Chapter 5
The whorehouses are all called Paradise and numbered one through four. On the way to Paradise 1 Donna told me about the place and the guy who manages it, Mr. Pratt. Paradise 1 is located in a large old house. It was pretty rundown when Chapman bought it for next to nothing and spent enough money to fix it up at least superficially. Except for the load bearing walls the place was gutted. Now, instead of a living room, dining room and bedrooms there are numerous narrow hallways on both floors and tiny little cubicles just large enough for a twin bed and a washstand. There are four bathrooms now, two on each floor since the women need to take frequent showers. And there’s a small waiting room inside the front door. They try to keep a dozen women in that room waiting for the customers to come in and select a woman to have sex with.
She doesn’t know much about Mr. Pratt. He’s about what might be expected from a guy who runs a whorehouse. He’s a horny bastard in his forties who likes to sample the merchandise. But except for that, as long as the girls don’t piss off a customer he leaves them alone. Donna has had sex with him dozens of times over the years. It bothered her at first but she finally realized it doesn’t matter if she’s fucking him or some guy who just walked in the door. She’s going to get fucked either way and her paycheck won’t be affected since she doesn’t get paid by the fuck.
There are two shifts working at each whorehouse. The girls work from six o’clock to six o’clock on a rotating schedule. Unless something is going on in town and they can’t be spared they get two days off a week but they aren’t always consecutive days. That depends on a lot of things, like the women’s periods which aren’t all that predictable.
On an average night there are about thirty women working at each of the four whorehouses. Only very few of them are local women. The others come from all over the country and are quite malleable because once they reach the low point in their lives that they have no choice but to work at one of the Paradise clubs they’ve definitely descended to the bottom of the food chain.
The day shift goes to work at six in the morning but in the morning and early afternoon the girls usually get a lot of time to sit around in the waiting room waiting for someone to come in and select them. Things don’t start picking up until the late afternoon. After around five or six PM, especially around payday, things start to get busy.
Our visit to Paradise 1 will start at around mid-morning and it’s mid-week so I doubt we’ll have to deal with crowds of horny men when we get there. By the time Donna finished telling me about the first whorehouse on our list we were parking in front of it. She turned her engine off, looked at the place we’re about to visit, sighed and said, “After Tony saved my life out at the farm I never thought I’d be going back into this place again.”
“Bad memories?”
She shrugged and said, “Yeah. I guess. There are a few good memories, like my time with your mother. I would never have survived without her. She was a very special person. But most of the memories I have of my life once Chapman caught me in his trap have been unpleasant. Doing what I’ve been doing for a living for the last eight years or so can be very humiliating, very dehumanizing. There have been so many times since he turned me into a whore I’ve dreamed about killing that son of a bitch ... or myself. I don’t even like to see violence in movies but I’d give anything if I could have been there when Tony put that animal down.”
“There was never a time when you enjoyed it? I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve been thinking a lot about working in a strip club or waiting around in a place like this for some man I’ve never seen before to come in and take me to a little cubicle and have sex with me. I know it’s wrong. But thinking about those things, at least in the abstract, can really get my juices flowing.”
After a brief silence I asked, “Do you suppose that means I’m a ... what’s the term? Oh yeah! A submissive. There must be something not quite right about me. I enjoyed the hell out of having sex with Tony and I loved the time I spent with the sheriff. That can’t be normal.”
She chuckled and said, “I told you Tony was good. And the sheriff! He always asked Chapman for me when he came in to pick up his bribe. Sometimes he’d find out where I was working and actually pay full price to spend the evening with me. I always enjoyed our time together. He was never nasty or mean like so many of the guys I’ve been with. Men who pay to have sex with a woman don’t normally treat her with respect, or at least that’s been my experience.
“And in answer to your question, from what I’ve read and learned from talking to your mother who was an extremely intelligent person, a large percentage of women have submissive tendencies, possibly due to the way most girls are raised. I don’t think I have that particular quirk but I’ve noticed a lot of the women I’ve worked with over the years have it to one degree or another.
“Come on. We better get in there. Pratt is probably staring out the window and wondering what’s keeping us.”
We went to the door and I guess someone had been watching us. The door opened as we were climbing the stairs to the front porch. A large man with a bright smile said, “Donna! We’ve missed you! You finally dragging your lazy ass back to work?”
Donna gave him a hug and replied, “No Howie. I heard you were lowering your rates so I thought I’d come by and see if you’re as worthless in the sack as I’ve heard.”
He laughed and exclaimed, “But Donna! You know I’d never have charged you!”
She stood to the side and introduced me. His smile disappeared and he said, “I’m sorry about your mother, Blair. She was a genuine sweetheart. We all loved her.”
“Thank you Howie.” I’m touched. He sounds like he really means it.
Donna asked if Mr. Pratt is in his office. Howie nodded. Then she asked if there are any customers at the moment. He shook his head and said, “Not yet. But it probably won’t be long.”
“Please put a note on the door saying ‘closed for fifteen minutes and get the girls together in the living room/dining room area. I need to have a talk with them. But first I’m going to invite Pratt. Has he given any clues to how he feels about the coup?”
Howie shrugged and after making sure Pratt is still in his office he quietly replied, “I think he was scared at first. But as soon as he was reasonably certain he wasn’t a target he relaxed. I don’t think he was a fan of Chapman’s. On the other hand, I don’t think he cared one way or the other about the girls or how they were treated. Pratt’s just worried about Pratt.”
“Thanks Howie.”
Donna turned to me and said, “Let’s go talk to the boss.”
As we were walking away we heard Howie ask one of the girls waiting for the customers to start arriving to put the note on the door and lock it. He sent three of the women upstairs to gather up the other women and send them downstairs. He began going from room to room on the ground floor sending all the girls he could find to join the meeting.
We went to Mr. Pratt’s office. Donna knocked and when he said “Come in Donna” we went in. He stood up and greeted us. He obviously remembers Donna. I’m not certain I’d describe his welcome as friendly but he was polite.
Donna said, “Mr. Pratt. Sorry to interrupt you. I’m about to address your girls and I thought you should be there. It’s obvious you’ve heard about the untimely demise of poor Mr. Chapman. I suppose you want to know how this is all going to affect you. We can talk after I’ve addressed the girls if you have any questions.”
As we were turning to leave he said, “You look different, Donna. I’m not sure what it is. You look ... confident I guess. Your new job seems to suit you.”
She smiled and said, “Thank you. I’m a little nervous about having to address all these people. But I’m starting to get used to it. I suppose I am gaining confidence. It must be sneaking up on me. I didn’t even realize it until you pointed it out.”
As we approached the two large rooms where everyone has gathered, Howie said, “I think we have everyone. It’s hard to be certain. Getting them all together in one room is like herding cats.”
He took a few hits from the women closest to him for that remark. When everyone was quiet, Donna gave them basically the same talk she gave at all the strip clubs yesterday. It’s still too soon to offer specifics, like how much money they’ll all be making. But Donna told them their pay will be raised significantly and she also explained the money they’ll be receiving to make up for the inadequate pay and the poor way they’ve been treated since they were employed by Chapman. Then she introduced me and told them that from now on, if they have any questions or any problems my number will be posted on the bulletin board next to Mr. Pratt’s office.
She thanked them for their attention and told them to get their lazy asses back to work. A lot of them are friends of Donna’s and have been worried about her. Many of them stopped us on our way back to the office and told her how glad they are she’s back and that she has a new job. A lot of them were friends with my mother and took a moment to say hello and offer their condolences.
Howie dispersed them, unlocked the door and removed the note. Then he stepped back and let half a dozen men in after apologizing for the delay.
