by Bill Ward
“Put an advert in the newspaper in Romania and you will get girls.”
“I’m looking for something a bit different. I have friends who have, shall we say, rather extreme fantasies which girls do not normally want to satisfy. In fact, some of my friends find it more enjoyable when the girl doesn’t want to provide what is being asked. This then gives them a reason to discipline the girls. The discipline can be very severe. My friends are willing to pay good money to spend time with such a girl, especially if she is pretty.”
“I can provide your friends with everything they want. Just send them to me. I will even pay you a small commission.”
“As I said, I am looking to expand my own business interests. I am able to satisfy most of my friends’ other vices and I wish to be able to also provide girls. I think Romanian girls are exactly what I’m looking for as Western European girls are rather more problematic.”
“So you want me to provide you with girls so you can go into competition with me? I’m not sure that is good business sense for me.”
“We are satisfying different market needs and frankly, no offense but my business is aimed at a rather more upmarket clientele than your business. I am providing different services so I don’t believe we will be in competition and you will make good money selling me the girls.”
“I might be able to help you find the type of girls you want but they will cost a great deal of money, as much as say one hundred thousand pounds each. Do you have that sort of money?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of seventy thousands pounds for each girl.”
“Such girls are not easily found and brought into the country. How many do you want?”
“I’m thinking I need three to get started. Then probably another three in about six months.”
“Okay, I will provide three girls for two hundred and fifty thousand pounds. That is my final offer.”
“Agreed. I will pay fifty thousand up front to cover some of your expenses and the rest is payable when I receive the girls.”
Stefan smiled for the first time. “How soon do you want the girls?”
“How soon can you get them?”
“It will take about a month.”
“Good. You do understand I don’t want experienced working girls like Afina and Mara?”
“I understand what you want. You want nice, normal girls who won’t want to be fucked up the arse by a stranger and when they resist, your upmarket customers will beat the shit out of them.”
“I believe we are on the same wave length.”
“Age is not important?”
“Young is good but I’m not after children, my clients are not paedophiles. And obviously the girls must be attractive as I charge a premium rate for these services.”
“I will ask my friends back home to start looking for suitable girls. When can you provide the deposit?”
“Give me your bank details and I can transfer the money later today.”
“You will transfer me fifty thousand pounds after just ten minutes of conversation? You are either very trusting or a fool.”
“I assure you I am neither and if you are straight with me then we will both prosper. However, these fund are not just mine. I work with people in London who are investing in my new business and they would not tolerate anything adversely affecting their investment. I have made them aware of you and your business and how you can help provide the girls we want. They expect you to deliver what we purchase. The consequences of not doing so would be very bad for your business. Do I make myself clear?”
“Very clear. It is a large sum of money and it is perfectly safe with me.”
“Good. You can give me your bank details and we can swap contact numbers before I leave. Now I would like to get back to Afina and finish enjoying myself.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
As soon as Powell had left, Afina went to find Stefan.
“What business did Danny want to discuss with you?” she asked.
“It does not concern you,” Stefan replied.
“Is Danny happy with me?”
“Danny thinks you’re great. Our business did not involve you. Victor is coming to see me shortly. Why don’t you go find Mara and have a coffee so we can speak without distraction? If Victor sees you he may be tempted to ask to play with you again.”
Afina needed no second invitation to leave. She found Mara already drinking coffee and reading a magazine.
“So tell me about last night?” Mara asked, moving to the kettle to make Afina a coffee. Did you have fun with Danny?”
“It was okay.”
“Okay! I’m sure it was better than okay. While you were probably eating nice food and spending the evening with one man I was getting fucked by seven men. My pussy is damn sore this morning.”
Afina smiled. “You’re right,” she admitted. “It was better than a normal evening. I shouldn’t complain.”
“So is Danny still an easy fuck or has he become kinky?”
“No, he’s not very kinky.”
“So why don’t you look happier?”
“Sorry, I’m just a bit tired.”
“I can give you some pills to help with tiredness. In fact, I can give you something to help with most conditions.”
Afina was surprised. “You mean drugs?”
“I can get you anything you want.”
“No thanks, Mara. It is bad enough what I am doing. I don’t also want to become a drug addict.”
“It can help with the work. I take some coke every now and again.”
“It’s not for me,” Afina said with conviction.
“As you wish.”
“By the way, did you know Victor is upstairs talking to Stefan?”
“Victor, so you’re worried he will want a repeat performance?”
“Stefan promised me I wouldn’t have to be beaten by Victor again but I’m not sure I trust him.”
Mara handed Afina the cup of coffee she’d made for her. “Don’t worry. There are two other new girls, I’m sure Stefan will volunteer one of them.”
“And will you beat the new girl like you did me?” Afina snapped.
“I may be Stefan’s cousin but if I was to upset Victor, Stefan would never forgive me. I do what I am told.”
