by Sandra Raine
"I already knew you weren't going to Vegas, Tanya," I stated the least bit surprised.
Tanya stopped unpacking. "Huh?" was all that managed to escape her confused expression. "Why are you looking at me like that for, huh?" She then erupted 'cause I was no longer staring at her concerned. My critical stare must've unnerved her quite a bit for her to add. "You think I was lying to you. . .about us going to Vegas?" My stare intensified. And I must've intimidated Tanya some, too, 'cause she quickly left my gaze and maneuvered around me toward her dresser.
"Well, aren't you going to say something in defense, Tanya?" I challenged.
Tanya turned around and rolled her eyes. "What do you want me to say, Jane?"
"The truth," I urged, "that you lied to me."
"And what leads you to believe that I'm lying?" She counter challenged.
"You said not to bring any luggage. . .that we would be buying all that we needed in Vegas. But here you are unpacking."
Tanya turned back around and slammed the dresser drawer shut in a tiny bout of irate. And instead of heading back to her suitcase, she just stood there standing at her dresser looking like she had something important to say. Tanya bowed her head in thought. Or maybe she was trying to find the right way to say the truth without feeling some form of regret for knowing. There was much too long of a silence. I made an attempt to leave but Tanya stopped me.
"Jane," she said suddenly crossing to me in hastened steps. She then lowered her voice, her gaze and said, "Please. . .please. . .please. . .just do what they tell you to do okay?"
"Jesus, Tanya," I mused forcing Tanya to look up at me. "This sounds awfully like what you said to me the day before both you and Dominic betrayed me."
"Say what you will, Jane, but this is different. Las Vegas is not Phoenix." And for some strange and unnerving reason, I believed her, particularly when the bedroom door swung opened with Dominic walking in. I held my breath as did Tanya 'cause she immediately stepped away from me and lowered her gaze in a state of guilt.
"What's going on?" Dominic queried Tanya suspiciously but she just shook her head and forced an comforting smile. Dominic then settled that same suspicious look on me, and I, too, shook my head. "Oh, I see," he chortled, "What. . .You two becoming the best of friends again. . .keeping secrets?"
"There are no secrets," I assured him 'cause there never were any "secrets" between me and Tanya to begin with. I mean, Tanya made that very clear to me when she allowed Dominic to be my pimp.
"Was I addressing you?!" Dominic snapped. I choked back my embarrassment and shook my head. "Then shut the fuck up then! Tanya?" he pressed.
"I was just asking about Doug, Dom. And it kind of ticked Jane off 'cause she doesn't approve-"
"Approve of what?"
"Us going out, I guess."
"Is that right?" Dominic mused as he smirked at me. Tanya, too, smirked but it was in the form of an effort to make it look like she was toying with me. I played along and said nothing.
"Whatever!" Dominic carelessly retorted a second later. "It's time to go. You two get downstairs." he then ordered prior to slamming the door shut leaving Tanya to grab her purse while I just stood there with this distraught look plastered across my face. Not that either Tanya or Dominic would notice.
Chapter 38
It was almost nine in the morning when we headed out to Phoenix. The traffic was heavy on Camelback Road. The air outside was a winding hot while the air in Dominic's Hummer breezed cold. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat a few times to calm my nerves when we drove further into Phoenix. Occasionally I caught glimpse of Dominic staring at me calculatingly through the rearview mirror eventually causing me to fret 'cause I had not recognized that look.
Once we passed Central Avenue heading west, my heart started to beat faster. Then my mind began to paint horrific pictures of my oncoming death with newspaper headlines screaming: "UNIDENTIFIED GIRL FOUND DEAD IN DESERT is now believed to be that of missing Paradise Valley girl, Anna Jane Parker" 'cause Vegas was north of Arizona, not west. And just as my mind began to contemplate further terror, Dominic unexpectedly pulled his Hummer onto a semi-deserted parking lot adjacent to what used to be an old Home Depot.
Dominic parked his Hummer beside a late model Chevy Suburban nestled comfortably within a row of independently parked cars marked "For Sale". The Suburban was gray. The windows, limo tinted. The wheels, stock. Over all, the vehicle itself looked friendly and decent until Justin stepped off the driver's side thus ruining the Suburban's entire look.
