Men tried to pull them apart. There was a great deal of shouting when she tore an eyelid.
When she bit back.
“I’ll fucking kill you, John! You’re a dead man!” It took at least three burly men to tear her from her prey. “Don’t think you can hide behind the boys. I’ll find you, you coward! I SAVED YOUR LIFE AND YOU SOLD ME TO MONSTERS!”
One of many who had grappled her to the floor lost a grip and earned a broken nose for it. “Christ, she’s strong, Captain!”
But she didn’t care. Her attention was laser-focused on a boy held back, who was also bleeding, but who was not fighting for freedom. Because he felt safe being male, and she was just a dumb whore.
“You’ll die, John. I’ll see it through!”
Her line of sight was spoiled by an all too familiar face, a person who dared say, “Don’t look at him. Look at me. Hear what I’m saying to you, Eugenia. If you don’t calm down, I’m going to have to calm you down. And I’m asking you not to make me do that.”
Fuck all of it! “Aaron, I can’t do this anymore.” Tears, desperation. All the things she’d kept in. “I can’t.”
Gaze so heavy she’d rather carry a thousand tons, he murmured, “Take a deep breath for me.”
She did, one that shook all the way into her aching ribs. And then another one. And another. Until she stopped fighting and the men cautiously let her go.
Not that she hesitated to slap off their arms as if it made any difference.
Looking down at herself. At her stupid outfit and the way her tits were held back with nothing but a couple buttons. The front of a silly shirt tied under her bosom, midriff on display.
Li Wei would have hated that outfit. His conservative mother would have had a heart attack at first glance. Neither of them would have ever hit her.
And they were dead.
And it was over.
Undoing that first button was remarkably easy. The second one, nothing at all. After all, it was a question of math. Could be reduced to statistics. A desperation worse than any mental lapse to escape that horrible place.
Her third button popped, the captain squinting as he demanded to know, “What are you doing?”
Giving in. Giving in as she flipped up the pleated skirt and let the men see lace panties. “Who wants to go first?”
Not one of them moved to take her, wide, wet eyes begging, no matter how they gawked. “Come now, red light special at Table #2. I’ll go for as long as I can take it. Five-thousand tickets a ride.”
And still, no one touched her. After all their offers—after all their rejected presents and dirty talk over chess—not one of them made a move.
So she did. Standing, the captain mirrored her movement.
Which suited just fine.
His tickets were as good as any other man there. Hand to his buckle, she fought off his restraint. “Face-to-face the first time? Isn’t that how it goes? Ass in the air after?”
Oh, was he mad. Mad enough to give her a shake. “That’s enough out of you.”
“I’m not joking!” Red curls went flying as she fought to pull his shirt from his pants. “I want off this goddamn boat, and if that means I have to fuck everyone on it to get there, then I’m ready.”
The clown of the show started laughing, John’s amusement meaner than any slight she’d heard in her entire life.
The sound off, because he was missing a tongue for telling tales.
Not that it mattered.
Not really.
The only thing that mattered she couldn’t reach, despite his ugly guffaws. “I’ll even fuck John.”