NOTE: *trigger warning* mention of rape; unwanted touching.
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Your Perspective

💋

I drop the envelope of money onto the table. It's Sarah's red wood, her favourite colour, her favourite scent. But now, the room and the table smells of Duke. I'm sure the envelope I drop will eventually smell of him too.

"There's the money."

Duke twirls in his chair like a child playing. His eyes are smiling in lines along with his mouth, his brows cocked. "Money?"

"The 7k Jin owes you."

Duke takes the envelope in his hands. Peeking in, the man with the broad shoulders and large chest makes chuckles. All his muscles move while mine tense in front of the table.

If he weren't such a tool, his body, face, and adorable smile would count to be attractive.

I walked into the room so bravely this new day, this new evening. But now, seeing the way he smiles, looks, and lays my body out to be a piece of meat makes me shrivel pathetically.

"Today is the last day available for Jin to see me. I know he technically had a month before giving the money, but I choose to give you it now. I don't want him paying for me." I am fast with my words, letting everything off my chest in a hurry while I look at Duke—straight in the eyes.

"Oh sweetheart," Duke purrs, laughing when seeing 7k stuffed terribly in such a large envelope. The money is close to emerging out and falling to his feet. "Two things..."

My brows furrow lightly. "What two thin—"

"First, Jin owes more than 7k," he pouts but he doesn't mean it. Duke is mocking me, and I get shocked. "Second," he continues, "May I ask where you've suddenly got all this money?"

"How much does he owe?" My voice is wavering. I'm defeated. Duke manages to make my brave stature into complete jelly.

"Answer my question and I'll answer yours." He sounds a little harsh when he says this. I wonder if he's scared of me possibly being stable outside of this place.

"It's from my savings..." I trail off and he pouts again. "Aw," He coos, "Is this the money that would've gotten you out of here eventually?" I say nothing because I know he isn't sad about it.

"Answer my question," I say with a demand.

The man leans forward. He leans to his table and I watch the snickering play in him grow. He looks at my body again while saying, "10k."

My heart falls in my chest. "I-I can't give you anymore."

"I'll have him pay me the remaining," Duke shrugs, throwing his back into the cushions of the seat he sits on. He looks at the envelope once more before laying it out on the desk.

The money falls a little, like snow on a mountain, as it scatters out.

"No." I say this, jaw clenching. "I don't want him paying."

"I need the remaining 3k," he's still staring at my body while saying this.

"I," I swallow, feeling tears at my eyes, "I'll find a way to pay that off slow, don't bring Jin into this." I'm still not over how much Jin had agreed to in the first place; a part of me thinks of his caring, genuine, and loving side I feel for.

"Pay me slow?" His tongue pokes at  his cheek. His gazes still trying to unclothe me.

"Yes. I'll stay here as well," I have trouble saying this. I want to go back into my room and cry. That's what I was doing last night and it seemed to help...

His brows cock, "I was sure I heard a rumour of you leaving soon."

"Did that scare you?" I taunt, "I know Sarah allows us to leave whenever we want."

He then smirks largely. "Yes, well, Sarah isn't running this place right now, is she?" He moves his head around, trying to act like he's finding someone. "I don't see her, do you?"

I'm angry. "Are you even trying to find her?"

He snorts, patting his stomach that is toned with his hands. He plays himself like a drum for a moment, highly amused with my faces I probably make; it is clear I'm heartbroken and hurting. Duke takes advantage of my states.

"Why would I try to find her? I'm loving ruling right now. If she shows up, cool, I'll step aside..." he looks at my body again, smirking before cocking his brows, "...but in the moments that's she's not here: you're all mine."

My chest heaves for air at that. It wasn't a shock to me that he'd say and think that, but the sad reality of it brewing and hitting me late smashes. "You're disgusting."

Duke laughs. "Yes. Yes I am."

I move back, a quick shuffle when he stands to his feet. I don't want to show that I'm scared, but I am. I'm scared of his ways of being unpredictable. "I need to get freshened up," I try to lie my way out.

He catches me before I can run out. The door his closes with a bang, and I'm breathing begging for air that doesn't flow through me. "Let me go," I struggle in his grip, Duke's head leaning into mine so I can taste the mint rage off his tongue.

