even though she will be a captive in some sense of the word, will be better than the life she led before she ever met me.
* * *
T he truck pulls off the dirt road, rolling to a stop behind a tiny white church. There’s just enough moonlight that you can tell the wood along the side is splintered, the steeple at an angle. It’s one of the oldest buildings in the town, and it looks as though it’s soon to fall in. A thick blanket of clouds cross the moon, and suddenly, it’s pitch black out. Bubba cuts the engine and climbs out. Lucy’s hand is still in mine, her palms sweaty. I turn to look at her. She’s terrified, shaking, gnawing at her bottom lip. “Lucy,” I say in a steady tone. “I promise this is what’s best for you.”
She swallows, fighting the tears building in her eyes.
I stroke over her cheek and offer a smile before stepping down from the truck to open her door. She climbs out and waits for direction. But instead of instructing her, I simply take her by the hand and lead her to the black BMW parked at the side of the church. A motion light hung on the corner of the church cuts on, and now I can clearly see the man dressed in a white button-up and black slacks as he steps out of the shiny car. He looks completely business when he smiles at Lucy, failing to acknowledge me. Regardless of his rudeness, my gaze remains locked on him as we approach. I’m angry that he thinks women are something to be trained and bought.
This is the hardest part to come to terms with.
I am selling a person. This woman has a price. She was stolen, manipulated, and is now being sold to the highest bidder. Most of these men want a broken woman, one that has been taught not to question, that has been built to love someone they should hate. Some of these men think they can buy love, and that is fucked up. Love is a human emotion, and what I am giving him, well, this isn’t exactly human, now is it? I break these women, piece by piece as I misconstrue their idea of love and freedom and respect. I make them pliable so these men will want them. And that may make me a bastard, but I accepted that long ago.
Lucy stops walking and I glance over my shoulder at her. “Are you…” she whispers. “Am I going with him ?”
“Yes. I want you to go with him. He will take good care of you and give you so many things. I want you to love him.” I squeeze her hand and offer a gentle smile. She falters with her next step. “Come on, Lucy. It’s going to be okay. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. You can love him.”
“But,” she whines. “I love you…”
Shaking my head, I place my finger over her lips. “And I’m not capable of love, but he is.”
Her gaze bounces from me to the man now standing but a few feet in front of us. I place my hand at the small of her back and give her a gentle nudge. “It’s okay,” I say.
The man holds his palm out and grins. “You are beautiful.” He takes her free hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss. “You will never want for anything again.”
Lucy glances nervously at me as I slowly release her hand. She takes a step toward him, and he grabs her by the waist, tugging her close to him. Sweeping her hair from her face, he takes her chin in his hand and tilts her face up, studying her. The way he looks at her makes my stomach turn. No sane person would do this. Normal people don’t buy others to do as they please. But it is a better life than what she had…
10
Ava
T he hinges groan and my eyes pop wide open. Someone stumbles into the room, then slams the door and locks it. There’s a hacking cough and I know it’s Earl. I tightly shut my eyes. My heart sits in my throat, my skin slicked with sweat.
“Now, I know I ain’t done told you why you’s here,” Earl slurs. I open my eyes just as he swats at the frayed white cord dangling from the ceiling. He yanks on it and a darkness I once knew all too well falls over the room.
This isn’t just a visible darkness—it’s one
* * *
T he truck pulls off the dirt road, rolling to a stop behind a tiny white church. There’s just enough moonlight that you can tell the wood along the side is splintered, the steeple at an angle. It’s one of the oldest buildings in the town, and it looks as though it’s soon to fall in. A thick blanket of clouds cross the moon, and suddenly, it’s pitch black out. Bubba cuts the engine and climbs out. Lucy’s hand is still in mine, her palms sweaty. I turn to look at her. She’s terrified, shaking, gnawing at her bottom lip. “Lucy,” I say in a steady tone. “I promise this is what’s best for you.”
She swallows, fighting the tears building in her eyes.
I stroke over her cheek and offer a smile before stepping down from the truck to open her door. She climbs out and waits for direction. But instead of instructing her, I simply take her by the hand and lead her to the black BMW parked at the side of the church. A motion light hung on the corner of the church cuts on, and now I can clearly see the man dressed in a white button-up and black slacks as he steps out of the shiny car. He looks completely business when he smiles at Lucy, failing to acknowledge me. Regardless of his rudeness, my gaze remains locked on him as we approach. I’m angry that he thinks women are something to be trained and bought.
This is the hardest part to come to terms with.
I am selling a person. This woman has a price. She was stolen, manipulated, and is now being sold to the highest bidder. Most of these men want a broken woman, one that has been taught not to question, that has been built to love someone they should hate. Some of these men think they can buy love, and that is fucked up. Love is a human emotion, and what I am giving him, well, this isn’t exactly human, now is it? I break these women, piece by piece as I misconstrue their idea of love and freedom and respect. I make them pliable so these men will want them. And that may make me a bastard, but I accepted that long ago.
Lucy stops walking and I glance over my shoulder at her. “Are you…” she whispers. “Am I going with him ?”
“Yes. I want you to go with him. He will take good care of you and give you so many things. I want you to love him.” I squeeze her hand and offer a gentle smile. She falters with her next step. “Come on, Lucy. It’s going to be okay. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. You can love him.”
“But,” she whines. “I love you…”
Shaking my head, I place my finger over her lips. “And I’m not capable of love, but he is.”
Her gaze bounces from me to the man now standing but a few feet in front of us. I place my hand at the small of her back and give her a gentle nudge. “It’s okay,” I say.
The man holds his palm out and grins. “You are beautiful.” He takes her free hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss. “You will never want for anything again.”
Lucy glances nervously at me as I slowly release her hand. She takes a step toward him, and he grabs her by the waist, tugging her close to him. Sweeping her hair from her face, he takes her chin in his hand and tilts her face up, studying her. The way he looks at her makes my stomach turn. No sane person would do this. Normal people don’t buy others to do as they please. But it is a better life than what she had…
10
Ava
T he hinges groan and my eyes pop wide open. Someone stumbles into the room, then slams the door and locks it. There’s a hacking cough and I know it’s Earl. I tightly shut my eyes. My heart sits in my throat, my skin slicked with sweat.
“Now, I know I ain’t done told you why you’s here,” Earl slurs. I open my eyes just as he swats at the frayed white cord dangling from the ceiling. He yanks on it and a darkness I once knew all too well falls over the room.
This isn’t just a visible darkness—it’s one
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