Chapter 8

Nicole

It turns out the girl was named Bennett. She was nice and stayed with me for a while. On Monday, she stopped by to bring me lunch and let me use my phone to call my sister.

She stood by the door as I dialed the number. It seemed like they trusted Bennett to visit me, and I paced as the phone rang. On the third ring, I heard a breathless voice on the other end and felt a sob come out of my throat. “Noelle,” I whispered.

“Nicole, start talking. Where the fuck are you?” she snapped. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I assured her as I took a deep breath and sat on the bed. "I am in a hotel on the other side of Vegas by the pub. The date was just a ruse, and I ended up being dragged into a club next door.” I breathed in as I remembered everything. “Rick was the club owner, and he took me there for an auction last weekend.”

Bennett raised her eyebrows at me and brought a finger to her lips, signaling me to keep my voice down.

“What kind of auction?” Noelle demanded.

“One for my virginity. Me and a few other girls,” I said quietly, feeling shame wash over me. “It was horrible, Noelle. They dressed us up in these bras and chastity belts and dragged us onstage in front of all these men. I was so scared.” Tears slid down my cheeks as I felt the fear again, and I wrapped my arm around myself, even though the room was hot.

“How are you calling me? What happened?” Noelle asked.

I remembered blue eyes and a rugged face at the front of the crowd.

“There was a man there. He came up to talk to the man that took me, and before I knew it, I was pulled from the stage and locked in the same room we had gotten ready in. I saw one girl’s auction and missed the other two, but I heard everything. I never saw them again. I don’t know what happened to them.” I took a deep breath as my heart started racing and worry filled me. “The man that talked to him said that he wanted to marry me. He was going to get the money and come back for me. It was more than the regular auction amount. He stopped my auction, and they brought me to this hotel room.”

“Where? I’ll come and get you,” she said.

My eyes widened. I knew that was dangerous.

“I don’t know, Noelle. They covered my eyes when they brought me here, and there aren’t any clues in the room. It’s a cheap motel. I know the guy has a week to collect me. After that, maybe I can come home. Maybe he’ll set me free.” I had so much hope in my voice as I spoke to her.

“What the hell were you thinking getting involved in an auction?” Noelle asked.

I flushed hotly at her question. “I didn’t really have a choice. He made it sound like I did but these men were holding me down, and I was terrified. I thought that Rick was a nice guy, but he just played me.” I sniffed back another sob. “I was so foolish for believing him.”

“We both wanted it to work out. Seriously, Nic. Why the auction?” she asked again gently.

“I am getting five thousand dollars, Noelle. We’re barely working, and that money could help us. We could get a better place, look for good jobs. We could really make it.” I heard her start to cry on the other end of the phone. “I wasn’t auctioned off, not yet. I don’t know that he’ll do anything to me, but I’ll talk to him when I meet him. He looked okay to me, not like the others that were looking at me like I was a piece of steak.”

Bennett frowned as she looked over at me, casting me a sympathetic smile.

“He seemed to want to help me somehow,” I said.

“I hope he does. I hope you come home,” Noelle said softly before asking how I got hold of a phone.

“It’s a friend’s. They took mine over the weekend and cut the line in the hotel room. She helped me that first night and has been allowed to visit me, though it’s too risky to try to leave.” I replied as I smiled gratefully at Bennett. I hoped she wouldn’t get caught for this since she seemed genuinely happy with her life.

She smiled back, and I talked to Noelle for a few more minutes.

“He might be a good guy, Nic. He might want to help you.”

“If he’s a good guy, why was he at an auction for virgins?” I responded.

“You might be right. Come home as soon as you can. Stay safe,” she begged me.

I told her that I loved her more than anything and hung up. I handed the phone to Bennett and wiped my eyes

“Thank you,” I said. “That helped me a lot.”

“No problem. I’m pretty sure they trust me and don’t tap the phone. Ricky likes me visiting you. He said it might make you relax since he hasn’t heard from your buyer." She brushed her dark hair behind her ears and frowned. “What if he doesn’t come?”

