Dangerous Woman: The Life and Times of a Serial Killer

by Sonamyluver718

"When you've been told you're something for so long, you just start to believe it rather than willingly accept it. I never wanted to be a killer. I never asked for anything this life has thrown at me. My life has been forced on me since I was a teenager. I have never gotten the chance to make a real decision for myself. But I chose to be with him...and that was my worst mistake."

2. Into You

Little run down on what I have planned: ten chapters, past to present comparison chapters, and it's all already outlined and I have the time/motivation to work on it. Enjoy!

All Characters belong to Sega/Archie except my OCs.

Into You

February 1st 2008

"When are you going to ask him," Amy asked as she waltzed over to me. I was sitting in the room behind the bar, fumbling through a college math textbook that some idiot left on one of the couches. Boss didn't mind much when his girls took things that the customers left behind so I knew I wouldn't be in trouble for having it. However, I would get in trouble if Boss saw that I was hiding out in the back room not doing what I was supposed to. "Boss said to ask him in a year and it's been over a year. Besides, with all the textbooks that the stupid college boys leave that you've been studying, you could probably skip a few semesters."

"You know it doesn't work that way," I said as I glanced up at my little sister. She was wearing her favorite white crop top that expressed her pierced belly button and her favorite pair of high waist jean shorts. Her pink curls were pulled up into a messy ponytail that exposed her pretty face that was identical to mine. "And Boss isn't going to let me go to college. He's not stupid. If I even try to enroll anywhere, our last name will trigger something and Boss is going to have our asses on a platter before the government gets anywhere near him."

"Why not just apply under a different name?"

"Because social security numbers are required and unfortunately, we're shit out of luck when it comes to that type of stuff."

"Maybe if you just talk to him, he'll work something out. You're one of his best girls, that has to count for something right?" I let out a sigh as I looked up at my sister. At times like this, I felt bad for her. While she may have stopped praying for our freedom, I knew she never really stopped hoping completely. She'd always thought this was some type of punishment for being impatient on that night after church. We were tired, hungry, and wanted to just go home. Our parents, however, wanted to talk to their friends. They'd said we could go outside with our friends and that they'd be right out to get us. Sometimes I still wondered how they felt when we were nowhere in sight once they finally got out there. I still wondered if they were looking for us – even six years later.

"I'll talk to him," I lied. "I'll do it in a few days when he's not busy or when he's in a good mood or something, okay?" My sister's face lit up into a smile as she nodded. I returned the smile before my eyes caught sight of another figure coming in through the doorway.

"Get back out there," Sonic, Boss' son commanded us. He was a year older than me with sleeves of tattoos on his arms, light green eyes, blue hair, and a body of the gods. I used to have a crush on him when we were younger, but I got over that real quick when I realized how much of an asshole he was. He was never really nice to us or the other young girls who Boss had brought in. He basically resented us for getting more attention than he did from his father. We were the foundation of his father's business while he was just the heir who sat on the throne to look nice. He knew one day he would take control of his father's business, but he also knew that there would be no business without us. Boss could easily replace one of us and still receive the same amount of praise from the money we bought him. Sonic, however, was irreplaceable and was practically beat on by his father no matter how many things he did right. I'd tried many times to befriend him when we were first captured since Boss continued to pair me with him to "train" for my future customers. Sonic wasn't interested in talking, however. He was the first man to ever touch me, the first to kiss me, the first to deflower me – and I hated him for that.

"We're coming," Amy said as he began to walk into the room. Sonic glanced down at the textbook I was working with as he appeared next to my sister. I saw a muscle in his jaw jump as he looked over my paper that was filled with my scratch work. Sonic was actually able to go to college and attended the local university as a business major. He had earned a full academic scholarship and seemed to be excelling in his classes. However, it annoyed him to no end when he saw one of us girls doing exactly what he was doing. In his eyes, we were his inferiors and we shouldn't be allowed to have the privileges that weren't given to us. He was alright with us taking money and jewelry left behind from the customers, but he hated when I walked out with a book or two. "I was just getting her," Amy said, causing Sonic's eyes to go to her. She offered him a small smile as one of her hands went to touch her hair. I raised an eyebrow as I swallowed the urge to hit her. I knew she only touched her hair when she liked a boy or when she was nervous. I'd seen her do it with some of her regular customers, but never with Sonic. Yea, I'd heard recently amongst the other girls that Amy and Sonic were sleeping together but I didn't believe it. I refused to. She was my little sister and he was the biggest dick on the planet. I wouldn't ship that pairing as long as I breathed.

"You stay here," Sonic murmured as his eyes roamed around her revealing outfit. "I wanna talk to you about something." He then looked to me. "You get out there and serve a scotch to pool table ten. The guy ordered a drink five minutes ago so be pleasant about it." I rolled my eyes at him as I got up. I reluctantly walked out the room and out into the bar. I heard the door slam shut behind me causing me to roll my eyes again. I looked out over the lounge to see who would want to be at pool table ten. The table was all the way in the back of the lounge, far away from the dancers and the gambling tables. Most guys didn't prefer to go back there unless they wanted some alone yet public time with one of the girls.

The man who was back there seemed to be by himself. I could only see the faint figure due to the dim lighting, so I couldn't exactly see what he was doing. However, I did see him circling around the pool table with his stick in hand. I poured him a short glass of scotch before knocking on the door of the room my sister and Sonic were in. "What," Sonic yelled.

"You want me to keep him company or want me to keep waitressing," I asked.

"If he's alone, keep him company. Make sure he tips you."

"Got it," I replied before walking back over to the array of bottles. I took out some of my own tip money to pay for the bottle of scotch as I took one down. I also grabbed another short glass from under the cabinets. I juggled everything in my arms as I walked over to the stranger all the way in the back. The lounge wasn't busy that night surprisingly. Usually on Friday nights, we'd be buzzing with customers and loud music. It was unusual for the lounge to be so quiet on a weekend night. Sure the music was still playing and conversation was alive, but it was just…strange. My eyes scanned over the rooms designated for men to take the girls when they paid for them to see most of them were occupied. My question to the unusual quiet was answered, and I relaxed a little.

The man at the lone pool table caught my eye as I got closer. He was very attractive which caught me off guard. While I would admit some of the men were good looking, I rarely enjoyed sleeping with them. The attraction just wasn't mutual for me. However, with this man, I found myself actually getting butterflies from his looks. He had wavy green hair that was short cut on his head but long enough to grab, stormy blue eyes that were focused on the pool table, defined jaw line, a scar next to his left eye, and tanned skin. He was wearing a tee shirt that hugged his tattooed biceps and torso and a pair of jeans that accented his long legs. "Scotch on the rocks," I said as I put the glass down on the small table next to the pool table. He looked up at me from his low position. His mouth had curled up as if he were annoyed but his lips fell quickly as his eyes took me in. I was wearing a pink lacy bralette, high waist white washed jean shorts, and my favorite white washed ripped jean jacket. I felt blood rush to my cheeks as his lips tugged at the sides.

"Thank you," he said, his deep voice smooth with a strong Hispanic accent. He looked back down at his task and hit a red ball straight into a hole. He looked to me as he straightened himself up. He walked slowly around the pool table to retrieve his scotch, his eyes never leaving mine. He leaned against the pool table to be across from me as he took a long swig of his drink.

"So, are you new around here? I haven't seen you around before," I attempted to start conversation.

"I'm in town for a few weeks handling some business." He paused. "I'm assuming you're here often considering you know new faces when you see 'em."

"I'm here every day of the week."

"Are you always waitressing?"

"Sometimes. I kind of do a little bit of everything. Sometimes I bartend, sometimes I dance, and other times I attend to customers' needs." The man raised an eyebrow at me.

"Needs? So, you're saying this is a whore house?" I blushed at the use of the degrading word, but I slowly nodded my head. I diverted my eyes away from his so I wouldn't see his reaction. "Huh," he said with surprise. "The locals told me this was just the best place to have a drink and a nice time. I didn't think they meant…" He paused again, the silence between us thickening. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," I said with a shrug. The man's stormy eyes held mine for a moment before they diverted themselves to the extra cup and full bottle on the table. His eyebrow raised as he took another sip of his drink.

"My needs are all taken care of, thank you senorita." With that, he put his empty glass on the table and turned his attention back to the colorful balls on the table. "But, what you can do is leave that bottle of scotch right there on the table." He dug into his pocket to pull out his wallet. He pulled out a couple twenties and tossed them onto the table. "Keep the change."

