APPEAL: Esquire Black Duet #2

by Faiman, Hayley

  “I missed you, kitten,” I grin.

  She blushes. “I missed you too, baby.”

  Leaning forward, I press my lips to hers in a chaste kiss before I whisper, “Let’s never fight again.”

  “Okay,” she breathes.

  Chapter Fourteen

  BROOKLYN

  Frowning, I look at the file in front of me. Today is not a day that I enjoy my job. This is a day full of investigating, phone calls, research, and interviews. I have a fairly late night scheduled, and I just want it all to be over.

  I completely lose track of time as I continue to focus on my investigation of my newest case. It isn’t until Kay taps me on the shoulder to tell me good night, that I look up and realize that I’m completely alone, and it’s really late.

  Lucas has a late meeting tonight, so I brought my new car to work for the first time. I bite my bottom lip, wondering how I could lose track of time so damn bad. Gathering my things, I sign out of the system and power down my computer with a shaky breath.

  Deciding to quickly organize my desk, straightening my paperwork when the thought of my new car flashes into my mind, I smile. I love it. Driving today was amazing.

  I feel terrible about the fight that I had with Lucas over it, but I still feel like it’s way too much. I’m not going to tell him that though, I’ll just smile and drive it.

  He bought it for me and I hurt his feelings when I rejected the gift. I’ve forgiven him, and he me, as long as he promises not to ever do it again. He hasn’t really agreed to that promise. He winked at me before he kissed me, then made me come several times.

  Something catches the corner of my eye, I jump when I see a man stroll right into the office. My breath hitches and I’m immediately irritated that Kay didn’t lock up before she left. That’s not really like her.

  “Can I help you?” I ask a bit shakily as I stand from my desk.

  Looking to the man’s hands, I expect to see a package in them, maybe it’s a late-night delivery. Sometimes we get packages late here, especially since we’re the last stop on the driver’s route. Although this man is not wearing a delivery man’s uniform. He doesn’t have any packages, either.

  He’s shorter, with straight dark hair that’s a little too long. I’m so busy focusing on him that I don’t see the two figures that make their way into the building behind him. When they reveal themselves, my mouth goes completely dry.

  I only recognize two of the three people standing in front of me and the ones I do scare the shit out of me. Right on the other side of my desk are both Curtis and Meredith Dunning.

  Each of them is wearing an evil smile and it’s trained on me. Meredith’s holds a bit of cockiness to her evil, which is a little scarier than Curtis’ just plain mean look.

  “I thought you were in jail,” I mutter lamely.

  Meredith throws back her head in laughter, like a true villainess. I narrow my eyes on her before I return my gaze to Curtis. She isn’t worth my attention or focus, I cannot stand her. I wait for Curtis’ answer. He takes his sweet time before he gives it to me.

  “I’m out on bail, awaiting my trial,” he shrugs.

  I don’t know who would actually let this man roam free, and why the detectives didn’t freaking tell me he was out, but that’s neither here nor there.

  The broken system isn’t going to be fixed tonight or even tomorrow. I try to move my hand, inconspicuously and quickly, to the cellphone on my desk.

  “Not so fucking fast,” the stranger in front of my desk states.

  My eyes fly to his, and I tremble as I stare at the gun in his hand—a gun that is pointed directly at my face.

  “Kill her,” Meredith hisses, her eyes glinting with unbridled excitement.

  “Quiet,” Curtis barks.

  I watch as the woman actually cowers. I didn’t think that was possible for her. I’m actually kind of impressed. Except her eyes, they’re still dancing with the excitement of watching me die.

  “Have you enjoyed the flowers I’ve had delivered for you, Brooklyn?” Curtis asks.

  I knew it was him this whole time. Somehow hearing him admit that he was the one, it sends chills throughout my entire body. I refuse to show him my fear, though I’m sure he can smell it on me, it’s probably permeating from my pores.

  “You know I have no desire to kill you,” he says coolly as he closes the distance between us.

