Debauchery
Chapter 10: Saviour
Haruhi heaved once more, coughing violently as she emptied her barren gut into the toilet bowl. She pulled roughly on the clasp of the black studded collar trying to loosen the leather that suffocated her. She could feel the anxiety build, starting from her core and spreading like venom through to her extremities. In the onslaught of a panic attack, she shut her eyes tight, her vision turned into white explosions and her breath came in shortened gasps.
Faintly, she could make out the sound of a click of heels, and a second later she felt the flow of oxygen enter her lungs. She inhaled deeply in relief.
A woman with large ebony curls and sapphire blue eyes stood above her crouched form, tapping the sole of her red painted heel against the marbled floor. "You've got it on too tight" she clucked. Her long eyelashes fluttering as she straightened her attire. She was wearing a deep burgundy lace basque, with garter hooks attached to frilled black stockings - the attire not uncommon amongst the working girls. The woman smirked at Haruhi's flushed expression of relief, turning around to face the large bathroom mirrors and proceeding to re-apply lipstick.
Haruhi placed her hand on her chest to calm the pounding of her heart. After a moment she rose, pushing the flush on the latrine and grabbed some toilet paper to wipe her mouth. She made her way to the sink to wash her hands.
"Thank you" she breathed, shyly glancing at the woman who was now fiddling with a mascara stick.
The woman - now finished with her make-up - placed her right hand on her hip and turned to Haruhi with a contemplative gaze.
"Are you being put up for bid?"
Haruhi turned on the faucet and began to wash her hands in silence.
The woman's gaze turned to pity, "What does he have on you?"
There was no response from Haruhi who proceeded to dry her hands.
"That bad, huh?" she stepped forward, placing a hand on Haruhi's right shoulder. "It'll be tough to get through the training but trust me Honey, you'll get used to it." She removed her hand from Haruhi's right shoulder to trace the bruise forming on her left temple. "Here," she offered her make-up to Haruhi, "use this to cover the marks"
Haruhi accepted the make-up gratefully, her hand lingering a bit longer than necessary."I… I'm scared", she blurted out, immediately admonishing herself for the slip.
The woman's eyes softened slightly, "It's not for the faint hearted" she remarked.
"I…just…" Haruhi stammered, now that she had started, the words poured out of her like a waterfall, "Why do they do this? Why do they sell us like cattle?"
"Money I suppose", the woman shrugged, "this world is only for the rich and all the rest of us go to rags"
"That can't be true" Haruhi denied earnestly, "there must be something that we can do to stop… to stop them"
After all, isn't that what the law existed for? The law that her mother spent her life upholding the principles of? The law that she had worked so hard to earn a scholarship for?
"If you know a way, please enlighten me" the woman replied sarcastically, "listen Honey, you'd do best to give up hoping." She took one last look at the mirror, fixing her hair a little, "these people are above the law"
The law that couldn't protect her father
The law that couldn't protect her…
She turned to Haruhi and sent her a grim smile, "you could even say they play God". With that the woman left - letting the bathroom door hang wide open - the haunting echo of her red- red like blood- stilettos reverberating down the dark hall.
Kaoru paced up and down the men''s bathroom. Why had he done that? That girl had it coming to her. He should have just let it be, hell, he should have just minded his own business. He clenched and unclenched his fists, reminding himself of his ultimate goal. He would make that stupid commoner fix things once and for all. He felt his anger rise, it was all her fault, she was the one who had ruined everything! The one that had turned his only brother against him.
In the back of his mind, he relived when her almond eyes glazed over in fear.
Yes, he had done the right thing, he justified. He couldn't have let it continue. Besides, that slimy manager didn't deserve his brother's sloppy seconds.
"You look so hot in a suit" a woman complimented Hikaru, running her hand down the lapel of his jacket. Her voice dropped to a seductive whisper; "Hitachiin-sama, you should wear this more often" her hand travelled further down his stomach and continued lower.
Hikaru let out a low moan, his hands itching to return the favour on the woman. He hurriedly lowered the straps of her tight dress, brushing his fingers along her collarbone and across the top of her chest. His rational mind was nagging at him to stop or at least find a more private place. He was well aware that pesky gossipers knew no boundaries but her hot kisses trailing down his chest was so distractingly good and he was so goddamn drunk that - at this point - he couldn't care less.
The woman pressed her body tight against his, grabbing his tie she smashed her lips to his. She kissed him with intense fervour, continuing to grind against him.
They were in the dark hallway, having stumbled there only minutes earlier. He was shedding clothes fast. First his suit, then his tie and the woman was making fast work of his shirt - kissing slowly from his neck down to his chest as she unbuttoned. He closed his eyes, lost in the sensation and feeling the excitement build within.
Groaning, he wished the woman would speed up the process but instead she did the exact opposite and abruptly stopped, turning her head to the side.
"What's the matter?" Hikaru asked impatiently, eyes following her gaze.
"There's someone there watching, I think we should go to a private room" the woman answered, pointing at the darkness.
"Fuck!" he exclaimed irately. He wondered if he knew that - whoever this unlucky idiot was - he had just made a grave mistake that would cost him, severely.
"Who are you?!" he asked, pushing the woman off him.
The person turned around and headed in the opposite direction. Hikaru realised it was a woman, evident from the click of heels. "Hey!" he yelled out and reached after her, "do you know who I am?" he demanded, catching up to her and grabbing her arm. Stupid whore.
The woman stilled, "yes" she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Hikaru still in a drunk rage continued - despite the fact that she stayed motionless with her back facing him - "Well then you would know not to fucking watch and mind your own fucking business!" he shouted.
The woman said nothing in reply, shrugging out of his grip to continue walking away. Hikaru's eyes narrowed in anger. How dare this woman walk away from him without so much as an apology!