"Oh…alright." I wasn't exactly used to rejection. I was one of the most demanded girls in the lounge due to my so-called "feistiness" that men seemed to enjoy. Boss also told me that my naturally red hair was also a huge turn on for the guys who came in. I never really understood that concept before I'd realized that Amy and I were the only pink-heads in the entire establishment. Of course guys would want the odd ones out of the bunch – and the mouthiest. However, usually I would be okay when a guy would dismiss me if he wasn't feeling the vibe. That was usually when I didn't want to sleep with them though and I was ruining the man's attitude on purpose. With this guy, I hadn't even conversed with him for five minutes before he was giving me the boot. He was tipping me heftily though so I guessed I could leave him alone.

I grabbed the money and the second glass off of the table before walking over to the bar. There were a couple regulars sitting around the bar, watching the televisions intensely. Some sports game was on or something. I wasn't sure nor did I really care. I more or less just hoped that the night would go by as slowly as it was. I wasn't in the mood to entertain any of the men. All I really wanted to do was work on the math problems I was doing before Sonic interrupted. I hadn't seen him or Amy come out of the back room so I assumed they were still in there.

"Everything still alright," I asked the regulars who were sitting around the bar. They all nodded, their eyes glued to the television screens. With all the customers satisfied, I pulled out one of my small novels that I'd managed to sneak into work from one of the cabinets. I sat down on one of the stools behind the bar and flipped through the book to find the page I'd stopped at. The novel I'd found a week prior was a romance one – to my pleasant surprise. Usually I'd have to go to the store to find novels about romance and soul-searching. Most of the novels the college students left behind were boring ones they were required to read. I'd usually take one look at them and mentally barf. Sometimes there were a few good fictional ones about space or the old days or even some western themes. However, it was rare I'd find a romance one.

I managed to get through another hundred or so pages of my novel before it was snatched out of my hands. I glared up at Sonic who was hovering over me with the novel tight in his hands. "The man at table ten asked for your company," Sonic said before pushing my novel into my chest. "Put that away and get back to work." I rolled my eyes at him before I tucked the novel away. I looked over to the table I'd been to earlier to see the man I'd talked to earlier was still there. I could only wonder what he wanted. He'd dismissed me earlier so why was he calling me back? "I'd take a few condoms with you. He paid for your company for the rest of the night."

"Why," I asked. "He basically told me to fuck off earlier."

"If I was a mind reader then I'd have an answer for you, but I'm not so you have fun answering that question yourself." I rolled my eyes at him. "You guys can use room thirteen upstairs if he wants you alone." Sonic held out the key to me. "You know the drill if that happens." I didn't answer him. Instead, I just took the key out of his hands and walked off towards the man in the back. He was leaning down against the pool table, his stormy eyes once again focused on his task. He hit the cue ball which ensued of the chain reaction of the red ball hitting the yellow ball and sending it right into one of the corner holes.

"Nice shot," I said as I forced a smile on my face. The man looked up at me, his cool eyes taking me in once more.

"Did they give you the money," he asked. I crinkled my eyebrows in confusion as I crossed my arms against my chest.

"What money?"

"The money for the night. They do give it to you girls, right?" I could've laughed if it weren't for the sincere look of concern on the man's face. I guessed he thought this was one of the business where the girls got the profit for their personal doings while the man upstairs gets whatever money the actual establishment gets. I wished it worked that way for us. Boss kept records of how much money men spend on each of us personally and give us payments out of a certain percentage of our making. Usually it's about four or five hundred every two weeks or so on average. I always had an extra hundred or so since I was requested more often and I worked more than the other girls. Boss made sure to add in our other duties around the lounge so I made a lot off of that. If this job was just a side gig then I would be rolling in money. While I was already rolling in it, it wasn't as if I could do anything with it. Boss had all the girls cooped up in one apartment complex, in our own apartments, with all his workers to make sure we didn't go anywhere. We didn't have to pay for it out of pocket; I always assumed he took it out of our paychecks. Boss' men always accompanied us when we went out shopping to get food or clothes or whatever we liked. Most girls used the money to buy fancy clothes and pamper themselves. Amy and I saved up our money instead and only went on shopping sprees when we felt it was needed. Boss let us all have our own accounts so if I ever did get out of here, I would be secure enough to have my own house and start a new life. While I doubted that wouldn't happen until was I was too old to really do anything with my life, I still thought it might be worthwhile to save in case I got pregnant or Boss got rid of me. I liked the thought of having security in the life after my whoring experience.

"Something like that," I said as I shrugged. "So, since you paid for me for the night…what do you wanna do?" The man stared at me for a moment before he finally spoke.

"What's your name?" The question was so simple though I wasn't expecting that. Usually men would grab me by the arm and drag me into whatever room Sonic said I could use. The rest of the night from there usually included me silently wishing for the man to be done with me so that I could go back to my novels or book work. They rarely asked me for my name. Most just called me "baby" or "babe" all night. They never cared enough to ask such a simple question.

"Rosalinda but I go by Rosy," I said, letting my accent take over my voice. "What's yours?"

"Scourge," he replied. "Rosalinda," he repeated, my name a soft purr in his throat. His lips tugged at the ends as he walked around the pool table to me. He held out his hand to me. "It's a pleasure to meet you." My smile became real as I shook his hand. His hands were rough but they firmly grasped mine in a way that made me lightly gasp.

"Pleasure's all mine.," I replied. "However, I must ask what caused you to change your mind about my company."

"I got lonely, you were sitting all by yourself, and I figured I was being a douche earlier so I thought I could make it up to you." I blushed as his lips pulled up into a small smile, exposing a small dimple in his cheek. He took a step closer to me as he spoke next. "Is that okay with you?"

"Um yea…that's fine," I said as I tucked a curl behind my ear. Scourge grinned down at me.

"So, you up for a good game of pool?"

"Sure…but prepare to have your ass kicked." He raised an eyebrow as his grin widened.

"Oh really?"

"I've beaten every chump who's dared to challenge me in a game. I'm sure you'll be no different."

"We'll see," Scourge replied. I smiled after him as he gathered up all of the balls out of the holes and rearranged them into the center of the table. We played together for an hour or so before I got tired. I was winning significantly, as expected, and Scourge actually seemed impressed. Most of the other guys, and sometimes even the girls, would get mad when I would beat them at every game we played. Scourge only smirked at me whenever I made a winning shot or when I taunted him about how his aim sucked. However, my trash talk and my skills began to fade as my body began to lose its energy. Scourge seemed to notice my weariness, his stormy eyes continuously running over my slender body. "You wanna settle down," he asked as I leaned against the table.

"Yea. My boss gave me a room we could use if you wanted to go up there." Scourge stared at me for a moment, his expression blank. He didn't seem mad that I'd asked to go upstairs, but he didn't seem happy either. In fact, he didn't seem as if he had any feelings towards it. I had to admit the blank look in his eyes worried me a little. For once, I actually wanted to be desired by a man – by this man. Scourge seemed like the kind of guy I might have actually pursued a relationship with if I'd never been abducted. He had the handsome card down but he also seemed…normal. A lot of the guys who came by the club usually had relationship problems or mommy issues or something stupid like that. They had come looking for sex and attention, but Scourge didn't. He was just looking for a place to have a drink and a nice time. Surely, that could mean his intentions were better than the other men who I'd been approached by.

"Alright," he said after a while. He set his pool stick on the table. "Lead the way." I felt the blood rush up my cheeks as I began to head towards the steps that were close to where we were playing. Scourge trailed close behind me, his body heat radiating off onto my back. I glanced over at the bar where my sister and Sonic were talking. For once, Sonic was actually smiling, his hands moving animatedly to whatever he was saying. My sister was smiling up at him, her green eyes sparkling with admiration. The sight worried and intrigued me. I'd never seen Sonic happy to talk to one of us…I'd never seen him happy at all in fact. I could only wonder what exactly was going on between him and my sister.

