Chapter 2 : No thanks needed

*Charlotte*

The icy blue eyes of the stranger flickered from me to the now passed-out drunk man who attempted to molest me as he laid out on the ground, bleeding from the injuries. The pieces of the teapot scattered across the floor crunched under his heavy boot as he took a step forward, a flicker of hesitance on his face as though he didn’t quite know whether to approach me or the man.

It crossed my attention, though as I glanced over at the spot he had been sitting at all night, that he had gotten over to us suspiciously quick. Even at a full dead sprint, anyone would find it difficult to cover that distance in such a short amount of time.

I breathed heavily, my heart still pumping with adrenaline as I clutched the handle of the teapot I’d smashed over my attacker’s head and for a moment, I swear as we both stared at each other, unsure of what to do next, I thought I saw a hint of pride cross his features.

Like someone who had just seen their pet rabbit defeat a lion.

“I…I…” I stumbled across words, unable to find any to defend myself with, even though I knew logically that the man had attacked me. But as I fumbled around like a lost duckling with no direction, his cold eyes landed on my shoulder and quick as can be, he avoided my gaze, embarrassment clear as day on his face.

I frowned, wondering what had caused the sudden change as I looked at my attire and realized that my entire left sleeve had been torn off my shoulder, exposing the skin underneath. I blushed, finally dropping the handle of the teapot as I shrugged the loose fabric over my skin, covering it up.

“Are you alright?” The man coughed into his hand, avoiding looking at me and his smooth, low voice sent a shiver down my spine as I remembered what had only happened moments ago. I clenched my fists, unsure of what to do as I stood there awkwardly but I just gave a curt nod.

“I-” There was a bit of awkwardness to the man as he glanced down at the perpetrator and then at me like he was at a loss of words, and I realized with a deepening embarrassment, that he had rushed over to help me.

He had intended to save me from my attacker and it was a relieving warm feeling that spread across my chest as I thought that for the first time in three years, someone would’ve come to my aid if I hadn’t defended myself.

“Thank you,” I honestly said to the stranger, dismissing his earlier cold behavior now.

“You didn’t need my help,” The stranger said, his stone-like face quickly returning as he regained his composure. “So no thanks needed.”

He walked away, a little too stiff and quick in his steps, and I realized that he was as embarrassed as I was. The thought was bewildering to consider since all night he’d been so utterly unfazed by everything.

And it had been me knocking the shit out of someone to cause that cold facade of his to crack. I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips as I considered the hilarity of the night before me, stifling a giggle as the man settled down at the bar.

He downed the drink I had brought him hours ago in one gulp, then turned his head to stare at the wall, like he was pretending I didn’t even exist. It was endearing in a way that I couldn’t explain.

“Um,” Just as I took a step toward him, intent on delivering how thankful I was that he had tried to stand up for me, even if it hadn’t been necessary in the end, I never got the chance to get past my first word.

I had forgotten that the stranger hadn’t been the only one watching me.

Quicker than I could think to defend myself, shadows crept over me as two of the thugs who normally were up against the walls, wrapped their large muscled arms around me and I gritted my teeth for the incoming pain as one of them grabbed me by the hair, pushing me onto my knees.

The broken glass of the teapot cut into the skin of my knees, digging in painfully but I could do nothing as one of the guards pulled both of my arms behind my back until I thought my shoulders were about to pop out of the socket and the other kept a firm grip on my hair.

“The boss wants to see you, Charlotte,” One of the men leered down at me. “And he’s not happy.”

Fuck. That was all that rant through my head along with the numbing panic I was used to as they dragged me along the floor, scraping my skin against the glass shards, and I tried to breathe without hyperventilating through the pain.

Tears squeezed painfully out of the corners of my eyes and for a moment in sheer delusion, I glanced over at the stranger who had been so willing to help me earlier. But now, he was staring firmly at the bar, not even glancing my way as I was dragged right past him up the stairs.

My silent pleas for help turned into silence as I realized I wouldn’t be getting out of this. Not willing to go quiet, I let out a piercing shriek, trying to struggle out of my bonds though I knew I was only making it worse for myself.

The rest of the guests, who hadn’t even taken notice of my harassment earlier, were no help now either as they just spoke louder over my struggling screams, no one paying attention as I was dragged up the stairs by my hair.

Eventually, though as we reached the second landing and the noise of the barroom muffled, I stopped struggling, deadening my senses as I let myself be dragged across the wooden floors, leaving a trail of blood from my legs across the floor.

‘That’ll be a pain for me to clean later,’ I thought with a sense of shrill hilarity, not wanting to think about my situation anymore than I had to.

