Page 7 of Maxim

Coming to his office, I smile when I see the stuffed bear sitting behind the lamp on the table in the hallway. As I move closer to grab it, my father’s voice catches my attention.

“Olena would make us a lot of money. It’s a good plan.”

I freeze in my spot. What does he mean I would make him a lot of money? He took all my tips from last night, but they didn’t seem like much. I was surprised people were even leaving them.

“I know I would throw a good chunk of my money to finally get a taste of that virginal snatch.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I recognize the voice. It’s Szymon. I knew he paid a little too close attention to me yesterday. My body shivers in disgust.

My father laughs. “As if you could afford her. No, she will fetch me millions. I already have many associates inquiring about her now that she is eighteen.”

My heart clenches in my chest. I’m eighteen now? I had no idea my birthday had passed. My father never told me when it was. He said birthdays weren’t important. I had no idea how old I was until this moment. It’s why I made sure to remember my siblings’ birthdays. We don’t have any parties or anything, but I always try to sneak them something small. They deserve to know how old they are.

“Han Ma, the Chinese billionaire, took a liking to her last night. He sought her out many times. He commented on her dainty hands. Asians and their interest in small women. I’ll never get it,” another man says.

I don’t recognize this man. He must be the guest Alek said Father was meeting with.

“Must make their cocks look bigger.” Father’s words send all the men into laughter.

My heart hurts as my mind runs through scenarios. There’s no way that he would sell my body, would he?

Last night wasn’t him making me get a job to pay him back for all the years of taking care of me. No, it was a dry run for whatever he has planned.

I swallow hard as I clutch the bear to my chest. Tears fill my eyes.

“I better go. I am meeting with the new guy today,” the man I don’t know finally says, his chair moving.

I don’t wait to hear what else they might say. I hightail it back to the kids’ room.

When I finally slip inside, Daryna squeals, grabbing the bear from me.

“Thank you, Sissy,” she says as she hugs the bear to her chest.

Alek looks at me with a solemn look in his eyes.

“What took you so long?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nothing. Everything is fine.”

He scoffs, looking at his shoes. “Nothing will ever be fine again.”

It’s then that I know that he knows. Whatever is going to happen, he knows about it.

The guilt in his eyes is because he knows and he can’t tell me for fear of what I might do with that information.

I don’t blame him. I can see it as he looks at Daryna.

He can’t save me, but he’s hoping he can save her.

I hope he can too because she’s all he will have when Father does whatever he is planning with me.

How pathetic is it that I am hoping he is planning to prostitute me out but let me stay here?

As I look at the two most important people in my life, I realize that I would be willing to do anything to keep them in my life.

Without them, what would be the point of even living anymore?

Another night and yet another party.