I was in a motel room. The one I practically lived in since I had been working for Mike. (I had learned by now that I wasn't working "with" him...) Let's keep it simple. Mike was my pimp and I had been whoring for him for almost a year now.
That night, I was getting prepared for the evening when I heard a knock at the door. I took for granted that it was my best friend whom I was waiting for and I yelled: "Come in, Nikki!" I rushed back into the bathroom before the door opened because I wasn't ready yet and I was so eager to go out. I heard somebody come in but no one was talking so I shouted from the bathroom.
"I'm almost ready, Nik! Fuck, I can't wait! Alex's gonna be there, I can fuckin' feel it!"
I stopped talking after that, wondering why Nikki wasn't saying anything or joining me. I started laughing as I came out of the bathroom.
"Nikki, why aren't you..."
I wasn't Nikki standing there. It was Mike. Staring at me. I started stuttering.
"M-m-mike! I-I thought it was N-n-ni..." I never ended my sentence. I just couldn't stand his glare. I turned my head. Bit my lips. He almost smiled.
"Goin' somewhere, Chrystal?
I tried to explain without looking at him.
"I... yes... no! I mean, yes, but... you know, I thought, well, I really wanted to go out with Nikki and..."
I felt so confused and I was so scared of his reaction. The only way I found to fight my fear was to play the tough girl act (the one he hated so much). I suddenly regained confidence and spoke, loud enough.
"Why the fuck am I justifying myself? I can go out if I want to. Why would I ask for a fucking permission at my age?!?"
I was unaware of how close he had gotten to me. He must have walked slowly towards me while I was talking. When I realized he was right there in front of me I tried to look at him quickly and subtly from the corner of my eye. He laughed softly but it didn't match the expression in his eyes. I smelled danger right away and lowered my eyes. I took a deep breath and said meekly: "Mike..."
And it came! Hard and flat-out. He slapped my face harshly. My hand went to my cheek and my eyes filled with tears. I let out a moan: one of pain but mostly of fear.
I kept my head bowed and I closed my eyes. I was just waiting. I knew he wasn't done with me. I knew I was in for one, I knew him. He wouldn't put up with that kind of behaviour. He finally said something.
"Look at me, Chrys."
But I wasn't fast enough. He grabbed my hair and forced me to look at him. He was staring at me coldly.
"So you thought you could just skip a night of work, go out and have a good time? Of course, I assume you meant to tell me, right? He gave my hair a tug when he spoke that last word.
I spoke as clearly as I could: "Yes! I was going to tell you Mike, please, you're hurting me."
He went on: "Hurting you? Ah-ah! Oh no, I'm not. I'm actually being very nice to you right now. But when I'm done with you later, much later, hurt will have a totally different meaning in your slut head!"
He punctuated every sentence by pulling my hair violently.
"Take your clothes off."
I suddenly had a thought for Nikki as I heard footsteps by the room. She was supposed to meet me here. He guessed what I was thinking about.
"Don't worry about Nikki, she'll get her share too... Steve's dealing with her." Steve was Nikki's pimp as well as Mike's best friend.
"Now take your clothes OFF!"
I obeyed, quickly. I didn't want to make him even angrier. While I was doing so, he walked around the room, obviously looking for something. He came back with a pair of stockings.
"Your hands!"
I obeyed, again. He tied my wrists together and tied the other end to a hook hanging from the ceiling that must have carried a plant or some light at better times. I was too scared to say a word.
He kept searching for something else then finally took a scarf that was over a lamp as for decoration and barely shook the dust out of it. He came back to me and used it as a gag.
I was aware of his methods. Whenever he gagged me, it was because he was planning on being extremely rough. I started to cry in silence. He stroked my cheek gently, the one he had slapped earlier, as he whispered in my ear.
"You've been a bad girl, Chrystal. You need to be put back in your place... I'm gonna hurt you real bad, baby."