Billy walked over to the manager. “Boss, I have to go. It’s Taz. She’s not well.”
“Billy, you’re shaking. What’s wrong with her?”
Billy started rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes darting around the room. “I’m not sure, but she’s real bad.”
The manager watched him. “Has she seen a doctor?”
Billy put his head down, rubbing his neck harder. “Not yet. I’m gonna take her.”
“Okay, let me know how she is, will you?”
“Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Billy couldn’t look him in the eye.
The manager said, “Don’t worry about your shifts. I can get them covered. You take care of Taz, okay?” A feeling of dread crept up from the pit of his stomach.
“Thanks, boss.”
***
The men were staying in a hotel near the bar. Cain booked himself into the same hotel and watched their every move. Mia was staying with Billy and Taz, and if they dragged her into any of their shit they would pay dearly.
Chapter 23
Mia arrived home from college to raised voices. She had never heard Billy and Taz arguing before. She felt uncomfortable, so she stood in the hall trying not to be noticed. Maybe they would calm down in a few minutes and she could pretend that she had just got in and didn’t hear them.
“What choice do we have? Do you want to go with them?” Billy said, anger in his voice.
“No, of course not. Are you sure there’s no other way?” Taz sounded sad rather than angry.
“Who? Go on, tell me who? Who else do we know that fits the bill?”
“Can’t we just leave?” Taz asked.
“Did you not hear a fucking word I said? They’re watching us! There’s nowhere we can go. They will find us, find you! Is that what you want?”
Mia had heard enough. This was not a normal argument. They were in trouble. Billy looked up and snorted as Mia entered the room. Taz looked down at her hands.
“Who’s watching you? What’s going on?”
Billy and Taz looked at each other. “It’s one of her ex-boyfriends,” Billy said looking at Taz.
“You said ‘they.’ ‘They’ are watching us,” Mia said a little sharper than she had intended to, but they were keeping something from her, something that had Taz very scared.
“Yeah, him and his crazy-ass cousin. I can handle it.” Billy replied.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” Taz said when she saw the terrified look on Mia’s face.
“Have you called the police?” Mia asked.
“We can’t. He’s a cop,” Billy said, wishing Mia would shut her mouth and stop asking so many questions. Why did she have to come home now? “You’re going to be late for your shift, aren’t you!” He barked at Mia.
Mia shook her head. “I can’t leave Taz like this. I’ll call them and get the night off.”
“Just go to work! She’s overreacting. I’ll sort it,” Billy snapped.
Mia reluctantly left for work, worrying about Taz. There it was again, that feeling that Cain was close by. She stopped in the middle of the street and tried to find his face among the men walking by. It must be the worry, she thought.
***
Cain entered the room and saw Arben and Joe, sitting at the bar. He kept out of their view. When Arben said he was going outside for a smoke, Cain decided it was time to make contact. He pretended to be on his phone when Arben went outside, and he made it look as if he hadn’t noticed anyone behind him.
“How much is the price now?” He grunted his response. “And you’re sure she’s a virgin?” He nodded his head at no one. “Okay, keep me informed.” Another grunt. “No, there’s not much action here.” Then he laughed and shook his head. “But it’s not New York, that’s for sure. I have another meeting with them tomorrow. If all goes well, I should be back by the weekend.” He laughed dryly. “Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Cain closed his phone and looked surprised, and somewhat annoyed, to see someone there. He went inside and sat at the bar in full view of the men.
When Arben came back inside, he told Joe what he had overheard. Both men approached Cain at the bar and introduced themselves.
Cain used the name he checked into the hotel under. “Hello, Joe, Arben. I’m Alan, Alan Steeples. It’s nice to meet you.”
Joe asked if he could buy ‘Alan’ a drink. He looked Alan over; his clothes were designer, expensive-looking jeans and sweater, nice leather jacket. He was groomed to perfection, not a blemish on his skin and he was very well-spoken, maybe British, though he was not sure. This man had money.
“What brings you guys to this place? You don’t have local accents.”
Joe said, “Same as you, I guess. Business. I don’t mean to pry, but my colleague couldn’t help overhearing your conversation on the phone.”
Cain raised an eyebrow and put a stern look on his face. “That was a private conversation. Just exactly what did he hear?”
“Oh, just the juicy bits. It seems we could be of some service to you,” Joe said.
“And what sort of service would that be?” Cain asked, trying to keep control and not to rip the guys’ throats open. He could do it before anyone noticed. The bar was almost empty and the barman was more interested in the game on TV than what was going on around him. Cain thought better of it. He would just wait and see how it played out.
“Well, if you’re looking for a certain type of female company, we’re heading to a local establishment this evening. We’d be happy for you to accompany us,” Joe said with a smug grin on his face.
Cain paused, making it appear he was assessing the offer and the men in front of him. When they started to look uncertain he nodded slowly. “It would be my pleasure.” He returned the same smug grin.
“We’ll meet you at the bar at eight,” Joe said, and then he and Arben left.
At eight o’clock, Cain went to the bar. Joe and Arben looked relieved as he approached them. Joe told Cain he was glad he could make it. They had one drink and then the men showed him to their car, stating it was a short drive. Cain got in the car with them.