Dominic slid out of the driver's seat while Tanya kept to hers. He opened my door and I slowly stepped off. There was a sudden chill in the air, or it could have been Justin's icy stare literally penetrating my skin? Whatever it was wasn't enough to deter me from stealing a glimpse at a nearby street sign. We were right off 43rd Ave, slightly east of Grand which merged onto Highway 60 leading straight into Las Vegas. Feeling a little eased about my whereabouts since I wasn't to familiar with Phoenix I then stole another glance only it was toward the direction of the Suburban's back windows, and I swore I caught some movement inside. My breathing intensified. And it left me to look to Dominic for comfort but he and Justin were no longer standing next to me as they were now standing in front of the Suburban. They weren't talking very loud so I couldn't hear everything that they were saying. I did however, catch certain words like 'clothes', and something to the effect of 'straying, keeping low key, and sticking to minimal conversation' which suddenly began to annoy the heckl out of Justin.
"I get it, cuz," he argued slightly on the defensive. "I mean, it's not like I've never done this shit before, dude! So chill."
"Not without me you haven't." Dominic reminded him. And his smug statement must've left a bitter taste in Justin's mouth 'cause he just chuckled and shook his head in disbelief while walking back to the driver's side door. He creaked it open only slightly when his cell started to ring.
Dominic strolled back over to me and stared down at me, looking a bit uneasy. I had sensed that something out of the ordinary was up but nothing out of the ordinary had been said to indicate that something was up. I lowered my gaze from Dominic's but he swiftly, yet gently picked up my chin and searched my eyes which forced me to search his. But sadly within those eyes I found neither comfort nor remorse - Dominic was as blank as a solid white canvas. And maybe it was just a reaction to me since I searched his eyes through the same comfortless, remorseless expression?
"It's gettin' late," Justin said shoving his cell back into its pouch. Dominic moved aside with Justin opening the driver's side back door, and that's when reality hit me. I looked up at Dominic wide-eyed and alarmed. Then I opened my mouth to plead to him but Justin quickly intermitted grabbing my arm and shoving me into the Suburban. And instead of landing on a cushiony seat I instead landed on a solid metal surface. But just as I was in the throes of begging Dominic to stay with me, I saw two things that absolutely blew my mind: Josh, and other girls.
Before I could even begin to analyze the purpose of the two girls, the door slammed hard behind me. Not leaving any chance for the Suburban to drive off, I quickly swung around in my crouching stance and hurled myself against the dark tinted windows with my eyes and hands both searching in vain for Dominic but he was nowhere to be seen only his Hummer remained visible.
"Quit acting so fuckin' dramatic!" Josh scolded, yanking me off my knees and onto a twinned seat shaped like park benches just to the side of him. I yelped, and that's when I saw Dominic's Hummer heading back toward Camelback Road while the Suburban backed out of the parking lot and headed north on 43rd.
Maybe it was just a natural reaction to have tears of fear cloud my eyes whenever Dominic was nowhere within my reach. Or, maybe it was because I didn't trust Justin and Josh the way I trusted Dominic in spite of the macabre animal that he was? And I guessed it was fairly easy for me to admit that to myself 'cause I viewed Dominic more as my own personal Jesus always fighting against the Satan's of perpetual detestati
on. But today proved otherwise as I was all alone, vulnerable, an easy target for them to do whatever they pleased. But it didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that I wasn't all alone, particularly when I saw those two other girls - one older and the other younger - staring at me with that same weighty expression; I had sensed that they were just as frightened as I was.
Early in the drive I noticed the girls were wearing purple and blue snug hugging tees, skinny jeans and white tennis shoes. The older girl was definitely more endowed than me and the younger girl 'cause her tee looked like it was literally choking her breasts.
It was obvious that the girls wanted to speak to me, and me with them. But with Josh almost nestled in between the three of us made it impossible to say anything at all despite him being hunched over his seat and texting on his cell. So the three of us just kind of sat there curiously staring at each other, and only speaking to one another in code like tears and expressions.