Donna and Mr. Pratt headed back to his office. I stood there and watched in fascination as the dozen women who’s turn it is in the waiting room stood up with smiles plastered on their faces and greeted the customers while waiting to see who gets selected to go to a cubicle to have sex. The process should be incredibly offensive, so why is my pussy getting so wet?
I hurried to catch up to Donna and Mr. Pratt. It’s clear that unlike some of the managers of the strip clubs he has no problem with the changes Tony is putting in place. We talked for a few minutes before Donna said, “I know you must have a lot of questions but Tony has a large crew working everything out. I promise, as soon as we get everything worked out we’ll let everyone know. Until then, feel free to call me if there’s anything you need.”
He escorted us to the door. Donna gave Howie a hug as we were leaving and we went back to the car. As soon as we were seated she said, “That went well. The only one I’m really expecting to have a problem with is Brenda. She’s the bitch who’s as bad as that asshole Anderson, or worse. She’s a fucking sadist. That’s probably why Chapman was so fond of her.”
Paradise 2 was only a fifteen-minute drive away. It’s right on the edge of the warehouse district not far from the waterfront. It doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s an old warehouse, or at least it was. Chapman bought it and left the outside pretty much the way it was when he bought it. Donna said the inside looks very much like Paradise 1 except there aren’t any windows. We parked out front and went inside.
Once again Donna was greeted warmly by the large man at the door. I looked around the waiting room just inside the door. Donna was right. It looks a lot like the one we just left. There are about a dozen naked women sitting around talking. Two customers are there, looking at all the naked female flesh on display and talking with the women as they make up their minds which ones they want. According to Gary, the doorman, security guard, and cashier, there are three more men in cubicles with women doing what they came here to do.
At that moment the door opened and two more men came in. They talked quietly with Gary standing just inside the door and then came into the waiting room. They joined the other two men who arrived before them and looked around but one of the newcomers kept looking over his shoulder at me. After speaking to a couple of the girls the man who seemed to find me so fascinating turned and approached me. With a confident smile on his face he said, “Hello, young lady. My name’s Don. Do you work here?”
I returned his smile and replied, “I work for the company which owns this place.”
“I know it’s a rude question but I can’t help it. I have to ask. How old are you? You look so young.”
“Seventeen, for about another week.”
“Seventeen and you don’t work here. I guess that means there isn’t a chance in hell I could talk you into going into one of these little rooms with me. That’s a fucking shame because you’re hotter than hell.”
Gary started toward us to chase the guy away from me but I find the guy amusing and he’s not bad looking. I waved Gary off and said, “I wouldn’t even know what to charge you.”
“I’m sure we could work something out with the big guy by the door.”
I glanced at Donna. She’s grinning like crazy.
I thought about it for a moment and said, “Let’s go talk to him. Have you been here before?”
“No. I’m in town on business. The gentleman I came in with frequents several of these places from time to time. He suggested we come in this morning. He insisted the women here are delightful. And looking around I must agree. The women I see sitting around the room are very attractive and very sexy. But you caught my eye and I know I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell but damn you turn me on!”
“Let’s go talk to Gary. I don’t even know what they charge people in here.”
Gary watched me and the man trying to get in my pants as we approached. He has a look on his face somewhere between bemused and amused but I don’t think he has decided if I’m going to have the man thrown out or dicker for my services. When we were standing in front of Gary I asked him what the going rate is for the services of one of the women.
Gary ran down the short menu of services offered and the price for each. But before he asked the man what he would like or asked me what I was willing to do with him he said, “I believe I just heard you say you’re just seventeen?!”
I nodded.
He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before saying, “When you started working for Tony people started talking about you. I heard a rumor you were a virgin until a few days ago. Is that true?”
I nodded and said, “Yes. Chapman had me taken out to the farm to punish me or train me or whatever. I was never certain why he sent me out there. I was raped several times my first day there but thankfully Tony saved me before things got out of hand.”
Don, who has been listening in silence, cleared his throat and looking more than a little embarrassed said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know any of that. I would never have...”
I smiled and said, “It’s okay, Don. My first few experiences were pretty traumatic. But I’ve been lucky enough to have two experiences since then which were very exciting, very satisfying. I learned that despite my first few bad experiences I really enjoy sex. And for the last two days my friend and I have been visiting strip joints and whorehouses as a part of our new job of making them better places for the women to work. Much to my surprise, watching women undress to entertain a bunch of horny men, watching them perform lap dances, and now, watching them sitting around a waiting room naked, greeting the men while the men decide who whey want to get to know a lot better and then go off to have sex with them ... for some reason that whole concept has been turning me on. I think I’d like to try it. I don’t want to live my life that way. But I’d like to see what it’s like.”
He looked at me for a moment as if trying to read my mind before saying, “You really don’t mind?”
I shook my head.
Don turned to Gary and asked, “How much would it cost me to take this young woman to a room for an hour?”
“Sorry, Don. While that sounds like fun I have too much to do today. How about half an hour?”
“I’d love to spend the day with you. But I’ll take whatever I can get.”
Gary looked at me for a moment before turning to Donna and asking, “What do you think?”
Donna, still grinning like crazy, replied, “I think it would be a good experience for her. If she’s going to be tasked with improving the lives of working girls I think she should have at least a taste of what it’s like. Just charge the man what you’d charge him for any of the girls working here.”
Gary thought about it for a minute and said to Don, “We don’t normally charge by the hour. I suppose any of the girls might have to take care of two men in half an hour on a busy night. That will cost you a hundred dollars for half an hour. But I’m warning you, you better not hurt her because the guy who owns all the businesses in town which deal in sex is very fond of her. If you hurt her it’s very unlikely you’ll be going home.”
“I wouldn’t dream of hurting her.”
While Don was paying Gary for my services Donna asked, “Which room? I need to give her a quick education.”
Gary pointed down a hallway and said, “The last cubicle on the left is unassigned.”
She turned to me and said, “Come on, slut.”
I chuckled as I followed her. As we were leaving the waiting room the women all stood up and applauded. I turned, smiled and waved at them. As soon as we were out in the hallway Donna gave me a hug and exclaimed, “Crazy bitch! I wasn’t kidding in there. I suppose it’s a good idea for you to have some idea of what the life of a whore is like considering what we do for a living now. But I never thought you’d have the balls!”
I laughed and said, “I probably wouldn’t have if he wasn’t so damn sexy. He seems like a really nice guy.”
“Yeah. But watch yourself. Men who aren’t nice seem to have a knack for making women think they are.”
She took me into the tiny cubicle and told me what would happen if I were a prostitute taking a customer to one of these cubicles. She pointed out the drawer full of condoms in the washstand and the bucket for the used washcloths and towels. She made me promise to use a condom no matter what we do. Then she hugged me and admitted, “I think you’re going to enjoy it. After I got used to the fact that I was a whore I sometimes enjoyed it with the right man. I like your attitude. Sex is fun. Being sexy and being wanted is fun. Turning men on is fun. But be careful. Don’t lose yourself in the fantasies. That never turns out well. Sex can also be very destructive, especially for a young woman.”
She stepped back and said, “I’ll send him back here. Wait until he’s here to get undressed. Guys like to watch you unwrap their present.”
Don entered the room a few minutes later. He doesn’t look quite as confident as he did. I smiled and began to unbutton my dress but he came closer, held my hands away from my dress and said, “I’m having second thoughts. Despite your enthusiasm out there I ... I’m more than a little uncomfortable after hearing what just happened to you. Maybe we should just talk for a while.”
