Chapter 2 - Aubrey #2
We went up some stairs into a bar. I could feel eyes were on us as he started walking toward the front. I came to a halt, knowing that if I didn’t figure out an exit now, I wouldn’t. If he got me in a vehicle, I would never get free.
He stopped and raised an eyebrow at me. “You stopped?”
“I’m hungry,” I sputtered, my eyes scanning around the space, trying to look for a way out. A way I could slip free.
He frowned. “You want to eat here? You’ll catch a disease.”
I scowled. “Says the man that purchased me here.”
He sighed, looking irritated. “Fine, what do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know what they have. I need to see a menu.”
He tugged us toward a booth in the back corner. I scanned the space for a couple of moments. I chewed on my cheek, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to outrun him. He clearly worked it out. Which meant I would need to outthink him.
He scoffed as he looked at the menu. “This is all disgusting.”
I looked at the menu and decided on the first thing. “I’d like a burger and fries. A water as well.”
A lady walked over, and he made the order, not getting anything for himself. I felt my leg bouncing beneath me as I tried to remain calm. It wasn’t easy because he stared at me. His dark eyes never seemed to waver, and I tugged on the dress.
“Why are you even here?” he asked.
I straightened myself. “Why are you here?”
“I asked first.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Same.”
I scoffed and looked away from him. My eyes landed on the bathroom, and I almost smiled.
“I need to clean my hands and use the restroom.” I looked at him. “Or do I need to ask for permission first? You know, since you purchased me.”
His eyes narrowed. “They weren’t lying when they said you were a spitfire.”
“Can I pee?” I asked, batting my eyes.
He sighed. “Yes, you don’t need to ask.”
I moved out of the booth and headed across the bar. I slipped into the bathroom and locked the door. I turned and scanned the small room. It smelled like it hadn’t been cleaned in three weeks, and the garbage was full. The sink looked disgusting, and the toilet was revolting.
But there was a small window above the window. I moved fast, jumping onto the toilet and grabbing the window. I unlocked the latches and pushed the window open. I poked my head out, seeing that it opened into an alleyway.
I threw the jacket off, not wanting to get caught. I jumped, hauling myself onto the window. It pressed hard against my gut as I wiggled, forcing my body up and through the tight fit.
I could feel it tugging the dress, my ass probably half out at this point, but I kept moving. I grunted, cursing under my breath as I finally got my hips over the window, and then I was falling.
I screamed, not thinking about how high up I was. I landed hard onto the ground, and the wind kicked out of my lungs. I groaned, rolling over and staring at the sky.
I slowly sat up, and my body stiffened as I took in the sight of the shoes. My eyes widened, and my head snapped up. There he stood. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked irritated.
“Did you leave my jacket in that bathroom?” he asked, his eyes looking toward the window now. “I imagine the bathroom was worse than the inside of the business.”
How the hell did he even know that I was trying to get out? I got up and tried to run for it. But he was fast, hooking an arm around my waist, stopping me.
“Let me go!” I yelled, shoving my fist into his chest.
“Stop hitting me,” he growled back. “It’s a waste of your energy.”
“I’ll pay you back for what you paid for me! Just let me go! I’m a person! I have a life.”
He laughed. “I doubt you would be able to pay me back twenty thousand dollars if you were out here selling your body in the first place.”
I slapped him, and for the first time, he suddenly showed emotion. He looked stunned for a moment and then angry. He shoved me against the wall, stepping into my space. But he wasn’t crowding me. Just tight enough I couldn’t leave.
“Knock it off. You’re acting like a spoiled brat!”
“My name is Aubrey!” I snapped at him. “And I have a life.”
“A life I doubt you want to return to.”
I panted for air, hating how his body was so close to touching mine. I needed space. I needed air. I shoved at his chest, feeling my hands shaking.
He took a step back, and I dropped my arms. I stared at him, and he stared back at me.
“Lunch is over,” he stated. “Let’s go.”
He pulled me toward a silver SUV sitting across the parking lot. I shivered as the wind blew and tugged my dress down.
He pulled the vehicle out, and I looked outside the window.
My stomach dipped as he headed out of town.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I didn’t really have anything that was holding me there.
I’d been moving around towns for months now.
I couldn’t even say I had a home because nothing really felt like home.
“The drive is a ways.”
I glanced at him. I took in the size of his hands. They were large, and I imagined what he was capable of doing with them. He hadn’t grabbed me roughly, which surprised me. I expected him to leave marks as Mike had. He could probably wrap his fingers around my throat and snap my neck with ease.
“What do I owe you?” I asked, needing to figure out how to get out of this. This wasn’t the first time I’d been in an uncomfortable situation.
He raised an eyebrow at me. “What?”
“You bought me, so clearly you want something. What is it? How many times in the sack is it going to take to pay you back?”
I watched his knuckles tighten on the steering wheel. “That won’t be happening.”
“More sickening than that? I would imagine you have some twisted desires if you had to purchase a woman to agree to them.”
I could see his jaw clench. “How about we don’t talk during the drive?”
I tapped my foot, starting to get antsy. “And I’d rather we discuss it all now. I need to know what you’re expecting.”
“I’m expecting a quiet drive.”
I couldn’t help but stare at him. A thousand things were going through my head. Questions and scenarios. I couldn’t help but picture the things he was into.
“Do you choke women? Do you enjoy seeing them faint while fucking? Or do you like to beat them until they can’t move? Or do you enjoy watching them cry during? Do you like it rough?”
He slammed on the brakes. My body slammed into my seatbelt, and I felt it dig into my ribs. I gasped for air as he turned toward me. “Enough! Stop implying that I’m anything like those men in that room!”
“Aren’t you? Why else were you there?”
“Because I had no choice!” he snapped. “And if you don’t stop talking, I’m throwing you in the backseat with tape over your mouth.”
“Kinky,” I grumbled sarcastically.
He ran a hand over his face. “Jesus Christ. Aubrey, just be grateful I bought you and not some freak.”
“How do I know you’re not a freak? I don’t even know your name.”
“It’s Klaus.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “Like Santa?”
“Stop talking.” He started driving again, and I leaned back in the seat. I looked outside the window as he drove and chewed on my cheek.
“How far is the drive?”
“Eight hours.”
“You’re joking.”
“No.”
“It’s almost nighttime, and I’m tired.”
“Then sleep in the back.”
“You’re telling me that you’re going to drive the entire night?”
He fell quiet, which told me he hadn’t thought about this. His jaw moved, and he sighed. “We can stop somewhere for the night, but I’m driving for a little bit. I’m not staying in this town. But tomorrow, you be quiet the rest of the drive.”
I almost smiled.