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Chapter Six

Berlin

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Iwatched Aubrey wipingher eyes as she sat at her table. Sniffling, her hand was shaking as she tried to apply her eyeliner. Stopping for a moment, she let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling.

Her cheeks were streaked in fresh and old tears. The water would drop off her lashes, tracing dried up streams as they plopped onto her lap. I wasn't sure if she noticed the small circle stains being left on her thigh from the mixture of mascara and water.

She's going to need to change.

Virgo would frown on such an appearance if he saw her like that. He expected perfection. I didn't even want to think about what he'd do to her if he walked in on her right then.

Leaning back over, she tried to put on her makeup again, but she just couldn't do it. The tip of the liner kept creeping up towards her eyeball, threatening to stab her in the pupil. Dropping it onto the table, she drove her fingers against her temples and hung her head.

“Here, let me help,” I said as I stepped to her side.

Her eyes shot open as she whipped her head in my direction, staring at me like I was insane. “What are you doing? We're not supposed to talk, you're going to get us in trouble.” Aubrey's eyes darted around the room, searching for Vin.

“He's not in here right now, he went out front to take care of something.” Grabbing the eyeliner, I held it between my fingers. “Don't worry, we're alright, I won't get you into trouble, I promise.”

“Alright—we are not alright if you haven't noticed.” Her voice was cold and empty as she turned to look at herself in the mirror. “Nothing will ever be alright.”

She looked so defeated, and all I wanted to do was make her feel better. I didn't want her to end up like the other girls that just vanished into thin air. I didn't want her to think that this was all that was left for her.

Because there was always the chance that one day things could change. The right person could walk in that door and free her. It wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that a man might see her and want to bring her home.

Maybe that man would be a good man, a man who would love her, shower her with gifts and affection. Maybe that same man would set us all free.

You're lying to yourself, Berlin, you know you are.

“Things will get better, you're still adjusting, that's all. It takes time, it doesn't happen over night.” Grabbing her chin, I twisted her face to mine. Holding the liner, I arched her head up and started to gently drag the charcoal across the edge of her lid. “It doesn't have to all be bad, you just have to find your place. You have to look inside yourself and find the strength you need to keep going, because if you don't, this place is going to kill you. You can't let that happen, you can't let him win.”

Sighing loudly, she looked right in my eyes. “And what if I can't? What if I'm not strong enough?”

“You have to be, you don't have a choice.” Running a black line across her other eye, I placed the pen back down on her table. “But if you get your shit together, things will get better. I promise.”

“Better. . .” Blinking her sad doe eyes, she sucked in a shallow breath, like she was trying to hold back more tears. “How the hell can you think any of this will get better?”

“Because I know it will, you just have to trust me.”

Thinning her lips, she shifted in her seat. “How can you know that?”

“I've been here long enough to know how it works.” Walking back to my table, I dropped into the seat just in time to see Vin coming in through the door.

Aubrey twisted in her chair, finishing up the rest of her makeup without an issue. Neither one of us looked at each other again and our little conversation went unnoticed by Vin.

But I could see a change in her, it was subtle, but it was there. Her back was straighter, her face was flat and not scrunched up like she was about to bust into tears.

She finally knows she's not alone.

None of us were really alone, we had each other, even if Virgo wanted to keep us apart. Sometimes I felt like I was only the only one who could see that.

“Berlin, you got a customer.” Vin stood at my side, his strong cologne swirling around my face and making me sick.

“Another one? Why can't one of the other girls go?”

“Because this is yours. Do your fucking job, Berlin.”