I pulled my hands away and wrapped my arms around his waist. I held him close, looked up at his handsome face, smiled and said, “You really are pretty special, aren’t you. I had that impression from the first words out of your mouth back in the waiting room. It’s too bad you aren’t from around here. I think we could have had a lot of fun. If you’re single, of course. I’m not going to ask because if you’re married I don’t want to know. But I knew right away you’re a nice guy. You’re handsome. That goes without saying. You have a smile that curls my toes. I’m impressed by how confident you are. You sound very intelligent. You’re very impressive.”
He wrapped his arms around me and said, “First, I’m not married. I was. My wife was a cop. She was killed in the line of duty seven years ago, a year after our wedding.”
“I’m sorry. That’s so tragic.”
I reached up, caressed his cheek and said, “Maybe I can take your mind off of it for a short time. I wish it could be longer. Suddenly my recently discovered perverted little fantasy has taken on a whole new meaning. Now I wish I hadn’t told you that the idea of doing this; going to a little cubicle with a man I just met who is paying to have sex with me or getting up on a stage and stripping naked in front of a bunch of horny men turns me on.”
He grinned and said, “No, don’t regret that. The idea of a beautiful young woman like you with the nerve to experiment like this ... damn you turn me on! I think there’s something about you and your attitude about sex that is so refreshing.”
I went up on my toes and kissed him on the lips. Then I said, “I understand prostitutes aren’t into kissing the men they go with. Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
He leaned down and kissed me, a gentle kiss at first. But it quickly became more. I was panting before I finally managed to step back and return to taking off my dress. He didn’t try to stop me this time. He took a step back and began to slowly undress while he watched me. He seemed very impressed when my dress fell open and he discovered I’m not wearing underwear. He moaned and exclaimed, “Oh Christ! You’re perfect! You’re beautiful! I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman.”
“I hope you come to town more often. You’re great for my ego.”
“I may have to move my company here!”
I chuckled and said, “I wouldn’t recommend it. From the little I’ve learned about this town in the last week since my mother died this must be one of the most corrupt towns in the country. Illegal gambling and illegal sex seem to be the biggest industries and everyone in a position to change that is on the payroll.”
He stopped undressing after pulling his slacks down to his knees and looked at me. He’s pretty impressive standing there wearing just his socks and his jockey shorts. I saw the look on his face and I knew I’d screwed up again. I took a step closer, cupped the impressive bulge in his jockeys with my hand and said, “Sorry. Sometimes my mouth moves while my brain is still in neutral. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s okay, Don. So much has happened since my mom died that it doesn’t even seem recent anymore. Really. It’s okay ... I’m okay. I’m looking forward to this as much as you are.”
He’s hesitating again. Me and my big mouth. I dropped to my knees in front of him and finished pulling his pants down. I held them while he stepped out of them and placed them on the bed. Then I leaned forward and kissed the throbbing bulge in his underwear. I pulled his jockeys down to his knees and ordered him to sit on the bed behind him. When he was seated I removed his jockeys and his socks. Then I leaned down over him and began making love to his impressive cock and balls with my lips and my tongue.
I had forgotten all about what Donna said until he was nearing orgasm. I hadn’t required him to put a condom on. I decided I don’t want him to wear a condom. I can’t imagine those things taste very good and what we’re doing is so much sexier without it.
I had just come to that conclusion when he moaned, stiffened up and warned me he’s going to cum. I want that! I want his cum in my mouth. I want to taste him, his essence. It excites me to please him this much. I held his cock in my mouth and let it drain for a minute before I stood up, folded his pants and placed them on a stool in the corner. I noticed neither of us thought to close the flimsy curtain which is supposed to provide what little privacy a couple can have in a tiny little booth like this. I just grinned. I like the idea that anyone passing by can see us.
I went back over to the little bed and he pulled me down beside him. He took me in his arms and kissed me passionately. That impressed me. Even with my limited experience I know how unusual it is for a man to kiss a woman who has just sucked his cock.
We kissed and our hands explored for a few minutes before he turned me onto my back and knelt between my legs. We looked at each other for a long moment before he moved into position over me and gently eased his beautiful cock inside of me. As his cock slowly entered me he groaned and whispered, “God! You’re so hot! So tight! So ... Jesus, Blair! I’ve never...”
I pulled his head down and we kissed like crazy. He kind of scared me there for a minute. The sound of his voice, the look on his face. I think he’s starting to get carried away. I wouldn’t want him to say something he didn’t mean in the heat of the moment, something romantic that might embarrass him later.
Don isn’t as well hung as Tony or the sheriff. But he is well equipped. His cock is between six and seven inches long and I enjoyed every second of the next fifteen or twenty minutes every bit as much as he did. After we both climaxed he lay over me for a long time with his weight resting on his elbows and his knees and his cock slowly going soft inside of me. We stared at each other for the longest time before he whispered, “That was ... that was outstanding. Thank you. Thank you for accepting my totally outrageous offer. Thank you for being so brave. Thank you for being perfect.”
“I was about to say the same to you. That was out of this world.”
We finally separated. I got up and cleaned us both off with a damp cloth. Then he glanced at his watch and said, “We’re on overtime. I don’t know the charge for that but it was worth it.”
I smiled and said, “If there’s a charge I’ll pay it. I feel like I owe you for what you just did.”
We took our time getting dressed. Well, he took his time. I only had my shoes and my dress to put on. After I was dressed I stood there and we just stared into each other’s eyes while he finished putting his clothes on. Just before he finished he said, “You may not believe this. But you’re the first woman I’ve been with since my wife died. I’ve had opportunities but ... I don’t know. I just couldn’t. I felt ... it just didn’t seem right. I’m glad I waited. I let the guy I came in with talk me into coming here. I don’t know why. I’ve never paid anyone for sex before. I guess he caught me at a week moment. I’m never going to forget you, Blair. You’re a very special young woman.”
“And you’re a very special man. I hope when you get home you’re able to open yourself up to living again. I think you deserve it. I think the women living in your hometown deserve it. I’m kinda new at this as you know. Would I be out of line if I were to offer you my number in case you ever come back to town?”
“I’d like that very much.”
I wrote my number down on a scrap of paper from my purse and handed it to him. I thanked him for being so nice and we tried to act like two normal people just returning from a stroll when we returned to the waiting room. There was another round of quiet, good-natured applause when we entered the room. I blushed, but I bowed and said, “Thank you. We deserve that. It turns out we’re both pretty good fucks.”
They all found that amusing. I turned to Gary and said, “I understand we went overtime. You can send me the bill. He was worth it.”
While Don and I were in our little cubicle Donna was working. Because this place is already starting to get busy Donna came up with a solution to having her talk with the women without interfering with business. She asked Gary to send half the women to the breakroom. She already had her talk with the first half. The second half are already assembling in the breakroom when Donna and I joined them.
She gave them the normal talk. She explained, as much as possible, the changes Tony is putting in place and the change in the way they’ll be getting paid effective immediately. She answered a few questions and let them go back to what they were doing.
Donna had just started her talk when a man came in and stood in the back of the room. As the women were leaving after the talk the man approached us with a smile. He gave Donna a hug and said, “I’ve missed you girl! I heard what you went through, what almost happened to you. Thank god for Tony.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you when you arrived. I had to attend a session of Magistrate’s Court. My daughter got arrested for hit and run. Thankfully, it wasn’t her. She loaned her car to a friend who neglected to tell her she scaped a parked car in a parking lot and kept going. Fortunately, when her friend found out my daughter had been arrested she came forward. I don’t know why we had to go to court. Her friend went to the cops and confessed days ago. But oh well. At least now I won’t have to beat my daughter half to death with a baseball bat.”
