Author's Note: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. Many things have happened- breaking my laptop and a bout of writer's block being some of them- that significantly slowed down the process of this story, but I'm back now!!:) I appreciate any feedback on the story. I love constructive criticism so that I can improve, votes are much appreciated, and just reading story is great as well. Enjoy!!
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Laurena guided me towards the administrators' office before she stopped and turned towards me once more. A magnificent smile formed on her face as she looked at me for a moment before she began speaking.
"Please wait here, Love, while I go speak with the Authorities." she requested before leaning forward to place her soft, pliable lips to mine. I was dazed when she withdrew; my mind had short-circuited causing me to only be able to muster a dimwitted nod in reply.
She planted one more kiss on my forehead before forcing herself to enter the offices. After her departure, I snapped out of my haze and noticed many men watching me with lecherous gazes causing me to hesitantly sit on one of the dingy lounge chairs to wait. The lobby was gloomy; the barely hanging lights were old and ignored were the cause of the very little illumination. The smell of mold was copious and off-putting as it drifted throughout the lounge. The wallpaper had begun to separate from the wall in many places adding more to the lobby's charm and welcoming atmosphere.
There was a wide array of men of loitering in the lobby including both those with business attire and some that appeared of abysmal means. In the beginning of the legalized sex trade industries, there had been a mixture of men and women that would regularly visit brothels, but it was soon discovered to be a problem.
While waiting to be attended to, it would often get out of hand as raunchy men attempted to assault those women waiting in the lobby with them. This became such a regular occurrence that it was eventually considered a high risk for any woman to enter such establishments.
Needless to say, the government soon interfered and separated the brothels to make them cater to either male or female customers only per establishment. The aroused men in my current surroundings all eyed my body with blatant interest and due to my uniform could clearly see all of my physical attributes.
The uniform was similar to a bathing suit and translucent so that "workers" could be evaluated by customers onsite. The material was almost non-existent and was only worn due to its apparent cleaning properties that kept servants more clean in between sessions.
They had been implemented after the complaint by customers from the past about the often dirty states of the sex slaves of the establishment became too common and caused a decrease in revenue. I helplessly watched as the men around me progressed from simply leering to purposefully invading my space.
"Shouldn't you be in the back on your back, sweetheart?" one of the more bold men asked as he leaned within inches of my face. The smell of his decaying teeth drifted up my nose and overpowering the lobby's natural moldy aroma, and though I tried to avoid looking at him, I could see his twisted face sneering in my peripheral.
Another man also moved closer, and I could see others shifting forward as well. His face was a stark contrast to the previous man's due to its deceivingly innocent, boyish qualities. His expression, though, contradicted his features as he, and all others, wore an expression of malice while they thought of what they planned for my future treatment.
The tension in the room increased until it was palpable as I slowly but surely was surrounded by them all. The number of eyes on me was making me uncomfortable, and I began to feel claustrophobic at the nearness of them.
This caused me to stutter, "I, uh, I...-". Before I could overcome my nervousness to finally form a coherent sentence, my train of thought was interrupted when a rough hand started gripping my breast.
The calluses on the hand were acute and easily felt through the sheer material of my outfit. The hand was only there momentarily, though. I looked up in confusion to see an irate Laurena standing nose to nose with the owner of said hand.
I could see him cradling his now gnarled hand as he looked at her with a terrified expression. Laurena's face looked murderous and growingly animalistic. I quickly called her name to calm her down.
She didn't drop her eyes from the guy before her, but I watched as her muscles eased a little bit, and her face became a more controlled, deadly mask. "Try that shit again," she dared in a seemingly calm voice that plummeted the temperature of the room while she bored a hole into his pupils with her sharp, glacial blue eyes.
She turned from him to the man stupidly still invading my space. She didn't utter a word; instead her mask dropped slightly, allowing a wild glint to shine in her eyes.
Sensing danger, he retreated quickly causing him to bang his head into the face of someone behind him. After watching him withdraw, her gazed softened slightly as she turned to me and held out her hand. I could see her eyes shifting, though, as she still monitored the men in the room with her peripherals.