The room Sonic had assigned me was similar to most of the other rooms in the lounge. There was a king sized bed, relaxed colored wall paper, a dresser for lingerie, a small balcony/ledge with glass double doors and a small bathroom. I lead Scourge into the room before flopping down onto the bed. My feet instantly felt relieved from the absent pressure of the heels that I'd been wearing all day. My body also began to relax as I snuggled into the pillow I'd thrown myself on. I watched Scourge as he shut and locked the door behind him. His stormy blue eyes were on me, his mouth tugging at the ends. He slowly walked towards me, causing me to remember what these rooms were for. While he never said anything about having sex, that didn't mean that he might change his mind about what he wanted. My stomach arose in butterflies at the thought of him taking me right then and there, though I couldn't tell if it was in fear or excitement. I barely knew this guy – then again I barely knew any of the other guys I'd been forced to sleep with. But would I be forcing myself with him? Or would I willingly give myself up if he asked for me?

I didn't have to answer my question when he sat down on the edge of the bed beside me. He pulled my legs into his lap and carefully unstrapped my heels. He took off my shoes and set them down on the floor. "Those looked uncomfortable," he told me as he reached for my jacket. I allowed him to take that off as well before he rolled me to lay on my stomach. I almost asked him what he was doing before I felt his rough hands on my shoulder blades. Hell, I almost let out a moan when he began to massage my back. His hands weren't gentle, but they moved in a soothing circular pattern that eased my muscles' tension. "Where are you from," I heard him ask as I was basking in the bliss of his hands on my skin.

"South Carolina," I replied.

"That's a long ways from New Jersey. What are you doing down here…in a place like this?"

"Let's just say that life doesn't always play out the way you think it does. You can make one decision thinking it's not going to mean anything, but then it changes your whole life."

"You didn't choose this…did you?"

"Of course not," I murmured. "No one ever chooses to be a prostitute or a whore or whatever name you wish to call us. For some girls here, it was a last resort to make money and provide for themselves or for their kids…and for others it was just something we were thrown into." There was a short silence before I spoke again. "Where are you from?"

"That's not important," he replied quickly. I rolled myself out of his grasp and sat up. I raised my eyebrows at him causing him to sigh. He looked away from me, his blue eyes fogging up a bit. "Albuquerque, New Mexico," he said simply.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Business ventures." He looked to me as he began to rub my calf that rested in his lap. "You think you're gonna get out of here one day? Make a real life for yourself? I saw you reading that book behind the bar. You're smart, aren't you?"

"I guess. Boss doesn't exactly issue out IQ tests in his free time. But, in all honesty, I'm not really sure what's going to happen to me. I have a younger sister here who I need to make an example for. It's not like I can just rebel myself out of here and not think about how the consequences can fall on her. I haven't even thought about getting out. I've kind of already accepted that it's not going to happen."

"How do you know that," he asked as he raised an eyebrow. "If you're smart then you can go to college, get a degree, get a job…make something of yourself."

"It's a lot more complicated than you think." There was another short pause before I spoke again. "Wait, don't tell me you're one of those church missionaries who come here to preach to us about finding a better path in life because if you are then I'm telling you right now that I'd rather follow Satan than whatever path you think the all mighty one can make for me." Scourge stared at me for a moment before letting out a howl of laughter. I wasn't sure what exactly I'd said that was funny. I'd only said what I'd told every other missionary who managed to sneak under my radar and try to convert me. They all didn't think it was so funny. Usually, they'd start yelling at me about how wrong it was to say that I'd follow Satan. Then I'd argue with them about how I was already following him until they gave up and left me alone.

"Dios mio, chica," Daniel said between his laughter. "Trust me, I'm far from a church missionary. I was only asking because…" He wiped a tear from his eye. "You just seem as if you're worth more than what this place has to offer."

"Oh." I felt myself begin to blush. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled. "So, what would life look like if you had never gotten into this business?"

"I'd probably in college more than likely. I'd probably be studying something within communications or English or something. Maybe I'd try to become a book agent or something. I'm not quite sure. I like stories, but I also like math a little bit. Usually they're on two different ends of the spectrum so I'm not…I'm not quite sure where they'd connect. Are you in college?"

"I graduated a year or two ago. I got my degree in Criminal Justice – more specifically criminology. I like…I like to analyze the way criminals think…how they work…the motives behind what they do. I also think its interesting how the cops catch the criminals…how they track them down and such. I think it's fascinating really."

"Sounds fascinating. How old are you again?"

"Twenty three, you?"

"Nineteen. You're old." I grinned at him as he rolled his eyes. "But you're cute." His small smile returned as he pulled me into his lap. He lay down on his back, cradling me on top of him in his arms. I relaxed as I listened to his heartbeat and his voice in his chest as we talked for the rest of the night. We discussed our dreams, the infinite universe, some of the problems in society, and even some novels we'd both read. It felt nice…talking to someone instead of just doing the physical. Scourge had an intellect similar to mine. He was smart, but didn't flaunt it. He was also a bit quiet although his tongue seemed to be just as sharp as mine. I liked him…I liked him a lot. When he had to leave since the lounge was closing, I walked him all the way to the door. I noticed Amy looking at me with curious eyes as we passed the bar. I knew she was going to say something as soon as we got home, but I would deal with her later. Right then, I just wanted to finish out the night right with a man I was actually enjoying.

"Will you be here tomorrow night," Scourge asked. I nodded.

"I'm here basically every night."

"Good. Do you um…do you have a phone?"

"Yea. It's at home but I can write my number down somewhere if you want." Scourge dug in his pocket to pull out a silver iPhone. "Or we can do that." Scourge smiled as I typed my number into my phone.

"I'll text you," he promised before giving me a hug. "I'll see you around."

"Yea. I'll see you around." With one last smile, he turned and headed out into the chilly weather. I watched him go, my smile widening on my face. I'd never seriously crushed on a guy before. Sure, there was Sonic but that only lasted for like ten seconds. With Scourge, I felt more than just butterflies in my stomach. I felt a need…a longing to be wrapped in his arms just as I was a few minutes before. He was so comfortable…and I felt so wanted. I actually felt…loved for once in a long time. While it may have been a bit soon to think that way, I couldn't help myself. It wasn't every day that a man held me like that and sincerely talked to me.

I helped the other girls clean up around the lounge before Sonic drove Amy and I back to the complex. I gave my sister a glare after we got out the car. "What," she asked, her accent thickening. "Sonic is actually really sweet. He's just…he's just misunderstood ya know."

"I just don't want him to hurt you," I told her. "You know how he is."

"I know," Amy said as she looked down. "But he's so different with me. He actually talks to me and he doesn't just want sex. Besides, it's just a little fun."

"Just be careful…please."

"I will. Off of me and onto you, what was up with you and that guy tonight? Was the sex good?"

"We didn't have sex. We just…we talked." My sister raised an eyebrow at me. "Yes, I know, it's strange but it felt good…really good."

"Yea okay hot stuff," my sister said as I began to unlock the door to our apartment. I had to admit our apartment was pretty spacious and well-decorated. While we only had three bedrooms, they were all occupied with king sized beds, dressers, desks, personal bathrooms and closets. Our living room had a sectional couch, a lazy-boy, a love seat, and a flat screen in it. The kitchen was furnished with a full refrigerator, stove, oven, counters, and even a small table. There was also a small balcony area all the way in the back of our apartment where I liked to stare at the stars if I couldn't sleep. My sister and I went our separate ways to our rooms after giving each other a hug. My phone was laying on my bed where I'd left it that morning. I picked it up to see that Scourge had already texted me a few times. I felt a smile creep up my face as I replied back to let him know that I'd gotten his texts. I changed into my pajamas and lay down on my bed. I could barely keep my eyes open as I gave in to my weariness. The last thing I remembered that night was thinking about Scourge's arms and fantasizing that I was still in them.

I woke up late the next morning, my phone's alarm blaring in my ears. I reluctantly rolled over to turn it off. I forced myself not to look at the messages since I had to start getting ready for the work day. Since I'd woken up late, I didn't exactly have time to google over whatever messages Scourge might have sent me over the night. I rushed my shower and hurried to dress in a black bralette and a pair of tight black jeans. I threw my leather jacket over the outfit before fixing my red curls. I hurried to put on some foundation, eye liner, some eye shadow, and red lipstick before I ran out to the kitchen to grab a granola bar. I barely made it downstairs on time where Sonic was waiting for me due to my stilettos.

Amy had most of the day off to sleep like the rest of the girls, but I was one of the few who didn't mind getting up early and helping get the lounge together. Sometimes it got me out of night duty and I got to have the night to read or watch television or something. However, it always left me with Sonic early in the morning for a few hours…and Sonic was not a morning person. "What took you so long," he growled at me as I approached him.