It’s obvious he’s joking. Donna kissed him on the cheek and said, “I knew you were a child abuser. You beast! Damn! It seems like months since I was working here. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. It’s only been ... hmmm. It has been months! I haven’t worked here for two months! I’m curious. What do you think of the changes Tony’s making?”
“I’m ecstatic. When I first came to work here I knew nothing about Chapman or his policies. The more I found out the more disgusted I became. I felt so dirty when I went home in the evening. I wanted to quit almost from the time Chapman took over after squeezing out the original owner. But every time I discussed it with my wife and told her the kind of shit he was pulling she had the same response. Quit and do what? I was almost as trapped as most of you poor women were. My wife convinced me the best thing I could do would be to do what I could to come between you ladies and Chapman and save as much money as I could so we could get the hell out of this town.
“The problem is, when you’re raising two teenagers there never seems to be enough money coming in. And with college expenses getting closer and closer...”
He paused for a minute and said, “I’m sorry. I’m being stupid. You ladies all had it far worse than me.”
Donna reached out, held his hand and said, “We all knew what you were doing for us, Perry. We knew you were running interference, at least as much as you were able to. And we all appreciated the chances you took on our behalf. So please, lighten up, okay? We’re all grateful for the way you looked out for us.”
Perry turned to me, held out his hand and as we shook hands he said, “I’m sorry about your mother, Blair. She was one of the sweetest women I’ve ever known. It killed me that I couldn’t do more to help her. She put up with a lot. For some reason Chapman seemed to have it in for her. He tried to make us do anything we could to make her life even harder. Most of us ignored him. But Anderson and that bitch Brenda tormented her every chance they got. Your mother was smart and strong. I couldn’t have put up with the shit those three assholes heaped on her. I was tickled pink when Chapman disappeared. It’s a damned shame Anderson and Brenda didn’t go with him.”
Donna made sure no one was listening before she said, “That may still happen. Tony won’t put up with their shit. He’s a good man. No one knew it because he put on that thug act and was very convincing. But he had to or Chapman would have gotten rid of him. He managed to do a lot more than we realized at the time to help us out. And now that he’s in charge he has turned into an actual nice guy! He saved my life a few days ago at great risk to his own. And the world is a better place for the way it turned out.”
I stood back and listened until Donna said, “I guess we need to go. It’s nice to see you again, Perry. Now we have to go do our act at Paradise 3. I’m looking forward to seeing how Brenda takes it. She’s nothing but a female version of Chapman. Once I got used to doing what it is I do for a living now it wasn’t so bad most of the time. But the months when I worked for Anderson and Brenda were pure hell. They made sure of it. I can’t wait to put her in her place. I only wish I could put her in her final place. You know the minute no one’s looking she’s going to enjoy making the lives of the women working in her club hell.”
“Yeah. Not long after I got to know those two assholes a little better I began to wonder if Chapman had himself cloned.”
I was nervous about visiting Paradise 3 at first. But thinking back to the way Donna handled Anderson and Scott yesterday at the strip clubs I’m starting to think this might get interesting.
Donna pulled up in front of another large old house. It’s on the edge of town and it’s the only building in sight. She shut the car off but didn’t get out. She sat there staring at the house for moment before she said, “There’s no way this isn’t going to get ugly. Remember your first impression of Chapman? The kindly, helpful, personable gentleman who was going to take care of you, handle all your legal problems with your mother’s estate and make everything okay. But then he took his mask off and you realized he’s a monster.
“There’s no pretense with Brenda. She doesn’t wear a mask. She’s a stone-cold bitch and she wants everyone to know it. If there’s anything she can do to make someone’s life worse she takes great pleasure in doing just that. I want to try to do this without having to call Tony. But damn! I sure wish I’d thought to borrow his pistol before we left the office. The only advice I can give you is try not to let her get to you and try not to let her scare you, something she’s very good at. You ready?”
I smiled and replied, “I thought I was ready. Now I’m thinking I should wait in the car. Just kidding. So far you’ve really impressed me. I’m pretty sure you can handle her. You sure put Anderson in his place in a hurry. Being with you and knowing Tony has our backs seems to give me more self-confidence than I’ve ever had before. I’m ready to take the bitch down a peg or two.”
Donna smiled at me for a moment and then exclaimed, “Fuck yeah! Let’s do this!”
We went to the door of Paradise 3 and as seems to happen every place we go the door was opened by a large, smiling man who greets Donna like a long-lost sister. They exchanged greetings and after the guy at the door looked back over his shoulder he and Donna hugged. She stepped back and said, “Gordo, this is my partner in crime, Blair. She’s Anna’s daughter.”
Gordo smiled at me and said, “I would have known if you hadn’t said anything. Hello Blair. I imagine you’ve had a lot of people tell you how much you resemble your mother.”
I smiled and said, “It has come up a time or two. I’m flattered. I always thought she was very pretty.”
“She was, she was very pretty. And she was sweet as sugar, one of the nicest people I ever met.”
He looked back over his shoulder again and said, “We heard you were coming of course. I wish you’d brought Tony with you. You don’t need me to tell you she’s a scary bitch.”
I chuckled and replied, “We just came to see how much we can piss her off.”
“I’m pretty sure that won’t be hard to do. She doesn’t take well to being told what to do. She’s in her office. Good luck.”
I followed Donna to a short hallway. At the end of it a door opened into a small office where Brenda’s receptionist/secretary seems to be waiting for us with a nervous look on her face. Donna and I entered her little outer office and the receptionist said, “Hi, Donna. We thought you’d be dropping by. She’s in her office but she’s busy right now. She asked me to tell you to have a seat and she’ll be with you as soon as she can.”
Donna and I looked at each other and smiled. I asked, “Does she have someone in her office?”
The receptionist blushed and shook her head.
“Is she on the phone?”
She shook her head again.
Donna and I smiled at each other and I led the way around the receptionist’s desk and opened the door to Brenda’s office without bothering to knock. We didn’t close it behind us. We want as many people as possible to hear the bitch’s downfall.
Brenda is sitting at her desk reading the newspaper. She jumped to her feet, scowled at me and demanded to know what the hell we thought we were doing barging into her office uninvited. She didn’t quite scream, “Get the hell out of here! I’ll let you know when you can come in here!”
I smiled and as calm as could be I said, “But Brenda, we just came to invite you out to the farm. We saved a special place for you out there. You know, since we’re on the subject, I’m wondering just how many women you sent out there. Do you have any idea?”
She just stared at me in shock. I turned to Donna and asked, “Do you suppose Chapman kept records of that sort of thing?”
She thought about it for a moment before she said, “I don’t know. But there were so many people who didn’t come back from the farm I suppose he wouldn’t want records of that lying around.”
Then she turned to Brenda and said, “Sit down and shut up, Brenda. As you have no doubt heard there’s been a coup. Nobody’s gonna put up with your shit anymore. What we have to find out now is if you can act like a normal human being or if you have to go. Having known you as long as I have and worked for you so many times over the years I’m of the opinion you should be retired. My personal preference is that you be retired with prejudice. If you need me to I can explain the difference to you.
“But I suppose it’s only fair we give you a chance to turn back into a human being. What do you think? Do you even have that in you? And why are you still standing there looking like a bomb that’s about to blow up? I told you to sit down. And while you’re getting comfortable there’s something I want you to keep in mind. The next fucking time you yell at me ... or anyone else for that matter, I’m just going to say the hell with it, you aren’t worth trying to salvage. How about it, Brenda? Do you think you can act like a fucking human being?
