The Arrangement: It Led Me To Love

Chapter 34 - Laurene's POV

"Who are you?" Ellison demands, snapping me out of my fear-induced fog for the man that has now disappeared into the throng of people.

I avert my attention to the girl standing in front of us, quaking in fear. She looks like she is ready to bolt, so I grab her arm to keep her from running away.

"I... I do not know you... P-please let g-go of me." She asks, stuttering in a timid voice.

"Ellison might not remember you, but I certainly do. Do not act dumb. You were the person on top of Ellison at Bemus' party. About a month, back. Did you drug him? Try to kill him?" I demand from her threateningly.

"Please! I don't know you!" She squeaks again, like a little mouse.

"If you don't talk to us, we'll hand you over to the police for questioning." Ellison speaks up for the first time, looking at her in a disapproving manner.

"NO! Please, I... I will talk. Let us go somewhere... private. Just... no cops. That's my only condition."

I look towards Ellison, who nods, so we agree to the terms. The girl takes us to a café, on the richer side of town, which smells of fresh paint and has gleaming white walls, reflecting the suns warming rays. As we walk, we look like something out of the Wizard of Oz, arms joined at the elbow and strutting along the pavement. I feel ridiculously silly, but it is a wise precaution that has to be carried out to ensure the girl does not sprint off in the other direction. With Ellison's lack of movement and my lack of direction, we would have had no hope in catching or finding her, rendering us clueless once again. I was secretly worried that she was going to lead us somewhere dangerous and ambush us, but when I saw the café sticking out on the corner of the cobbled road, I felt more relaxed as if all my anxieties had melted into peace. We are led to a table in the corner by a waiter, and order some drinks.

"So, what's your name?" I begin.

"Scarlett." She reveals with a sigh.

Scarlett. It suits her looks perfectly. Her eyes, like the indigo ocean, are pools of iridescent blue, sculpted upon her creamy face like dazzling jewels. Strands of dyed red hair tumble out of her scalp, cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. Cherry lips, crystal white teeth: she truly is a remarkable sight.

"Ok Scarlett, what happened on that night with Ellison then?" I ask, going into a full interrogation mode.

"Well, I was asked to seduce Ellison. I do not know why. I just do what I am told." She says simply.

"So you would do anything these people ask you to do?" Ellison asks doubtfully.

"...Yes. I have too. I have a son... I do not want him to pay for my mistakes."

"These people sound dangerous." I comment.

"They are. And they have eyes and ears everywhere... That is why I wanted you to come here. If they heard me disclosing this information to you, then I would be screwed." She exposes, that same scared bunny look once again bouncing onto her features.

I feel a bit sorry for her really; she sounds like she got involved with the wrong people. I cannot believe that she would do anything they tell her to do though! Even sacrifice her body to unsuspecting men. Even if I was penniless, I would not do it – I was raised to respect myself. Of course, they have strong advantage against her; her son. She looks so young to be a mother; perhaps only twenty-one. Poor girl. She must find it hard to provide for her child, and it does not sound like the father is very involved in their lives.

"Anyway, we literally just started kissing when you blacked out Ellison. I panicked and left the room, because I was not able to complete my task. I thought they would hurt my son and me. However, they did not. I guess they presumed the task was done. But they were more interested in what your health was like Ellison. Luckily for me I do not think that they were too bothered as to whether we actually slept together or not." She explains, brushing a few stray tears from her eyes.