"I'm here now so does it matter?" I replied. Sonic rolled his eyes at me, but followed me out to his blue mustang. The drive to the lounge was silent – as per the usual. Hell, throughout most of the morning it was pretty quiet between the two of us and whatever girls were there to help. While it was never super early in the morning, we were all still too tired from the late night before to really make conversation. I mostly helped Sonic with the books in the back room, calculating sale numbers and estimates. Sonic expected that night to be similar to the nights we've been having: slow. Since Valentine's Day was slowly approaching, lots of men wanted to spend time with the actual women in their lives. Some of the men who were regulars actually had relationships with some of the girls, but all they were doing were buying rooms for the night and not really doing much else. There wasn't a need for an abundance of dancers or waitresses or any of that. Sonic assured me that we might be able to chill for the next couple of weeks. The news made me feel a little bit less bitter about having to deal with his grumpy ass.

Around six, when the lounge opened, Sonic let me hang out in the back since I'd spent all day helping him. I dived back into the novel I was reading although I didn't get much farther before Scourge texted me.

Where are you? His message was simple and easily answerable, but I didn't directly text back. Instead, I tucked my book away and walked out into the dim lit lounge. I squinted my eyes to look for my new crush. I easily spotted him standing near the pool table he was at the night before. He was looking around as well, his blue eyes moving around the room rapidly. A smile unconsciously made its way up my face as I made my way over to him. His eyes eventually found me and I noticed his shoulders relax. He returned the small smile as I got closer. "Hi," he greeted.

"Hi yourself," I replied as I looked over his simple outfit of a grey tee and dark wash jeans. Scourge's stormy eyes were also lingering over my body. His gaze was slow, steady…almost predator-like. He wasn't smiling or smirking; instead, he was literally just staring down at me. For a moment, I felt as though he was examining me. While his gaze may have been gentle, I could see the thoughts buzzing in his irises. I wanted to ponder over what exactly he thought of me, but I didn't want to at the same time. I was a whore, after all. No one ever thought much of us no matter how pretty we were.

"You look nice," he complimented me as a smile slowly came upon his face. My cheeks flushed red as my smile widened. I didn't have the time to thank him before I heard Sonic calling my name. I looked behind me to see him standing behind the bar across from one of my usual customers. He was an attractive middle aged man with biceps, strong hands, and family issues. He'd told me all about his annoying wife, bad ass kids, and his hatred for his job when we finished our physical acts. Sometimes I listened and sometimes I just tuned him out. He wasn't really one of my favorite people to be around, but he paid good money for his time with me – mostly because he paid for an all-nighter. The thought that I'd have to spend the whole night with him instead of Scourge made me want to lay on the floor and play dead. All I wanted was one night with the guy I was starting to like, but I guess I couldn't even get that.

"Whoa," Scourge said as I took a step towards the bar. His hand had shot out to grab my wrist tightly causing me to look back at him with an eyebrow raised. "Where are you going?"

"There's a regular here who I have to tend to," I admitted as I looked down at my shoes. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"How long will he need you?"

"It depends. Sometimes it's just for a half an hour and sometimes it's the whole night." I heard him sigh deeply as his hand squeezed my wrist tighter. "We can hang out tomorrow night if you-"

"How much will it cost to out pay him?" I looked up at him to see his jaw was clenched and his stormy eyes were darkening. He practically yanked me up against him, his lips going down to my ear. "I don't want him touching you," he whispered huskily.

"Um, I'm not sure. This isn't an auction, Scourge. Usually when one of us is taken, a customer just settles for a different girl." I heard Alex call my name again, his tone hardening from his irritation. "Look, I really have to go. I'm sorry." I wiggled out of Scourge's grasp to hurry over to the bar. My regular smiled drunkenly at me as Sonic slid me a set of keys. He was glaring at me, his eyes practically sending daggers through my head.

"I'm sorry for the wait," Sonic apologized though he kept his eyes on me. My regular laughed it off as he slapped my behind harshly.

"It's fine. I got her now, that's all that matters." He placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek as he pulled me against him. I bit my lip to fight the nausea that began to arise in my stomach. "You ready to roll, sweetheart?"

"Sure," I replied. My regular gave my behind another squeeze before he began to stumble towards the steps. I began to follow him, but Sonic grabbed my arm and practically slammed me against the side of the bar. I bit my lip to hide the whimper of pain that wanted to come out of my mouth. He squeezed my arm harshly as he whispered in my ear.

"Don't ever do that again. If I call you then you come, understand? I don't care if you're with your little boy toy over there. You work for me – not him. Understand?"

"Yes," I replied softly.

"Now what do you say?"

"I'm sorry." I wanted to spat in his face for making me apologize, but I knew my night wouldn't end well if I did that. Alex treated us like dogs sometimes, and it annoyed me to no end. I wished he could see us as his equals or even just hold a certain level of respect for us. I got the fact that his job was to boss us around, but he didn't have to be so rude about it.

"Room nine," he said as he released my arm. I didn't reply. Instead, I jogged up to my regular who was already well on his way up the stairs to the room area. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur for me. I remembered zoning out during my time with my regular. He took me a few times and whined about how horrible his life was going in between rounds. I wasn't sure why, but I couldn't even get myself to focus on some of what he said or what he was doing. All I could think about was Scourge and how angry he'd gotten when I had to leave. I wondered if he hadn't taken me serious about the whole whore house thing and thought I actually had some potential in me to make a life. I wondered if he thought lowly of me due to the fact that I didn't have my own will or my own say in anything. I wondered if he thought I was worthless for actually being paid for having sex with random guys. The last thought made my head hurt. I didn't want him to think badly of me, though I'd only just met him. For once, I just wanted a guy to see me for who I really was and not who Boss had molded me to be.

When I finally got to leave, I was sore and tired. My neck hurt from my regular's harsh love bites, and my pelvis area was sore from his relentless thrusting. I wanted nothing more but to go home, shower, and sleep. My eyes scanned around the dim lit lounge to find my sister's head of pink hair. I hadn't gotten to see her almost all night. While I knew she was probably fine, it didn't hurt to check. I spotted her rose mane behind the bar. She was leaning on her elbows against the tabletop with a bright smile on her face. There was a man sitting across from her with blue hair and sleeves of tattoos. I figured off the back that it was only Sonic. He was the only person I'd seen her smile like that around.

"Hey, Rosy," my sister greeted me as I approached them. I smiled weakly at her as Sonic turned his eyes to me.

"Is it okay if I sign off a little early tonight," I asked him. A muscle in his jaw jumped as his eyes turned into daggers. Boss usually didn't approve of girls leaving early, but he did give exceptions if they'd been working all day. Sonic usually didn't give a shit whether or not we worked all day or half a day – if he needed us to stay then we had to. I'd already anticipated that he'd reject my request, but it never hurt to at least ask.

"You should let her, Sonic," Amy chimed in. His eyes darted to her, the daggers disappearing immediately. She smiled softly at him. "She's been here practically all day. She does deserve the chance to rest, doesn't she?" Sonic's jaw tightened for a moment before he sighed deeply.

"Alright," he said lowly. "You know the way to walk back, don't you?"

"Yea," I replied.

"Good. Don't wander off again, understand?"

"Yea." I looked to Amy who sent me a wink. I offered her a small smile before I headed out of the lounge. A couple guys catcalled after me as I walked out, but I ignored them. I was happy that I had the chance to go home, shower, and have the rest of the night to myself. I mentally debated whether to continue the television show I'd been binge watching on Netflix or to put on one of my favorite movies. Both of them combined with a hot cup of tea and a sandwich sounded great to me.

"Rosy," I heard Scourge's voice as a hand caught ahold of my wrist. I flinched away instinctively as I looked up at him. He was hovering over me with his eyebrows crinkled together in confusion from my movement. He slowly held up his hands as he took a step back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay," I replied as I let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you heading home," he asked. I nodded as I rubbed my neck to hide the hickeys. Even though Scourge clearly knew what I was doing most of the night, I didn't want him to see the evidence. I still wanted to try to look pure in his eyes. "Do you need a ride? I can drive you if you want."

"I was actually just gonna walk. My apartment complex isn't too far from here."

"Well, would you mind if I walked with you?" I began to raise an eyebrow. "A pretty lady like yourself shouldn't be wandering around alone in the dark." I blushed.