“Personally, I have my doubts so you’re going to have to convince me. I’m reasonably certain we’ve straightened out Anderson and Scott. You should have been there when we visited Scott. He was so scared he pissed his pants. I almost had to bite my tongue off to keep from laughing out loud. So far everyone else has been happy about the changes. They didn’t like the way Chapman ran everything. They didn’t like the way they were forced to treat these women. It’s just you three sick fucks who got off on it.”
Brenda stood mute. She looks incapable of answering though the question didn’t seem all that difficult. There was a long pause before Donna said, “I guess that’s our answer. Let’s go, Blair. That was pretty much what I expected from that sadist.”
We turned toward the door and in a suddenly very quiet tone of voice Brenda said, “No, wait, please. I ... please, give me a minute.”
“Why, Brenda? You knew we were coming. Did you think you, and only you, were going to be able keep treating those poor women they way you have been? I remember vividly all the time I’ve spent putting up with your sadistic shit over the years. All the way over here in the car I was thinking there’s no way you can change. You don’t have it in you. I’ve been looking forward to leaving here and calling Tony so he can straighten you out the same way he straightened out Chapman and the most recalcitrant of his men.
“So, what is the point of us waiting? We all know you can’t change.”
After a long pause, Brenda looked up at Donna and said, “Yes, I knew you were coming. And I heard about Anderson and Scott ... and Chapman. Unfortunately, I think you’re right. I don’t think I can change. I could probably try but I know I can’t. This, the way I treat these women, that’s me. That isn’t an act. That’s who I am. I guess you’re right. It’s time for me to retire. I’ll be gone in an hour.”
“Okay, Brenda. You have an hour.”
We turned around and left her office, shutting the door behind us. Brenda’s receptionist is staring at us in awe. As we passed her desk and headed for the door she whispered, “Thank you.”
Donna looked back and said, “Believe me, it was my pleasure.”
When we got to the front door Gordo looked at us, smiled and exclaimed, “You survived! I thought she’d be calling me back there to haul your bodies out.” Donna smiled and said, “You’ve been working here for a long time, Gordo. How’d you like a promotion?”
That took him by surprise. He just stared at Donna for a moment before she said, “She said she’d be gone in an hour. Do you think you could run this place ... and run it right. You always treated us right when I was here. The women seem to like you. You probably know more about how this place operates than anyone else. You always filled in for her whenever she was out. Think you’re up for it?”
It seemed to take him another minute or two before he snapped out of his trance. He finally responded, “And I can run it right? I can treat the women like they deserve to be treated?”
Donna nodded and asked, “Do you know of anyone who could take your job? You’ve always been more responsible for the day-to-day running of this place than Brenda. It’s going to have to be another big guy like you with personality and a heart. Because these women are all going to be treated with respect from now on.”
“I do know someone. He worked for Scott for two weeks but he couldn’t take it. He had to quit before he broke Scott’s fucking neck. He’s a good man and he’s available.”
“Call him. And as much as possible try to keep an eye on Brenda. I wouldn’t want her running off with anything she shouldn’t.”
“You got it.”
With that taken care of we asked him to gather half the women in the breakroom so we can talk to them. While we were waiting I exclaimed, “Damn, Donna!! You really handled that bitch! I’m impressed.”
“You got us off to a great start. I loved the way you handled the receptionist. But when we barged in on Brenda and you said we were just here to invite her out to the farm ... damn! That really put everything in perspective. She never really recovered from that threat. I was really impressed.
“Now, you’ve heard me give this talk so many times I’m sure you can handle that, too. I need a break and I hate speaking to large groups of people. It terrifies me. Let’s see if you can impress me some more.”
I took a deep breath and told myself if I can put Brenda in her place I should be able to give a lot of good news to a bunch of women. I took a speech class in my senior year of high school but I never thought I’d ever have to give one once I got out of school. I think I can handle this.
We went down a narrow hallway to the breakroom. When it appeared half the women are there Donna nudged me toward the front of the room. It took a moment for everyone to quiet down. When they did I introduced myself and started off with the news that Brenda is no longer managing Paradise 3.
There were many loud gasps from the audience. When they settled down again I told them Gordo is the new manager. They were obviously excited about that.
I then told them about all the changes being put into place. I told them they would now be receiving a living wage commensurate with the wages women in their line of work are earning throughout the nation. I also told them about the back pay they’ll be receiving once we can figure out how much they all have coming based on how long they worked for Chapman. I promised them they’d be treated the way they deserve to be treated from now on but I think they’re already aware of that after hearing Brenda is out and Gordo is in.
I told them they’d be getting regular days off from now on and any of them who are working here against their will like Donna and my mother were are free to return to their lives. There will never be another woman working here against her will. I gave them my number and asked them to call me if they have any questions, any suggestions, or any complaints. Then I asked if there are any questions. There was only one. One of the women stood up and asked, “Are you ... someone said ... are you Anna’s daughter?”
I replied that I am.
She came to the back of the room where I’m standing. She took my hand and with tears running down her cheeks she quietly said, “Your mother saved my life. She was the bravest woman I ever met. She came between Brenda and us more times than I could count. And she was the kindest and sweetest woman on the planet. I’m so sorry for your loss. It was a loss for all of us. She was special. I know she’s in heaven now.”
I gave her a hug and thanked her. I don’t believe in a supreme being or life after death. But it was a sweet thing to say.
They all went back to work and over the next ten minutes or so the other half filed in. While we waited for them to come in and settle down Donna told me I had done an excellent job. I thought so, too! By the time I was halfway through my talk I had calmed down and I was comfortable. It was just like I was talking to people! Once I realized that I was much more at ease.
It took longer for the second group to settle down. A lot of them had learned who my mother was and they came up to me and hugged me and told me how much they loved her. It kind of helped me. I even felt a little more comfortable about what she has been forced to do for the last ten years when I heard how well she handled it and how well she held onto her dignity despite the horrible life she was forced to live.
I gave the same talk to the second group. Then we spoke with Gordo and asked if he had any questions. He seemed pretty confident and said he thinks he has everything under control. He told us he’s happier than he can say about Tony taking over and Donna and I assisting him.
I gave Gordo my number and he escorted us to the door. His replacement is already in place! We spoke briefly. Then we went out to the car. We got in, Donna started the car and turned the AC on. While the car cooled down she called Tony to let him know about all the changes at Paradise 3. She gave me far too much credit for putting Brenda in her place but I suspect he realized that. He was amused when Donna told him I started things out by inviting Brenda to take a ride out to the farm and how that seemed to really throw her off balance. That amused Tony.
That leaves Paradise 4. Before she pulled away from the curb Donna told me about the place and the manager, Red. Paradise 4 is slightly more upscale than the other three but nowhere near on a par with the upscale strip club to which we were given memberships last night by the impressive Mr. Paul Butler. I haven’t had a chance yet to read all that paperwork we were handed. I still don’t even know the name of the place!
I interrupted Donna’s description of Paradise 4 to ask her if she knows. She grinned and asked, “Would you believe Pussy Galore?”
I laughed and responded, “No fucking way!”
She said, “No, that isn’t what it’s called. But that would be a good name for the company Tony now runs. As far as I know the company doesn’t have a name.”
I nodded but said, “It would be appropriate. But it would be likely to draw unwanted attention from people he won’t want looking us over.”
“Yeah. It’s a shame, though. I think it would be neat to have that printed up on a bunch of business cards. Kidding aside, the real name of Paul’s club is Queen of Hearts. Some of the women working there when they opened it suggested it should be called the Queen of Heartbreakers but I’m told Paul said he didn’t want to scare the customers away.”