“So how do you guys know of this place?” Cain asked.
“I supplied them with a couple of the girls,” Arben said proudly.
“So, Alan, what kind of things are you into? They do all sorts here. You just have to ask and they will have a girl that will do it,” Joe explained.
“Yeah, your fantasies can come to life in this place, but the kinky stuff isn’t cheap,” Arben butted in.
“Money is not a problem, but I doubt they will have my ultimate fantasy here. It would not be the sort of girl they supply.” Cain looked down at the floor so as to make the men think he was a little embarrassed. If that doesn’t get them interested nothing will.
“Well, there’s not much they haven’t come across before. This place can offer you anything, and I mean anything you want. At a price, of course,” Joe said.
“I see. Okay, my biggest fantasy is having a virgin.” Cain looked down at the floor again.
“Nah, I doubt you’ll get that. All the girls are professional.”
Joe couldn’t believe his luck. Arben had been right about him and if Billy did as he was told they could cut out the middleman and profit all the money from the sale.
“Have you ever had one?” Arben asked.
Arben was really getting on Cain’s nerves. If he didn’t stop grinning like a Cheshire cat, Cain would pull his gammy yellow teeth out of his mouth. “No, but to be honest, there’s one on the internet now offering her virginity to the highest bidder and the bidding is going wild. I guess it’s more popular than I thought.”
Joe and Arben looked at each other with smirks on their faces. “Are you bidding on her?” Joe knew the answer to the question, Arben had heard him on the phone, but the more he got the man to talk about it, the easier it would be to make a deal.
“Well, I’m trying to. I have a friend keeping an eye on it, but just my luck the b
idding ends right in the middle of my next meeting and I can’t reschedule.”
They arrived at a farmhouse seven miles out of town. They were shown into a reception room by a large man who then went to join three other men just as big as him. Bodyguards this far out of town seemed a little strange. The clientele must get out of line a lot here, thought Cain.
A very tall, slender woman in her fifties, with deep-set crow’s feet and hair cut so short it made her harsh features stand out even more, came over to greet them. Cain could almost taste her bitterness. She’s one hell of a nasty woman behind the fake smile.
“Ah, we have a new gentleman,” she said, looking in Cain’s direction.
“This is Alan,” Joe replied.
“I’m Mrs Carol, and I’m here to see that your wildest dreams come true.” She then explained that all money was to be paid up front, and that no marks could be left on any of the girls’ faces. There was a stack of condoms on the table and he should take three in case of any accidents.
Mrs Carol asked the guys what they were after this evening.
What an evil bitch, Cain thought.
Arben asked for the youngest girl they had, one that liked being dominated and didn’t mind physical pain. Joe asked for a submissive girl. Cain asked for a girl that could take a mild beating. He wanted to be on a similar level to the others.
He did not beat the girl; he fed on her and waited for the other two guys to finish.
“So how was yours, Alan?” Joe asked.
“She was very accommodating,” he replied.
“We’re coming back tomorrow evening, if you want to join us?” Joe said.
“Yes, I think I will,” Cain said.
“So, when’s the bidding end, on your virgin?” Arben asked, grinning lewdly.
“Tomorrow afternoon, so tomorrow night will either be a celebration or a consolation.” Cain shrugged his shoulders and gave a deep sigh. He was trying to act as human as possible.
“When are you leaving town?” Joe asked.
“Friday night, maybe Saturday. It depends on how my meeting goes.”
“So what’s your line of business?” Joe wanted to know as much as possible, to make sure Cain wasn’t someone who could cause trouble for them when he finally got down to business with him.
“I have my fingers in all sorts of pies, but I’m here to try and buy up some land. Problem is, there are two brothers involved and one doesn’t want to sell. This place is going to be prime real estate once the freeway comes in a couple of years.”
“They’re bringing the freeway through here?” Joe thought about the possibility of expanding his business to this sleepy little town.
“Yes. I have an acquaintance drawing up the plans as we speak.”
“It’s good to have friends in the know,” Joe said.
“And what kind of business are you guys into?”
“Arben is in import and export; he deals a lot with Eastern Europe. I deal with most of the local work, supply and demand. Whatever’s the most popular thing at the time, I get it for my clients.”
Cain did not push the conversation any further; there was no need. The men dropped him off at the hotel. They said they had a bit of business to attend to and they would see him at eight the following evening, in the bar.
***
Taz and Billy talked while Mia was at work. “I know she’s your friend, but do you really want to go back to Arben? You know what he did to you last time, and do you think it would be any different this time?” Billy’s face was full of anguish. He licked his lips, and rubbed the sweat from his hands on his trousers.
Taz rubbed her forehead and her face was pale. “No, of course I don’t. I just thought it would be easier if we left. That’s all.”
Billy looked up at the ceiling. “Well, we can’t leave. I wish we could, Taz. I can’t watch them do that to you again, letting every fat dirty bastard who has cash do what they want to you, stick so much shit in your veins you don’t care. Two months it took for you to get better last time, and they only had you for three days.”
