Chapter Two: I can't find you
The back of the stage was even worse than the hallway they were forced in. The floor was dirty and sticky, and the 'slaves' were chained in the corner where they would wait for their owners. Mabel stared at the floor, waiting for the blond man who had purchased her.
The rules the other girls had told her were running through her head. How long would she last with someone owning her? Some girls didn't last long, some men only purchase to use and throw away. Keep your head down, don't attract attention, always say yes, think about planning an escape after you've been there for a while, build trust with your Master.
Master.
How she loathed the word. She had a life before this, before the fire. Yet it didn't seem to matter to anyone but her anymore. Other girls were already being trained by their masters, tall men who didn't seem to care about the well being of the people they were buying.
Mabel flinched back suddenly as suddenly there was a finger underneath her chin, gently lifting her gaze up. There wasn't much she could do to go back, since the wall was right behind her, and her gaze slowly lifted to travel over the man who was standing before her. He was a bit taller than her, with blond hair that almost covered one eye, and dressed in a rather dapper suit as well. Mabel felt completely undressed next to him, wearing nothing more than a bra and a pair of panties.
"Well worth ten grand." The man practically purred, his gloved finger keeping her gaze up. She couldn't go any further back as he stepped towards her, his body only a couple inches away from actually touching her own. There was barely enough room to breathe comfortably, but Mabel had been in much worse situations.
"Bill, can we go now?" Mabel's eyes flickered to the smaller male behind her new owner. Instantly the blond, apparently named Bill, was tugging at her chin to bring her gaze back to him.
"William, if you don't shut your mouth, I'll shut it for you." The blond still hadn't looked away from her as he talked.
Mabel was already wishing the smaller of the two was the one who bought her.
"What's your name?" Strangely enough it wasn't Bill who asked that, but the man behind him, named William. Bill didn't give her any signs that she should answer him, so Mabel stayed quiet.
"Shooting Star." Bill finally answered, bringing her in for a quick kiss. She didn't respond, not that she had time to. The kiss wasn't anything more than a peck, and before she even realized what was going on, he was gone.
"We're leaving." His hands went to grab her chained wrists, pulling her from the wall. Mabel had no protests, and still hadn't spoken a word as Bill started to lead them both out.
"I'm William." The smaller one suddenly spoke, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Mabel didn't reply.
Though he didn't seem bothered by that. Maybe he expected it. They walked down the hall, and with the further Mabel got from other girls the more uncomfortable she got with what she was wearing. It wasn't long before they were heading outside, and as she took her first step something warm draped over her shoulders.
It wasn't Bill's jacket but Will's, and she met his gaze and saw a small smile on his face before she was looking at the ground once more. Her fingers would have held it tighter around her if Bill wasn't still leading her with her hands, forcing them out in front of her. He hadn't spared them a glance.
"Mabel. My name is Mabel."
William looked surprised for a moment before he broke out in a wide smile, but Mabel didn't see it. She was already back to staring at the ground.
There was something about being outside once more that made her heart race and his blood feel hot. Mabel wanted to run so badly. One second, one flick of her wrist and the cuffs would be off, and she could run. Stan had taught her how to get away, how to break out of cuffs and not leave a trace as one escaped. Mabel had an itch in her bones that would only be satisfied by the moment she knew she was free.
"Get in the car, Will." Bill's voice broke her out of her thoughts, and she didn't realize they were already at a very nice, and rather sleek, black car. Her heart started to beat faster, her body going into fight or flight mode.
Will made a small noise of protest before Bill gave him a glare that even made Mabel flinch, and the other scrambled into the car. It was dawning on her that she had done something wrong, and Mabel was frantically trying to figure out just what she did. She should run, that was a great idea, run while she still had a chance and risk the unknown.
Her wrists moved to get the handcuffs off of her just as Bill pressed her back into the car, slapping her hard. It was enough to jolt everything in her to a stop, and Mabel felt tears prick her eyes because of the pain in her cheek. She hadn't even spoken a word to him and he was already punishing her.
"You will not run away from me." Bill snarled, placing his hands on the car to keep her in place. "I can be cruel or I can be kind, it all depends on how you act. Let me assure you, Shooting Star, if you do try to get away, I will find you, and you will not escape from me again."
Mabel flinched, looking away from the man standing in front of her. He didn't seem to mind that until he realized she wasn't going to give him what he wanted, and once more grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. She cursed the pathetic whimper that passed her lips as she looked at the man who bought her.
"I didn't buy a slave just to have her run away ten minutes later." He seemed to get darker with each word, and she couldn't do anything, she couldn't even get away from him. Though her hands did find themselves pressed against his chest, trying to push him away but not very strongly. Her weak body wouldn't have let her push him very far anyways.
"Do you understand me, Shooting Star?" He got a whimper as she closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to meet Bill's gaze. "Good girl."
The compliment didn't do anything for her, and suddenly he was pulling back to open the car door, almost pushing her inside. Mabel's eyes were glued to the floor as Bill ripped off the jacket from her shoulders and threw it at William.