Donna pulled out onto the road and as soon as she were on our way I said, “It’s a shame we were so damn tired last night. I was going to have you teach me how to do a striptease.”
“That still turns you on does it?”
I sighed and said, “Maybe it’s because I seem to be surrounded by sex and sexuality lately. But yeah. Lately I seem to spend a lot of time horny. I suppose since I’m a teenager that’s pretty normal.”
She glanced at me, then reached over and held my hand. When I turned to see what’s on her mind she said, “I forget you’re just a teenager! Jesus, Blair! You’ve been through so much and come out of it so strong. I don’t think I’ve ever met a girl more impressive than you. But thinking about your mother I think I know where you get it from. I know she’d be so proud of you if she could see you now.”
I had to turn and look out my window and take a deep breath. What she said and the emotion with which she said it brought tears to my eyes. I wiped my eyes, pulled myself together and said, “You were saying about Red and his club?”
“Red’s okay. He’s not the best, he’s not the worst. I won’t go so far as to say he’s a nice guy but he didn’t go out of his way to make our lives any harder and he didn’t seem to take pleasure in it when he was forced to enforce Chapman’s rules. I could be wrong but I imagine he’s going to be happy about the changes Tony’s making.”
I glanced at the clock in the dash and was shocked. I asked her if she had any idea what time it is. She glanced at the clock and exclaimed, “Holy shit! No wonder my stomach is growling! Well, this is the last whorehouse on the list. We might as well get it out of the way. Tomorrow we can hit the casinos. They should be easy. That will just leave the three underground shows. They don’t open the doors until nine PM. They start out with a nasty sex show which usually lasts an hour but sometimes lasts longer. Then the guys get two hours to stick their dicks in any hole of any girl they want. It’s always disgusting. They rut like pigs. The women aren’t even people. We’re just warm holes they can stick their cocks in.”
“Three?! I thought there was just one!”
“There used to be but they were turning such a profit Chapman opened two more a few years ago. The guys enjoy the often nasty shows but I’m pretty sure the big draw is the no holes barred orgy which takes up the last two hours. They charge those guys five hundred dollars to watch a show and then fuck as many of the women as they can in the time that remains before they close.”
“And Tony’s okay with that. He’s going to keep them going?”
She shrugged and said, “I guess I understand it as a business decision. Each of those clubs take in an average of twenty thousand a night plus what they take in for alcohol sales. That means altogether they average out to just under a hundred thousand a night and it costs him next to nothing, although that will go up slightly when the pay raises go into effect.”
“What if the women refuse to work the shows? He said no one will be forced to do anything they don’t want to do.”
“Oh yeah! I forgot about that! Let’s have a talk with him when we get back to the office. I hate those damn shows they’re disgusting.”
Paradise 4 is a lot like Paradise 1. It’s in a large old house sitting out all by itself with a large parking lot out front. It was gutted and turned into a whorehouse. The doorman opened the door when we rang the bell but he didn’t let us in. He apparently doesn’t recognize Donna. He politely said, “Yes? How can I help you ladies?”
Before we could answer he looked us both over and asked, “Are you here looking for work?”
Donna said, “We’re here to see Red. Would you please tell him Donna is here from Cha ... Tony’s office.” “Red’s out of his office at the moment. May I ask what this is in reference to?”
Before Donna could say anything I politely responded, “Certainly. You can tell him if he doesn’t get his ass out here it’s about hiring a new manager and doorman for this fucking whorehouse. Is that clear enough?”
He turned dark red, picked up a phone on the desk behind him and spoke quietly into it for a minute or two. He held the phone to his ear for a long moment before hanging it up, turning back to us and politely saying, “I apologize, ladies. Please come in. Red is in his office. I’ll have someone show you the way.”
Donna said, “I know the way.” She pushed past him and I followed her. We went through his small space and through another door which led to the waiting room. We paused in the waiting room and Donna looked around at the dozen naked ladies sitting there. Several of them jumped up and came running over to hug Donna. In loud, excited whispers one of them said, “Jesus, Donna! What the hell is going on?! First there was a rumor going around that you were taken to the farm for your last movie. Then we heard Chapman got a first-class ticket to the happy hunting ground. Yesterday evening we started getting calls from some of the girls at the other clubs who said ... I don’t know. It was crazy! Are you running this show now?!”
“God no! Oh, Lisa, this is Anna’s daughter, Blair. Blair, I have no idea who this dumb broad is. But I think I like her.”
Lisa grinned and said, “That’s too bad. I can’t stand you.”
I said to Lisa, “Smart woman. She’s a terrible person. I’d avoid her if I were you. In answer to your question, Tony is running the show now. Donna and I are working for him. We’re touring all the clubs to let everyone know the changes Tony is putting in place. If you’re hearing rumors about Donna you may have heard about some of the changes.”
“I heard it. I didn’t believe it.”
“Believe it. It’s true. We’re here to let you all know what’s going on. Right now, we need to have a talk with Red. We were expecting a better reception here than we got. The doorman gave us some static so we need to see what kind of reception we’re going to get from Red.”
One of the women said, “I think Red is in his office with one of the girls. He usually spends some time with one or two of us every night. He calls it his equipment check. No one’s sure if he means his equipment or ours.”
Donna shook her head and said, “I forgot about those equipment checks.”
She turned to me and said, “Come on. Let’s go surprise Red.”
I followed her to his office. No one is sitting at his receptionist’s desk, probably because it’s so late. Donna didn’t even hesitate. And she didn’t knock. She crossed the small room, threw the door to Red’s office open and we stood there in shock. Red has a young woman bent over his desk and he’s just drawing back his arm to spank her ass with his thick leather belt. Judging from the color of her ass and the sound of her crying he’s been at it for a while.
Red’s head spun around when he heard us come in. He roared, “What the hell are you...”
His face turned as red as his hair. He lowered the hand with the belt in it, released the woman he was holding on the desk, straightened up and turned to face us. He looked back and forth between us for a moment before he quietly said, “Hello Donna. It’s been a while. I heard you went back out to the farm.”
“Is that the last thing you heard, Red?”
“I heard you weren’t coming back.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve heard Chapman has retired?”
He shrugged and replied, “I heard rumors.”
“They aren’t rumors, Red. What are you doing?”
He glanced at the woman still draped across his desk and said, “She’s new. I need to straighten her out.”
I went over to her and helped her up. She doesn’t look any older than fourteen or fifteen! I put my arms around her and asked him, “How new, Red?” “She started tonight.”
“Where did you get her from?”
“Who the fuck are you?!”
“I’m the girl who’s going to decide if you survive tonight. So far the odds are against it.”
He blanched, turned back to Donna and asked, “Who the hell is this broad?!”
Donna smiled and said, “I thought she just made that pretty clear. Have you been out of town, Red? Or has everyone you know just suddenly stopped talking to you?”
“Yeah. I just back from a funeral in Canada. My mother married a Canuck and moved up to Canada with him. She died a few days ago. I just got back this evening.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Where did you get her? How did you get her?”
“Dumb cunt was hitchhiking. I offered her a job.”
“Doing what?”
He grinned and responded, “Helping out around the house.”
He seems pretty fucking proud of himself!
“So, you kidnapped her and you’re holding her against her will. You tried to rape her and she resisted. When we walked in you were trying to beat her into submission. Is that about right?”
“Who the fuck are you?!”
“I already explained that Red. I wasn’t joking around. I’m the girl who’s going to decide if you survive tonight.
“I’ll try to explain in small words so you can understand. First, has no one told you Chapman has taken an early retirement?”
