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Because modern slavery is one of the worst crimes in the world, I gave a one-shoulder shrug as my tears finally broke free. What else could I do? This gruesome epidemic was my life.
Legend’s jaw tightened to the point I could see muscles tic under the pressure. “That Lorenzo-fuck pimp you out?”
His question told me he knew details about this horrendous crime. Women, men, and children are being sold for sick and perverse personal use. Hundreds of thousands have also been turned into prostitutes, forced to have sex so many times a day, with so many different “johns”, it is ghastly. Soul-shattering.
Wanting to close my eyes for all the shame consuming my heart and used body, I solemnly shook my head. “No. Before I was sold to a rich asshole or became a money machine, Lorenzo decided to keep me for himself.” All strength waning, my head fell forward.
As my hair hung, I felt like a Weeping Willow tree. Tears fell to my fancy shoes as I admitted, “My father, I thought he was only an accountant and that he cared for me. I was wrong. He was… a buyer.” Not wanting to relive my past, I shook my head to clear images from my mind. “He was buying young girls, using them for his own pleasure, then selling them. I was so young. I had no idea. I swear it.”
“I believe you,” evenly replied Legend, yet I could hear a brewing storm within him.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Tell me more. How did this involve you?” The storm continued to build.
As if my tears were Legend’s rain, they fell… “Mammy was a victim of his and became pregnant.”
“Mammy?” asked Legend.
“My mother.”
Both men mumbled things like, “Damn pedophile,” and “Fucking sicko.”
Finally, Legend asked, “Elle, you were with him ‘til how old?”
My throat closed. I didn’t want to think of certain times with Da. “Sixteen.”
There was another set of grumbles, this time illegible.
Legend then asked, “How’d you end up with Lorenzo?”
“From what I’ve been told, Da didn’t follow through on a payment to him, so…” My head slowly lifted so I could see if these men now thought less of me. “I became the payment.”
The next hiss didn’t come from the two men I had been conversing with, building a bond with. It had, in record time, come from the one who had been sleeping.
Scared to see disgust in Lynx’s eyes, it took an abundance of courage to peer down at him, but I did it anyway.
Thankfully, there was no disgust. There was only a slight smile as he stared at his hand that I was holding to my stomach. He croaked out, “You’re still here.”
I tried to let go of his hand, “Oh, sorry,” but he held on.
“Don’t pull away from me. Ever.” Dreamy-like, he gazed at me. “You stayed.”
Fighting a smile, since he didn’t find me repulsive and seemed happy I hadn’t left while he slept, I rolled my eyes and teased, “These two knuckleheads wouldn’t exactly let me go.”
His smirk was sexy and a welcome sight after such a horrid conversation. “That’s because they don’t wanna be in this bed with me after I shoot them both.”
Instead of putting the ‘Pup’ in his place, Legend and Dagger celebrated Lynx’s answer. They cheered, “The motherfucker is back!” and Dagger even joked, “How ‘beautiful’ is your boy now, huh?”
Lynx’s smirk grew… “You been talkin’ about my smile again, babe?”
I couldn’t help it. Like a sap, I sighed at that very smile, all while demanding, “Stop being an egotistical asshole, Duke.”
Dagger and Legend started up their dramatics again, stumbling around and grabbing their chests, all while muttering things like, “She makes him smile. And he told her his real name. Jesus H. Christ…”
To gain my attention, Lynx pulled on my hand. “Lay with me so these knuckleheads will leave.”
Just thinking about feeling his long body up against mine made me weak in the knees, but I said, “No. You need rest and I need a shower.”