  Meredith opens her mouth, but then wisely shuts it, pressing her lips together. Curtis moves to stand directly in front of me. My eyes shift to the side to see that the gun is still very much pointed directly at me, so I stay frozen in my place.

  “You don’t want to kill me?” I ask, trying to keep my voice from trembling.

  I’m trying to keep him talking. In fact, I want him to tell me everything. The longer I keep him here, distracted and busy, the higher the chance that someone finds us. The last thing I want him to do is strong arm me out of this office.

  “No, not at all. In fact, I have big plans for you, Ms. Myers,” he almost coos. He lifts his hands, and I suppress a shiver as he runs the back of his fingers down my cheek. “I don’t just invest in gambling, Brooklyn.”

  I suck in a breath as his fingers travel down my neck and dance across my collarbone. My entire body is granite. I’m frozen and unable to move as he continues to touch me.

  “Gambling, sex, and alcohol go hand-in-hand. I have my fingers in all of the pies. My business is very lucrative.”

  “Your business?” I breathe.

  He chuckles, moving his hand back around the front of my throat. He grasps me loosely and his cold, dead, eyes stare into mine. He transforms before my eyes. No longer is he just Curtis Dunning, he instantly turns into a devil before my very eyes.

  “I’m going to sell that cunt of yours until it’s no longer profitable.” He grins.

  I hear Meredith laugh on the other side of me, but my focus is on Curtis and his evil smile, his devils’ eyes. Everything about him terrifies me in this very moment.

  “Why me?” I whisper.

  I’m scared, and there is no way that I can feign being anything but terrified. The dead look in his eyes is just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t doubt even for a second that he would do what he’s saying, what he’s promising. I’m smart enough to know that this is not a threat. These are promises he’s making.

  Curtis grins. “You fucked with my money, you fucked with my livelihood. The Feds are breathing down my neck and I could end up in federal prison for the foreseeable future. These are all reasons to sell that body of yours for profit. You take money from me and you better come up with a damn good way to get it fucking back.”

  “You fucked with me too, bitch,” Meredith chimes in. “Custody was my way to pay my bills,” she sneers. “Now, with your reports, no judge is going to give me my kid. You had no fucking right.”

  “Calm down, Meredith,” Curtis barks, never moving his eyes from mine. “Do you think she’ll fuck clients as good as she fucks Lucas?” he asks, lifting a brow. He tilts his head to the side, his eyes roaming over my face.

  He squeezes just enough to keep me still. I watch as his tongue peeks out to taste his lips. He keeps his focus solely on me, ignoring the bitch screeching behind him.

  “I will not calm down,” she announces.

  “You will unless you want to make me some money too, whore,” he snaps.

  My eyes finally slide to Meredith, but instead of seeing fear, she’s glaring at me in…jealousy?

  “You’re not using her in a house, Curtis,” the stranger states. He’s been silent this entire time, but his voice is chilling. He has a slight accent, his voice is calm and cold.

  Curtis turns his head to look over at him, but he doesn’t release me.

  “I’m not?” he almost snorts.

  “Bring her to me,” the stranger demands.

  Meredith sucks in an audible breath. It doesn’t sound good, which frightens me even more. If Meredith is finally showing fear and reserv
ation, with this guy, then what’s about to happen cannot be good.

  Curtis walks around my desk, releasing my neck to wrap his fingers around my bicep before he yanks me against him. He places his hand on the middle of my back and shoves me forward. I stumble to the side but don’t go far as his hand is still holding onto my arm firmly.

  We come to a halt, his sudden movement forces me to stop right before he releases me. I fall against the stranger, placing my palms on his chest for balance. He’s around my height if I weren’t wearing high heels, he has his head tipped back slightly to look into my eyes.

  “No, you’re not using this one in a house, Curtis.” He grins. “Don’t you see the potential in her?” he asks.

  The stranger lifts his hand. I fight my nausea as his cool finger traces my lips.

  “Some would call her full-figured, some would say that she’s too heavy, but do you know what I think?” he asks.

  “She’s fat,” Meredith pipes up.