"She's mine, not yours."
William didn't say anything as he picked up the jacket and placed it in his lap, and Mabel found herself in the backseat, huddling against the door just to get as much distance as possible between her and everyone else. William actually did look like he felt guilty, but he didn't try to help her, and him feeling guilty wasn't going to help her in the long run.
"Bill, don't you think you're being a little rough?" William spoke up, and Mabel realized the car was more of a limo. Not that it seemed important, but it meant that she was still in the presence of Bill, who she hoped would be driving.
"Shut up, Will." Bill almost groaned, sitting across from Mabel. He didn't hold on to her wrists anymore, and she kept her hands cradled against her chest. She missed her sweaters.
"Mabel." William asked softly, and the slight tensing in her shoulders was the only sign she heard him. "Are you hurt? I have a first aid kit under the seat."
They seemed like such opposites, Will and Bill. Shaking her head slightly, Mabel shivered against the door as she looked out it to find where they were. She didn't even know if they were still in Oregon, much less in the same city. Bill didn't seem to care what she was doing anymore, leaning back on the seat and letting his eyes close.
"Bill, did you hit her?" William suddenly moved and placed himself in front of Mabel, his touches exceptionally soft as he made her look at him.
Before all this, before the auction house and the fire, she would have pulled herself away and told him not to touch her. Yet now, all that escaped her lips was a pathetic whimper, but no real protests.
"She was thinking about running." Bill didn't even bother opening his eyes, not until Will had looked away and turned his gaze back to Mabel.
"Of course she was! You would too!" Will brushed his thumb over the new bruise on her cheek. "Mabel-."
"Your stop." Bill suddenly voiced, cutting the other off. Will glared, and instead of replying Bill snapped his hands out and grabbed Mabel, just pulling her away and out of Will's grasp.
"It was nice talking to you, Will! Remind me not to call you." Bill's voice was suspiciously cheery as he kept Mabel's back pinned against his front, essentially having the girl in his lap.
She looked at Will with wide eyes, unable to believe that he was just going to leave her. Did he not care? The man holding her was obviously disturbed, and she didn't want to be alone with him.
William made his decision in a second, not looking at her as he looked down at the floor. A moment later the other got out of the car, and Mabel was left alone with Bill. Her racing heart was nothing compared to the panicked breathing she was suddenly feeling.
She didn't know what this guy was capable of, she didn't know if she was going to make it through the night. The car started moving once more, and Mabel looked up cautiously at Bill, who looked down at her just as curiously.
They suddenly seemed locked in a rather intense staring match, and Mabel didn't know if she should look away. Bill was an absolute mystery to her, one she would like to solve immediately. Her life was on the line, all depending on whether or not he was happy.
Bill didn't seem displeased with her though, and hesitantly leaned his head down as though he was going to kiss her, but then suddenly pulled back. Mabel breathed a sigh of relief, trying to get out of his lap but finding herself unable to. He had a tight grip around her waist, and didn't seem ready to let go.
"You're fine." Bill said, like he was trying to reassure her. "Just relax. It's a bit of a drive to my home. You're not going anywhere."
She flinched a little at his phrasing, knowing it was true but not saying anything about it. She didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to admit she was in any situation where she didn't have power. Mabel was uncomfortable and stiff in his arms, and suddenly he was moving and pressing her down into the car seats, hovering over her instead.
"Or stay tense, I don't care. We can always find something to occupy our time until we get home, can't we?"
She flinched a little, turning her head and squeezing her eyes shut. He hummed, as though pleased with her reaction, and leaned his head down, pressing his nose against her neck and inhaling her scent, and lips pressed against her racing pulse point.
"You smell divine."
Was that meant to be comforting? Mabel didn't think it was. His hands roamed across her stomach, not really doing anything inappropriate but still unwelcome. He was just unwelcome to her. She didn't want anything to do with him.
"Tell me, Shooting Star, what's going to stop me from taking what I purchased?"
Bill didn't take his lips off her pulse point, but his hands paused for a moment. It wasn't that her experience in the auction house that ruined her as much as the advice the others gave her. Should she fight? Mabel hadn't been with this man for an hour and he had already hit her to discipline her.
So she didn't. Mabel shut her eyes and held her breath, and wondered if she was going to make it through the night.
"That's what I thought."
Something about it, the way he said it like he was happy she didn't fight back. Mabel always had kindness in her heart, but now she didn't. Now, she wanted pain and hurt, and she wanted this guy off of her.
"Get off me."
With a flick of her hips and swift movement, Bill was on the floor of the car and Mabel could suddenly breathe again. She took deep gulps like she had just ran a marathon, and looked down at the confused blond. He opened his mouth to either yell at her or something, but then the door opened, and she noticed the car had stopped.
"We've arrived."
Bill scowled and grabbed her still cuffed wrists, managing to haul her out of the car. She didn't object, looking at his back as he dismissed the driver and led her to her new home.