Copyright © 2018 by M.A. Heard.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical reviews and specific other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
The resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.
Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs
PLEASE NOTE:
I will be changing my last name from Michelle Horst to Michelle Heard.
Laura, Leeann, Kelly, Kristine & Morgan.
This one’s for you.
Hummingbirds’ wings create the infinity symbol when in flight. They represent endurance, adaptability, and also bring playfulness and joy to life.
CHAPTER 1
EVIE
(Seventeen years old.)
Having done my chores for the day, I drag my tired body to the bedroom I share with Sandra and Wendy. Sandra will be back from work at three am, and Wendy is already fast asleep. Sandra is two weeks older than me and started working last week when she turned eighteen. She’s moving to Moonlight Ranch tomorrow.
Just thinking about what the future holds for me sends a shiver of disgust rippling through me. I only have one week left before I have to start working at that hellhole, as well.
Eric and Charlotte are cunning and deceitful. They’ve mastered the art of fooling welfare services whenever they come to do an inspection. The house is always neat, and they make sure that no business takes place on the premises. Everything happens at the ranch, and only at night. During the day it functions as just another cattle ranch. Most of the boys who come to live here are lucky as they get to work on the ranch during the day. Although, the attractive ones get handpicked by Charlotte to work at night alongside all the girls.
From the outside, everything looks normal. Eric and Charlotte regularly donate and are respected by the community. I’ve learned that money can buy a lot of things. Hell, they even had me fooled when I first came to live with them. I thought I was one of the lucky ones when I got placed with the Williams family. I was only thirteen and still held onto hope that I would find a family I could call my own.
Instead of a family, I found monsters who use us for cheap labor, and once you turn eighteen, you’re forced to become a sex worker.
Eric and Charlotte can sweet talk anyone into believing they’re saints. They’re smart, never letting their perverted clients touch any of the underage girls. But once we turn eighteen, all bets are off. You either start working for them, or you’re out on the cold street without a second thought. It still surprises me how many girls choose to stay.
Even though I’m tired, I can’t fall asleep. Since Sandra starting working, I’ve been spending my nights worrying about my eighteenth birthday.
I’m planning to run away. It’s all I can do to save myself from a life as a prostitute. I shudder with revulsion just thinking about some perverted old man touching me.
So far I’ve managed to hide some food behind the washing machine. Once I’m living on the street, I know the food won’t last long, but right now my biggest concern is where I’ll live. I’m scared to death of being homeless, but it’s nothing compared to the fear of having countless men use my body any way they want to for the rest of my life.
I have no other choice but to run away.
Feeling hopeless and terrified of what my future holds in store for me, I curl into a small bundle.
∞∞∞
Alienated. It’s the only word which describes how I feel. Unloved and disregarded by life, I wonder why I was born if I’m meant to be snubbed by everyone? People either look right through me or glare at me with disdain.
My first week on the streets I was too scared to even sleep. Every person that crossed my path was a potential threat. Up until a few weeks ago, being raped was my biggest fear. I was wrong. Loneliness has become my greatest fear by far. I was never close to any of the other children who were taken in by Eric and Charlotte, but at least I wasn’t alone while I lived there.
There’s not a single person who cares about me. I could disappear from the face of the planet, and no one would notice.
I might as well not exist. The realization is devastating. It’s been hitting me with one crippling blow after another when I least expect it. The thought will wake me minutes after I’ve drifted off, or slam into me while I’m walking down the street.
The only reminder I have that I’m alive is my aching stomach. I can’t remember the last decent meal I ate. The food I stole before I ran away was taken on my second day out here. I had hidden it behind a dumpster while I was looking for work. When I returned to the alley where I thought I’d be able to stay until I managed to find a job, two men were going through my things, dividing it all among themselves. They were much bigger than me, and fearing for my life, I had no choice but to leave with only the bag I had with me, and run.
Desperation shudders through me and for a moment I think about searching through the dumpsters near restaurants, but then I remember the beating I got when I accidentally trespassed on another homeless man’s area. That’s another thing I quickly learned. Deprivation makes savages of people. On the streets, you’ll be ripped apart if you so much as look at another person.
I hunch forward, hugging my arms around my waist as I try and fight off the chill. I tried to sneak into the library’s bathroom, but security caught me. I was thrown out with a harsh warning. It could’ve been worse. I was lucky they didn’t have me arrested. I also tried to walk up and down the aisles of shops that stayed open during the night, but it became unbearable. Seeing all that food and not being able to eat it was pure torture.
I’ve thought about going back to Eric and Charlotte, but when I think of what I’ll be going back to, I’d rather die. Being at the mercy of a pimp and his whore, I only had two options. Either I get busy spreading my legs to earn my keep, or I leave. I’ve always known that day was coming, but nothing prepared me for how dangerous it is living on the streets is.