"I guess that would be alright," I said sheepishly. I crossed my arms together as a chilly breeze kissed my shoulders. Scourge's eyes caught my soft shiver, and he took off his jacket that I hadn't noticed he was wearing. He took a slow step towards me, his eyes silently asking if it was okay before gently placing the jacket on my shoulders. I smiled at him as he secured it around my body. His jacket was warm and radiated with the soft smell of expensive cologne. I immediately mourned the thought that I'd have to give it back later. I wished that I could keep it and snuggle with it forever. The warmth and the smell and the tingling in my stomach…it reminded me of home.

Scourge walked with me back to the apartment complex though we both stayed pretty quiet. I was too tired to think of anything to say while Scourge was too busy examining me. Every time I looked up at him, he was already looking down at me. His stormy eyes mostly fixated on my bruised neck and swollen lips. They seemed to have darkened each time I looked up, his mouth twisting into a small frown. A part of me felt like I should say something to defend myself against whatever he was thinking, but another part of me figured that I should just say quiet and not make his judgements worse. While I never chose to be a whore, it was still who I was and I'd accepted it. I had no choice but to.

"Fancy building," Scourge commented as we approached the huge apartment complex. "Does it cost a fortune?"

"I wouldn't know. Boss pays for all this for us. We don't really have to worry about much of anything financially."

"Then what do you do with your money?"

"I save almost all my money. I only spend when I need to. I figured that if one day I do make it out of this business, at least I'll have some money to help me start over."

"That's smart." I nodded as I reluctantly began to shrug off his jacket.

"Thanks for walking me home. I really do appreciate it."

"We don't have to end the night here," he said as he grabbed the collar of his jacket that was coming down my back. He pulled it back over my shoulders, crossing it together to cover all of me again. "If you don't mind, I can buy us some food and we can watch a movie or talk…" I blushed as I looked down. "If you don't want to, that's okay."

"No, no, I do want to…it's just….I never had a guy over before." I blushed harder as I spoke, my embarrassment clear. He was silent for a moment as I shifted my weight between my feet. I could feel his eyes on me, but I was too ashamed to look up at him. I didn't want to see what kind of judgements his eyes were carrying. I would've rather just been a coward and avoid eye contact. He sighed deeply before I felt his hand grab a soft hold on my arm.

"Come on, Rosy." He tugged gently. "I can guarantee you that I'm no worse than the guys who take advantage of you at your job. You can trust me. My intentions aren't to hurt you." I slowly looked up at him to see his ice blue eyes were gentle. I'd never really trusted anyone besides my sister since we'd gotten abducted so, his request for me to trust him made my stomach tingle even more than it already was. I nodded as I let a small smile come upon my lips. He returned the tiny smile. "If you want, I can go grab some pizza while you get changed."

"Okay," I replied. "I live on the fifth floor, apartment 571." He nodded.

"I'll see you in about a half hour then." I nodded before I backed out of his grasp. I reluctantly broke out of his soft gaze to walk into my building. I hurried up to my apartment and quickly jumped into the shower. I roughly washed away the unwanted events of the night before I changed into one of my pajama crop tops and a pair of fleece pajama pants. I ran a brush through my hair to make it look reasonable in its damp state. Even though I looked like I was ready for bed by the time I heard a knock on the door, I still held some confidence. If Scourge could like me when I was dolled up then he would hopefully have some appreciation for my plain Jane look.

Scourge was holding a small box of pizza when I opened the door, his ice blue eyes analyzing over the décor of the hallway. They immediately went to me when he noticed I'd opened the door. He looked over my outfit, his eyes lingering on my fleece pajama pants that were covered with Tweety birds. "Hi," I told him causing his eyes to flick back up to my face.

"Hey," he replied. I moved aside to let him in. His eyes were constantly moving as he stepped inside. He briefly studied every inch of the apartment in plain sight though his eyes lingered in certain spots for longer periods of time. I noticed he took in where the doors and windows were. His gaze was no longer gentle, instead a bit tense somehow. His mouth was pulled into a deep frown as he continued to look over my apartment. The look sent a chill down my spine, but I pushed my feelings down. I hadn't known what he'd meant when he told me that he was no worse than the other men who'd taken advantage of me, but I knew that he wouldn't hurt me. If he wanted to hurt me, then he would've done it the day before when he had me alone in the room at the lounge.

"So, this is my apartment," I said as I motioned to the space around me.

"Do you live with someone," he asked as I began to lead him into my room.

"Yea, my sister lives here too."

"Will she be back here anytime tonight?"

"Um, yea…she should be." We walked into my room and he shut the door behind him. "Do you want anything to drink? I have wine coolers, beers, soda, juice, water…" I talked as I wandered to the corner of the room to drag out my small coffee table to set in front of the television.

"A beer would be fine. Let me do that." I felt his hands on my hips causing me to shoot up. He was standing so close that I almost bumped into him when I'd turned around. "You alright," he asked as my cheeks began to burn. I nodded as I squeezed around him.

"I'll be right back with the drinks." I saw him nod before I practically ran out of the room. I wasn't sure why I was so jumpy around him…or so timid. Usually around guys, I was always cool and mouthy. But then again, the other guys I'd been around weren't like him. I had to admit that being alone with him was intimidating – he himself was intimidating. Something about him just felt…strange. Yes, he was sweet, kind, and easy to talk to, but I couldn't help but feel that maybe I was falling too much into the persona. I didn't really know him that well and he didn't really know me. I was falling too deep too fast…way too fast. I grabbed a mango wine cooler for me and a beet for him before I wandered back into my room. Scourge had already set up the box of pizza on the coffee table that sat in front of the television. He was straightening the table when I walked in. He glanced at me before finishing his task. I smiled as I held out his beer to him. He took it as he returned the smile.

For most of the night, we watched horror movies and ate pizza in silence. I'd lean my head on his shoulder from time to time and his arm eventually wrapped around my shoulders. However, he never attempted to kiss me or touch me. While I shouldn't have been surprised since he told me his intentions weren't like that, a part of me still felt as though he may have at least tried something. But he didn't. Instead, he was the perfect gentlemen.

Around one o' clock, I began to get tired. I was constantly yawning, and stretching. Scourge caught on to my movements, his arm tightening around me. He didn't speak as he pulled me into his lap and picked me up bridal style. He lay me down in my bed, before gently kissing my forehead. He took a small step away from me, but I grabbed his hand. "Will you stay," I asked him as I looked up at him from under my eyelashes. He hesitated, but nodded.

"Just let me put your room back together." I released his hand and curled into my pillow. I watched him push the coffee table back into the corner and take the pizza box out into the kitchen. When he came back in, he kicked off his shoes and crawled into bed next to me. He turned onto his side to stare down at me, his hand coming up to rub my cheek. I smiled at him as I leaned into his touch. He offered me a tiny smile as he rubbed back some strands of my hair. "You should sleep," he murmured.

"Will you still be here when I wake up," I asked. His eyes softened at my question, the moonlight's glare turning them into sparkling gems. I slowly raised my hand to touch his sharp jaw. I heard his breath tense up at my touch. He brought his hand up to grab mine and pull it away from his face.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I don't want to scare your sister."

"Trust me, I've seen enough of her suitors walking around in less gentlemen fashion; I'm sure she'll be alright." His smile dimmed as he looked away. I pulled my hand away as my stomach began to fuzz up. "It's alright if you don't want to stay. I'd understand."

"It's not that I don't want to, Rosy. It's just…" I waited for him to continue, but he seemed to be at a loss for words. I wasn't sure if he was trying to let me down gently or if his reason was something he'd rather not talk about. I wanted to understand, but I couldn't stop my stomach from burying itself in the pit of rejection. I looked away from him and turned onto my back. "Hey," he murmured. "Don't do that…come here." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back against him with my face in his chest.

"What are your intentions…" I asked cautiously. "If you don't want sex from me, then what do you want? I don't have much more to offer."

"I want you," he said simply. "You're worth so much more than just sex…you just need a little nudge to help see that for yourself." He kissed my head. "Go to sleep now. I promise that I'll stay for as long I can." I obeyed his orders and drifted into a peaceful sleep in his strong arms.

The next few weeks flew by for me. I fell into the new routine of spending most of my work time with Scourge. Usually, he'd come to the lounge early to purchase me for the whole entire night. In those hours together, we'd play pool, drink alcohol, and talk. He got me out of my timid shell and embraced my quick tongue. Sometimes we'd sit out by the bar and make fun of the other customers. Other times, we'd go up to a room and spend alone time together. He would never inappropriately touch me or make a move on me when we were alone. While I'd enjoyed that factor about him at first, it began to become an annoyance to me. I began to long for him to touch me, kiss me, and cherish me for all that I was.

