Ford

 

“I didn't know it was your mother's ring!” she cried, trying to weasel out of my grip.

 

“You still stole from me!” I cried. “Why?”

 

Suddenly, I had zero regrets about the choice I'd made. None. I understood why she'd done what she'd done. She was desperate; she was just trying to get away from the consequences of a bad decision. I understood that, and I could empathize.

 

But, not only was she leaving me high and dry here, she'd also taken the only thing I had left that even mattered to me. The one thing I never wanted to lose, not unless I absolutely had to.

 

“I-I-I thought,” she said, falling over her words as she flinched away from me, “I thought I could sell it and get out of here. I took it the night I first met you, when you gave me your coat. I didn't know, Ford! I didn't know it was your mom's!”

 

Daddy let out a little chuckle behind me as he stood up from his squat, his knees popping loudly as they straightened. “Well, well, well. Now maybe you understand, Ford, what I'm dealing with as a business owner here. Girls skimming, trying to run off without so much as a goodbye, see ya' later, that's all folks! Feel my pain?”

 

My nostrils flared, and I nodded roughly, my hands still tight around her wrists. “Yeah,” I growled. “I feel you.”

 

“Girls like this,” Daddy said, coming around to my side, “they need to learn some manners. That's my opinion. Their own daddies didn't use the rod damn near enough, and so we got to.”

 

I nodded, having an idea of what he was talking about.

 

“See, we got a room downstairs reserved for real special occasions, Ford. High paying customers, girls who get outta line. Got lots of toys, ways to make a girl feel real nice, or real hurt. Sometimes both.”

 

“I believe I know where this is going,” I said through clenched teeth.

 

“How about, as part of your signing bonus, you go ahead and take Micah on down there? Teach her a lesson or two before the other guys get in and have their turn?”

 

I was still so pissed from this little revelation of her stealing my mother's ring that I didn’t even register the last part of his sentence. All I could think of was teaching Micah a little respect, a little discipline, and working out some of my own frustration. Nothing else mattered. I nodded. “Show me the way, boss, and I'll get to work.”

 

“Ford,” she whispered, shaking her head, pleading with me.

 

I just grinned at her, baring my teeth.

 

Daddy Williams led us out the dorm room and into the hall. I kept Micah by my side the whole time, a watchful eye on her as we made our way through the halls, past the beautiful young women, who clearly knew something was up. I kept my hands off Micah, but she knew exactly what would happen if she tried to run or tried something else equally as stupid.

 

The fear on her face was obvious, and I was torn by the look in her eyes. On the one hand, some vindictive, angry part of me wanted to relish it and wanted to make her hurt for what she'd done to me.

 

But on the other, there was just something that made me feel like I was the lowest of the low. Was I really going to do this to her? Could I really hurt her and do any lasting damage? She had barely known me; I was just a ride home for the night; and she was desperate, worried about becoming nothing more than a prostitute, her dreams dashed to pieces. I was willing to do worse to her the second time I'd seen her, wasn't I? To just turn her in and collect the fee so I could save my own ass? How was I any different from her?

 

I didn't know how to feel, but, with her this close to me, with me able to think about things, I realized I couldn't do it. I couldn't go through with this. I cared too much about her to do the things Daddy Williams wanted from me. And I certainly couldn't leave her to the rest of the men, to use and abuse as they saw fit.

 

And then it hit me. Did I care about her that way? Did I really? I shook my head as we walked, chewing my lip.

 

The question was, how did I keep Daddy's confidence in me, but still get Micah out of harm's way?

 

We crossed back over the rocky, dusty patch between the dorms and the Mansion, and went in through the back. We took a side door that led us to a set of beautifully wrought gilded stairs that led down into the basement level of the building.

 

Daddy Williams flicked on the light, a big grin spreading on his face as I felt Micah tense up beside me. “Y'all two have fun, now,” Daddy said.

 

“Not gonna watch?” I growled.

 

“Oh, God, no. I trust you, Ford. You get some sense in that head of hers. Make her come around and see why she can't run far. 'Sides, we got plenty of cameras and microphones down there. Think running girls is my only business? Gotta have a few sidelines. Get me?”

 

“Yeah,” I said as I took Micah's trembling arm and silently guided her to go downstairs in front me. “I get you.”

 

Now, with Daddy trusting me, I just had to make sure I could gain Micah's again. With him watching as I punished her, though, I didn't know if that would be possible.