Page 27 of Hold Me
“Really? That’s what you’re going to say? Do you think I’m crazy enough to believe that? A sex slave?” I want to get up and leave, but I’m too shocked to move. “If you want me to stay away from him, just tell me you like him or that you slept with him or something, but don’t tell me these... these awful lies.”
“I’m not lying,” she says. “Did you see that tattoo on his hip? It’s a mark of ownership. He belongs to a man named Raphael.”
I know Caleb has a tattoo, and that he never told me what it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s some weird ownership mark. “How do you know that?”
Her gaze meets mine. “Because I’ve seen it before.”
“Right, so let’s assume you’re telling the truth, and Caleb belongs to someone.” I sound ridiculous to myself just by saying it. “Is that like some sex club thing? Alessandra mentioned some parties...”
“I told you, he’s a sex slave, and I meant it. It’s real and not some game he’s playing.”
I’m about to laugh again. “That doesn’t make any sense. If he was a sex slave, he’d never even get to meet me. He’d be locked up in some dungeon or something, not walking around with me to parties and restaurants. I would’ve noticed it.”
“Do you really think the only way for someone to be a slave is if they have a collar and chain and are locked up somewhere?” She snorts.
“No... I’m just saying he’d have said something to me or wouldn’t even want to be with me... I...” I shake my head. The idea is so ludicrous that I can’t wrap my mind around it. “And you’re always so sensitive about such things. You would’ve called the cops already.”
“No one ever threatened your life, did they?” She tilts her head.
“Is someone threatening you?” I lean forward. “Just tell me. I know who to contact. I can help you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Things aren’t so simple. You don’t know what it’s like to fear for your life or the lives of your loved ones. And you can’t just run off to your cop friend and solve everything in less than a minute.”
“True, but you can’t just let someone...”
“Go ahead then.” Katherine gives me a challenging look. “Call your cop. See how well that plays out. At best, your boy toy will end up in jail. At worst, well... you’ll never see him again.”
I gape at her, still not quite sure I believe her. The whole thing seems so surreal. And why would Alessandra ever hook me up with such people? “No, there has to be another explanation for this.”
“There isn’t. You can ask Caleb all you want about it. He’ll deny everything. Trust me. Raphael has ways of controlling him. Caleb will never betray him.” She’s clenching her hands into fists. “You don’t know what his life’s like... I could be wrong, though.” She shrugs. “Caleb could actually be one of those who signed up for such a twisted thing, but I doubt it. Raphael is just one of the men who run an elite prostitution ring here. There’s a reason they’re still in business after all this time. They have connections everywhere and means of making sure everyone keeps quiet about it.”
“Wait, how do you know this Raphael guy? Do you know what he looks like? We can find out more about him and get him arrested.” Even if Raphael is bribing other cops or is friends with them, I’m sure my friend Lloyd would find a way to get the justice done.
Katherine licks her lips as if contemplating what to tell me. “Someone took me to one of his parties once.” She picks at her fingernails. “Everyone was wearing masks, so I don’t really know what he looks like, but I heard and saw things that... I don’t really want to talk about.”
That sounds illogical. How could Katherine have ended up at that party and heard such things? Surely no one would be so stupid to talk openly about sexual slavery in front of unknown people, even with masks and everything. “You have to tell me everything. Don’t you get it? We can find a way to help everyone and put those twisted people where they belong. What do they have on you that you’re so afraid of them?”
She takes a deep breath and looks up at me. “Quit being so naïve. I know you’re used to getting your way in almost everything, but if you want to stay alive and don’t want your life ruined, you’ll forget you ever found out anything and stay away.”
“Forget... I can’t just forget! If what you’re saying is true, then we have to do something...”
“Just stay away from Caleb. You’ll do both of you a favor.”
As I stare at her, I wonder if this whole thing is something she came up with to separate me from Caleb, but I’m not sure. I haven’t seen any signs that Caleb was with me against his will... But then I remember the pills. What if Caleb works for Raphael to get the drugs or whatever those pills are? “I sent payments to Caleb. Someone should be able to track that account. I can see if the money is going to Caleb or to someone else...”
“Please, don’t be ridiculous. Those accounts are untraceable.”
“And you know all that from just one party?” I raise an eyebrow at her. “Damn it, Kat. Whatever you tell me about yourself, I promise it won’t leave this room. I’ll never bring it up again, okay?”
She worries on her bottom lip, then finally nods. “Okay. Remember a couple of years ago when I went to Paris for three months and didn’t tell you?”
I’m surprised by the change of subject. “Yeah, of course. I was mad at you for not contacting me, but your parents assured me I’d hear from you when you came back. They said you needed some time for yourself.”
“And you almost didn’t forgive me for that.” A trace of a smile tugs at Katherine’s lips.
“Yeah, but in the end I did. So what does that have to do with any of this?” Will she finally admit that everything she told me is just a story to separate me from Caleb?
“My parents lied to you. And later, I lied too,” she says quietly. “I was never in Paris for those three months. I was kidnapped.”