Page 36

The week went by without Trevor touching or speaking to me. The most attention he gave me was to put food and water down in a bowl like I was really a fucking dog. He wouldn't even allow me to take off the fucking mask. I had to drink from a straw and eat with my hands. Every once in a while, he'd come into the room to place a few neatly wrapped gifts under the tree. I hadn't even realized it was nearly Christmas.

Trevor entered the room, holding a small box wrapped in green paper. After setting it down, he walked over to me and unlocked my collar from the chain. The only time he ever did this was when I needed to use the bathroom. But then he unlocked the mask. It slid from my face, and I instantly rubbed my sensitive skin, trying to itch every inch I wasn't able to reach before.

"Are you going to behave?"

I nodded. There was no point in fighting. If I did, someone else I cared for might get hurt.

"Good. Get up and get into the shower." He pointed to a door. "It's in there. I'll show you the rest of the place when you're finished."

There were no sharp objects in the bathroom like usual; after all, suicide would be the only reason why I'd need them anyway. Trevor made sure I had hair removal surgery when I was eighteen. I had no chest hair, ass hair, facial hair, pubic hair, or even leg or underarm hair. I never argued because I wasn't fond of my body hair to begin with.

My body was stiff from not being able to stand for so long and having to sleep curled up in the doghouse, but there was only a stand-up shower, so I wasn't able to soak as I would have liked. After one of the quickest showers of my life, I stepped out of the steam-filled room wrapped in a towel.

"You have an appointment." Trevor tossed me a bundle of clothing: a white crop top with my stage name written in purple jewels and a pair of low-rise bell bottoms. The outfit was paired with white and purple sneakers. Imports. Very expensive.

When I was dressed, he pressed a hand to the small of my back to lead me into the kitchen. It was simple, with white stone countertops, golden floor tiles, and expensive appliances. Beyond it was a dining room with a gold table and chairs. Matching countertops decorated with fake fruit bowls and random wine bottles were set along the walls.

After going back the way we came, we walked down a hallway to a large and open room with a second-floor balcony. There were a lot of modern red seats placed around a fireplace on the far wall with yet another Christmas tree next to it, except this one was gold with red bulbs. A piano sat off in the corner next to a fully stocked wet bar.

I was then escorted to a small elevator, where Hobbs practically shoved me inside and pressed a button for the second floor.When the door opened,I was led to another large room with violet tiles.A pool table with a purple felt top dominated one corner, and a comfortable couch satin front ofa massive, suspended TV.At theveryback of the room wasa massivebed with averysoft-looking purple blanket and white pillows.

Trevor ran a hand along my chin. "This will be our room."

" Our room?"

He smiled. "I never meant to make you feel like you were only a product to me. You will always be my perfect little star. I shouldn't have made you feel like you were a prisoner. We shouldn't have been apart. You and I can live like kings if you only follow your role." His lips brushed against my ear. "You can have it all, Isaac. Just play by the rules."

What other choice did I have? I tried everything. Nothing worked. If I didn't play by his rules, I was sure Vic would be Hobbs' next victim. I nodded slightly, not bothering to put on a fake smile. Trevor pulled me close, kissing the top of my head. "We have places to go."

Right outside the front door of Hobbs' new apartment building was a parked black car waiting for us. Trevor opened the back door for me, and I silently slid inside. He climbed in, too, and the driver was off. It was obvious we were in one of the Nine Rings; I had never seen so many plants in my entire life. Hell, I had never seen so much space in general. There was even a couple walking a dog on the sidewalk. If anything good could happen while I was trapped, I hoped Trevor would get me a pet.

Eventually, we ended up in an area that was more familiar to me. Not because I was going home, but because everything was a bit more crowded. A business district with shops of all kinds. The car stopped at a salon, and Trevor got out to open my door. The driver joined him, holding a pair of bright orange, intact shackles. My heart sank as Trevor clasped them onto my wrists, and I willed myself not to cry. What was the point? My sponsor wasn't going to change his mind. Not until he was sure I was going to behave.

Silently, I followed him inside the salon. Hobbs gave the stylist very specific instructions on how he wanted my hair done. And so, the process to return me to "Starburst" started. The woman lathered in some bleach, tweezed my brows, and cleaned my nails. By the time my hair was processed, toned, and styled, the golden strands were neatly trimmed and slicked back in a small fauxhawk.

"You couldn't get it any lighter?" Trevor demanded as he glared at my new style.

The woman winced. "Black is hard to lift without severely damaging the hair. I toned it as much as I could, but the pigment didn't lift anymore. I didn't want to melt his hair."

"What the hell did I bother paying you for?" Grabbing my arm, he pulled me to the waiting car outside.

Our next stop in the business district was a white building with a bright pink neon sign that read, "Sinful." A grand matching carpet covered by an awning stretched from the road to the front door.

Trevor tugged on my shackles, leading me inside. It was a club. The black walls were a huge contrast to the white exterior, and the grout separating the dark tile floor glowed a vibrant bubblegum shade. A large stage in the center of the room boasted two poles, and cages hung from the ceiling above semi-private booths. A long obsidian bar with a mirror backsplash reflected the entire room as multicolored lights danced over everything, allowing just enough light to see.

"Welcome to Sinful," Trevor said, placing a hand on the back of my neck. "This will be the hottest sex club in all of Top Hill. The upper levels are rooms, of course. And don't worry, my little star, you won't be entertaining anyone in them. Those are for the common folk. You, my dear Isaac, are a star and should be treated like one. You will have your own suite to entertain guests on the top floor. And, of course, they will have to pay top dollar for your time. You will dance and put on a show every so often, but you are to always treat the regular men as if they are beneath you. The more money you make…" He lifted my shackles. "...the sooner you get rid of these. Then, you and I will own this club together. We will train a new star to take your place, and you never have to touch anyone else ever again."

I glanced away, but he gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. "And you can have all the fun you want. Drink, snort a little Nova, and dance. I want you to get these men to spend their money on you. They will be more willing if you partake. Get them to dump their wallets on drinks, and you'd be surprised how often you're not taken up to that suite."

Oh, how I wanted to roll my eyes. Sure, that tactic worked in the Sin District. But it wouldn't work in Top Hill. Only the richest of the rich lived up here. Everyone had money to throw away. Rage burned in my chest. Trevor could afford to live in Top Hill, yet he still wanted to keep me as his little slave.

"Can we go back?" I asked, unwilling to look at the club any longer.

He frowned. "Fine. You will start work tomorrow."