Until There Was You

by Stacey Harrison

  Chapter 1

  Liam

  'Another round on my tab.' I say to the sexy waitress named Sasha, I think.

  'Certainly Mr Coltan.' She replies in a seductive tone, yes tonight shall be a good night. God knows I deserve it after spending the day with my Mother and Melissa the airhead, plastic bimbo from her country club. Ah Melissa Reddington, daughter of the millionaire Donald Reddington, a miniature version of my Mother and like hell do I need that! One of that woman is more than enough to make life miserable if she decides to be difficult.

  As the only son of Landon and Rose Colton there is a lot of publicity as well as money involved so I 'just must' take a wife and she 'just has to' be a decent respectable, well bred young lady and end my playboy antics that bring shame on the company and my most importantly my Mother.

  Snapping out of my depressive thoughts I notice the waitress is back placing our drinks in front of us, leaning a little further over than necessary. My friend Paul winks at me mouthing 'Your in there bro'.

  'Nah to easy.' I reply out loud causing a roar of laughter from the lads and earning me a glare from Stacey or Sasha or whatever, jeez i was only stating the obvious.

  'Your bad man.' my best friend Nate says chuckling. Like what he does is any better, at least I am honest upfront that I am not a nice man. I will not be sweeping anybody off their feet, I will never own a white horse or a damn Wife.

  'Hardly.' I retort sardonically as I smirk at the rest of the table. Lads night out, nothing better.

  'Dude you could of tapped that.' Laughs Paul, and Nate chuckles with him.

  Nate and Paul have been my friends since college, they are the only to people who get me. I met them at a party where a girl tried it on with all three of us one after the other, we laughed about it and have been friends ever since. After a few more drinks , I am tired and the thoughts of my Mother and Barbie had soured my mood so bad, that not even the amber liquard that slides down my throat can lift my spirits. I downed the drink in my hand in one and reveled in the burning sensation in my throat, deciding it was time to head home I make a move to grab my jacket off the back of my chair. I regretted pissing of the waitress as a bit of easy would be good about now but at least I won't be having the uncomfortable 'get out we are done' speech later. I am a stickler for my rules, I never stray from the rules. Ever.

  Rule One: When I am done, we are done. You need to leave.

  Rule Two: I don't need your name, it's completely irrelevant if your a Sophie or a Danielle. You will always be Babe to me.

  Rule Three: One night is enough unless you really blow my mind. Don't hold your breathe though.

  I say my goodbyes to the lads and head for the door. Dem, my driver would be waiting, as I step outside I am hit by the cold air and the sound of laughter. Pulling my jacket tighter to fend off the cold, I head towards my Black Bentley Continental GT. The door is already open as Dem stands behind it, his face completely blank and I do not honestly think I have ever saw any emotion from him. The man is a fucking machine.

  'Home Mr Coltan?' Dem inquires, holding onto my door handle. I have told him countless times that I can open and shut my own fucking doors, but he never seems to listen.

  'Yes please Dem.' I answer him as I climb in. I am about to remind him Mr Coltan is my father -again - when I notice out the corner of my eye two men yelling at a young, barely dressed girl trying to force her into a car. At least that's what it appears to be, part of me wants to drive on, this isn't any of my business but something about her makes me pause.

  'Wait!' I yell at Dem. 'Stop the car!'

  I get out and approach them, both men are more concerned with their argument, so I go unnoticed giving me chance to take in the scene unfolding before me.

  'Please don't make me do this, please.' The girl pleads to the first man, fisting his tatty shirt in her small fists. She look so small, so scared it tugs on something inside my chest.

  'Stop making a scene and get in his fucking car!' He glowers back at her, prying her hands from him in disgust.

  'Please...' She begs in a low voice, hands clutched together like she was praying hard. She should never have to beg for anything, let alone her safety. The thought has rage flooding my system in seconds.

