Mr_E (6:35pm): When?
snow_white_783 (6:35pm): Tomorrow night? 8pm?
Mr_E (6:36pm): Done.
“Delete it,” I commanded as soon as I hit enter.
Jared’s fingers moved quickly across the board until the conversation and her profile no longer existed. “This is a little different than the others since we’re not doing an extraction. Do you still want me to call MacCabe in?” When I didn’t speak, his fingers stopped moving and he turned to look up at me. “Erik?”
“No,” I said, coming to a decision. “I’ll go.”
“What?” he practically screeched.
I understood his shock. I usually handed them off to a security company, occasionally joining in. But like he’d said, this was different.
It would be the only thing that was different. Once I retrieved her it would go like all the others: make sure she was back with her family—if she had one—and help with any medical fees to get her back on her feet.
Anything to help blot the horrors of my past.
“I’ll go to the meeting and take care of it.”
“Do you remember the last time you went to collect?”
“It’s been a few years, but it’s hard to forget,” I answered sarcastically.
“Then why are you going?”
“This is different.”
Jared sighed, giving up, knowing he would get nowhere now that I’d made a decision to go.
“Just be careful. I don’t want to have to save your ass twice.”
Something urged me to be the one to retrieve her, maybe the look in her eyes. I didn’t know what it was exactly, but I didn’t question it. I followed my gut.
The one time I hadn’t, it had cost me my sister.
3
Alexandra
I stole two dollars from my cash drawer today at work and dealt with being reprimanded for being short. I’d be able to put it back tomorrow once tonight was over. I just needed a way to get to the hotel and walking wasn’t an option. Especially in the little black dress I’d borrowed from Leah. She was a few inches shorter than me, so it barely covered an inch past my bottom and kept riding up.
Rummaging through my bag, I made sure I had everything. A change of clothes because I’d probably want to burn this dress and everything on me before it was all over, and condoms because I wasn’t going to leave that to chance. Add that to the list of things I’d stolen from the store and needed to pay for tomorrow.
That was all that was in the bag. I didn’t have much else or could think of anything else to bring with me. I didn’t need much. Just my body.
I zipped up my bag and lifted it to my shoulder. Looking at my reflection one more time, I smoothed my hands over the stretchy black material covering my curves. My eyes were a stark contrast against the heavy eyeliner, making them look almost silver. My lips were painted a deep red so I looked like the Snow White I used in my username. I wore the makeup like armor, protecting me from the reality of what I was doing.
When I got to the hotel, I was glad for the armor—a mask to help me flirt with the clerk at the front desk. I could be someone else with it on. Someone who leaned over the desk and dragged her finger along her bottom lip as I pouted to the scrawny kid, asking him to let me pay once the night was over. The hotel wasn’t nice and had a pay by the hour option, so I was sure he knew exactly where the money would be coming from in the morning.
My mask let me pretend I was a girl who’d done this before and knew what I was doing. My mask let me pretend I wasn’t shaking from the inside out with nerves about making a mistake.
Now, looking around the room, the feeling that this was a mistake hit me like a sledgehammer.
I’d spent the night wondering who I’d open the door to. Would it be an old man who had an affinity for young virgins? Would he be attractive? Would he be dangerous? Would he hurt me?
I shook away the questions. It was too late. The clock said it was already five past eight and there was no turning back. I’d be fine. It was just a hymen. Even if the guy was rough and gross, it was only a night. One night to get me through the rest of my life.
Watching the minutes tick by, I wondered if I got the time mixed up. I tried to double check this morning at the library, but the chat was gone—my whole ad was gone. I assumed the website removed everything once it had all been set up. So, I went from memory, but the closer it got to eight-thirty, the more I questioned it.
I jumped and my heart skipped a beat when a hard knock came at the door.