Ten meetings and seven hours later we find ourselves driving into a different neighbourhood to our last meeting of the day.
Unlike all the other places we've been to, this one looks more rugged more 'dangerous' and with the darkness surrounding us it looks worse.
I quickly tie my sandals and get back to finishing my apple, the only thing I've been able to eat since breakfast.
Grey offered to stop for lunch but I refused realizing how tight the schedule was, I guess it comes with the job.
As we drive in silence, I gaze out the tinted windows. My heart mellows at the sight of run down houses that we pass by, children, teens, adults with babies litter the streets like common trash.
Tears come at my eyes and I frown when I see a small child sitting by an corner with torn pants, bare feet and chest.
"Can we stop?" I ask my boss with pleading eyes, he gives me a curious look. I look out the window then back at him, sighing he calls out the drivers name making him stop right before him
Quickly ruffling through my bag I take out the pack of Oreos and orange I snatched from the pantry along with the apple.
Rolling down the window I call the boy over, he looks left to right before looking back at me making me smile a bit.
"mí?" He asks, I nod my head.
"Sí, tú." He stands up and walks up to the car keeping his distance, fiddling with his fingers like he's scared of something. *Yes, you*
"cuál es tu nombre?" I ask *what's your name?*
He looks up at me then back down, "Joséph, senorita." He whispers, his voice soft.
"Cuantos años tienes?" I ask genuinely curious, he can't seem older than seven. *How old are you?*
"Cinco." My eyes glaze over and I flutter the tears away. *Five*
"Bueno, solo quería darte esto." I hand him the snacks I took out earlier, he seems hesitant to take them but I urge him forward with a small smile.
*Well, I just wanted to give you this.*
He grins widely and his eyes light up as takes them from me, "Gracias a la señorita, muchas gracias."
*Thank you miss, thank you so much.*
I smile back and wave my hand then roll up the window and nod at Lucas, the driver.
My heart warms as I watch the boy gobble up everything as we continue our journey.
I know that I shouldn't be happy about such a small thing but it takes on small action to make a big difference and thinking that I probably gave the child more food than he's had in days makes me feel a little better.
Twenty minutes later we pull up at what I would assume is a club, a popular one for that fact. I can hear the loud music from inside the car, the long line of people looks endless.
Eyeing the bouncers guarding the door I look back at my boss then back to the bouncers. What in the world would Xander Grey be doing in this part of the city?
"We're coming." I look at the man besides me, he ends the call and looks at Lucas nodding.
When he gets out I follow hesitantly, he rounds the car to my side and knocks on the window. The car starts and within a second is gone past a corner, we begin walking to the entrance.
I can feel Mr Grey's hand hovering on my lower back making me tense slightly and a shiver run through me, ignoring the feeling I walk in sync with him.
One of the bouncers nod at us and open the red ribbon allowing us in, I try my best not to show the shock on my face.
It's almost like that scene in 'Step Up 3' except it's more...deluxe? To say the place is crowded would be an understatement, I shouldn't be shocked looking at the line outside.
Subconsciously I step closer to Mr Grey, his hand connects with my waist in a tight grip making me hold my breath. I cast a secret glance at him but he's more focused on getting us through the crowd than on me making me look down at my feet.
We reach the light beams at the other side of the club where I spot Nicholas waiting for us, he smiles when he sees us.
He joins us in step giving me a lopsided smile, I give one back. "Long day?" He asks over the music.
I snicker, "that obvious?" He tucks a strand of hair that I didn't know was loose from my bun and places it with the rest.
"Other than pure beauty, you don't look a day over thirty." He grins, a blush creeps up my neck and I shake my head smiling.
"Im twenty five" I point out, he throws his head back in laughter showing his pearly whites, its a shame I can't hear it over everything around us.
"Well then you don't look a day over twenty." I roll my eyes smiling like an idiot, I hadn't even realized that we stopped walking until I feel my boss's glare on me.
Looking away from him Nic gestures to the man ahead of us, "I think we should go before we both lose our jobs."
I follow his lead and soon we reach a door guarded by two guards, they nod at us and open. Once the door is closed behind us, the loud music is muffled out.
A long corridor spreads out before us, pieces of artwork hanging on both walls.
I jerk my head to the left then the right to unblock them, sighing satisfactorily to myself when I can hear my thoughts I follow behind the big boss.
Again we walk for about two minutes before loud music meets my ears, my lips curl into a frown and we halt by a door.
Blinding lights spew out the same time the door opens, my heart falls down to the pit in my stomach.
You can't tell me this is one of his clubs.
Two women dressed in practically nothing offer the two males on both of my sides sultry grins, ones that would make any man hard.
I squirm uncomfortably when they attempt to hold onto them, looking left to right I notice their stern rock hard faces.
"Pabruzzi." Grey commands when a pretty brunette comes his way suggestively.
Her face falls slightly but she pulls herself up and gives him yet another sultry smile.
"Just a minute handsome." She winks, she sways her hips and turns on her heels her hair flipping over her shoulder perfectly.
She motions for two girls to come over and then turns to us, her eyes connect with mine and she smirks.
I hold my breath and try my best to look away, "Chloe and Liv over here can keep you two company while I–"
Before she can even finish her offer, Grey holds up his hand making her stop. "She stays with me." He leaves no room for discussion and I couldn't have been more glad but she budges in.