I branded the oldest girl the more assertive of the two: She had dull black shoulder length hair, green eyes, and she was tanned which automatically told me she wasn't from Arizona 'cause everyone here tended to burn, not tan. Aside from being high school beautiful with great popularity potential, her eyes were what seized my attention the most as they painted a more vivid and poignant picture of a girl battling with my same demons; demons who suppressed her life, and many times, against her own will. It was fair to presume that this girl had fought and fought, and continued to fight to this very day for the little dignity they had yet to take from her. And it was obvious that they had not broken her down as of yet, yet they were close. Her will suddenly reminded me of my will. And that somehow brought me some form of comfort.
The other girl however, was a bit more timid. As the youngest of the two, maybe around my age, or perhaps just slightly older 'cause the older girl looked to be more of Tanya's age. It was clearly obvious that this girl had already been broken down 'cause she possessed no dignity. I mean, she just sat there staring at me with this vacant expression embedded across her face - an expression that both chilled and haunted me. The girl didn't have black hair like the other, her hair was brown as mine and straight with bangs. Her complexion was also fair like mine, and her figure lithe like mine. It was fair to say that while we both resembled one another physically we didn't assertively, and a part of me was greatly comforted.
Josh stopped texting, and clasped both hands around his head, and slumped back against the exposed steel panes surrounding the entire back Suburban. He was dressed in blue jeans, a black tee and biker boots while a gun, and an intimidating one for that matter, resided down the crotch front of his jeans.
"Would you like to touch my pistol?" Josh then said suggestively to me. He thrust his pelvis toward me, and I assumed he did this as added effect to his constant bullying me. I looked away with my body cringing as it was not that long ago in which I had one callously shoved into my mouth as well as my vagina.
"It's just a gun, doll," Josh asserted through a mild mannered chuckle. I shook my head to leave it at that but Josh somehow couldn't. "That's too bad," he then said almost sounding regrettably as he leaned into my ear and whispered, "'Cause you would've enjoyed it as much as you enjoyed Dominic's." My gut pinched. And I glared at Josh in a state of humiliation 'cause I knew exactly what he was referring too. I didn't feel the Suburban as it came to a standstill until the door unexpectedly opened. My shoulders jerked, and Josh bolted out the door.
"Here," Justin said tossing a pink duffle bag in my direction. "Change clothes. And no talking!" I didn't know whether I was to nod in agreement or knock both Justin and Josh over with the duffle bag and make a run from the gas station? Justin closed the Suburban door, saying to Josh, "We need gas." Josh nodded in agreement with them heading toward the mini mart.
I hesitated for a moment to pick up the duffle bag and start changing 'cause I was still busy surveying my surroundings, like the gas station, the bustling streets, the people walking to and from the mini mart.
I swept an anxious eye over my right shoulder and noticed there was no other visible back door other than the door Josh stepped out of - the passenger's back door had been welded into the frame of the Suburban. I leaped from the bench seat I was sitting on and toward the only door and realized, much to my horror, there was no door knob. I then looked toward the front of the Suburban and discovered, in the same horrid state, a plexi glass window tightly bolted in between the front and back cab of the Suburban. I then focused that same attention to the back windows, and to my absolute shock, they were masked with chicken wire. Suddenly I felt like I was in a prison. And no sooner had the phobia began to settle in me. But why I hadn't noticed these things before I was shoved into this Suburban was beyond me? I mean, it would've given me the opportunity to scream, to plead, to fight before the knobless door closed on me.
"They designed it so you can't escape," the older girl finally spoke.
"My, God," I whispered to our dismay as tears of fear instantly grazed my eyes. "You've been in here before?"
The girl quickly squatted to her knees and pulled the pink duffle bag in our direction. The sound of crisp fabric scraping across the chiseled metal base caused my skin to prick. "Here," she said urgently, "you have to get dressed. They'll be coming." I then watched as the girl fumbled with the zipper on the duffle bag for a second before taking out the same outfit she and the younger girl were already wearing and settled them in my hands. Only the tee was pink. "Hurry!" She pressed anxiously while stealing an apprehensive peek through the chicken wired window.
Considering her words of caution I quickly did what she said. From one minute to the next I was dressed and sitting back in my seat with the girl sitting back in hers.