  Out of nowhere he backhands her across her face with such for her small body lands on the cold, unforgiving floor, her head bounces off the pavement with a sickening crack and my stomach turns at the sound. I opened my mouth to speak, to yell, to do something - anything - when the guy by the beat up, barely functioning car cuts me off.

  'Hurry the fuck up slut, I don't have all night!' He grabs her arm lifting her up off the floor to meet his eyes and I feel it the last of my tightly coiled control snapping at the sound of her small pained whimper.

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  Chapter Two

  Lexi

  'Get ready bitch, tonight's the night your arse earns its keep.' Mike yells through the door of my dirty, scarcely furnished bedroom. It used to be nice, safe and clean but now - like me - it will never be the same again.

  Mike is my Step-Father and he used to be one of the best men I knew, I had so much love and respect for him that I was proud to call him my dad. I never knew my real Father, he died when I was barely two months old. I haven't ever known any other dad, but aslong a I had Mike, I didn't mind. Until I turned fourteen he played the part of normal, caring Dad and I of the bright, happy Daughter. Until my mum got pregnant. At first we were all beyond happy, they had been trying for so long. We were going to have a new member of our little happy family, life couldn't be better. I had always wanted to be a big sister. Until the day I came home from school and found him crying, I had never saw him cry before. Thinking there was something wrong with my mum or the baby I rushed to his side, When he shoved a white piece of paper under my nose I could do nothing but stare down at it in complete confusion and betrayal. To this day the word's I read that day will haunt me forever, it will always be the moment my world crumbled down. The day my heart was torn out, I still remember every word and each time I relive them I feel my heart being torn from my chest.

  My Dearest Mike and Alexis,

  This is the hardest thing I have ever had to tell anyone and I can only hope in time you can forgive me. Mike, my sweet Mike, I am so very sorry. I have lied to you, I am in love with someone else and I am certain this baby is his. I wish it hadn't of come to this but I cannot allow another child of mine to be without their Father. I am truly sorry for any pain I have caused you it was never my intention. Please forgive me. Lexi my darling daughter, you have turned into a beautiful young woman that I am proud to call my own. You may not know it now but you do not need me anymore and although it truely breaks my heart to leave you I have to but this baby first. I hope you can understand. I pray you realise that I wanted to take you with me but Mike, he needs you more. Please look after him and I promise we will see each other again. Maybe you could meet your brother/sister, if that's okay with Mike, I mean. This is not a goodbye, this is until we see each other again.

  Stay strong.

  Love you always,

  Anne x

  Yeah right Mike needed me, from that day on I went from daughter to slave, chef and my personal favourite punchbag. Because I look like my 'whore of a mother' with my dark blue eyes, dirty blonde hair that falls untidily to the middle of my back and my slim frame, mostly due to the fact I don't deserve to eat. I am lucky if I earn the right to eat at least one meal a day yet somehow I always fall short. I once tried stealing food after the fourth day of nothing but water, after the beating he gave me I decided it just wasn't worth it. Maybe with time my body would give out, somebody might notice the girl w
asting away before their eyes. Nobody ever did, not the neighbours or the school. I am alone. It has been this way for over four years and tonight it was about to get a whole lot worse.

  You see the abuse never got sexual, apart from the close call one night when he came home hammered and started calling me 'Annie Baby' grabbing my behind and breasts. His breath was vile as he shoved his tongue down my throat causing me to gag. I knew I had to fight but in that moment fear had me frozen, I could move, my mind was screaming at me yet my body won't move. As I finally gathered the strenght to roll him off of me, he started yelling about how I or My Mother as he thought I was is a whore and started to beat me, I have never been so grateful for a beating in my life.

  'You have five minutes. Do I need to dress you myself?' He sneers from the doorway. He looks nothing like the man I used to call Dad, that man left with my Mother. I am at a loss for what to do when a pathetic idea hits me but at this point, I really do have nothing to lose.

