Page 46 of Deliverance

My gaze darted to Frank's. Was he going to choose someone else? In ten years, he'd never been with anyone except me. Or did he say that so Frank Jr. wouldn't know that he came here a few times a month? Frank was a man of mystery. I never found out why I wasluckyto be a teacher.

"And if I don't?" Frank Jr. asked.

"Then you'll piss me off," Frank stated, giving Frank Jr. a stern look.

"I can assure you," Madam cut in, "all of my girls are clean and well-trained. They aren't like high school girls." She chuckled.

Frank Jr. looked at his father another moment and then stepped toward us. He walked by each of us like Madam does to inspect us. What would happen if he chose me? Would Frank let him?

He stopped in front of Zell and looked back at Frank and Madam. "I choose her," he said.

Madam said in a raised voice, "Zell isn't one of the girls."

"She's not?" Frank Jr. questioned as he turned his head to look at her.

Zell lowered her eyes again. She was nervous, and I knew she had to be scared. We hadn't talked about sex or anything before, and the only description she may have gotten was from the romance books she borrowed from us.

"She's never been with a man before. She wouldn't know what to do. Pick one of the others. They will show you a good time," Madam replied.

"Is that true?" Frank Jr. asked Zell. "Are you a virgin?" She nodded, and he turned back to Madam and his father. "Then, yes, I want her."

"She's not even groomed," Madam stated to Frank.

"Son, why don't you pick someone else?"

"With all due respect, Father, you brought me here to, what was it? Become a man? Being a man is choosing who I want to sleep with, and I choose …" He paused for a moment. "Zell."

The tray Zell was still holding fell and clattered onto the floor. Madam's gaze snapped to her, and quickly Zell picked it up.

"Frank," Madam clipped. I was happy she was trying to stop her daughter from losing her virginity this way, but it was the first time I'd ever seen her act like a mother.

"It's not like they're related, Saffron."

I turned my head slightly at his words. They should be related unless Zell's father wasn't Frank's brother that died. Or maybe Zell was adopted. She didn't look like Madam at all. Was that why she treated Zell the way she did? Keeping her locked in a tower her entire life.

"But …" Madam hesitated.

"The boy wants who the boy wants."

"At least let me have her speak with the girls for a little training first."

"That won't be necessary," Frank Jr. stated, staring at Zell.

"Son—"

"Amancan dominate the bedroom, Father. I don't need Zell to be trained. I can do it."

Everyone was silent, and all I could hear was the clock on the wall near the fireplace.

Tick tock …

Tick tock …

Tick tock …

"All right. It's your birthday, and I told you that you can have whoever you wanted. Which room should they use?" Frank asked Madam.

She sighed. "Follow me."