However, sometimes another man would beat Scourge in the race to buy me. Nights like those weren't my favorite. My forced actions made me feel even worse due to the fact that I really didn't want to be groped or have intercourse with a man who wasn't Scourge. I felt my disgusted emotions from my first sexual assault come over me each time a man who wasn't Scourge took advantage of me. I tried to fight back my feelings and keep my composure once the acts were done. I had to act as if the technical rapes weren't bothering me. All of the girls had to. Boss and Sonic would not tolerate having emotional girls crying because a man touched them. We were taught to suck it up and cry on our own time. Yet, the emotions began to be too much for me. A lot of my regulars were upset with me for being bought so quickly, so they took me without mercy and sometimes after a good beating with the sex whips. They would yell at me about how they were my customers, how they had needs, and how I was there to serve them – not hang around a stupid kid who was probably gay for not taking me whenever he had me. Whenever they'd get done, I'd get dressed feeling more degraded than I already was. On those days, I'd usually avoid Scourge and head home alone. One night, he actually caught up with me.

"Rosy," he yelled as I walked down the dark street in my stilettos. "Rosy wait!" I ignored him as I kept walking, my tears beginning to fall from my face. About an hour before, I'd gotten done with one of my regulars who'd had the audacity to bring his friends along for the fun. I'd been with groups before, but none of them had been anything like the cruel men. They weren't amicable or joking or light-heartedly drunk. They were cruel, merciless, and hell-bent on making sure I knew how much of a whore I was. They beat on me, forced me to do acts I wouldn't have done by free will, and sometimes they didn't wait to take turns. My sister had spent an hour patching up my wounds. Sonic wasn't happy with my treatment either. He kicked the guys out, and had a few of his men give them a good beating. The policy in the lounge was that they could use BDSM on us only if we weren't damaged by it. What they'd done to me wasn't anywhere near BDSM – it was an act of cruelty and abuse. Sonic promised to take me to the doctor the next day to get checked out and to make sure they hadn't caused any real damage to my private areas. He even apologized to me, though I assumed that was just an act for my sister. I did believe he would take me to the doctor, but that's because I was too valuable to the company to toss aside.

"Rosy," Scourge said as he grabbed my arm. He yanked me roughly so that I'd turn to face him. His mouth was open to speak, but no words came out as he looked over my bruised face. His eyes darkened as his mouth pulled into a deep frown. "What happened," he asked as he raised a hand to caress my cheek. "Who did this to you?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," I told him. "I just wanna go home, okay?" I tried to walk away, but he kept a good hold on my arm. "You can walk me home," I told him before he could ask. "Let's just go, okay?" His frown deepened, but he didn't say anything more. He walked with me to my complex and followed me up into the apartment. "I'm gonna take a bath," I told him. "There's food and stuff in the fridge if you want anything."

"I can run some bath water for you," he offered. "Do you wanna try to eat or drink something?"

"Not really."

"Well, you should. Come on." He led me into the bathroom. He had me sit down on the toilet before he began to run some hot water into the tub. "Do you have bath bombs or anything that'll help you relax?" I pointed to the closet door. He nodded in response. He retrieved one of the pink ones, and sniffed it. He crinkled his nose at the strong scent and I almost smiled. He set the sphere in my lap before he left the room. He quickly returned with a bottle of wine and some wine glasses. He poured some of the wine into a glass and handed it to me.

"Thanks," I told him before I took a sip. I nearly downed two glasses before my tub was even filled. I was so ready to just sleep the rest of the night away and try to forget what was done to me. I undressed in front of Scourge, looking over my shoulder at him a few times to see that his eyes were examining my bruised body carefully. I saw his lips twitch, but they didn't pull up into a lusty smirk. He seemed to be too concerned with my bruises.

I dropped the bath bomb into the tub after I got in. The water fizzled up into pink bubbles as the strong scent of strawberries began to fill the room. I got comfortable as Scourge watched me, his eyes trained on my face. I forced a smile at him as I leaned into the hot water. Scourge let me relax and wash up for a half hour before he had me get dressed in some comfortable pajamas. I tried to prolong my tears, but they began to fall the second I lay down in my bed. I buried my face into my pillow to try to hide my sobs, but I could tell from Scourge's abrupt absence of footsteps that he could hear me. "Don't…don't do that," I heard him murmur. I heard his footsteps come towards me. He lay his hand on my back, rubbing softly. "Don't cry…"

"I can't help it," I choked out. I picked my head up and turned onto my side to look up at him. His eyes were gentle as his hand immediately came up to wipe my tears away. "These past few weeks have been hell for me. Whenever one of those sickos buy me before you can they…they hurt me so badly. They're so angry that I'm trying to be…committed to one person. They don't see me as anything more than a stupid whore; in their eyes I'm just someone who exists to please them. I'm not an actual person. I haven't been an actual person for the past eight years. I've just been this…this toy – this sex toy. I don't wanna be. I never wanted to be…"

"I know," Scourge murmured. "I know." I grabbed his wrist, holding his hand to my face.

"You don't…you don't see me as just a whore, do you?"

"Of course not." He pulled his hand away to reposition himself against my headboard. He lifted me up into his lap and cradled my head in his chest. "You're not a whore in my eyes, Rosalinda."

"Then what am I?"

"A beautiful girl with a big brain and a smart mouth." I smiled as I looked up at him.

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Yes," he answered simply. "You are beautiful, Rosy, inside and out." He kissed my forehead. "You don't deserve any of this." He squeezed me tighter. "What if…what if I told you that I could get you out of there…I could help you make a new life for yourself?"

"I'd call you crazy," I told him as my smile began to fall. "I can't…I can't just disappear into the night."

"Why not?"

"Because my sister…she needs me."

"She already seems to be taken care of." I frowned at the thought of her relationship with Sonic. "Run away with me, Rosy. I can make you happy. I can give you a life that this place can't. We can explore the world, get married, raise a family…"

"Scourge, I…we…what if it doesn't work out? We've only known each other barely two months."

"It will work out," he promised. Before I could question his statement, he took ahold of my chin and spoke again. "It will work because I'm in love with you, Rosy. I'm in love with your mind, your spirit…your soul. You're so beautiful in all that you are. You deserve more than this terrible life. You deserve all that a queen deserves."

"You…you're in love with me?" The words were foreign on my lips. No one had ever told me that they loved me or even deeply cared about me before. I had begun to think that no one ever would. But then again, no one had ever had the patience to open me up like he did. All we'd ever done was talk. We'd never had sex or made out or any of that. He was more interested in my mind than he was my body…and I loved him for that. I may not have known what love was, but I did know that I did have feelings for him. I always wanted to touch him and kiss him even though we'd never gotten to that step. I wanted him for all he was, the same way that men longed for me. But, I wanted his mind as well. I wanted long conversations after lusty acts, playful sunny mornings with breakfast in bed…all with him by my side.

"Yes." I smiled. "I can wait for you to think about my offer, but just be considerate that I don't have much time. My business ventures here are starting to end…I'll have to heading home soon, and I don't want to go without you."

"I'll think about it." He nodded as he kissed my forehead. I sat up onto my knees to straddle him, pushing my torso against his. His hands gripped my waist, stopping my movement from getting any closer. I caressed his face with my hands, tracing his small scars and short stubble. "I want to kiss you," I whispered. "Is it okay if I…" His lips twitched into a smile as one of his hands cupped my face and brought me down onto his lips.

His kisses were soft, tender. He was gentle as his lips molded mine. My stomach was erupting into a fiery rage as he kissed me, my contained lust for this moment coming full circle. I flushed my body with his, pushing him back against my headboard. My hands tangled in his hair as his made a fist in my own while the other gripped my hip tightly. I wanted to whimper from the pains since I was still sore, but I didn't want him to stop kissing me. His tongue was warm against my lips as he quietly requested entrance. I gave in to his skilled tongue, and it immediately made a beeline for contact with mine. I let out a soft moan as our kisses deepened. My hands fell from his shirt, and began to pull nimbly at the collar of his shirt. My fingers peeked under his shirt, tracing his collar bone.