“Here she is, boss!” The thug threw me into the office and I landed painfully on all fours in front of the shiny black shoes I would recognize anywhere.

“I’m not happy, Charlotte,” I flinched at the calm tone of his voice, knowing it didn’t mean anything good. “Look at me and tell me. Why am I unhappy Charlotte?”

I sucked my bottom lip into my teeth, preparing myself for the worst. The majority of my bruises were not caused by thugs with whips or assholes who’d trip you onto the floor just to see you fall.

Most of my injuries came from this man.

I slowly looked up, hardening my expression like I always did as the face of my creditor came into vision.

A short, squat, and greasy man with slicked back hair and several false golden teeth in his slimy smile, there was nothing pleasant or attractive about the Creditor who ran the bar, and just as the day I was sold to him after being dragged away from my father’s funeral, he had a piercing look in his beady eyes that could make any small child cry with just a look.

A terrible man with an even worse personality, nobody crossed the Creditor without being scarred from it. And I was nothing more than an ant under his shoe.

I never escaped a meeting with the Creditor without a good beating, sometimes enough that I would be bedridden for days, unable to serve for weeks due to my swollen face and broken bones.

“Speak, Charlotte,” The Creditor said sharply, twirling his gold rings around his fingers as he narrowed his nasty glare on me. “Why am I unhappy?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “Maybe you ate the food here?”

Fuck, that slipped out. I winced as I saw his hand raise and he backhanded me across the face, sending my hands and legs buckling underneath me from the force. I tasted blood across my lip from the way his rings cut into my face but I still wasn’t willing to back down.

Once I regained my senses, he sneered down at me like I was something pathetic.

“I’m unhappy because you hurt our dear customers, Charlotte, and you know that is against the rules here.” The Creditor said coolly. “When you hurt the guests, I lose customers. When I lose customers, I lose money. And you know what happens when I lose money?”

I gritted my teeth again, knowing not to say anything sarcastic as much as I wanted to, even as I saw the sick enjoyment in his eyes at my misery.

“I get angry!” The creditor yelled, kicking me under the chin and sending me sprawling across the floor. I whimpered from the hit, my jaw aching and I swear to god I felt something crack as I struggled to get away. “You will get on your fucking knees and apologize to our precious guest until he is satisfied, do you hear me?”

He emphasized with several kicks to my torso, each one more painful than the last. I heaved a silent sob, trembling and terrified as the blows rained down on me until I was numb. I coughed, wheezing painfully as it finally stopped.

The Creditor eyed me, pacing around me in a circle before glancing at the ripped fabric around my shoulder as a slow smirk spread across his lips. “But if you want to get back on my good side, you know what you need to do.”

“Not going to happen,” I snapped immediately, bruised lungs be damned. “I’d sooner meet my father in the grave.”

The Creditor sneered, a cold look in his eyes at that response, He had always been the biggest pusher for the in-debt women to sell their bodies to repay their debt. Not only did it make him more money and bring him more customers, but he also got to have his way with them whenever he wanted.

It was a win-win for him and a lose-lose for the women.

I refused to part with my last shred of dignity which is why the creditor had done everything within his power to make me give up. From beating and abusing me, starving me, and overworking me, none of it worked.

“Such a shame,” The Creditor sighed, “Your young and pretty body could get us quite several customers. You might want to rethink it. At this point, it’ll take you until death to work off your daddy’s debt. Is that really what you want?”

“Yes,” I said firmly and I heard the sound of his teeth grinding together as he glared down at me.

“You ungrateful stubborn wench,” He curled his lip in disgust. “Your pay will be docked accordingly. And as this isn’t the first time you’ve sullied my good name, the interest on your debt will be doubled.”

I nodded, a little relieved actually that this was all it would amount to. Usually, I’d be whipped and bleeding by now but I wasn’t going to complain.

“Ah, but before you go Charlotte,” The Creditor said, like he was just enlightened, “I think you might need some more training on how to properly take care of our guests. Grab her.”

His voice was ice cold as he gave the order and my eyes blew open in panic as I was grabbed by the thugs and dragged over to the Creditor’s bed. He smirked, impatience clear on his face, and I realized what was happening.

“I’ve been too lenient with you, Charlotte. Stubborn girls really need to be broken before they can work properly and you are such a lovely girl,” The Creditor loomed over, and I screamed for help as loudly as I could, tears flowing down my face as the men loomed over, tearing at my clothes and holding me down.

“It’ll only hurt a bit,” He said smugly, climbing on top of me as I fearfully struggled as hard as I could. Please, anybody, help me, I begged silently, as my last little bit of pride was about to be stolen from me.

And just when I was about to give up, the door burst open and a shadowy figure rushed in just in time.