I look up at the sign that reads Double D’s Cleaning Services. Saying a silent prayer, I open the door and walk into the reception area. If I don’t get a job soon, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m reaching the point where I’m so desperate that I’ll even take a job as a stripper.
Chapter 2
RHETT
(Nineteen years old.)
People say they love you, but what they actually mean is that they love how you make them feel about themselves, or what they can take from you.
That’s the lesson I learned the day my parents died. If it weren’t for Mr. Hayes, Mia and I would’ve had nowhere to go.
Our parents worked hard for the little we had. There wasn’t a lot of money, but there was love. Fuck, we had the best parents. Not a day has gone by where I don’t miss them.
Where I look like Dad, Mia is the spitting image of Mom. We both have black hair, but Mia got Mom’s striking green eyes. My eyes are dark, sometimes brown and sometimes black, depending on my mood. My sister is my opposite. Where I’m big, she’s small, which only brings out my protective side even more. There’s nothing I won’t do for Mia.
We had family who could’ve taken us when our parents died, but Mia and I were nothing more than burdens to them. Our family couldn’t afford to be saddled with us. That was until Mr. Hayes stepped in, and suddenly our so-called family was interested in us again. I’m so thankful for Mr. Hayes. Financially, we had everything our
hearts could desire. He was a fantastic father figure to me.
But Mia needed more than that. She needed a mother. I went from struggling through puberty to becoming Mia’s protector overnight. I was no longer someone’s son. Even though Mr. Hayes was the perfect father figure, I still had to become Mia’s mother, father and be her big brother all at the same time. It was easier for me to connect with Mr. Hayes than it was for Mia.
I’ll never forget the day I realized just how badly Mia needed a mother.
∞∞∞
I open my bedroom door and frown when I see Mia sitting on my bed. As she looks up at me, her chin starts to quiver.
“What’s wrong?” I ask while shutting the door behind me.
She shakes her head and looks back down at her hands.
I sit down next to her and duck my head lower, trying to catch her eyes. “I can’t make it better if you don’t tell me.”
“It started today,” she whispers as her tears start to fall.
“What started?”
She mumbles something I can’t make out as sobs shudder through her tiny body.
“I didn’t hear what you just said,” I say as I place my hand on her shoulder, trying to offer her some comfort.
She looks up at me, and there’s a mixture of sadness and awkwardness on her face.
“My period,” she whispers. She covers her face with her hands as she cries harder. It breaks my heart to see her so upset.
Before our parents died, I would’ve freaked out just thinking about having this conversation with Mia. Fuck, it still freaks me out, but I shove it down. I pull her into a hug and press a kiss to the top of her head while slowly rubbing her back.
I have no idea how to help. Do I take her to the drug store and let her get what she needs?
“It’s okay.” I take a deep breath and push her back. I hook my finger under her chin and nudge it up so she’ll look at me. “We’ll figure this out.”
“I took care of it. On the way home from school, I stopped at the store,” she says as she starts to calm down a little.
“It happened at school?” Shit, that must’ve sucked.
She nods. “Rebecca helped me.”
She looks so small and sad, so I wrap my arms around her again and hold her, hoping it will make her feel better.
“It made me realize how much I miss Mom,” she whispers against my chest.
“I miss them too.” It’s all I can say.
“Do you think it will ever get easier?” she asks as she looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
She wraps her arms around my waist and presses her face into my chest.
“I’m so glad I have you, Rhett. I know I don’t say it enough, but thank you for taking care of me,” she whispers.
I hold her tighter as I whisper, “I’ll always take care of you.” I tilt my head and catching her eyes, so she’ll see I’m serious as I say, “I’ll always put your needs before my own. I don’t know what our futures hold, but I promise, I will be next to you every step of the way.”
∞∞∞
Not a day has gone by where I haven’t kept my promise to Mia. She’s the only girl who matters to me. I don’t get involved in relationships because I can’t risk a girl getting between Mia and myself. Then there’s the fact that most girls are fucking gold diggers.
I might come across as the joker of the group, but I only trust my friends, Mr. Hayes, and Mia. Carter and I have been best friends since our first day of school. People might not see it, but we’re a lot alike. With Carter, what you see is what you get, where I hide behind jokes and one-night stands. The only difference between Carter and myself is our reason for not getting involved in any kind of serious relationship. Carter doesn’t trust anything female. Because of his mother leaving him, he thinks all women are the same.
Having money has taught me that people only see you as a bank account, and not a person with feelings. It’s been a hard lesson for me to learn.
It has to be ten times harder for Carter, seeing as he’s the wealthy one in the group. We’ve all reaped the benefits of being his friends, and thankfully he’s known us since before our balls dropped. Otherwise, I’m not so sure he would’ve let us into his life. If it’s hard for me to trust people, it has to be next to impossible for Carter.