He pulled out of the kiss at my touch on his skin. I opened my mouth to protest, but he spoke before I could. "Not tonight," he said simply. "I want you…I really do, but not tonight…not when you're hurt and vulnerable." He pecked my lips before repositioning us into a spooning position. "Go on to sleep now," he whispered in my ear. I squeezed his hand as I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

Scourge was gone when I awoke the next morning – or afternoon I should say. It was around two o' clock by the time I got the will power to open my eyes. My body felt worse than it did the day before. I didn't want to move when Amy came in to help me get dressed so that Sonic could take me to the doctors. She helped me get out of bed and into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and hoodie. Sonic was waiting for us in our living room when we finally emerged from my bedroom. He offered us both a smile before leading us out the door.

The doctor's trip went well, I thought. Nothing was wrong with me, but my doctor did recommend that I stayed away from sexual intercourse for a while. He recommended that I take a few days off from work to relax and focus on recovering. Sonic didn't seem too happy with his statements, but promised that he'd make sure I would rest for a little while. I highly doubted that, but Amy told me to just give it a chance and see how it went. She stayed home with me for the rest of the day. We watched movies, painted each other's nails, and talked – mostly about boys.

"So, what's up with you and that tattooed hottie at work," she asked as she carefully painted my toes a bright white. I blushed at the thought of Scourge and the kiss we'd shared the night before. "You can't tell me nothing's going on because obviously something is going on. He tries to buy you every night, sleeps in your bed, and then sneaks out at the crack of dawn. Is he your new boyfriend or something?"

"I wouldn't say boyfriend. He's just…a friend, I guess."

"A friend with benefits?"

"I wish." She giggled. "We're honestly just friends. He's never even kissed me before last night."

"You sure he's not gay?" I let out a laugh.

"I'm pretty sure. What's up with you and Sonic? Is the sex good?"

"Extremely," she said with a smile. "But, its more than just sex, Rosy. He takes me out on dates, and we don't always have sex when I go over to his apartment. Sometimes we'll just watch movies, play video games, and talk about the life we could have if…"

"If you guys weren't in this business?"

"Yea… I don't know…he makes me feel like we are gonna get out of here someday. I mean, he knows that he will once he's done with his master's degree, but he always talks about taking me with him. He does it so much that I can't help but to wonder if he actually means it. What if he does…take me with him?"

"Then you should go," I told her. "Any opportunity to get out of here is a better option than staying here. Even if things don't work out, at least you don't have to worry about having consequences. You'll be free…"

"But I couldn't leave you here," Amy said as she shook her head. "I would never just leave you behind just so that I could be free. If he's getting me out, then he's getting both of us out. We're a package deal remember?" I smiled at my sister.

"Yea…yea we are."

The next few days went by quietly from me. I mostly laid around the house and texted Scourge. He was busy during the day, but he'd come over at night so that we could spend time together. I'd always drag him into my bedroom and make out with him after we'd watched a movie or ate dinner. He seemed happy at my eagerness to be so close to him, though I could somehow sense his irritable mood whenever he'd touch one of my bruises. He would always kiss them when I'd flinch from the pain, but his eyes would fade from their gentle state into one of a stony anger. I tried to ignore it, but sometimes I couldn't. When his grasp became too tight and his kisses possessive of my mouth, I wondered how much my situation bothered him. I'd been assaulted by multiple men in the past month and he could do nothing about it. I know if I were in his position, I'd be pretty hot too. However, I wished that he could see that I was perfectly fine when he was around me. I wanted him to feel the same happiness that I did when we were together. I didn't want him to be angry…not when he didn't have to be.

When I returned to work, Sonic strictly put me on bartender duty until further notice. I didn't mind my new post at all. Most men didn't usually stay near the bar, so I spent most of the time talking to Scourge who would sit and drink with me until I got off of work. Then he'd walk me home and depending on his plans he'd stay the night. We went on like this for another two weeks or so before he finally made his move on me.

It was a slow Wednesday night at the lounge, and I was sitting behind the bar reading a novel when Scourge's voice broke me out of my trance. "Hey you," he said, causing me to look up. I immediately smiled at him, taking in his beautiful eyes. They were glazed over with lust, sparkling with bad intentions. His mouth was pulled up into a smirk, his tongue flicking out to lick them as he looked me over. I was wearing a red bralette and black leather jacket with a pair of my favorite black ripped jeans. My hair looked more wild than usual since my sister had attempted to curl it earlier that day. I would admit that my attire with the addition of my sexy smoky eye may have made me look more appealing, but I didn't think I had to dress like this to get Scourge's attention. "You look…amazing," he purred. I blushed as I tugged at the sleeves of my jacket.

"Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself…I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yea," I said with a giggle. He tilted his head.

"What can I do to change that?"

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." I shot him a flirty smile before walking off to ask one of the customers if he was doing alright. His eyes stayed trained on me as I made my way around the bar to make sure that the customers were satisfied with their drinks. When I finally got back to him, I poured him a glass of scotch. "On the house," I told him.

"Thank you," he said as he took a sip. "Are you getting off at regular time tonight?"

"No. I'm actually leaving around twelve tonight because I've been here all day. Amy convinced Sonic into pitying me for working all day."

"Do you have any plans for when you get off?" I raised an eyebrow as I tried to restrain my smile from widening. I shook my head. "Well, I was wondering if I could take you up to one of those rooms and give you what I know you've been wanting." He took another sip of his scotch. "I would suggest taking you back to your room in your apartment, but I can't wait that long."

"Hmm, why the sudden change in pace? You were so patient the other night."

"Maybe my patience has run out." I bit my lip to hide my smile. "It's taking everything in me not to pin you down right on this bar."

"Hmm." I blushed deeper. His smirk grew into a grin. I felt my stomach erupt into butterflies under his gaze. The butterflies traveled a bit lower to my pelvis, causing me to fidget. I'd never really had a real intercourse with someone before… I'd never had the feelings of wanting to have sex with someone so badly. All I'd ever felt was the reluctance to act as if I was enjoying what was going on. I'd never actually liked having sex. I wondered if I would like it…with him.

"Rosalinda," I heard Sonic yell. I glanced in the direction his voice came from to see that he was motioning for me to come over. I shot an apologetic smile to Scourge before walking over to Sonic. He was leaning against the bar, his arms folded across his chest. His eyes were on Scourge, his mouth pulled into a soft frown.

"What's wrong," I asked.

"You've been spending an awful lot of time with that guy over there. Is there something you wanna tell me?"

"You've been sleeping with my sister for an awful lot of time. Is there something you wanna tell me?" Sonic clenched his jaw.

"I asked you a fucking question."

"So did I. Ladies first."

"Fucking… I like Amy, alright? Now you answer mine."

"I like him. He's the only gentlemen in this hell hole." Sonic rolled his eyes. "Can I clock off early…? I've been here since the crack of dawn, and I'll pay to rent out one of the rooms." Sonic raised his eyebrows.

"Did you just ask me to leave early so that you can fuck your little boy toy over there?"

"Yea. Yes or no?"

"I fucking hate you," he said. He shook his head. "You're lucky you're Amy's sister."

"Or else what?"

"Or else I would've socked you in your mouth by now. Room five. Now get out my face before I change my mind." He dug in his pocket to pull out a key and hand it to me. I smiled before I skipped back over to Scourge. He raised an eyebrow at me, but I didn't give him the chance to speak. I hopped over the bar and dragged him upstairs.

"Where are we going," he asked. "I thought you got off at twelve."

"My sister's sleeping with our boss so, he gave me the rest of the night off." Scourge smirked. I unlocked the door to our designated room and walked inside. Almost immediately, Scourge grabbed me and slammed my back up against the closed door. Our lips connected as his hands grabbed my thighs to hoist me up onto him. That night, he completely devoured me in a way that no other man had. His lips and tongue explored almost every part of my body, lingering on my chest and core. He repeatedly bit and sucked on my neck as his hands groped at my curves. After he'd gotten all my clothes off, he tied up my wrists to the bed post. I'd whimpered in protest since I wanted to touch him, but he shut me up with wet kisses. I was helpless as he relentlessly took everything that he wanted. He took me with his tongue, with his hands, and with his own core. We both orgasmed multiple times as he thrust into me. He made me yell out his name and call him "Papi". Once he'd even told me to tell him that I was his…only his. I obeyed under the euphoric feeling of his thrusts though I felt myself mentally confining to that statement. I wanted to be his…only his. He made me feel special, wanted – loved.

