My wife, Maria, and I were in trouble. We had both gotten into serious gambling debt, and in an effort to get even, we borrowed serious money from a street gang connected loan shark and bet it all on a sure thing...and we lost. Now he wanted his money. We were waiting for the guy, Moustafa, at a sports bar to see about working things out. Maria had been a stripper before we were married, and quit after I put her through school. She was now working as an elementary school teacher, and was willing to work for Moustafa at his strip club a couple nights a week to try to pay him back, and he was considering her offer.
He finally arrived, about a half hour late, accompanied by an older African American woman who he introduced to us as Jacqui. I had heard of her...she was definitely a gangster...played college basketball for a couple years at some eastern school then went to prison for robbing and shooting a drug dealer. We all sat down together in a booth and Moustafa got right to the point.
"I considered your offer, and I don't think that would work out. Maria is very pretty, but at age 38, she wouldn't fit in. Our customers want young dancers, but I have another option."
Without saying anything he nodded at Jacqui, and she smiled, "Maria, I want you to come work for me. I run a brothel."
Maria let out a gasp, "A brothel...you want me to work as a prostitute?"
Jacqui nodded, "Yes, i prefer to refer to my girls as models, escorts, or gentlemen's companions, but if prostitute suits you, we can do that."
Maria shook her head, "No, no fucking way."
At this point Moustafa re-entered the conversation, "I don't think you understand your situation. You owe me $123,000, and you're both working as school teachers. You can't pay that back on your salaries, and you don't have anything to sell. This is not a meeting to work out an agreement; this is me telling you two mother fuckers how it's gonna be. Maria, two nights a week, you work for Jacqui in the establishment we own together. Tom, you're working there too, with your wife. You'll be a bartender and whatever else needs doing. You both start tonight and plan on being there tomorrow night too...Friday and Saturday nights are busy for us."
Jacqui passed an address to Maria and said, "Six o'clock...don't be late."
During the drive home, Maria remained silent for most of the trip. As we were pulling into our apartment parking space she asked, "Is there any other way out of this?"
I looked at her and shrugged, "Babe, they'll kill us both. These are dangerous people. We never should've gotten involved with them. Can you do this?"
Maria nodded, "You know I was in the life before and was turning tricks when we met, but that was just me. I picked the guys I'd fuck, and it was okay. But with her, I'm not going to have any choice at all."
I suggested we both go on the run, but Maria shot that down, "No, these assholes will find us. I'll fucking do it."
At 6:00 pm that evening we arrived at the address, it was a large, two-story Victorian house off of Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles. We rang the bell, and Jacqui came to the door, "Glad you could make it...come in."
The house had been restored with beautiful woodworking and lots of stained glass windows. The great room and dining area had been converted into a bar-lounge area. There were a few men sitting at the bar, drinking and watching a baseball game on a large screen TV.
We followed Jacqui up the stairs to the second floor and entered a long hallway. There were five doors on each side. Jacqui opened the third door on the left and went inside. The room was small, not much bigger than a jail cell. There was a four post twin bed in the middle of the floor and a night stand and lamp on the left side of the bed and a mirror on the ceiling. The bed was simply made, just two pillows, sheets and a blanket.
"Maria, this is where you'll be working. There's a linen closet at the end of the hallway, and you have to change the sheets after every customer. All our customers are pre-screened and are accepted on referral only. This is a high class place, and these guys pay top dollar...you work hard, treat them right, and you'll pay off your debt real quick. Any questions?
Maria glanced at me, "Yeah, so how does this work?"
Jacqui smiled, "It's pretty simple. You'll come in here at 8:00; get your room ready, do your make up and hair and just wait for the bell. When you hear it, you come down to the lounge for line up. If the customer selects you, you take him or her into the bar and go over the menu. If you get bored in your room, you can hang out in the bar, but you have to wear lingerie in there.
Jacqui opened a drawer on the night stand and took out a white robe and handed it to Maria along with a menu of services.
"As you can see, the more you can sell, the more you, or, in your case, I get paid. Typically, a blow job is $500, 69 is $750, straight sex, $1,200; anal, $2,000. We have a couple of hot tubs, and if you can get a guy in there with you, it's a $2,500 fuck. The specialty acts are voluntary on your part. If you are okay with water sports, we have special rooms in the basement for that. BDSM pays real good too. The menus are adjusted based on your popularity with the clients. If you prove to be highly desired, I'll charge your customers more.
Jacqui pointed to cameras mounted in the corners near the ceiling, All of our rooms are monitored by staff for your safety." Jacqui laughed at that adding, "We watch everything. In fact that will be part of Tom's duties...watching you in action."
Jacqui stepped out into the hall and yelled out, "Yousef, I need you up here."
We heard a reply, "Okay," and Yousef, a young black guy, about mid 20s, average height and thin, bounded up the stairs and entered the room.
Jacqui made the introductions, Yousef, this is Tom, he'll be working with you behind the bar, and this is his wife, Maria. I told you about her. I need you to write her bio for our catalog and roster and take pictures for her business cards, then you can have her and give me a report on her performance."
Yousef smiled, "Yeah, it'll be my pleasure, Maria. You're Mexican?"
Maria shook her head, "No, I'm from Brasil."
"Oh, wonderful...Brazil. Brazilian women are wonderful. I myself am from Haiti. There's a bathroom across the hall. You can use that to get ready...get undressed, put on the robe and come back when you're ready."
Maria left, and Yousef shook hands with Tom..."You're a lucky guy...pretty wife and she has a really nice figure..." Then, under his breath, Tom heard him say, "gonna enjoy this."