Jaxson and Marcus have their own reasons for not wanting to commit themselves to a girl. Fuck, Marcus’ nightmare past damaged him for life. He won’t let anyone in but Jaxson, and we don’t blame him. Carter, Logan, and I understand his reasons for keeping everyone at a safe distance. We might not be as close to him as Jaxson is, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have his back. Because of his fucked-up past, we do everything in our power to protect Marcus.
I’m close to Logan as well. He’s the only stable one between the five of us, and that’s the reason I trust him with Mia. The two lovebirds think I don’t notice the way they look at each other. I’ll never interfere though. They have to figure shit out for themselves. There isn’t another guy on the face of this planet I would want for my sister.
A while back, Marcus started the Screw Crew list. It was meant as a joke, but since then it’s become a competition between us to see who can fuck the most girls. So far I’m in the lead, not that I’m proud of myself when I look at all the names. Sure, every single girl knows the deal – it’s only a once-off fuck. I don’t do repeats. But lately, even that has become boring.
I’m more selective now when it comes to choosing a girl. They have to be open to taking risks, like having sex in a place where we can get caught. They have to be wild, which means I stay away from the innocent looking ones. The last thing I want to do is scar some poor girl for life.
The girl I was with last night was mindblowing. She gave me a taste of something new. It was the first time I had anal sex, and fuck it was hot. It’s also the first time I’m considering fucking the same girl twice, but we didn’t even exchange names. It was anonymous, dirty and daring. It was perfect.
Fucking her on the dance floor only added to the thrill. To others, it might have looked like we were bumping and grinding against each other, just like everyone else, but I was buried deep in her ass.
I’m slowly becoming addicted to living on the edge. It’s the only time I know for sure that the girl isn’t acting. They need the thrill just as much as I do. It’s not about how wealthy I am, but how far I’m willing to go.
Basically, on the outside, I might look like a safe bet, but on the inside, I’m a twisted fuck. It’s a secret I keep from the guys, and I sure as fuck don’t want Mia to find out.
Chapter 3
EVIE
Sitting in the back of the van with the other girls, I glance at their faces, wondering how they can laugh and joke while we’re on our way to another house to clean.
I’m thankful for the job, and I have no problem with cleaning houses. It’s the topless part that gets to me, but beggars can’t be choosers. We all wear the same uniform which consists of black high heels, a black g-string, and a black jacket that has the words Double D’s Cleaning Services scribbled across the back in nauseating bright orange. The shoes are a size too big for me, but I took care of that by stuffing toilet paper in the front.
I keep telling myself it’s a million times better than having to whore my body out for a warm meal. At least I still have some control. The clients aren’t allowed to touch us. Cleaning their homes topless is only for their viewing pleasure.
It’s my third day on the job, and as the van comes to a stop in front of a mansion, my stomach plunges to my feet from the weight of my nerves. I’ll never get used to this.
It’s only until you can find something better, Evie.
I’ll get paid on Friday. It won’t be much, but it will be enough to see me through until next Friday. Right now that’s all I can focus on, just making it through every day.
I climb out of the van and wait for all the girls to walk ahead of me.
Yesterday I learned that if I let them go in first, the owner is too busy ogling them to notice me. I’m the youngest and more petite than the other girls. I never thought I’d be thankful for my small breasts but seeing as the others have more to stare at, I don’t get gawked at too much.
My stomach tightens as I reach the front door. The little food I’ve managed to get my hands on threatens to come back up as I walk into the house. My eyes dart around, assessing my surroundings.
The interior reeks of money and I cringe as I imagine the perverted old man who must live here. As I walk into the living room, I immediately notice two men. They’re sitting in front of a massive flat screen TV while eating sandwiches which makes my stomach growl.
Oh shit. They’re not old.
They don’t look much older than me. The fact that the men are both good looking doesn’t do anything to calm my nerves. So far, we’ve only been called out to homes of elderly men. My heart starts to beat faster when another man comes down the stairs to my right. The second he sees me, he freezes.
A look of confusion washes over his handsome face, and he slowly walks closer.
When he sees the other five girls, his mouth drops open.
“What’s going on?” he asks the other two men in the living room.
The one stops mid-bite. “They’re here for Rhett.”
“What the fuck?” Someone growls behind me.
I let out a startled shriek and cower closer to Phoebe and the other girls. I keep forgetting their names and only remember Phoebe’s because she’s in charge of our group.
Cautiously I glance at the man who just walked in from outside. He’s dressed in running gear. He glances at us, and the intimidating look on his face almost makes my heart beat out of my chest.
Shameless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 5) Page 1