  The stranger turns to Meredith, and I watch as he takes one step closer, turning to face her. He reaches out to backhand her across her face but doesn’t strike her. The bitch inside of me wants him to hit her and shut her up.

  “You will do well to learn your place, Meredith. You are no longer protected by your husband’s usefulness to me. You are, however, a fucking liability. You will be perfect for a whorehouse. I think, especially since you’ll never get your son back, that this is exactly where you will go,” he states as his hand makes contact with her face.

  “But-but-but…” she whines as she holds her hand to her cheek.

  The man tips his head toward Curtis who is still behind me. “Do you have an issue with that, Curtis?”

  I hear Curtis clear his throat before he speaks. “Her ass has been taken, and often. She would be a perfect asset,” he murmurs.

  He sounds a little sad, talking about his ex-wife that way, essentially pimping her out; but not sad enough to protest this man’s order.

  It’s clear that Curtis is in charge of absolutely nothing. He may supply this man with property for his illegal dealings, but he’s nothing but an errand boy. This man is the one with the power.

  “Curt,” Meredith cries.

  “Shut up, Meredith. You did this to yourself,” Curtis growls.

  The stranger turns to me, a broad smile on his face, which makes him look even more terrifying. His eyes are alight with excitement.

  He is loving this, getting off on it, and I see him clearly now. He enjoys power, but more than that, he likes to play with people.

  “Now, for you, Brooklyn. I have such grand plans. You’ll be so happy with your new life, once you adjust,” he murmurs.

  “My new life?” I ask calmly.

  He chuckles. “Yes. A new life for you. There are men who will love to have you, to mold your body to their desires. There are men in this world that will show you the gloriousness of pain. You will eventually crave every derogatory thing that they do to you. Yes, I do believe I have a couple buyers that would greatly love to have you as their pet,” he murmurs.

  His words make my stomach clench and turn all at the same time. I know exactly what he’s talking about, and I don’t want to hear anymore.

  I’ll never do what he’s suggesting.

  I would rather die.

  He lifts his hand, the same hand that landed harshly across Meredith’s face. Instead of hurting me, he caresses my cheek softly.

  “That isn’t what we discussed,” Curtis states, his voice wavering.

  The stranger shrugs but he keeps his eyes on mine, holding me captive and scared shitless. “It may not have been what we discussed. However, I am not beholden to you, Curtis. You work for me. You suck my cock if I demand it, along with anything else I desire. In fact…” He trails. “On your knees, you little bitch.” He grins with a wink.

  My eyes widen when I hear Curtis moan behind me, then he slips between the stranger and me. Curtis drops.to.his.knees. I tear my eyes away from the scene as soon as I hear the stranger’s belt clink. I try to take a step back, but he shakes his head.

  “I won’t hurt you, Brooklyn,” he murmurs. “I like men, see,” he says, tipping his head down to Curtis, who is now bobbing on his dick.

  Meredith’s sobs are heard from beside us, but I can’t look at her. I’m sure this is horrifying, watching her ex-husband willingly give another man head, but she can go fuck herself for all I care.

  My only concern is getting myself out of this alive.

  “What am I going to do?” he says as his eyelids lower a little, his gun still trained on me. “My plans for you are to sell you. I have buyers from all over the world, some are extra sick fucks, but others are just regular sick fucks. Because you’re a pretty thing, I think I’ll sell you to a regular sick fuck, give you a chance at a happy life. You fucked me over, but you haven’t completely fucked me yet.” He grins.

  “A happy life?” I whisper.

  He grunts, and I try to block out the way his hips buck forward. “I’ll try to find you a good home. Give you a chance to make a man, happy—after he’s stripped you of every independent part of you. Once you’ve become nothing, when you can’t even remember your name and he’s mind-fucked you beyond recognition, then he’ll show you happiness, Brooklyn. That is, before he’s used every part of you. When he’s done, he’ll most likely kill you. That’s what these men do. You’d be so lucky to have that, don’t you think?”

  I want to scream and run. I don’t want what he’s describing. I don’t know one woman who would. All I want, all I need in life to be happy, is Lucas. Tears fill my eyes when the image of his face flashes in front of me. He’s who I want, nothing and nobody else.