The previous woman forgotten, he stalked after her and placed both his hands on her shoulders, grabbing her and slamming her against the wall. "Listen," Hikaru started - he could barely make out the features of the girl in the dim almost nonexistent source of light from the end of the hallway - "you will need to pay for what you've done..." he took his left hand up to run it through her hair, trailing down her cheek and to the hollow of her collarbone. The woman winced and started to shiver but she maintained her silence. Hikaru found her reaction to be completely insufferable, his alcohol fuelled anger building further.
He held his breath in an attempt to calm down. The woman looked down now, her hair shielding her eyes. He saw the reflection of tears running down her cheeks.
Hikaru swore under his breath and abruptly released her, taking a step back.
He couldn't believe he was acting like this - abandoning the etiquette of his upbringing and losing control. Never mind the fact that this woman was of no consequence, he had let his emotions run high and overpower his rationality and, he couldn't let that happen again.
"Sorry" he muttered.
The next thing she knew, he had disappeared.
It was three in the morning when Kaoru received the text message informing him of his successful bid. Hikaru was nowhere to be found. By now, majority the club's occupants were fully intoxicated, himself included. Earlier he had some time to think about what he would do when he won that girl but Kaoru found he was hard-pressed to make a committed decision - he just couldn't get the image of her out of his mind.
He made his way to the room, his vision hazy. He would talk to her first.
Kaoru reached the room and opened the door. What he saw hardly surprised him. There she was, chained to the bedpost via a gold chain - fastened to her neck by way of a black collar with diamond studs. Her back was facing him, her long brunette hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a almost transparent white baby doll that barely reached the top of her thighs.
Kaoru couldn't deny that the feelings that washed over him weren't entirely innocent.
"Hi" he greeted.
Haruhi remained still though she recognised his voice. She tried her best to hide the fact that she was trembling from fear.
"It's me…" Kaoru faltered slightly, then for clarification added; "Hikaru's brother, Kaoru"
She finally turned to face him, a somewhat curious but cautious look on her face.
"Could have been worse, right?" Kaoru joked, trying to lighten the mood.
A ghost of a smile crossed her face, but she still remained silent.
"Look, I'm here to make you a deal" Kaoru continued when she showed no sign of replying he continued, "I know you were forced into this, so how about this? your freedom for my brother"
At this, Haruhi was confused, never mind that she was so ashamed and humiliated that Hikaru's brother of all people had been the one to buy her - like one would buy a book or a candle or something ridiculous - but now, he was trying to make some kind of deal with her. A deal that made no sense. She didn't have his brother. She would never own someone like they were property.
"What do you mean?" she finally spoke, her voice quiet.
Kaoru regarded her silently, his expression unreadable. Like this - tied up unwillingly and barely covered - she looked totally helpless. For a brief moment he almost forgot his burning hatred for her. He almost pitied her.
Finally, he ran his left hand through his hair, "I'm saying that I'll be your saviour, sweetheart. "
A slight smile graced his lips, "I'll let you go, from this… from all of it" he gestured to the chains and the room. "In exchange... I want you end things with Hikaru. Talk him into forgetting about you and going back to the way he was before you met."
Haruhi shook her head, "I think you've misunderstood…" she began slowly, "He's already forgotten me… we….we haven't talked in weeks"
Kaoru simmered in barely concealed anger. How was she oblivious that she was the reason for the destruction of the twins relationship? She was the cancer that plagued their unbreakable bond! How was she still unaware that was all her fucking faultfaultfault.
Kaoru glared at her with hatred in every fibre of his being wanting her to know just how much he despised her - but her eyes... her big innocent eyes - blinked with a profound loneliness and despair that he felt his hatred slowly fizzle out into a deep and intense sadness.
"No, he hasn't" Kaoru said finally, his voice wrapped in melancholy, "you're on his mind every single fucking day"
Haruhi's confusion intensified, "What are you talking about?"
Kaoru moved towards her, "Just agree… Haruhi", he said quietly. Her name felt like poison on his lips.
Grabbing a set of keys from the dresser, he began to unlock the collar on her neck, letting the coarse leather fall to the floor. He wanted to move away but found himself doing the opposite, unwillingly gravitating closer. As if hypnorised, his left thumb gently circled the marks on her neck a result of the rough material. They were stark red - a vivid contrast against her pale skin.
He drew even closer, his breath ghosting lightly on her neck as he lifted his right hand and softly slid it behind the back of her neck.
Haruhi's breath hitched, "I can't promise it will work" she whispered, aware of their closeness.
Kaoru looked up straight into her eyes - the same big eyes that he had witnessed earlier shining so beautifully with fear. His left thumb stroked her cheek as he moved in close and kissed her deeply, passionately. Pouring all of his built-up frustration, guilt and sadness into her. Her eyes widened and she felt her heartbeat quicken erratically. This was the third time that Hikaru's brother kissed her and it was gentle and raw and worlds apart from the previous kisses. It was so foreign yet familiar, almost identical to the way Hikaru kissed her but with an underlying different intensity.
Haruhi's emotional mind screamed at her to push him away. Push away this asshole who thinks he owns you! But another part of her mind rationalised that Kaoru was right - this could have been so much worse. If not Kaoru, then someone else. Someone most definitely less kind.
But it was still so wrong.
"It will work" Kaoru promised - more to himself - as he pulled away.
Just a few doors down and completely unawares, Hikaru finished his cigarette throwing the bud down and crushing it with his heel. He took a deep breath - feeling the onslaught of a pounding hangover - and tried to forget that tomorrow, regret would hit hard in his sobriety.
Thank you for the reviews and encouragement, always compelling motivation. I have a few more chapters written, so expect frequent updates.