Shelly sighed as the bus huffed to life behind her and began to drive down the street. Her high heels clicked on the sidewalk. Her hair was tousled; she was sweaty; one corner of her blouse was untucked.
Normally, her commute from work was a twenty-minute drive in an air-conditioned car with her favorite radio station. But her car had broken down and now she had to ride the bus for an hour with a large, swaying group of people. One guy had copped a feel as he left at one stop.
Her car would be fixed up by the end of the week, but that wasn't a shining light in the story. To pay for the tow -- because she didn't have any money -- she had given the driver a striptease and two blowjobs. Unbeknownst to her at first, he had captured video of her undressing and had posted them on YouTube. They were still marked as private, but he had threatened to flip the switch if she didn't do what he wanted. Never mind that he had also taken her keys so he could sneak back in whenever he wanted and fuck her. She had found them inside her door this morning when she woke up. The message was clear; he'd be back.
But he wasn't paying for her repair. No, it turned out that her landlord owned the tow truck company, and he had agreed to fix her car, plus some extras, in exchange for sex for five more nights.
And she had no doubt where this would end up, for last night he had asked her what would happen if both men came over at the same time. She'd have to do what they both wanted. Her stomach flipped at the thought. She had an active enough sex life, but she had never taken two guys at once. That was something sluts and whores did.
She had a moment of panic as she walked up the driveway in her apartment complex. Her car wasn't there! She quickened her pace.
On the front of her carpark was a note. "Towed the car to the shop. See you, tonight. Jimmy." Her driver. And that was that. It was tonight. She tried to imagine it. She felt like she was going to throw up. How had this happened? How could she make it end? She didn't have any ideas. She felt trapped. She turned up the walkway to her front door and went inside.
She put her purse on the table and checked the mail on the floor under the mail slot in the door. Bills. Great.
The phone rang. She didn't feel like talking to anyone. She let it go to voicemail.
It rang again. She ignored it.
It rang again. Fine!
"Hello," she spat as she picked up the phone.
"Now, Shelly," said her landlord's voice, "that's no way to answer the phone." She grimaced. Then she realized his voice sounded odd.
"Am I on speakerphone?"
"Hey, babe," said Jimmy's voice. Her knees felt weak.
"You'll be happy to know that Jimmy and I left work a little early; we're having a drink in the upstairs room in my apartment." They were here. Already. She didn't say anything.
"Why don't you go open up your drapes," said her landlord. She was confused at the request, but then she remembered something he had said last night. The curtains raked across the rod, exposing the small patio outside her living room.
"Perfect. Now take two steps back." She did. "Excellent!"
"Jimmy and I both have binoculars here," he said, "so we have a nice view of you. Wave toward us." She lazily lifted a hand and waved it in the general direction of her landlord's apartment. She broke out into another sweat as she imagined the next few hours.
"C'mon," said Jimmy. "Smile." She gave an obviously fake smile and waved again.
"I see we'll have to work on your enthusiasm a bit," said Mr. Sheldon. Again, she stayed silent. There was no point in having a conversation.
"Now, Shelly," said her landlord, "I'm disappointed in you."
That got her attention. "Good lord. Why on earth?"
"Talking to Jimmy this morning, he told me he had suggested you greet me last night in just a bra and panties. You didn't."
"Actually, he said I should wear something skimpy," she retorted. "I think we can both agree I did."
"Hm, perhaps," he said, "but I like the idea of you answering the door in your underwear. So I think that's how you should greet us tonight." Us. She couldn't pretend any longer. She let out a sob as a tear ran down her face.
"Please don't make do this," she whispered into the phone.
"Do what? Carry out your end of the bargain? Are you going to renege? I fear it might take a while to get your car back if you do, and the price might go up a bit."
"Stop your blubbering," said Jimmy. She bit her lip a bit. But the tears were there, ready to come again. She took a deep breath.
There was silence on the phone.
"Well?" said Jimmy.
"Well what?"
"You're going to open the door in just your underwear. But you're not just wearing your underwear now, are you?"
"Yes, Shelly, why don't you take off your clothes," said her landlord.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to run and hide and never see these men again. But she was trapped, and everyone knew it.
She tucked the phone between her head and her shoulder and untucked her blouse all the way. Then she began to unbutton it. There was no allure here, and within a few seconds her blouse was on the floor. She reached behind her, undid the zipper on the skirt, and pushed it down her legs.
"Jesus," said Jimmy, "that's the most boring fucking underwear I've ever seen." She wasn't trying to seduce them, but she felt a flush over her freckled skin.
"A white bra and panties," he exclaimed, "that's ridiculous. Plus, those panties show off your paunch." She flushed again. She wasn't fat, but she was definitely plump.
"I agree," said her landlord. "These are a bit uninspired. Do you have something a bit nicer for us?"
"Hey," said Jimmy, "go put on what you wore for me yesterday. That was pretty fucking hot."
"It was," said Mr. Sheldon, "I saw the video." She grimaced. "Let's see how that one goes. Go change into that." She sighed and put down the phone.
In her bedroom, as she changed into the rumpled green satin slip and the black g-string, she felt the tears begin to fall again. Stay strong, she thought, and you'll get through this. She didn't want them to see her break.
Within a moment, she was in her living room again. Low whistles came over the phone.
"That is much nicer," said her landlord. "The green really complements your red hair, even if it is fake. Turn around and bend over for us." So much for the niceties, she thought, as she turned and did as he wanted.
"Lift the slip a bit so we can enjoy the view," he said. She reached behind her and exposed the thin string of her panties.
"Nice ass," said Jimmy. This night was terrifying her, but the fact that two voyeurs were commanding her to pose and strip was actually kind of hot. She stood up and faced her remote viewers.