Shrouded in Secrets

Chapter 1

           

 

When you put your life on the street by choice, you obviously don't know what you're getting yourself into. Making that decision five years ago has since put me into a very precarious position. Being in the business of pleasure was anything but pleasurable. Little did I know that to get the business you had to be open to everything and that the best of the best was if you had a pimp, more business, sure it meant less money but when you get enough it didn't matter, either way you were making more than if you tried to make it on your own.

The thing no one tells you, though, is that when you're owned there is no way to leave. That was where I was at now. I was sick of being treated like dirt, sick of not getting my fair share of the money I had to use my body to get, sick of not being able to do anything because my man wanted me to work to get him his drug money all the time, but most of all I was sick of this job in general. I wanted to go to college and get a good job that I wanted and not having to have the bodies of strange men pressed against me every night of every year just so I could live. That wasn't how I wanted to do it. I wanted to get married and have kids someday and not have to tell them I was a prostitute when they asked me what I did.

"Jemma, snap out of it!" Lila said and snapped her fingers in front of my face as we sat, waiting for either a customer or our pay.

"Sorry, what'd I miss?"

"Nothing, but I didn't want you to, you know how pissed Shayde would be if he came out and you were sitting here spacing out? I don't want you to get a beating tonight," she explained.

"Thank you, you're the best friend I could ask for," I smiled. Just as she predicted, Shayde came out shortly thereafter.

"Well, girls, you're the only two left and the next group will be in soon. You can either leave, or try and see if your sorry asses can get a little business tonight. But you two will be the last to get anything unless specifically requested," Shayde said, crossing his arms in a semi-menacing way and giving us a sickening half smile.

"Um, I think I'll leave, I'm sorry, Shayde, thank you, though," Lila said gently as she stood up. His disgusting smile fell as she walked out.

"So, what about you, whore? Are you staying or leaving? You've got three seconds to answer before I choose for you."

"Oh, um, I guess I'll ju-," I tried to finish but was cut off when he said 'one.'

"Alright, looks like you're staying here. And your first customer is me," he chuckled and grabbed me violently by the forearm and dragged me into a back room. This wasn't an uncommon thing for me; however, most of the other girls would be shocked to hear that Shayde would do such a thing. He had his favorite money makers, and then his favorite personal sex dolls. I happened to be in the latter of the two categories.

Thankfully he was quick and easy, leaving me plenty of time to get back out to see if I could get business the rest of the night. As soon as the first girl from the next shift cam in, I was out. I got into my coat and out of my stilettos and walked home to my apartment, collapsing on the sofa and pulling a blanket over my legs. I curled up into the pillow and turned the TV on; hoping to find something to take my mind off the stuff that always ran through it at the end of a night.

The past was terrifying for me, and it refused to leave me alone. All I could think about was trying to find a job when I was 10 to keep my younger sister fed, my mother alive, and my father's ability to look for a job and not return to drinking. We'd gone more than a few nights without electricity, without water, and rummaging through grocery store and restaurant dumpsters for salvageable food with little luck, frequently.