"No can do love, you know Dadd–" she swallows down the rest of her words and nods stiffly.
"Fine, follow me." She turns and leads us to this 'Pabruzzi', swaying her hips at ever step.
I try my best to keep my eyes forward and avoiding any image that may ruin my innocent mind.
Riiight.
Stripper poles, horrid sounds, lap dances, sultry comments and the smell of sex fills my mind.
We maneuver ourselves past the stages until we get to a darker part of this place, the woman, whatever her name is turns to us and gestures to the small area where men are lounged with at least two girls around each of them.
"Here you are, call for Cherry if you need anything." She winks and walks past Mr Grey, not without dragging her nail down his chest.
A man walks towards us, a cigar in one hand and a tumbler of whiskey I the other. "Xander! Long time no see fratello!" He shouts.
I can smell the alcohol on his breath and spot the small splash of white powder on his crooked tie.
"John." He greets back.
"Come join us!" He motions for us to take a seat with the rest of the men. Mr Grey and Nic connect eyes and then Nic grabs my arm pulling me to him.
"We'll be by the bar." Before I can even protest, Nic is dragging me in the opposite direction of where I should be going.
I throw a concerned look back to where the two men were just standing, sitting my butt in the chair I sigh and glare at Nic who sits next to me.
"Why can't I go with him?" I ask, he also casts a brief look back before looking at me in the eye.
"Because what is going on in there has nothing to do with you." I would've taken that as a ride offence but the slight concern and sincerity in his voice says otherwise.
"Then why am I here?" I almost yell, before he could respond the bartender comes to us and asks for our drinks.
I ask for water and Nic, whiskey in the rocks. When our drinks are sat before us I look back at him pointedly.
"Because there was no time to take you home and he trusts no one to take you back, heck he doesn't even trust me in your presence." He said the last part so low that I almost didn't hear him.
My curiosity peaks but I shut up and just sip on my water.
*~*~*~*
Forty two minutes have passed and both of us are still here waiting for my boss to come back.
I sip on my fourth glass of water and cast a worried glance to the section I last saw him, "would you please stop that. He'll come out soon." Nic almost snaps.
I sigh and place the glass down and jump off the stool my bladder weigh heavy on me, "I have to use the bathroom, I'll be back." I leave just as he responds.
I don't even know where I'm going but after two minute of roaming around I decide to ask for help from one of the waitresses.
Surprisingly she kindly nods and points to a door not far away, thanking her I hurry to room and lock myself in a cubicle.
Wiping the seat and all that, I sit and relief myself. I flush the toilet and unlock the door, washing my hands under the cool water the door bursts open and two drunken men stumble in.
Sensing trouble, I dry my hands trying my best to ignore them. Every second I look at them through the corner of my eye hoping that they continue their slurred conversation and don't notice my presence.
I get my hopes too high because when I reach out to open the door a hand slams down on the wooden material and forces it close.
Taking a deep breath in I open my mouth, "Please let me out." Its not a plead that comes out but a calm request.
Something tickles the curve of my hip and a hand gently rests on my shoulder, "No can do sweetheart." His warm breath fans my ear and the intoxicated breath meets my nose.
I shudder slightly and close my eyes, "Please." I try once more, the gentle touch on my shoulder becomes heard and soon I'm forced around and my back is painfully slammed against the door.
I bite back a wince and glare at the perpetrator, its really sad because he's actually really cute.
Leave it me to compliment my perpetrator.
"Oh come on, don't end the fun now baby." The other says as the one before brushes his calloused fingers across my cheekbone.
I look to the side and close my eyes, "J-just let me go, por favor." *Please*
When I feel a wet warm kiss on my neck and his hand hiking up my dress I take that as the last straw, I lift my leg up and aim my knee to the jewels.
A satisfied smile meets my lips when he doubles over in pain far from me, I take the chance to turn and open the door.
You know what, this might as well be a movie or book.
Because as soon as my hand grabs the handle I'm yanked back and my body is pushed against the counter, I whimper escapes me when an intense pain spreads along my lower back.
"Nowhere you're going sweetheart." I notice its the other guy who's now before me.
His breath tells me that he is more drunk than his friend watching in entertainment, still shocked from the pain his hands take the time to rip my dress right across the front.
"Maldito hijo de puta!" *F*king son of a b*tch*
Anger and fear rumbles in my stomach when they both laugh and his hand comes to my bra clad breasts, before he can go further I bring my hands to his shoulders; pull him down and knee him in the gut, send an elbow to his head then throw him to the side.
"F*cking b*tch!" The other yells coming straight for me, I duck under his arms and send a kick to his knee taking him down.
I feel a hand around my ankle before my head hits the tiles making me scream out in pain, black spots cloud my vision and I drift between conscious and unconsciousness.
How has no one come to the bathroom yet?!
Something heavy sits on my waist and I'm to weak to fight back, I can hear the rest of my dress being ripped and laughter echoing through the room.
"Help! Somebody please help me!" I cry out when the weight is lifted off my and I feel my underwear being tugged down.
My face meets something hard or the other way around, continuously, instead of trying to protect my virtue I weakly lift my arms to my face trying to protect it.
Salty tears burn the wounds on my face but I hold back the sobs, I feel my head being lifted up and then back down hard.
I bring out the awaited sob and my head aches as my mind slips into unconsciousness, last thing I hear is the laughter if the perpetrators and the feel of their hands on me.
Somebody please help me.