by Tia Siren
“No, but I’ve heard a lot about it,” I replied, thinking what a creep this guy was.
The man grinned and licked his thin lips.
“Raise it when you want to place a bid. It gets crazy out there so raise it high and make a racket. It’s worth it in the end,” he said.
“I can’t wait to see what the prize is,” I replied, memorizing his greasy hair and beady green eyes.
“There’s a new girl tonight. She’s one of the best we’ve ever had. You boys will be in a fight for that one,” he assured us.
We now had a better idea of what was happening here. My stomach twisted as I worked to keep my pulse under control and stay in my undercover character.
“Maybe we could share her,” I suggested, nudging Brandon as he looked at me and laughed. We were naturals at jumping into a story. “It’s great to tag team a girl. What’s so special about this one?”
The man laughed. “That would be quite a memory for her first time. I mean, they all say that they’re virgins, but this one is the real deal. Look for the brunette with the highlights, hot as hell. Get your bid in, boys, you’ll never forget a night like that.”
“We do it all the time, but never with a virgin. That will be a new experience for us,” I told him before we took our numbers and moved deeper into the club.
It was set up like any other place that I’d been in, with a long bar and stage. I wondered if any bands ever played here or women danced with men on the dance floor. I thought about the outside appearance of the building and surveyed the place as we approached the bar.
Once we’d ordered beers and moved to a table, I glanced at Brandon. “I’m going to use the bathroom and check out the rest of the building.” He nodded, and I left the beer sitting there since we weren’t going to drink them. They were just for cover. I walked through the growing crowd of rowdy guys and pushed my way into the hallway that had a women’s room and men’s room. There were a couple of other doors, but space didn’t seem big enough to be rooms for the couples after the bidding. Shit. That made this a more complicated case, since the sex happened off site, more than likely. I’d have to watch later when the auction started, and I walked back to the main room as I looked around.
Either way, this guy was going down. Selling off virgins wasn’t right. I joined Brandon back at the table, and I leaned in to tell him what I’d seen. He nodded and expressed disgust while we talked about it and watched as the room filled with men. It was clear to us that this was an established event by the way they talked loudly about other nights here and the girls that they’d won. There seemed to be an excitement in the room, and I wondered if it was the new girl that everyone was buzzing about.
I had read everything about this case with Brandon. This was an underground operation that was spread through emails that got lost in the millions of others. Captain Peterson was tipped off by a customer who decided he didn’t like the scene any longer. I knew that it had been around for at least a year, if not longer, and was popular with the creeps in town.
How many women had been marched across that stage and sold for profit? How many of them ended up walking away from their buyers after the one night versus being taken into the trafficking community? How many ended up dead with no trace of being at this club?
This could be a supply of victims for serial killers in the area for all we knew.
I knew the name of the club owner, and I was going to go after him. I just needed to see what he did here before putting together a case. I stared at the table, feeling dread washing over me. There was something different about this case and this night. I had a sense that it was going to change my life, and I frowned as Brandon asked me if I was okay.
“I have a feeling about this place,” I muttered, and he nodded in agreement.
The room filled with more men as the music got louder. I knew that they let in more people than allowed by law, which was going to be one more black mark against this place. I had a feeling we’d have a long list as I watched the surrounding action, wondering where they got these girls. I wondered if they are above eighteen. The idea of the girls being minors made me sick.
I’d seen a lot in my career as an undercover cop. There were some dark memories, and I pushed them aside and help onto hope for tonight. I glanced around again, anticipation filling my veins while I waited for the event to begin. I knew that this was wrong but unsure of the strength of my convictions since I hadn’t seen anything too illegal yet.
It was coming though. I longed to drink the beer that sat untouched on the table to settle my nerves. I knew that the crowd of men were quite intoxicated, and I needed to keep a clear head.
The music faded, and I settled back in my seat as the club darkened and everyone went silent, waiting for what was going to happen next.
Chapter 4
Nicole
I was taken to a cheap hotel in the area to stay until the auction. I guess if I stayed at home, they worried I might run, and they’d lose their profits. I wanted to, but I kept telling myself this would be worth it to get Noelle and me stable. Our apartment wouldn’t be in jeopardy and we would have money for a few month’s rent. There was another girl with me, and we knew the door was being watched at all times, so we just stayed inside. My phone was taken from me at the club so I couldn’t reach out to anybody, and the phone cord in the hotel room was cut.
I was scared. So far, we’d been left alone. We didn’t talk much, but I sensed she was scared as well. Our day consisted of watching television on the small set and eating the fast food provided for us for dinner. We were told that tomorrow night, we would be taken to the club, dolled up for the auction, and then would leave with our buyers. It sounded creepy to me. I just kept trying to think that I’d end up with someone hot and kind who would take care of me. I didn’t want a man who would be rough with me, but these were probably rich men who were purchasing the virginity of girls. How much hope did I have here?
I slept fitfully, agreeing to leave the television on for background noise. We still hadn’t been disturbed by our guards or Ricky, but neither of us was willing to risk leaving the room. We didn’t know what the consequences would be.