  I was stupid to run from him.

  Whatever extravagant gifts he gives me, I’ll never act ungrateful again. I just want to be back in his house, in his bed with him wrapped around my body keeping me safe.

  “The tears are pretty, Brooklyn,” the stranger gasps.

  I watch as pleasure takes over his features. It should make him look less scary, but it doesn’t. He actually looks even more frightening. This is like one of those terrible nightmares that you wake up from right before something really, really, bad happens.

  Unfortunately, I won’t be waking up anytime soon. This is real. A reality that I never thought possible. This is something that is written about, that movies are about. This should never actually happen. Not to me, not to a nobody.

  “Now that we’ve all had some fun. Let’s get Meredith to her new home and put our special cargo on a plane. I’ll have a buyer meet us in Nepal. The sooner the better.

  “Curtis, you’re in charge of situating Meredith with her new station. I expect to see a spreadsheet on her, just like all the others. If she isn’t earning a profit, then I’ll make a change to her occupation,” he announces.

  “What’s your name?” I ask.

  I’m trying to stay calm and keep him here. Stalling for another few moments, though I’m not sure why. It doesn’t matter.

  Nobody will be here to rescue me.

  The office is empty and Lucas probably won’t be home for a few more hours. I’ll be on a plane headed to Nepal before he even knows I’m missing.

  He looks at me curiously and moves the gun closer toward me. He presses it against my chest for a moment, then wordlessly stuffs it into his holster at his hip.

  “Giang Nguyen,” he grins. “I believe you’ve met my brother, Sang?”

  My eyes widen at his declaration, and I gasp. “Your brother?” I remember him, the man who was in charge of those slaphouses. Curtis’ partner.

  He chuckles and lifts his chin. “Curtis, grab your crying bitch. It’s time we take our leave,” Giang murmurs.

  I wrack my brain, trying to think of some other kind of stall tactic. I don’t think he’d fall for my needing to use the bathroom. Luckily, Meredith speaks up and drags my inevitable fate out just a little longer. I could almost thank her…almost.

  “I’m
not going to be some whore turning profit, not for you or anybody,” she shouts suddenly.

  “Meredith, now is not the time,” Curtis barks.

  She walks right over to Giang and stands in front of me. I take the moment to inhale a deep breath. Without Giang’s creepy gaze on me, I feel like I can relax for a second.

  “Why does she get sold to some big ass rich client, and I’m thrown into a whorehouse?” Meredith argues ridiculously.

  I wonder if she heard the part where these men are sick fucks. Why on earth would she want that for herself? Curtis curses behind me, but Meredith is dead fucking serious as she continues.

  “I want to be taken care of forever,” she says with a little stomp of her foot, like a child. “I can be that for some rich old fuck. I can be his little pet.”

  Giang’s voice is low, icy, and frightening when he finally speaks. “You want that, Meredith? Everything I described for Brooklyn, that’s what you want for yourself? I thought this was all to make her pay?” he asks.

  “Yes, I want her to pay for what she did, taking money from me like that. Giang, I have no way to pay for anything, and I refuse to be in a whorehouse like some commoner.”

  “God, you’re a fucking idiot,” Curtis grumbles behind me.

  Giang laughs. “I’m in a good mood, Curtis. These two will make up for all this red tape bullshit that you got yourself into with the Feds. I’ll accept them.”

  “So, we’re good?” Curtis asks.

  Giang steps to the side and his eyes connect behind me to Curtis’ before he speaks. “Oh, we are not good at all, bitch boy. You’re signing over half of your real estate holdings to my name. Also, I’ll be cutting your portion of the profits by half until I feel like you’ve earned yourself back into my good graces. Hopefully, you don’t end up in jail, being someone else’s bitch. I’m rather fond of your ass.” He shrugs.

  I suck in a breath when Giang wraps his hand around my bicep. It’s time. I’m filled with regret. I never told Lucas how much I care for him—that I love him. Now, I’ll never be able to.