He glared at me for a moment before he snarled, “Bullshit! Chapman didn’t retire. He runs this fucking town. He ain’t going nowhere.”
“If you’d like I can take you out to the farm. You can bring a shovel and try to find his retirement home. He turned toward Donna and said, “This broad is full of shit, right? And who is she?!”
Donna shook her head and said, “I never had a very high opinion of you Red. But it’s dropping like a rock. Do you remember Anna?”
He thought about it for a minute and finally nodded and said, “Yeah, I think so.”
“This is her daughter, Blair. Now, do you know Tony?”
He nodded and said, “Yeah, he’s one of Chapman’s thugs. I guess, that’s the only Tony I know.”
Donna turned to me and nodded. Red looked back at me and I said, “Tony doesn’t work for Chapman any longer. No one works for Chapman now. He no longer exists. Tony is now in charge and he is putting major changes in place. Donna and I work for Tony. We have been going around explaining all the changes Tony is putting in place. That’s why we came here this evening. But I think there’s going to have to be another change at Paradise 4, a change we weren’t expecting. There’s a lot of nasty shit happening in this town. But this, you went too far tonight.”
I turned to Donna and asked, “Should we let Tony handle him or call the sheriff?”
“I’ll call Tony and let him decide.”
As she was pulling her phone out of her purse she asked the girl, “What’s your name, honey? How old are you?”
“Emma. I’m fourteen.”
“Why were you hitchhiking? Where did he pick you up?”
“He picked me up in upstate New York. I was running away.”
“Why?”
“My stepdad. He started ... doing stuff. I told my mom but she believed him, not me. I had to get out of there.”
“Okay. Put your dress on. We’re going to take care of you. No one’s going to hurt you or threaten you anymore. Okay?”
“Thank you.”
Donna went out into the outer office and closed the door. Red finally started putting his clothes back in order. When he was fully dressed he stared at me for a long moment before he said, “I’ve never done this before. I’ve never hurt anyone before.”
“Bullshit! In one way or another you’ve been hurting all those women out there. You take advantage of them every fucking day and you rape them all on a regular basis. Women aren’t even people to you. Their just warm things you can use to amuse and satisfy yourself. I’m curious, Red. Are you married?”
“Not anymore. She left me when I took this job.”
“That should have told you something. I wonder how many times you raped my mother over the years, Red. Chapman pretty much owned her for almost ten years. Ten years of rape and humiliation. It’s a good thing I didn’t think to ask Tony for his gun when I left his office this morning. I think of the life you men forced on my mother and all these other women and the life you were attempting to force on this fourteen-year-old girl and it occurs to me I’d get a lot of satisfaction from emptying Tony’s gun into you. I don’t even like to kill bugs. But you disgust me. You say you’ve never done anything like this before. I don’t think I believe you. I really believe you have it coming.”
He shook his head and mumbled, “No. I swear it. I never forced myself on anyone before.”
“What about your little ‘equipment checks?”
“That was, that was just ... that’s like one of the perks of the job. All the club managers do it!”
“No, Red. No, they don’t. I’ve met them all. Most of them are pretty nice and do what little they can to make life a little easier for the girls. The girls even seem to like most of the managers. I only had to spend two minutes in your waiting room to learn what the women who work for you think of you. I can pretty much guarantee there aren’t going to be any statues of you erected in this town.”
He stood there thinking in silence for a few minutes before it looked like all the starch suddenly went out of him. He looked at me again and asked, “Is Tony going to ... am I going to die tonight?”
“If he had been with us this evening ... if he had walked in and seen what you were doing to this girl you’d probably be dead already. But Tony has been doing what he can to make life better for people lately. He saved Donna’s life and he saved me. He has Donna and me out here making sure all the managers are aware of the changes he’s making. The women are all to be protected and treated with respect. Never again will anyone force a woman into this line of work or force a woman who works in one of these places to do something she’s unwilling to do. The man responsible for treating women the way they’ve been treated up until yesterday is now fertilizing a field.
“Would like to know how I lost my virginity, Red? I’m seventeen-years-old. Chapman sent me out to the farm after my mother’s funeral. I’m not sure why. I guess to train me or break me or just because I was a seventeen-year-old virgin and he wanted to make some money from all the perverts who buy his movies. I was raped and humiliated and then two huge men tied me to a bench and forced their cock into my mouth. After they both came in my mouth they adjusted the bench I was tied to and another man brought in a huge dog. At that point in my life I was still a virgin, or at least I still had my hymen and my butt had yet to be penetrated by a cock. They helped that dog rape my mouth. When that beast finished with me they led him away, adjusted the bench again and another huge dog came in and raped my ass. Then they adjusted the bench and another huge dog came in and raped my still virgin vagina. I know you’d love to see the movie they made, wouldn’t you? I bet you have copies of all the movies Chapman made, don’t you?”
He blushed and shook his head but he can see I don’t believe him. He hesitated, then shrugged and almost whispered, “He has free copies of all his movies sent to all his managers if we request them.”
“Tell me, Red, what do you think should happen to you for kidnapping a young girl in order to force her to work in a whorehouse, stripping her and beating her with a belt and attempting to rape her before you start selling her to your customers? What would you suggest would be an appropriate punishment for something like that?”
He went over, sat at his desk and opened a drawer. I wondered for a moment if he was going for a gun. But he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a tall glass. He filled the glass with whiskey and began taking large gulps. He had almost finished the glass when Donna finally came back into the room. She looked at Red, smiled and asked, “Suicide by booze?” He just looked at her for a long moment before he asked, “Is Tony on his way?”
Donna glared at him and replied, “He isn’t sure what he’s going to do. He said he hasn’t seen you much in the last year or two but he used to think you were a pretty decent guy. I explained to him that you were probably nice to him because he carries a gun and he could beat you to a pulp without breaking into a sweat. I’ve worked for you for years and you’ve always been an arrogant asshole who took pleasure in our suffering.
“He wants to talk to you. For some reason he seems to think you have some value. He’s really pissed about the girl, though. If he does let you live I expect there’s going to be some kind of penance to pay for that.”
Emma cleared her throat and quietly asked, “May I say something?”
Red looks like he’s going to panic. He’s obviously certain Emma is going to argue for the death penalty. Instead, she said, “I really appreciate what you two have done. It’s just ... I can’t ... I don’t want anyone to die. He’s not a nice man. I think he deserves some punishment for what he did to me, and for what he planned to do to me. But I wouldn’t want that on my conscience. Maybe he can learn from this. Maybe he can be better.”
Donna and I turned to Red and after a moment Donna asked, “What about it, Red? Do you suppose that buried somewhere deep inside of you is a decent human being? I have to admit I’m skeptical. You’ve enjoyed your power trip here for far too long. I can’t believe it’s not a part of you now. What do you think?”
I was more than a little surprised to see tears running down his cheeks. He didn’t answer for a very long time but finally, without looking up he quietly said, “God I hope so ... I hope I can change. But I’ve been sitting here thinking about ... about me. You were right earlier, Donna. I have been an arrogant asshole. I was a bully in school. I was ... if there was a time in my life when I was a good person I can’t remember it. Maybe you’re right. Maybe taking me out to the farm is what I deserve.”
Donna stared at him for a long moment before she said, “I told Tony that’s what I thought should happen to you. But Tony has been feeling bad about all the people who have died around here because of him during the coup. Not everyone. He has no problem with what happened to Chapman and a couple of his men. But he thinks there has been more than enough killing and raping in this town and he wants to put a stop to it. I don’t necessarily agree with him, not totally. I understand how he feels but you’re going to have to change, Red. I don’t care if it takes a lobotomy, you have to straighten your shit out. You’ve caused an awful lot of suffering in the world. And this, what you intended to do with a young girl, I don’t care what Emma says, I could kill you with my bare hands right now.”