We both woke up early and started to talk about how we ended up here. Penelope explained that she met Ricky in a chat like I did through a dating app, and he was the same way with her. He listened to her and got her to tell him everything about her. Once he knew our weaknesses and that we were both virgins, he arranged to meet us. We both ended up in the club held down by his men as he offered his suggestion to us, which was more like an order.
She was a sweet blonde girl, just twenty-three, and had moved here from Georgia. She was trying to make it as a dancer, and Ricky told her he’d help her with that as well. After telling her story, she cried as she admitted how stupid she felt.
We were given another fast food breakfast, then driven from the hotel back over to the club in the afternoon. There, we met two other women who were in the tiny dressing room and got to talking to them. Sarah was a brunette from Idaho and had met Ricky on an app. Wendy was local and had done this twice before.
I stared at her, wondering why she would do that.
“How? Doesn’t he recognize you?” I asked her as she shook her bright red hair. She smiled as she glanced at the door.
“I just change my hair and use a different name. Ricky wants the money, so he believes me. It’s not like the men know the difference, and I make five thousand dollars every time.” She smiled proudly.
I considered all the pain that came with losing your virginity.
“Isn’t it obvious when you’re a virgin?” Penelope asked.
Wendy shrugged. “Not really. If you’ve messed around, everything is gone, and they don’t have a clue. I just pretend for the guys now. It’s not so bad,” she assured us as we all stared at each other. “I haven’t had awful guys.”
It wasn’t reassuring to me. I hadn’t done much more than kiss a guy, and nobody had ever touched me down there let alone g
otten my clothes off.
What had I done?
A girl rolled in a cart with a lot of cosmetics and a few pieces of lingerie on the bottom. She did our faces one-by-one, making our eyes dark and smoky. She worked with our hair too, picking the best style for each of us. I watched in the mirror while she worked on mine. She looked resigned and glanced at me with dull brown eyes as I pressed my lips together.
“Did you do this in the beginning too?” I asked her as she stared at me for a moment.
She nodded quietly and kept working with my waves, giving me big curls. “Yeah. Now I get to do this for you guys.”
“Was it awful?” I whispered, and she smirked at me for a long moment. “Can you leave if you want?”
“I get a good cut for doing this,” she told me as I felt tears welling in my eyes. The woman finished me and moved onto Penelope, giving her a doll look while I looked on with a worried gaze.
There was a knock at the door, and Ricky walked in, carrying an armful of metal contraptions in his arms. He dropped them on a table and looked at the woman doing our hair.
“The keys are in there. Mark them with the numbers of the girls and give them to me once you’re finished,” he instructed the woman sharply, and she nodded.
I kept looking at the woman as she worked. Then she told us to undress. I blushed as I did and was handed a bright red push up bra and told to put it on. I did and looked in the mirror with wide eyes, surprised at how big my chest looked in it. She handed me a matching thong, and once we were all dressed, she went over and grabbed one of the metal things and slipped one on each of us. I gasped. It was a real chastity belt, and as soon as they were on, she jotted something down on paper and attached it to a ring.
“They’ll be in to get you in a while,” she said before leaving.
We all struggled to sit down in the strange outfits, perched on the edge of the seats as we talked. Wendy told us the money was good and this time, she’d be able to get into a better apartment and enroll in school. The others talked about why they moved to Vegas and what their dreams were. Not so different from my reason. We just wanted a fresh start and had our own sad stories about family, and Ricky took advantage of all of us, apart from Wendy. Her first time was like ours, but the last two were voluntary.
I still couldn’t understand this.
That’s all this was about. Money. I was doing this for both my sister and myself, and it would give us the push we needed. This couldn’t be that bad if Wendy came back multiple times and sounded so optimistic about her future.
I thought about my parents as we waited. They were absent for most of our lives, and other family took care of the two of us, though not well. We never experienced love like our friends growing up had and just kept quiet about the situation at home. We had each other and clung to that, moving to a small place in Scottsdale as soon as I was eighteen and working. I took care of us, but as Noelle got older, she fell in love with choreographing and started talking about Las Vegas.
I agreed to move once I saved money from my job at a grocery store. We packed the car and drove here with stars in our eyes. Now I was sitting here in a chastity belt. When did things go so wrong? I listened to the others talk, all of us hearing the music getting louder, knowing that men were out there waiting for us.
Someone unlocked the door and gave us another bag of food. I sighed. I wanted real food at my apartment with my sister. I missed her and knew how worried she must be about me right now. I couldn’t wait to get out of here and call her.
The wait seemed like a long time as I tried to get comfortable. The food I ate felt like a lump in my stomach while I looked at the others in silence. Wendy was still chattering about the money she had made and how much better off we’d all be after tonight. It sounded like her nerves were getting to her a bit as she babbled on. I looked in the mirror at the stranger staring back at me. My makeup was heavy and thick, and it might have made my eyes pop if they were green. But they weren’t. They were only green when I was feeling happy, but tonight, I felt scared and nervous, making them a dull hazel. I might appreciate my new look in any other situation, but tonight, I just felt slutty. I felt cheap even though I was likely making enough money to get me and my sister somewhat stable for a while.
