Chapter 3

3

I was young and beautiful. He was old, ugly, and lived in a cloud of smoke.

The only reason I had endured him was for that signature. And now he was telling me not to rush?

He wasn't in a hurry, but I was. I swallowed my rage and forced a fake smile. "Arthur, I just gave you the best time of your life. Why won't you sign?"

He looked a bit embarrassed and avoided my gaze. "Well… I feel like I didn't perform my best just now. It ended too quickly."

He leaned in closer. "Come to my hotel tonight. If you take care of me properly one more time, I'll sign."

I hated men like him. Once was disgusting enough.

Now he wanted a second round. I tried to decline gracefully. "Arthur, that's not how this works. One time is the deal. Just sign it, okay?"

His face went cold instantly. "If you sign this, you get a five-hundred-thousand-dollar commission, right?"

I nodded slowly. He continued, "I can sleep with a famous influencer for twenty grand. You're asking for half a million. Are you made of gold?"

He spoke to me like I was a product on a shelf. It was dehumanizing.

I was furious, but he had already used me. If I blew up now, I'd lose the contract and I would have been used for nothing.

I had to swallow the insult. He leaned back, lit a cigar, and blew smoke in my face.

"If you don't come tonight, there's no deal. The choice is yours," he said.

I clenched my teeth so hard they ached. But I was trapped.

"Fine," I hissed through my teeth. "I'll be there tonight."

"That's my girl," he said. "The Sunset Inn, Room 304. Seven o'clock sharp. Don't be late."

I went home to rest, and at seven, I knocked on the hotel room door. When he opened it, I put on my best "vixen" act.

I ran into his arms and kissed him, acting like I couldn't wait to be there. He squeezed me hard and gave me a cold command. "Get undressed."

I hated his arrogance, but I obeyed. Within seconds, I was standing completely exposed before him.

He smirked and looked toward the bathroom door. "What do you think? Is she a prime specimen or what?"

My heart stopped. He wasn't talking to me.

There was someone else in the room. I turned my head toward the bathroom.

A massive man with a jagged scar across his face stepped out. He looked at me like I was a piece of meat. "She's perfect. Better than a movie star."

"No!" I screamed, grabbing my clothes to cover myself. I scrambled into the corner, pointing at the stranger. "Who is he? Why is he here?"

Arthur laughed, his voice full of contempt. "Why are you hiding? You're a sell-out. You're just a public bus that everyone gets a ride on. Don't start acting modest now."

I knew I wasn't a saint. I knew I used my body for money.

But being talked to like that felt like a slap in the face. Tears welled up in my eyes. "I'm a professional rep! I'm not… I'm not a street walker!"

"What's the difference?" Arthur spat. "You're a bird who trades her feathers for a paycheck. You use your body for sales instead of cash, but the dirt is the same. You're just a high-end hooker."

Every word was a dagger. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I had no defense.

He was right. I had become exactly what he said.

Arthur walked over and ripped the clothes from my hands. He threw me onto the bed and looked at the scarred man.

"Vinnie, you don't see girls like this every day," Arthur said. "Let's make sure we both enjoy ourselves tonight."

Vinnie let out a predatory laugh. He started unbuckling his belt. "She's a dream. I'd die happy after a night with her."

He lunged at me, and his eyes were full of a hunger that terrified me to my core.