"I miss when you didn't used to talk a lot," he coos, trying to get my eyes to look at his. I didn't, I look down with watery eyes trying to break free. "The days when you were saved from that man I killed," his tongue clicks, "mmm, you repaid me well."

I try not to think about the man. The handsome man who took me, kept me, and hurt me repeatedly. Then I try not thinking of Sarah taking me in, only to have Duke put his hands on me in ways the man used to. What bothered me the most was Duke was softer with his touches compared to the man that flipped my world upside down—in return, because of his gentleness from contrast, I let him have me one night. One night I let him have me, no sound came from me, just tears at my eyes. The confusion that used to eat at me in such dark times still creeps today, I don't know how I grew into being so strong. I'm strong. I'm a survivor.

"I didn't want you that night." I say.

Duke licks his lips. I can feel him trying to grab my legs up to move around his waist but I dig my nails into his hands, making him flinch away. He huffs in angry breaths, like a buffalo breathing hot air into my face. "I touch you in the way I want it," his head tilts, "and you let me, you whore! Understand!"

His shouts in my face don't scare me. I'm more worried for where his hands are going on me. "No," I softly say, finally staring him in the eyes. "I'm not the same woman from years ago, I won't stand for your bullshit!" I cry out and then shove him away from me.

Duke stumbles back. He's grinning but I can see the terrifying anger in his eyes.

"The fact that you and your little friend react like this to me intrigues me..." I blink away the tears at my eyes. Duke's talking about Tea. He's objectified my body and forced himself on me before, but he hasn't been able to put a hand on motherly Tea; even if he tried she shuts it down due to Sarah's notions for keeping Tea 'off limits'. Tea is special, she always has been.

"You can't touch her."

"What?" He chuckles, "Because of Sarah's orders?"

I want to cry again. I can feel where this is going...

"Don't you dare touch her," I spit, worried for the only loving part of this brothel, I didn't want to ever lose. "If Sarah or any of the girls in this place find out you've touched her, they will fight."

"Does it look like I'm scared?" His anger is starting to subside, his amusement being the number 1 drive for his smirks. "Sarah is probably dead, and well the rest of the girls—I shut them up pretty easy." He winks and I'm disgusted.

"D-Don't touch Tea."

"I'm leaving for three days tomorrow and she will be mine all those days." He leans cockily on the desk Sarah loves, and whispers, "I'll finally fuck the one girl I haven't been able to touch yet."

My brows furrow lightly at that. "Girl?" Now I'm amused, a bitter grin on my face, "Calling her a 'girl' instead of 'whore' is a step up for you. Congratulations." As I say the last bit, the smile falls from my face and I'm hardened again.

"She's barely a whore." Duke shrugs, staring to his feet before looking up and seeing my eyes. I catch the way he reacts and am bitterly amused again. "She doesn't just intrigue you does she? You like her," my laugh is tainted, "You like her but you can't fucking have her!"

Duke yells at me to stay in my lane. "I will snatch her up against her will from this place," the man spits, "Three days with me. Wouldn't that be just great?" My grin falls, he sees this and smiles. "I can't wait to fuck her," Then he grunts as if he's just ate the greatest food, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

"N-No."

"No?" He narrows his eyes, smirking.

I knew this was coming. I want to cry but I repeat my strengths in my head while coming to a conclusion. "Let her be, I-I'll," I swallow, I can't even finish that sentence.

"You'll what?" This bastard!

"I'll come with you. Leave Tea alone." My heart shatters, but I never want his hands on my only embodied hope.

"Why would that possibly tempt me more than taking the one I want?" He tilts his head back, body laying out freely.

"F-From tonight onwards," I hastily say, "Four days." A tear manages to finally escape me, a tear I had been holding back so well.

Duke bites over his bottom lip from smiling too largely. "Now I'm tempted," he's back to staring at my body. "I'm tired of Cya whom I was taking for the night, having you wouldn't be a bad replacement." The way he thinks of our bodies as items to play with, sickens me.

"Take me."

"Alright," he grins large.

Tea's Perspective

"Alright," his large grin can be heard.

My skin crawls, my eyes are dripping, and there is a pain at my chest from where I stand outside the door. I hear what you do for me, what Duke says of me—I'm terribly saddened.

All I can think to is one person...
Jin.
Jin who had contacted me and told me he'd be coming this night.

The final night.

NOTE: get yo nachos ready!