"Tanya does have good taste in clothing, doesn't she?" The younger girl, too, finally at spoke. "7 Jeans, KEDs shoes, BeBe tees. . ." she scoffed. "She's never been one for generics or knock offs." And I wasn't sure if her sarcasm was in regards to her being impressed, or sickened by Tanya's neuroticism's? "I mean," and she paused to laugh again only this time she sounded sickened, "God forbid our little Miss Pimpette should have us dressing in nothing less. I mean, God forbid we should make HER look bad by wearing what WE consider "fashionable"! What a fucking joke!"
I didn't know what to say to that remark. Only to say that I had a lot of questions to ask and I didn't know where to exactly start. "Why the matching outfits?" I pried.
"We're supposed to look like a modeling agency of some sort -"
"Yeah," the older girl chimed in. "Right before we drive into Vegas the guys will stop somewhere and change into business suits to look like legit agents. You'll see."
"Yeah," the younger girl interrupted, "that way we don't walk into the hotel looking suspicious; we walk in looking like a totally legit business. You'll see," she then repeated.
I glanced over my shoulder; there was no sign of Justin or Josh anywhere. I turned back around and caught the girls staring at me but suspiciously like if I didn't belong there. . .with them.
"What's your name?" The older girl asked in a tone that surprised me. She sounded like she belonged in an opera, not prostitution
"Um. . .Diamond."
"No," she laughed, "I mean, your real name. . .not the name they've given you."
"Oh," I said stiffening a chuckle. "Um. . .Jane. You?"
"Jenna."
"And your given name?" Jenna's expression suddenly turned cold with her body instantly tensing up. I stole a glance toward the front of the Suburban. . .they had returned.
Chapter 39
As soon as the door swung opened, the three of us girls, we literally froze in our seats.
Justin peered his head into the Suburban. And his eyes. . .those sick and twisted goddamn eyes then swept over each and every one of us in a rather suspicious manner causing my insides to pull, tug and turn: Had sensed we had been talking. Or maybe he was just being paranoid like if we were conspiring against him? Whichever it was however, caused hi
m to reconsider his senses 'cause he settled his suspicions on me and gestured for me to step out of the Suburban. I choked back my fear and quickly eased my way out the door. A part of me was glad to touch down on paradise while the other part dreaded to be in Justin's hell. Justin slowly closed the door. But within seconds he cinched my waist and pressed me up against the Suburban. My body tensed, particularly when I felt the weight of Justin's gun depressing into me while his mouth hovered dangerously over my left ear.
"I'm going to make it quite simple, babe," Justin then said sweeping up my earlobe in between his lips while the tips of his teeth pinched down hard into the bulky flesh. I then whimpered with Justin threatening, "You better not fuckin' scream, girl, 'cause I'll hurt you far beyond what I've already done." For just a painful moment Justin actually sounded like Dominic but his manner was more on a relentlessness and that he could very well hurt me more dangerously than Dominic has done. I held my tongue and the stinging pain in my lobe and nodded.
"Good," Justin said lessening his teeth from my lobe. "Just so you know, Vegas isn't a fucking social convention. You're here to do one job as with the other girls. You do what me and Josh tell you to do and when to do it. If we want you to talk, we'll let you talk. If we want you to keep your mouth shut, we'll make it a point. Now Josh and I expect for you to be on your best behavior. We don't need headaches, Jane, nor you making our business look bad especially in front of one of our associates who is very important to this organization. So aside from fucking a lot of men while in his company, it is very crucial that you do what he wants you to do, too. You will smile for him. And you will enjoy it all for him. And if all goes well then you'll come home. But if it doesn't. . ." Justin's voice comically trailed off but it was only so that he could ease himself from me. He picked up my chin gently and gazed into my eyes meaningful. And from my trembling lips he stole a kiss; a kiss that did not go without a graze from his tongue against mine. And Justin's unexpected kiss literally sent shivers all up and down my spine, throwing me for a spin: Justin had never kissed me before. And the sensation left me with this unexplained feeling of adrenaline pulsing through me. I mean, it wasn't an attraction nor was it orgasmic, it was. . .I mean, it felt. . .fated.
