Deadly as trust

One: Miriam

One thing I hated more than anything was delay. I hated being delayed.

"Sandra hasten up na, do you want Majoress to pick on you again?"

And this particular girl was delaying me and wasting my precious time. She was new so she and the other newbies were like fresh bait for Majoress. Wasting my time would not help and the sooner she realized that, the better for her.

After about 20 minutes of me screaming at her to hasten up she eventually came out. I shook my head — Majoress was going to chew her out terribly — and took her hand. We walked to where the other girls were.

"Mimi"

I turned back to see Chinelo smiling as she walked to me. She seemed ready for the night. She was wearing a tight black netty dress, that did nothing to hide the black bra she wore underneath, over a pair of blood red trousers and finished the look with a pair of nude stilettoes. Her human hair wig was neatly placed on her head with huge loop earrings hanging from her ears and the heavy amount of make up on her face was enough to paint a whole house with, I wasn't judging her though my face had a layer of make up too. I smiled back, Chinelo was never one to joke with business.

"Girl you're ready, as always.", I laughed, "You no wan carry last."

She laughed at my joke and looked at Sandra who was holding her hand.

"This your girl sef, you don carry am go madam before she go resume work this night?", she asked. I knew she was scrutinizing what Sandra was wearing.

"No sef, she no wan do wetin she dey do sharp sharp na, na em make.", I replied with a tired sigh. I was beginning to feel like her caretaker but then I wasn't the one who made her do it — what we did — she was either forced by the Majoress or she had given consent herself. I didn't even care, I had my own problems already.

After Chinelo seemed satisfied with the white top that exposed a good amount of her bosoms and skin tight skirt together with the make up and jewelry on Sandra, she focused on me.

"Hmm. Madam  go vex shaa, anyways shaa make beta money this night o."
Well, we'll see.

With that Chinelo was gone.

I left Sandra to meet Majoress on her own, she had to carry her own cross. People like Chinelo and I who had stayed longer at the harem — as we called it — did not need to meet Majoress most of the time before going out for the night's business. I guess this was going to be one of those nights. I was definitely not in the mood.

~~~

I walked into the club that had a strong smell of alcohol hanging in the air. Music was playing loudly as it was almost dark.
I could already feel eyes on me and hear some men catcalling as I was dressed in a see-through gown that showed off almost everything underneath — not that I was so endowed though, but at least I was desirable. I felt a hand smack my bum, I didn't object, it wouldn't make a difference anyways.

The perks of being a sex worker.

It wasn't the best job, I knew that but it wasn't like I had a choice, I didn't even choose to be. Some people are just not lucky. I shoved those thoughts back inside, it wasn't time to think about the past or regret my situation. I knew that someday I would leave the harem where we all stayed and start life afresh, but then what would happen next?
I needed to save first and get enough money to start up something but it seemed like the woman that managed us, Majoress as we called her, was bent on us living from hand to mouth even if we had to work hard all night. I didn't blame her, after all it was not her body the work was taking a toll on. She didn't exactly care about us, just her money. If only she knew how much I hated her.

"Baaaabbbbeeee"

A hand snaked around my waist and hot breath fanned my cheek, it reeked of alcohol and I tried hard to not gag. I turned to the person that drawled.

"Bros, how far na? This one we you don already rush come my side."

He laughed.

"Actually, na my oga dey find you come"

I nodded.

He led me to a section of the room that was reserved for the VIP who paid more. He  pointed to one man sitting on one of the couches there. He seemed casual with only a t-shirt and pair of dark coloured trousers. I couldn't make out the colours in the dim light.

I continued to advance towards him while the man that has earlier escorted me had stopped. I noticed two other standing around and spaced about a metre or two from each other and from whoever their boss was. Seemed like somebody important. I forced a smile on, well how important he was was not my business, I only wanted my pay.

His eyes raked all over my body. I already felt used. After it seemed like he was satisfied, he finally spoke up.

"How much for one night?"

"Depends on the amount of time"

He grunted a little and said something about how things in this club were expensive. Eventually he took my hand and led me to one of the private rooms in the club.

That was pretty much how the night would begin for me and the other girls. That was what we did every night — prostitution — and I hated it. I hated being called a prostitute, I hated being known as a prostitute but I had no choice, I had to stay at the harem because I had nowhere else to stay.

~~~

Na — a word used to put emphasis on a phrase or sentence.
You no wan carry last — You don't want to be outdone.
This your girl sef, you don carry am go meet madam before she go resume work this night? — This your friend, have you taken her to meet the female boss before she resumes work this night?
No sef, she no wan do wetin she dey do sharp sharp, na em make — No actually, she doesn't want to do her things quickly, that's why.
Madam go vex shaa — The female boss will be angry anyways/then.
Make beta money this night oh — Make nice cash this night oh.
Bros how far na? This one wey you don't have already rush come my side — Brother (referring to a male person whose name you don't know or who has an informal relationship with you) what's happening?/how are things? You have already rushed to my side.
Actually, na my oga dey find you come — Actually it's my boss that is looking for you