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“Yes,” she confirms. “It wasn’t just physical. They didn’t always, you know…do that, butbeatings were a part of the daily routine to keep us in line, along with being told how worthless we were.Bruises fade over time, but words scar. Even some of the worst foster homes I stayed in weren’t this bad. I wish I would’ve stayed home that night. At least I’d still be safe.”
My heart breaks as her words sink in.
“How did you escape?”
“I haven’t.”
I reel back as if I’ve been slapped. “What do you mean you haven’t?”
“I might’ve got away for now, but I’m marked,” Lace explains. She rolls up her sleeve slowly, exposing a UPC tattoo with Property of Krukov.
“What the fuck?”
“It’s their brand,” she explains. “I’m property of the Krukov family. If they find me, they’ll put me in conditions worse than what I fled, or … they’ll kill me.”
“How’d you get away?”
“One of the Johns didn’t show up for his appointment, and I crawled out of the motel window while the guard was getting a blowjob from another girl.”
“Where’ve you been staying?”
“Nowhere,” she admits. “I’ve been moving around constantly. I sleep in the library during the day and hide at night.”
“We can go to the FBI.”
“No, they have people in their pocket at the FBI. I’ve been forced toserviceone or two of them to keep them happy for the Krukov family. Sometimes, they are the worst monsters out there.”
“I can’t let you get taken again,” I protest. “You have to let me help you.”
“You are.” Lace squeezes my hand back. “You’re listening, and you believe me. No one has ever believed me.”
“You’ve told others?”
“I used to tell the men who paid for sex.” She laughs with no humor. “They’d smack me or just laugh in my face and then use my body for what they paid for.”
“Mother fuckers,” I grit.
My phone dings, and I reach into my purse to pull it out.
Annoying Boss: You still alive?
Me: Yes. This is serious
Annoying Boss: How bad
Me: Worse than you can imagine
Annoying Boss: Be careful. Get back here ASAP
Me: Will do. Eating dinner and will head back
“Everything okay?” Lace asks.
“It’s my boss, wondering where I am.” I put my cell back.
We eat in silence, but when the waitress puts the dessert down in front of Lace, she lets out a tiny squeal of joy.
“Ohmigosh!” she gushes and shoves a forkful in her mouth. “This is so good.”