After a long silence during which Red finished gulping down his tall glass of alcohol he sat there staring at his empty glass and said, “Maybe that would be the best solution.”
I sighed and asked, “So you don’t think you can change?”
“I’d love to be able promise you I will. But I think something must be missing in me. Donna was right. I did ... I do enjoy the power I have over these women. I have always enjoyed treating them the way I have. And yes, it did turn me on. How does a person as warped as I obviously am just decide to turn into a decent human being?”
Donna, Emma and I all gave up on Red. We took seats and waited for Tony in a silent room for another twenty minutes. When Tony finally arrived he had another man with him. He introduced Jim Porter, a large but well proportioned and very handsome black man not even Donna has seen before and I thought she knew everyone. He looks a little young for the job but he appears to be confident and competent.
Red glanced up at Tony for a second and then went back to staring at his empty glass. Tony said, “I gather from the atmosphere in here the girls were unable to make a decent man out of you, Red. I don’t think you’re any worse than a couple of the others who I’m pretty sure I can control.
“But I guess leaving you in charge here would be too much temptation. Jim is going to be your replacement. You may be a terrible person, Red, but except for the way you treated these women you’ve been a good manager. I want you to spend a week training Jim. At the end of that week, he’ll take you over to the Central Supply Depot and train you in his old job, running the depot and making certain the clubs don’t run out of supplies. Or, if you’d prefer, you can quit and go find work elsewhere.”
Red looked up at Tony. He looks surprised. After a moment or two he exclaimed, “Really?! I thought you were going to kill me!”
“I thought about it. Donna suggested that would be the best solution. She didn’t think you should remain here and she was reluctant to just turn you loose on society in general. And she’s furious about what you were doing to that girl. Rightfully so. Two or three days ago I’d have put you or anyone else down like a mad dog if I heard of them doing to any woman or girl what you were planning to do to her. But I’m sick to death of all the killing. I’m warning you, though, there are women who will be working for you at the Depot. If I start getting complaints there’s still plenty of room out at the farm for another body.”
“I give you my word, Tony. I’m going to become a better person. I know I’m largely responsible for the kind of person I’ve become. But I think working for Chapman and running a club like this had something to do with how I turned out, too. If it turns out I can’t change I’ll drive out to the farm, dig a hole and put a bullet in my head. You’ll just need to have someone throw some dirt over me.”
Tony turned toward us and asked if his plan satisfied us. Emma quietly responded, “Yes, sir. I don’t want anyone killed over me.”
He looked at me and I said, “He’s been an asshole all his life. But I think having someone finally call him on it and removing those influences which reinforced his inclinations to do things he shouldn’t may work. And if not, I’ll go out there and throw dirt on him for you.”
Tony is obviously amused but he managed to control his urge to smile. He turned to Donna. She just stared at Red for a long moment before she quietly said, “Just like all the women Chapman pretty much owned I worked for Red on and off for eight years. He was just as bad as Anderson and nearly as bad as Brenda. He went out of his way to make our lives hell. And he enjoyed it. Treating us the way he did made his dick hard. But I can’t forgive him for what I saw him doing to Emma when we got here and I opened his office door.
“I understand how you feel, Tony. And there has been a lot of bloodshed in and around this town lately. I’m surprised they haven’t sent in the National Guard. Maybe taking away his temptations will work. I guess we’ll see.”
After a short pause she said, “I know this isn’t the time or place. But if you’ll let me I’d like to revisit a topic I brought up earlier.”
Tony rolled his eyes and said, “I knew you would. The underground shows, right?”
She nodded.
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about it. They rake in a lot of money. But I finally decided you were right. And I have to be careful. I don’t want to turn into another Chapman. I’m going to close them down.”
“Thanks, Tony.”
Tony turned to Emma and asked, “And now, what do we do about you, young lady? Donna made a very good argument for not returning you to your family. Tell me, sweetheart, where were trying to go? Do you have people somewhere you trust to take care of you?”
“No, sir. I wasn’t running to anywhere. I was just trying to get away from ... something bad.”
Tony sighed and said, “I understand. And my conscience wouldn’t let me put you back in that situation. But...”
“Tony.”
He turned toward Donna, smiled and asked, “You have a suggestion?”
“Maybe. I haven’t talked to her about it yet. But if she would like she could come and stay with me and Blair.”
Everyone turned to look at Emma. She looked at Donna and asked, “You wouldn’t mind? I like you. You and Blair. You guys saved me. I promise I’ll be good and try very hard not to be a burden if you...”
Donna smiled and said, “That settles that. I bet the sheriff can help us get all the paperwork we’ll need to get custody and get her in school. He knows ever crook in town.”
Emma started crying, got out of her chair and threw her arms around Donna. Through her tears she kept whispering, “Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll be good and I’ll do everything I’m told. I swear it.”
Donna hugged her and with tears running down her cheeks she said, “And I promise not to beat you too often.”
“Why is it I’m not scared? Oh yeah, because I heard how much you hate that man for what he was going to do to me. You make me feel safe for the first time in a long time. Thank you so much. Both of you.” The room was quiet for a long time before Tony said, “I was going to suggest the three of us take Jim to dinner at the Palace but since Emma is now a part of the family I guess that’s out.”
“The Palace? I never heard of it. Where’s that?”
Tony chuckled and said, “That’s where you caught the eye of Paul Butler.”
“Donna told me it’s called the Queen of Hearts! It’s not on anything or on any of the paperwork they gave us. And how did you know about Paul?!”
“Sorry. I’ve been calling it the Palace since the first time I saw it. And Paul is a good friend. I can’t imagine why he’d have anything to do with a gnarly old thug like me but we’ve been friends since he told Chapman to keep his damned hands off the club or get another manager. I was very impressed.
“He called me to ask about you. You really got his attention. But don’t worry, I didn’t tell him any of the bad things I know about you.”
“He’s still interested?!”
“Very. He’s a nice guy, Blair. I strongly suggest you call him. I think you two would be a good couple.”
Epilogue
I could keep going but I’m running out of bad guys. And in a story with not nearly enough sex the addition of Emma to the cast will make that problem even worse so it’s time to put an end to this.
The first thing that happened when Tony’s changes were put in place was that almost half the women quit. Fortunately, nearly half the women who quit discovered either they missed the work or they missed the increased income, an income they were unable to match outside of the clubs even if they found work and a lot of them couldn’t. They returned to working in the clubs and were much happier there now that Tony is in control. That left more than enough women in the clubs, especially after the demise of the underground sex clubs.
Blair and Paul Butler became a couple. She doesn’t spend any more time in whorehouses having sex with strangers. But Paul had a couple of his strippers teach her how to undress on stage. He bought her some costumes and once or twice a month she puts on a show at Paul’s club. She and Paul think of it as foreplay.
Donna became, at least for the time being, Tony’s right hand woman and Emma’s single mother. But Donna’s a smart, talented woman who knows the business. She’s successful and a definite catch. Once she recovers from all the trauma she experienced I know she won’t be single for long.
Tony isn’t a very good millionaire. He put the money he recovered from Chapman’s accounts in his own foreign accounts but accept for the money he put back into the business and the money he used to try to atone for Chapman’s sins he doesn’t touch it. He pays himself a modest salary and lives modestly.
I still don’t understand why the Feds haven’t put an end to all that unless Trump got reelected and kept his promise to shut down the FBI.
The End