“Why is Victor so important?”
“I’m not sure but Stefan treats him like royalty. He is closer to Dimitry than Stefan. In fact I think it was Dimitry who introduced Victor to Stefan. I think he has something to do with finding the new girls and getting them in the country. He makes regular trips back to Romania and each time he returns Stefan entertains him with a girl of his choice.”
“Which of them is in charge?”
“I think they are all equal. The men really in charge are back home in Romania.”
“I’m not surprised Dimitry and Victor are friends. They are both equally evil.”
“They are men!”
“Not all men are like those two beasts.” Afina was worried to hear Victor and Dimitry were good friends. Victor would know she was responsible for Dimitry having to flee the country. She was petrified of Victor and what he might be capable of doing to her.
Powell had told her she must try to learn everything possible about Stefan and his business. Any small fact could be important. “Danny spoke privately with Stefan earlier and though I couldn’t hear everything, I think Danny was asking Stefan to supply him with some girls.”
“He is a greedy man. Were we not enough for him?”
“Not like that. Danny wants to go into business like Stefan.”
“So that explains your bad mood. Danny is turning out to be just like other men.”
“Mara, I don’t understand you. You don’t like men very much but you don’t seem concerned that girls our age are being brought into this country against their will and forced to work as sex slaves. They are not like you, they have not chosen to do this work to make money. They have been deceived and then they are abused. How can you not
want to do something to stop it?”
“There’s nothing I can do or you can do for that matter. They are not our problem. If you interfere you will end up dead. That is the real world in which we live. It is the world I grew up in. My mother’s sister married an important man, what in the films they would call a gangster. When my father was killed, I was only fifteen and we had no money so I went to my uncle and asked him if I could work for him in some capacity. My mother was too proud to ask and didn’t like him but he was always okay to me. I didn’t know then he was a gangster or what he was truly like. He looked at me and asked if I was a virgin. I said I was and he offered me five hundred euros to have sex with him. I snapped off his hand for the money and he took me immediately, bent over his desk. That was my introduction to men.”
“I’m sorry,” was all Afina could think to say. There had been times when they had been so short of money at home she might have considered a similar offer, five hundred euros was an enormous sum.
“A little later he asked me if I wanted to work for him, having sex with his important clients. I was sixteen at the time. Soon I was doing parties with multiple men but he paid me less and less. He had videos and threatened to show them to my mother and the rest of the world if I didn’t comply.” Mara took a drink of her coffee and raised her eyebrows in an air of resignation. “What could I do?”
Afina was shocked by Mara’s revelations. “How did you come to be in England?” she asked.
“Stefan knew what his father was putting me through and he felt sorry for me. He had been my big cousin growing up and I guess he considered me a bit like the younger sister he never had. He asked me if I wanted to come to England to work and I jumped at the chance to make some real money doing what I was good at. I didn’t think his father would allow it but he spoke to his father and somehow convinced him I would be useful in England. So here I am.”
Afina now understood that Mara felt she owed Stefan for his getting her to England and though she might not approve of his business, she wasn’t going to take up sides against him.
“Our lives have many similarities,” Afina said. “But why do you stay?”
“What would you have me do? Go back home to my uncle?”
“You can’t do this for ever.”
“When I have more money perhaps I will start my own business and live off other girls doing the fucking for a change.”
There was a knock at the door before Afina could respond. Mara answered and stepped back, surprised to see Victor.
“Hello Mara,” Victor said. “I need to speak with Afina.”
Afina involuntarily took a couple of spaces further back into the room. She didn’t want to speak with Victor.
“What about, Victor?” Mara asked.
“It is not your business,” Victor said sharply. “Afina, let’s go up to your room.”
Mara was blocking the door but Victor pushed past. “I haven’t all day, Afina. Let’s go.”
“There are some new girls,” Mara said. “Do you want me to beat one of them for you?”
“I need to speak with Afina privately. I am not looking for my normal entertainment. Perhaps after I speak with Afina.”
Afina was worried but a little happier to hear Victor did not seem to want to beat her again. But what did he want to discuss? She knew she had no option but to do as he said so she led the way back up to her room.
As she entered the lounge Stefan was not to be seen.
“Let’s go in your bedroom for privacy,” Victor suggested. “I have a message from Dimitry for your ears only.”
Afina did as instructed and nervously led the way to her bedroom. Victor closed the door. Afina said nothing and waited for Victor to speak.
“Stefan says I must be careful not to damage you because you are earning us a load of money.” Victor approached Afina and as he touched her face she instinctively recoiled.
“What do you want?” Afina asked trying to keep her voice steady.
“I have a deal I wish to put to you. If you tell me where you have written this diary of events you have hidden, you will be able to continue working here with no change to the arrangement you have made with Stefan. It is a generous offer.”
Afina was terrified. “The diary is my insurance.”