  'Please... Daddy I will get a job, I promise. Please I don't want to do this.' Bile rose to up, burning in the back of my throat as the name Daddy left my lips but I am desperate. I am trying to reach the man that was once My Daddy, wishing with everything I have, that he can still be reached. That a small part of him is still inside the cruel, harsh man stood before me.

  He reaches out and snags a fistful of my hair pulling me up to my feet, as pain shoots through my scalp. I bite down on my bottom lip so hard I taste blood, I know better than to scream. It wouldn't do any good anyway.

  'I ain't ya Daddy ya little bitch, your 'Daddy' got himself killed so he didn't have to see how much of a whore you would turn out to be. That's if he was even your daddy knowing your mother' He spits at me as tears burn my eyes but I refuse to let them fall, they are the only thing I have left that are truly mine to control. He throws me down onto the dirty matress I call my bed and storms out of my room yelling 'three minutes slut.' Hopeless takes hold of me as I try to fight the panic bubbling inside of me threatening to bring me to my knees. There is no way out, I know there is no way out. So I give in, I switch it off. I go numb.

  We stand at the end of an alleyway near a high class club, I am freezing in a tattered black dress that barely covers anything and patent leather, red boots that are black around the toes where the red has been scuffed away. I don't know where he got them and quite frankly I don't want to know.

  He leaves me standing by the wall as he talks to random men, trying to sell me like I am a piece of meat. Thankfully though there are no takers, nobody seems interested in a skinny, dirty looking, no doubt terrified looking girl wearing ratty clothes. My teeth are chattering so loudly, I am so, so cold that goosebumps cover every inch of my skin, all most to the point of pain. I wasn't aloud to wear a coat as it would cover the 'goods'. Ha, like the black and purple bruises don't look worse. Still I was thanking the heavens for small mercies that at least nobody wants me.

  Story of my life, blessings don't last long as a tall, skinny man wearing a smart blue shirt and black jeans comes closer to Mike, and in turn closer to me. He isn't awful looking with his blonde shaggy hair that came over his eyes, he looks nothing like the monsters my mind had conjured up. Yet the sadistic glint in his eyes terrified me more than anything my mind could of created. Please god don't let this monster take my virginity.

  They continue to discuss me for a few more minutes, talking like I am a object, how anything is allowed for the right price, it's a bargin price as I am unused. I feel the sick in the back of my throat as he hands Mike some money, I really can't tell how much but it doesn't matter. When Mike comes towards me with a sickening smirk plastered on his face I know the game is up, this is going to happen.

  'Right bitch, here's the score. You're going to get into his car, you're going to do whatever he needs you to do, no questions asked. He is going to keep you till 10 am then you get your arse home. Do i make myself clear?' He demands at me, he looks pleased with himself and in this moment, more than ever I know how it feels to truly hate another person.

  'Please Mike.... I don't want to do this.'

  'Do.I.Make.Myself.Clear?' He commands again, harsher this time.

  'I'll move out, I will get a job. I will do anything but please not this... Please anything but this.' I am crying now, fear of the situation I am trapped in eating me up inside.

  He pushes me forward towards the man but I cling onto his shirt causes us both to stumble. To passer by I probably look drunk, I wish I was. I have never been drunk but when Mike is drunk he seems so at peace, so numb, at least for a little while. What I wouldn't give for that right now.

  'Please don't make me do this, please!' I am hoping the man will see I don't want to do this and change his mind. How can anybody want someone who is this unwilling?

  'Stop making a fucking scene and get in the car!' He glowers at me, making a scene my arse the man doesn't seem to care that I don't want him. The people passing by barely spare me a glance.

  'Please...' I am losing the will to live, fighting a losing battle but I can't just give up. In the blink of an eye something connects with the side of my face with such brutal force my legs buckle from underneath me and my body meets the ground, my head making a sickening crack as it connects with the pavement only to bouce back up like a rubber ball. It begins to pound and everything goes fuzzy. The blackness begging for me to give into it, but I can't.