After we were finally finished, he helped me get dressed and carried me all the way to my apartment complex. My pelvis was throbbing in a pain that I didn't mind. He had made me feel like I was on cloud nine the entire time he was taking me. I'd never felt that way before…and I couldn't wait to feel it again. I longed for him to do more to me that night, but I fell asleep not even a couple minutes after we lay down in my bed. He wasn't there when I woke up the next morning, but I was expecting that. What I wasn't expecting was his disappearance from the face of my world for the next two weeks. He didn't text me or call me or show up to the lounge. He had completely vanished in my perspective. I'd tried reaching out to him multiple times, but he never answered or texted back. I had to admit that I was more than just hurt. I felt used, abandoned, and lonely. I had spent a majority of my time with him, so his absence really took a toll on me. I had no one to talk to. My sister was always with Sonic, and none of the other girls were all that friendly. He had been my only true friend and he was gone.

I didn't see him again until I bumped into him on a busy Friday night. I was heading back to the bar after delivering a drink to a customer at one of the pool tables when I walked straight into his chest. "I'm sorry," I said as I looked up at him. At first sight of his ice blue eyes, even under the dim lighting, my lips pulled up into a smile. "Hi," I said, my accent taking over my voice.

"Hey Rosy." He didn't return the smile. His eyes were stony as he stared down at me, his lips pulled into a tight line. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure. Is everything alright?"

"Yea." He took me by the arm and led me to the pool table where we'd first met. I shook out of his grasp as he ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I have to leave tomorrow and I need…I need a decision from you. Are you coming with me or are you staying in this shithole?"

"Oh…I…I don't know. I honestly forgot about your short stay. Um…I'm not prepared to leave. All my things are in my apartment and my money…"

"We can figure all that out later," he said with a shrug. "I just need to know." I opened my mouth to speak – to tell him that I couldn't leave my sister behind, but I didn't have time before my name was called from across the room. I turned around to see that Sonic was waving me over, one of my nicer regulars standing next to him. I took a step towards them, but Scourge immediately grabbed my arm. He pulled me around to face him. His eyes were livid now, his mouth turning into a scowl. "You don't have go to him, Rosy. If you tell me you'll come with me, then we can leave right now. You can put this whole life behind you."

"Scourge, I can't…I can't leave Amy here. I'm sorry. I love you…I think, and I want to be with you, but my sister needs me. I can't leave her here. I'm sorry." I shook out of his grasp once more before hurrying over to Sonic and my regular. I forced a smile on my face as I approached them. Sonic's eyes were trained behind me, his green eyes squinted slightly. "You okay," I asked him. He didn't have time to respond before we heard a gunshot ring out. I didn't see the bullet fly past me, but I did see it hit my regular right in the head. I didn't hear myself scream, but I did feel Alex push me down onto the ground. More gunshots rang out as the screams in the lounge multiplied. My eyes widened as Sonic pushed me towards the bar.

"Go find your sister, then get the hell out of here. Hear me?" He told me.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna get some help. Now go, dammit!" I nodded my head before throwing myself into the crowds of people running. My eyes continually darted around, searching for my sister's mane of pink hair. My heart beat faster as I couldn't find sight of it anywhere. I almost passed out from fear until I heard her yell out my name. She was peeking out from under the bar, her emerald eyes wide with tears. I quickly hopped over the bar and crawled to my sister's side. She was sobbing hysterically, her arms holding out towards me like they did when she was ten years old. I took her into my arms, squeezing her tightly.

"Shh, Amy. Calm down; we have to get out of here. We have to get out of here now." I tried to get her to stand up, but a bullet struck one of the liquor bottles above us, sending glass everywhere. I sat my sister back down as I shielded her body with mine from the glass. I gritted my teeth as some of them scratched me. My sister began to sob harder, her arms tightening around me. "Shh," I told her. The gunshots began to stop as the lounge began to quiet. The screams had silenced, leaving only the soft music to play. I held onto my sister as one last gunshot shot the music off. I bit my lip as I listened intently to the soft footsteps making their way over to the bar.

Scourge appeared at the small doorway to lead into the bar, his ice blue eyes even more livid than before. I pulled my sister closer to me as his eyes fell on us. He knocked the doorknob off of the door with his gun before making his way into our area. I let go of my sister, positioning myself in front of her. My eyes went down to the silver gun in his hands, my stomach dropping into the floor. He raised his gun above my head, towards my sister. "No," I yelled. "Please no." He pulled the trigger, the sound ringing out. My sister and I both screamed. I glanced behind me to see that he had shot the one other girl who was hiding behind the bar with us. There were a few other behind her, all of whom also received a bullet in the head or throat. I watched them all drop with tears in my eyes. "Jesus Christ," I whispered as I looked back at Scourge. He was refilling his gun, his hard eyes trained on me. "Scourge, please…please don't do this. You're in love with me, remember? You love me. You don't wanna hurt me. You don't wanna hurt Amy either. We won't say anything, we swear. Just please…please don't do this." He clicked off the security latch on his gun. "I'll do anything you want if you just don't…please don't hurt my sister."

"Come here," he told me simply.

"Rosy, don't," Amy whispered in my ear. "You can't go with him. He's obviously crazy… Besides you can't leave me here. We're a package deal remember?" He pointed his gun at us.

"You can either come here or I'll kill both of you…it's all up to you, Rosalinda." Scourge said.

"I can't let you die," I whispered to my sister as I unwrapped her arms from my waist. "You have to be good, okay? You have to be strong. No more crying, okay?" I kissed her cheek as my tears continued to fall. "I love you." I slowly stood up, struggling against Amy's grabs at me. "Promise you won't hurt her," I asked Scourge. He lowered his gun.

"Cross my heart." I slowly walked towards him. My heart was beating out of my chest, and my breaths were shaky. I'd never been so afraid in my life. I didn't know what he was going to do with me. For all I knew, he was going to kill me later without a second thought. But I did know that I had to protect my sister. Her safety was more important than mine…it always was. Scourge wrapped his arm around my waist. "Good girl," he said simply. He glanced at my sister. "Let's go." He dragged me out of the club, stepping over the dead bodies that were lying on the floor. I tried to keep my eyes off the bodies, more tears filling in my eyes. He stuffed me into a black Chevrolet in the parking lot and drove off to a small hotel. He led me up into his room, a one bedroom suite with a living and kitchen area. He left me in the bedroom while he went into the bathroom. I could hear the shower water running as I lay down on the bed and sobbed. I didn't remember falling asleep, but I did remember waking up with my wrists tied to the bed post and the sun shining in my face. I lay there for a few hours, praying to God for the first time in a while. I prayed for my sister's safety and for Sonic's safety. He needed to take care of her since I wasn't there. I also prayed for my own safety. I hadn't thought Scourge would do something like this. He had always seemed so laid back and calm. I never thought that he had an itch for mass murdering. Then again, there was probably so much I didn't know about him.

When he returned, I curled up against the bed post. He was holding some bags and was whistling as if he didn't have a care in the world. His casual stance frightened me as I watched him put all of the bags down onto the floor. He looked at me, his eyes back in their gentle state. "Good afternoon," he told me. "I'm sorry about last night… I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand…" He shrugged. "You'll get used to it, though. I've done worse."

"What…what the hell are you talking about? Who the hell are you? What do you want?"

"I want you," he said simply. "I never lied to you about anything. I'm Scourge…you're Rosalinda and we're in love."

"No…no you're in love with me because you're a fucking psychopath!"

"Now, now, I don't take well to that word. Either you're going to be nice to me, or we're going to have a problem."

"Fuck you!" He rolled his eyes.

"I've really been trying to be nice to you…" He dug into one of the bags and pulled out a syringe. He took the protective cap off of it and plucked it. My eyes widened as I began to shiver. "But if you're not going to respect me, then I have no choice but to do things my way."

"No, no, I'll be good. I promise I'll be good." He grabbed my ankle and pulled me down so that I was laying on my back.

"Shh, Rosy. You're just going to feel a little prick." He pinned my shoulder with his hand as he stuck me with the needle in my arm. I let out a soft whimper as he injected the clear liquid into my vein. He pecked a kiss at my lips as my eyes fluttered.

"Why…why are you doing this," I asked as my vision began to blur.

"Because I wanted you." He kissed my lips again. "And I always get what I want."

Please review! I've never written in this domain before so I really wanna know what you guys think.