“Afina, you are going to tell me everything I want to know. The only question is how much pain you are going to endure first.”
Afina was frozen to the spot. She had nowhere she could run and nobody was going to come to her rescue. She knew her limits. She had previously received twenty strokes of the cane from Victor and she had no doubt there was a number of strokes at which she would be prepared to say anything to get him to stop. Then she would be putting the lives of Emma and Becky in danger.
There was only one other option. “I have written two letters and left them with a friend,” she admitted. “I can go and get them and bring them back to you.”
“We can go and get them together,” Victor stated. “You are not leaving my sight until I get these letters.”
Afina had expected as much. She also believed there was a high probability Victor would abuse or even kill her after he had what he wanted. “The letters are sealed so my friend doesn’t know what they say. I can just quietly ask for them back.”
“Who is this friend and where does he live?”
Afina was trying to think fast. “His name is Powell. He lives about ten minutes away. He helped me the night I ran away from here and took me back to his place. He doesn’t know anything about what happened. I told him I was running away from an abusive boyfriend when he found me on the street.”
“Are you fucking him?”
“Don’t be mad. He’s old enough to be my father. He was nice to me so I asked him to keep the letters for me.”
“Does he know what’s in them?”
“No, I just said they were some important personal papers and I would collect them when I was settled.”
She realised she was potentially putting Powell in danger but she really had no other option. At least Victor had never met or heard of Powell. She almost said his name was Danny but was worried Victor would mention the name to Stefan before they left and that would create too many complications.
“So let’s go visit this Powell. Call him to let him know you are coming.”
Afina picked up her mobile from the table and called the number listed as Danny. She was praying Victor didn’t look closely at her phone and see she was calling someone called Danny.
“It’s Afina,” she said when Powell answered. “Can I come and see you? I’d like to take back the two letters I left with you. I want to update them.”
There was a brief silence at the other end of the line while Powell digested Afina’s surprising request. He was aware someone could be listening to her call.
“Of course,” Powell replied. “When do you want to come?”
“How about right now?”
“Okay. Do you remember where I live?”
“I remember the name of the bar.”
“I’ll expect you in about ten minutes.”
Afina ended the call and put the phone in her pocket. “He expects us in ten minutes.”
“Good,” Victor said simply. “We can take a taxi.”
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
Powell had ten minutes to prepare for the arrival of Afina and almost certainly she would not be coming alone. Afina had told him about the letters she had left with her friends. Someone, could it possibly even be Dimitry, was threatening her in order to recover the letters. Powell hoped Afina hadn’t been hurt. She had sounded nervous but otherwise okay on the telephone. At least she had had the good sense to tell whoever was threatening her that he had the letters. If she had given up the names of the girls there was no way of knowing what might have happened. They could have all ended up dead.
Powell went to his desk in the office behind the bar and filled two envelopes with blank pages. Then he placed them inside his safe. He was goin
g to have to be careful when Afina arrived. There were various scenarios playing out in his head but whether it was Stefan or someone else about to pay a visit, he didn’t see how he could let them ever leave, as they would quickly discover the envelopes were empty and then Afina would be in grave danger.
Stefan turning up would be the worst possible result as he was the only person who knew him as Danny and he very much wanted to keep both his alter ego and relationship with Stefan in play. Stefan still offered the best possible chance to find Dimitry.
The bar was relatively quiet being early evening and Powell poured himself a shot of whisky, which he downed in one, then he informed the two guys working the bar he was expecting visitors and he would be in his office. He had CCTV covering the entrance and interior of the bar so he would be able to spot Afina entering and possible identify who she was with, if she didn’t come alone. He sat watching the feed from the cameras, which was more normally used to spot drunks causing trouble. He planned to meet whoever arrived in the bar itself, as he assumed the presence of people scattered around the bar would deter whoever was with Afina from getting too violent in public.
Powell saw the taxi pull up out front and while happy not to see any sign of Stefan, he was disappointed it was a stranger and not Dimitry who accompanied Afina towards the entrance to the bar. She entered, looked around and then she spotted Powell walking towards her. He gave a cheerful wave of recognition.
“Hi Afina,” Powell welcomed her with a kiss on each cheek. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Victor.”
“Hello Victor, I’m Powell.” They shook hands briefly. “Can I get you both a drink?”
“No thank you,” Victor replied. “We are in a hurry.”
“Well the letters are in the office. Come through and I’ll get them for you.”
Powell was relieved when Victor and then Afina, followed him towards the office. He had been worried Victor would just expect him to fetch the letters by himself and hand them over in the bar. Powell held the office door open for them both and then closed it behind them. He went to the safe, which was sat on the floor in one corner. He entered the combination and the door swung open. He reached inside and withdrew the envelopes, holding them out in one hand to Afina for her to take. She approached and as she took them in her hand, he withdrew his other hand from the safe and it now contained a pistol aimed at Victor.