I vowed to quit dating apps after this and focus on working. I never wanted to trust a man again with my future. If it wasn’t my father disappointing me, then it was someone who I was trying to date like Ricky. It happened when I was trusting someone else with my happiness. They always failed me. It also ended up failing my sister, and I reminded myself I was doing this for her.
I was doing this for her.
Ricky came to ask us if we wanted anything to drink to ease our minds, and we all ordered something. I needed a little liquid energy for this, and I winced while I downed the sweet cocktail. I was never a big drinker thanks to my parents, but tonight, I’d try it. I felt it go down my throat, start warming my insides, and I asked for another one. I drank that down as well.
I felt buzzed once Ricky came back in and told us that we needed to get ready for the auction. The alcohol was moving through my veins, and I felt like I was ready as I stood up, following Penelope out the door. I heard the music pounding through the short hallway and wondered how many men were out there. How many of them would be staring at me in this slutty outfit and ridiculous belt?
How many of them were decent men?
We stood beside the stage and listened as the music played and voices filled the room just in front of us. It sounded crowded, and I glanced at the other girls. As Ricky prepared to walk up the stairs and announce us, my heart raced. I looked down the hallway at the door that would lead to my escape and sighed heavily at the massive body blocking the entrance. There was no leaving now. I crossed my arms and stared forward as the music thumped and lights flashed, picturing my sister’s beautiful smile in my mind. I’d go back home with money so we could get ahead for once. It just wasn’t an easy way, and I saw everything go black in front of me as I gulped.
My mouth was dry, and I felt like I had to pee. I instantly regretted drinking earlier. I’d have to beg my bidder to go to the bathroom first thing now, and the thought made me want to cry. It wasn’t like I was going to find a way for this not to be awkward. I didn’t know how I was going to make this work.
I tried to numb my mind as I watched Ricky step onto the stage in a bright spotlight, announcing the start of the auction to a cheering crowd. It sounded like they were all men but what else did I expect? I blocked out all my feelings as I listened to him talk about us. We reached for each other’s hands, squeezing tightly.
Chapter 5
Allen
Another man stepped out into a spotlight and introduced himself as Ricky. He announced the big auction as the surrounding guys screamed out obscenities and cheered, making Brandon and I share a long look. They sounded like they were at a sporting event. This was some twisted shit. I watched the man talk as I narrowed my eyes.
“I can’t believe that we’re watching this,” I muttered to Brandon over the noise, and he nodded.
“We should call it in,” he said.
I watched as the stage lit up more, and the man gestured for someone to come forward.
Four women walked out, dressed in push up bras and chastity belts. My mouth dropped open. This guy really wanted to go with that gimmick, didn’t he? The men cheered and hollered again while I looked closely at the women, noticing the brunette with the highlights immediately. She looked scared and embarrassed as she stared forward, her eyes staying wide open.
Something stirred inside me as I stared into her beautiful, innocent face. Ricky was talking about each of the girls while my eyes passed quickly over the others but I quickly returned to the brunette. An overwhelming feeling of wanting to protect her from this came over me. I couldn’t stand the idea of any other man touching her. I leaned forward in my seat, the lights came on in the main room, and I blinked.
The redhead w
as first, and she smiled brightly as she was announced as number one. She seemed too comfortable with this, and I frowned as a thousand dollars was called out. Numbers went into the air, and the voice increased the price as more numbers were raised and cat calls filled the air. The redhead smiled, and I looked back at my girl as she watched the other woman with shock in her eyes.
This was fucked up and needed to stop. I held onto the table as the redhead went for ten thousand dollars, and Brandon leaned forward. “We need to do something about this.”
“We haven’t seen enough, and we need a warrant to search the place. That might take all weekend,” I replied.
He shook his head and sat back. Technically, we hadn’t seen any money exchanged at this point, and we needed a lot more to complete this case.
My girl stepped forward on shaking legs. I stood up and pushed my way through the crowd. I didn’t even know I was doing it until I was staring up at the guy running the auction, who looked around and finally noticed me. He was a short, heavy man, and I fought the urge to take him down right then and there. I hoped that he didn’t touch this girl or any of the others. He leaned down to talk to me.
“Why are you interrupting my auction?” he said.
“I want this one to be mine. I’ll buy her from you for forever. I want marriage and a life with her,” I said.
I couldn’t believe my own words as I spoke. I didn’t even want a relationship before this, much less marriage. What the hell was happening to me? I looked at the girl who was trying to cover her chest as she stared at the two of us with fear in her eyes. I was going to get her out of this and offered her a reassuring smile as she shrank back.
She had no way of knowing I wanted to save her from this and not just violate her body. She didn’t know I was different. I did some math in my head and looked at Ricky. “I’ll give you fifty grand for her.”
“Holy shit. That’s more than I’d ever get for someone to fuck her. You’re on. Can you pay me tonight?” Ricky asked, and I thought for a moment.