“How much is it for a normal auction?” I asked.

“Upwards of twenty grand,” she responded as I shook my head.

“Asshole. He’s only giving me five which was what he promised before the marriage offer,” I muttered.

“Ricky is a greedy asshole. He barely pays me for what I do. I just want to help the girls as much as I can,” Bennett said.

“Have you ever considered turning him in?”

“I hated him for what he did to me. I hated that he made me do it even with the money I was getting, but I met Bill. He was my buyer and as wrong as that is, we fell in love. We worked through how we met and made it work.” Bennett glanced down at her wedding ring. If I turn Ricky in, Bill and I both might go to jail. I have been thinking about quitting and finding another job, though. I want out.”

“You do?”

“I was lucky. I met a nice man that cared for me in an otherwise awful situation. I know a lot of these girls don’t get the same thing, and I can’t watch it anymore. Maybe I’ll turn him in anonymously in a bit. I don’t know.” She looked around, listening carefully as we spoke in whispers.

“Maybe I will,” I said. “Once I’m gone out of here. Once we’re all safe.”

“What if he does want to marry you like Bill married me?” Bennett asked.

“How could I want that on first sight?” I asked.

She shrugged. “He might be a good man.”

“He was at an auction,” I repeated as I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t want to be owned.”

“Maybe it won’t be like that. I would get you out of here, but we both know that’s stupid. We’d get killed, and you have a sister to get home to, and I have Bill. Just see what happens, and if he doesn’t show, I’ll try to talk Ricky into letting you leave with me or something. We’ll figure it out.” There was a tap at the door, and she looked over.

“Time for her to rest, Bennett.” The words were curt.

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll try to come and see you tomorrow.” She gathered her purse and gave me a hug as she told me that everything would be okay. I watched her open the door once she knocked to get out and then the door was closed and locked. I don’t know what kind of hotel this was that did that to the doors, but it didn’t surprise me one bit. I dropped onto the bed and nibbled on the cookie that she brought me and stared at the television, missing the world beyond this room.

I missed my sister. I missed Vegas with all the bright lights and people. I missed writing more than I ever thought I would but it would be no time at all before I was out of here and back to it. I just didn’t know where that would be.

I thought about the blurry stranger again. Did he really want to marry me? Would I move in with him? What was this all about?

I had trust issues from my childhood as well as the way Ricky lied to me. I was so eager in this new place for something to work out that I had gone along with Noelle’s idea to join a dating site. It felt fun at first, and we giggled over the pictures and messages that I got back. It just had to be Ricky that ended up being the one that I chatted with most, losing interest in all the others.

I sighed as I thought back to all the late-night chats. I bared my soul to him once I felt I could trust him. He was just priming me for his club and finding out if I was the right girl. I felt so stupid.

I glanced at the TV and saw a vampire show on that I’d gotten to liking and propped up one more pillow to watch it. I knew that Noelle would like it as well and wondered if there was a way we could have some cable package that offered this.

One thing I’d be doing with my money was getting a massage after sleeping on this motel bed. The mattress that Noelle and I shared was more comfortable, and it came with the apartment. We were so happy to be in a new city in our own place that we didn’t care. I missed it so much right now. I looked back at the TV as one of the female vampires complained about ruining a pair of shoes though she called them pumps. Who said that anymore?

It was a bit of a marathon, and I kept watching, trying to get caught up in the insane plot. What else did I have to do? I took showers every day, quickly in case someone came into the room. I wanted to have some semblance of normal since I didn’t know what was next for me. Nobody came in to talk to me apart from Bennett, and they kicked her out at night.

I drifted off to sleep while watching TV, dreaming of the past when I was younger and comforting Noelle as our grandparents on our mom’s side fought in the living room of their trailer that we were staying in. I heard about kids who had caring, involved grandmas and grandpas who wanted to spend time with them, but we struck out with both sets. I just stroked her hair and sang softly to her as I did every night when things were unsettled around us. Now I wished that she was here to sing to me, and I woke up with tears in my eyes.