. She gave up after the last time when he sliced her back up pretty good with his bullwhip. She had to look at her painful scars each and every day. He made sure that she didn’t get out of bed for a week straight because of the pain the whip had left on her back. She cried for days with no one around who cared whether she lived or died. Ken never allowed her to speak to his servants. She had lived a lonely life, until now.

Today was a new day and a fresh start for her. If it weren’t for Ken’s murder, she wouldn’t have the chance to go wherever she wanted and live the life she’d dreamed about since she was eighteen and her rights had been taken away from her. She made a promise to herself at that very moment. There would be no more thinking about Ken or dwelling in the past. She would only think of herself and her well being. Nothing else mattered to her.

As she sat on the train waiting to arrive at her stop, she closed her eyes and decided to take a nap. She knew it would be a battle each time she tried to get a restful sleep. It was something she would work on. Her head rested on the cool glass as she fell into a deep sleep.

She must have not felt the train stop because a woman’s voice jarred her from her sleep.

“I’m sorry to wake you, dear, but I wanted you to be aware of where we were in case this was your stop.”

Alison sat up straight in her seat and looked out the window. “Where are we?” There were people grabbing their suitcases and walking past her in the aisle.

The older woman smiled. “Las Vegas. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to disturb you, but I overheard you tell the conductor to please wake you at each stop.” She nodded to the man helping an elderly woman off the train with her bags. “I figured he might have forgotten when the woman asked for his assistance.”

Vegas, huh? She had never been to Las Vegas but she had heard how great it was. A person could get lost in a town like Vegas or gain a fresh start.

She grabbed her backpack and smiled at the lady. “Thank you for letting me know. Yes, this is my stop and I’ll be getting off here.”

Alison found the first taxi out of the station.

“Where are you headed?” the driver asked her from the front seat.

Good question. “Umm... let’s start with some food. Do you have a good recommendation for somewhere cheap and something good to eat? Maybe a good restaurant off the strip where I can find peace and quiet?”

He looked at her in his rear view mirror. “I’m not sure about the peace and quiet part, but I do have a place most of my customers like to go for specials and some live entertainment. And there’s a motel located next to it that you might be interested in if you need a place to stay for the night.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Ten minutes later the taxi pulled up in front of Mac’s Bar. She paid him the fare and walked toward the entrance. The place looked nice enough from the outside. The guy was right; there was a motel next door that she would definitely have to check out after she had a good meal. She hadn’t had more than a few sodas and some crappy sandwiches while on the train. She needed some real food before she collapsed.

As she walked up the steps, she noticed a sign in the window that advertised help wanted for waitresses and a singer. Maybe after she got something in her stomach she would consider speaking to someone about a job. Her stomach growled as she walked through the front door and was greeted with the smell of a greasy hamburger.

A pretty brunette greeted her at the front entrance. Her nametag said Amanda. “Hi. You can sit anywhere you’d like. I’ll come take your order in just a minute. I have to drop this beer off real quick and then I’ll come find you.” She nodded at Alison as she took off the other way with her tray of beer.

Alison took a look around the bar. She decided to take a seat in one of the booths in the back. She tucked her backpack safely next to her, since it had everything she owned in it.

Amanda showed up at her table and set down her tray. “So what can I get you, hon?” She cocked her hip to the side as she waited for Alison to place her order.

“What’s good and cheap here?”

“You’re in luck. Today happens to be our burger special with a soda. Or if you’d prefer a beer, that would be a small extra charge.”

“I’m not a drinker, so a Diet Coke would be fine.” The truth was she had never had a drop of alcohol in her twenty-three years.

It didn’t take long for Amanda to bring her burger and fries. As she sat in the bar, she noticed the place was beginning to pick up. The servers were swamped, running around taking orders for the customers as fast as they could.

Amanda returned with her check, placing it on the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Umm... yeah, I was wondering if I could speak with someone about the help wanted sign out front?”

She beamed in delight. “Please tell me you’re here to apply for a server’s position. We have been so short handed and Mac hasn’t found anyone to fill in yet.”

Alison pulled money from her bag and placed it on the bill. “I’m not sure. I haven’t really done any waitressing to speak of, but I’m a fast learner. I was hoping to apply for the singing position. Is Mac around so I can speak with him?”

She nodded her head. “He is, in fact. Let me go get him. I’ll be right back.”

Five minutes later Amanda returned with a tall bearded man in tow.

“Thank you, Amanda, now go help Lori with the crowd while I speak with—”

She reached out her hand. “Alison.”  

Mac shook his head. “I’m Mac, the owner of this bar. I hear you are interested in a job?” He crossed his big arms and waited for her to respond.

“I’m new in town and saw your advertisement out front.”

“I could use the help. Do you have experience in waitressing?”

She didn’t have any experience in anything except being a whore to Ken. “Ahh... no. But I’m a fast learner—”

Mac pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t have time to train someone new. I need someone to be able to start now, tonight even.”

The only thing she had experience in was making cocktails for Ken and his guests. “I can make drinks and serve them, but I can’t give you any references. I worked for someone under the table for many years. And I’ve been told that I have a beautiful voice. I love to sing. How about I audition for the singing position first and if I’m not what you’re looking for I can try the server’s position?”

Mac turned his head to look over his shoulder. She could tell he was considering her. If she was going to stick around town for a while, she needed to secure a job right away. The two girls that were serving the bar were being run ragged and Alison knew he was desperate for the extra help.

Mac eyed her. “You can sing too, huh?” He rubbed his fingers through the ends of his scruffy beard. “I’ll give you an audition since you’re here now, but first I have some business to conduct and they are due to arrive shortly. Why don’t you go and have a seat until I’m done?”

Alison shook his hand. She was so excited that she was being given this opportunity. “Thank you so much, Mac.”

He grunted in response before he strode away.

She grabbed her bag and went to the bar where Amanda stood, placing drinks on her tray. Alison pulled the stool out beside her and sat, beaming with joy.

“Hey... I take it by the big cheesy smile on your face that Mac is going to give you a shot at a job?”

“Yes, ma’am. I have to wait for him to finish up something and then he wants to hear me sing.”

Amanda grabbed the tray and lifted it over her shoulder. “Well, good luck. Mac is a fair man to work for. I have been working for him for a few years now and he isn’t the ogre boss he appears to be on the outside.” She leaned in so that the others didn’t hear her. “Truth is... he may look like a big and burly, scruffy guy on the outside, but he really is a cream puff on the inside. He’s well respected by everyone who knows him.”

Alison watched as she was called away by waiting guests who wanted their drink orders. As she waited for Mac, she figured since it was starting to get late in the day that she would see about getting a room for the night at the motel next door. Hopefully if things went as planned she would have a job one way or another by the end of the night. And if not, she would keep on moving until she found one she liked.