As I took her hand, I marveled at the paradox found in her soft and gentle yet dangerous hands. A small smile played on her lips as she watched me place my hand in hers. After I stood, we both moved and started to head outside.
Suddenly, an authority busted through the office door and searched the room briefly and swiftly before heading towards us. Laurena's brow crinkled in confusion at his haste and direction. "Yes?" she said in a gruff voice.
"We've decided that we were no longer satisfied with the agreement. Here is your money back, now return our servant. " He said in an arrogant voice that implied that he fully expected Laurena to comply.
She glanced at him for a second and then simply laughed in reply as she once again turned to leave.
"We calculated how much future revenue she'd bring in and real-" he rushed out to our departing backs while hurrying after us. I had been focused on keeping up with Laurena's long strides, so I was taken off-guard by her abrupt 180-degree turn back towards the now desperately rambling man.
"I don't give a flying fuck about that shit. I have the contract in my pocket that says she is now a free woman. I advise you to shut your mouth and walk quietly back into your office," she said in that same frighteningly calm tone.
The man began shrinking under her intense gaze before he seemed to remember that there was an audience watching the entire scene, which caused him to straighten his back and rise to full height.
He put on a facade of confidence as he replied, "You're not leaving with that slave, ma'am. I'd appreciate if you took your money and left peacefully." Laurena squared up with the man and rose to her full height as well, making her taller than him, her commanding presence making it easy to see how she had secured her position as captain of such a large ship.
"Um, uh, we can, uh, force you to stay here uh-uh-until new terms have, um, been met," he continued on to squeak in a high, nervous voice. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction as I watched one of my tormentors squirm.
Laurena took two rapid steps toward him in reply, causing him to stumble back and fall onto his butt. "Or we can graciously keep our side of the bargain." He rushed out in a panicked voice before she could utter another word.
Laurena just continued to look at him as if still considering harming him before coming back to my side and grabbing my hand again. We walked out of the building without a backwards glance.
We stride up to a hover car. The street around us was riddled with trash. There were overflowing and overturned garbage cans lining both sides of the street. The buildings around us all had a dark, somber look; they were painted a pale grey. The car we approached had a detailed, pointed design and was painted a royal blue with several thin white stripes going down its meddle. My lack of knowledge of cars probably depreciated some of its greatness, but even I thought it was grandiose.
She opened my door for me, and I immediately noticed all of the modifications on the inside of the car. I looked up to her smirking face and instantly know most of this is illegal, if not all.
"Seriously? Being a pirate captain isn't enough? Hover racing as well?" I said incredulously. "How do you know I hover race?" she asked innocently. I gave her a disbelieving look that instantly made her smile guiltily.
"It's fun," she muttered like a child as she started up the hover car, and we began moving. Buildings blur as we speed by them. There was silence in the air, but it was more so reflective than anything else.
I thought of my rapid change in situation. Yesterday, everything seemed bleak and monotonous, but now, I couldn't help but be optimistic about my future. I turn and look at Laurena.
Her strong, angular face was facing forward as were those beautiful eyes as she surveyed the air around us. Her face was set in a stern contemplative look that I envision her wearing while planning the ship's next strike.
Feeling my gaze, she glanced in my direction before speaking. "You're staring." she says, her eyes flashing to me briefly while an amused smile lingered on her face.
Her voice snapped out of the trance I had been under, and I blushed, ducking my head to play with my dirty nails. The more I looked at them, the more I doubted the truth of my situation.
My mind flashed back to her extravagant room. How could some one of such obvious splendor want someone like me, someone who has little to no value in the world? So lost in my thoughts, I did not register Laurena's voice or my then shaking hands as my mind trapped me in fear.
"Love?" I vaguely heard her say in a questioning tone as I tasted salt water on my lips. Only the taste of it made me realize that I am crying and only her hand on mine made me realize the extension of my trembling.
"Shh, Love, it's okay." I heard her coo in a calming, gentle voice while she effortlessly picked me up to sit in her lap. Her heartbeat pumped steadily beneath my ear.