  I heard somebody speak but couldn't make out the words over the loud ringing in my ears. Before I can pull myself together, I am being dragged up by a hand gripping my arm painfully tight. I can't even struggle, my body still recovering from the last blow. A small whimper escapes my lips from the punishing grip as I am being dragged to the car. Game Over. I Lost.

  'The lady said no.' I hear a deep, masculine voice call out. His voice penetrates my fuzzy mind and it takes me a second to realise he means me.

  'Lady, ha mind your own fucking business mate.' Mike remarks turning away from the newest voice in this nightmare. He doesn't sound cruel though, somehow he sounds... right.

  'I paid for this whore, she is mine, far and square. You can have her when i am done though, if she is up for it.' Creepy Dude says still squeezing my arm no matter how hard I wriggle. I want to see him, the man that owns that voice. At least once I need to see him. Finally maneuvering my body around enough to catch a glimpse of him I am well and truly caught of guard.

  The man before us is beautiful. Rich dark hair, cut into a messy style like the men in the magazines. His face is far more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen though, he has a strong jaw, a small but just perfect nose and the most amazing pair of steel grey eyes. They look at you like they could see straight through to your soul. He is around 6 foot with the body of a god even in his black suit pants, I can tell he is toned. I couldn't help myself as I stood staring into his beautiful eyes and notice they held anger and contempt. However what has me shocked is the fact that it isn't directed at me, he is staring boldly at creepy dude before he looks deep in thought.

  'How much?' He asks in a stern, clipped tone. What is he doing? How could he? My mind is screaming at him, he can't do this! He isn't supposed to be like them.

  'Whats it to you?' Mike snaps at him. He looks torn between frustrated and curious, from experience I know this is not a good combination for him.

  'Whatever he is paying you, I will double it.' He demands, his eyes never leaving me yet not meeting mine as I gasp in shock and maybe a little outrage. Why would a man this beautiful, this perfect want to pay have for sex? Why would he even want to pay for sex with someone like me?

  'No way man! I already paid for the whore, take your fucking money an go find your own!' Creepy Dude argues not happy at all. He starts to tug on my arm again reminding me that he still has me in his clutches.

  '£500?' Mike taunts, eyeing Mr Beautiful doubtfully not really believing that he is serious. Even I don't understand what is happening and honestly I can't say I care anymore. My head is throbbing and m
y body aches all over as the cold still assaults all of my senses.

  Mr Beautiful clenches his jaw tight and his eyes are stormy as he reaches in his jacket for his wallet I can only assume, until he grates out one word that seals my fate, 'Done', he hands Mike the money and doesn't spare him another glance as his strong hand encases my small one, pulling me out of Creepy Dudes grip until I am stood behind him. Creepy Dude starts to argue with Mike but I can't hear what's being said as I follow distractedly behind him, being ushered into a really nice car. The warmth wraps around me like a comfort blanket and I relax into the leather seat, allowing myself one small moment to gather my bearings.

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  Chapter Three

  Liam

  I am stunned, I am sat in the back of my car with a god damn hooker! I have absolutely no idea why I just did that. I just paid £500 for a hooker...Me! I have never paid for sex before in my life, not that I have any intention of having sex with this girl but damn I must be out of my fucking mind.

  I take a glance at the tiny blonde next to me, she is cowering against the door, trying to maintain as much distance as possible between us. Her body is curled up tight making her appear impossible small and vulnerable. I take the time to check her out and notice in the flashes of light from the street lights we pass that she is covered in bruises, some newer, some older. Jesus Christ.

  There is blood matted in her hair and on her face no doubt from her hitting the floor. Trying to calm myself I take a tissue from the compartment between our seats and attempt to clean her up. She whimpers and flinches away from me, squeezing herself impossibly tighter into a ball and I feel a wave of guilt, she has been through hell and I take her by surprise.

  'I just want to clean your cut, I need to see how bad it is.' I explain softly, talking to her like a small child. I have no idea how old she is, I can only pray she is legal or else I just put myself in a very stupid situation.