Taz looked despondently at Billy. “I thought maybe we could go to the bars and pick up another girl.”
A crease appeared between Billy’s eyes as he scrunched his face up and tensed his jaw. “They want a virgin. We have to be a hundred percent sure that’s what they get, or they’ll take you just to punish us for not doing as we’re told, and you will end up dead!”
Taz’s shoulders shrank back. “Billy, please don’t be annoyed with me. This is…. Well, it’s not easy to get my head around.”
Billy shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think you were that close to her.”
Taz looked about the room, her eyes looking anywhere but at Billy’s. “It’s not that we’re that close. It’s good…that she’s still a virgin. That’s what’s making this so hard. She’s so innocent! God! I don’t think she’s even kissed a guy, let alone gone any further, and I do like her.”
“Is that what’s bothering you the most? That she’s a virgin?” He laughed shaking his head at her. “She’ll be so full of shit she won’t know what day it is, let alone what they do to her. There’s a choice here, you or her, so what’s it gonna be?” Billy sneered as he paced up and down the room.
She shook her head, her face now completely white. “I don’t like it, Billy, but if there’s no other choice, I’m not going back with them.” Her lips began to tremble.
Billy went to her side and held her tight. “It’ll be okay.”
Taz sighed loudly and pulled away from him. She sat down, and she bent over as if she were in pain. “So how we gonna do this then? She’s not gonna pack a bag and leave willingly. What if something goes wrong? What if we get caught? We still have to move and we’ll be on the run…for God knows how long. I don’t know how you used to do it, Billy. I’m so scared,” she whispered.
“So am I. It’s the first time I’ll actually know the girl who’s the target. It was always at bars and clubs I’d pick them up, slip them a ruffie. Joe and Arben took it from there, as you well know.”
“Yeah. I was your target once,” Taz reminded him.
Billy flinched as if he had been punched in the gut. “You were the exception to the rule. I just couldn’t let them do that to you and that’s why I came and got you. Christ! That was the worst three days of my life. I’ll try and find out what they’re gonna do with her, if she’ll be staying in the country or shipped abroad.”
She looked up at him, her face pained. “They won’t let her go afterward?”
Billy shook his head. “No, they won’t take the risk she might remember something.”
Her mouth formed an O. “Shit, Billy, I mean, what the fuck?”
Billy glared at her. “You need to toughen up! We don’t have a choice.”
She started to shake. “I don’t know about this, Billy. She’ll probably end up dead and it’ll be our fault.”
Murder was not something she wanted to live with. If they were just going to let some guy rape her then dump her somewhere before the ruffies wore off, she could live with that.
Billy sat beside her and took hold of her hand. “Try not to think about it. That’s how I deal with things.”
Taz started crying. “Billy, we can’t let them do that to her. Fuck, I don’t want her dead.”
“How do you suggest we stop them? Say pretty please?”
“Was that what was going to happen to me? They would have drugged and used me until they shipped me out or I died?”
“Yeah, that’s what would have happened, and deep down you knew that. Don’t look at me like that, Taz.” He couldn’t believe she was acting so gullible. She needed to wake up and smell the coffee, see life as it really was.
“And all the others you got for them?” She really didn’t know him that well. She had never questioned him about what happened to the girls once he handed them over, she just figured he wouldn’t know.
“Yeah, but I didn’t know that at first. An
d by the time I realized, I was in too deep. They would have killed me for sure if I’d tried to stop it. That’s why we had to run.”
Taz curled up in Billy’s arms, sobbing.
It wasn’t his fault, he just got in too deep, and she would forgive him. After all, he had saved her life. “Do we have no choice?”
“No, we don’t!”
When Mia arrived back from work, Taz and Billy were curled up on the sofa. Taz couldn’t look at Mia; her eyes were red and puffy.
“Has something happened? Has your ex or his cousin hurt you?”
“It’s okay, it’s just been a long, stressful day,” Billy muttered. He didn’t want Taz to have to speak with her.
“Can I get you anything?” Mia asked Taz.
“No, thanks. I’m just going to have a shower and go to bed.” Taz left the room; she needed time to let it all sink in. Could she really go through with this? Did she have a choice? Could she just leave? No, she couldn’t leave Billy.
When Mia heard the shower running she decided she would try and get some answers from Billy. She walked over to him, arms folded across her chest. “So what happened, Billy? Why is she in such a state?”
Billy closed his eyes and gave a loud sigh before answering. “She’s fine. We managed to get it into his thick head that Taz wants nothing to do with him, and he left.”
Mia raised an eyebrow. “Then why does she look so upset?”
“She was scared, that’s all. You don’t know what he did to her, how much of a mess she was in when she got away.” His eyes narrowed. “Just mind your own business, Mia. It’s over, so leave it.”
Mia stood there, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, as Billy stormed off to his bedroom. He didn’t want to have to look at her either; the concern on her face for Taz was making it harder than it should be. This was business, just business, and the payment for delivering Mia was in getting to keep Taz safe. He couldn’t allow himself to think of Mia as a friend, someone who had been part of his and Taz’s life for the last few months.