Relax, I got this, I mouth to him.
He doesn’t relax. If anything, the tension in his body tightens.
I sigh.
I can’t worry about him. I need to find a way to win this game without having to endure stupid humiliation.
I don’t pay attention to the first man. I hear laughter, then applause as he shrieks in pain. Then it’s my turn.
I walk up the three steps onto the rickety stage, pleased with myself for staying upright. I really should have eaten something.
Mr. Mullock steps onto the stage behind me. Miss Kiff and her tray of evil things settles in front of me.
“A drop of blood,” she says, handing Mullock the knife.
He takes it from her then encircles me, making a big show of running the blade of the knife over my breasts, then down my stomach.
I can sense Langston in the crowd, ready to jump to my aid at a moment’s notice.
“Get on with it,” I hiss through my teeth.
He snarls back and then slices the blade superficially across the top of my breast, causing more than a drop of blood to ooze out of my skin. The crowd hisses and snickers.
“So original,” I say, not impressed at all by him.
He frowns, putting the knife back on the tray.
“A kiss from a stranger,” Miss Kiff says next.
I don’t wait for Mullock to take his time deciding how or where he’s going to kiss me. I grab his cheeks and plant one on his lips before he even has time to realize what happened.
The crowd chuckles as Mullock growls. “I’m supposed to be inflicting the debt, not you.”
I roll my eyes. “Then hurry up; we have a game to play.”
“An item of clothing,” Miss Kiff says.
I freeze. It’s not that I really care if I’m naked in front of these men. I just don’t want to have to play the rest of the game without my dress on, which is what I assume is the item he’ll ask me to remove. I only have two items of clothing on—my panties and the dress. The low-cut front leaves no room for a bra.
Mullock studies me a moment, once again encircling me.
“If you want me to remove the dress, then you’re going to have to unzip me.”
“Your panties,” he says, shocking me.
The crowd boos.
I’m thankful as I shimmy my g-string down and then fling it in his direction.
“I don’t want to be distracted looking at your ugly ass body,” he mumbles under his breath.
I smile and shake my head.
Mullock walks over and picks up the whip before Ms. Kiff even finishes her sentence. “And one lashing.”
He whips the whip hard against my back before I have time to prepare. I stumble forward in my heels, but I refuse to show any more weakness. My body can’t handle the sudden force, though, and I fall to my knees, my hands landing on the ground in front of me.
More snickers and catcalls as I finally stand up on my feet, watching Mr. Mullock and Miss Kiff walk off the stage.
As I scramble off, my cheeks flush even though I didn’t have to do anything remotely embarrassing. I make it back to my seat before the next man takes the stage.
“I yield,” he says before his punishment even starts.
“Me as well,” the next man says.
I frown, realizing that may be how the games go. I may be one of the only people who will do any of the dares, debts.
The dealer begins shuffling the cards, and then he looks at me. “Would you like to keep your remaining card or trade it in?”
“Keep,” I say, knowing it’s a ten.
He deals me four more cards.
I pick them all up, reveling in the fact that they are all face cards. I don’t read a single one. All I know is that my next bet is going to be a good one.
9
Langston
I stare at the men sitting around the table as the dealer gives us new cards. Three men now stare back at me after we lost one in the previous round.
Men.
Why are there only men in this game besides Liesel?
What didn’t Phoenix tell us? What kind of trap did she set?
We both know this is a trap. That’s the only reason Phoenix would tell us about it. She wants us to suffer since she blames us for her suffering.
I replay every conversation I’ve ever had with her. Every kiss. Every fuck. Every time I thought Rose was our child. I remember it all and realize how wrong I’ve been about Phoenix. How much I missed that I should have caught. I should have known that Rose was Liesel’s and not Phoenix’s. I think somewhere deep down, I did know.
What game is she playing? How badly does she want Liesel and I to suffer during these games? Did she just set them up just to ensure we endured complete agony? Are the others playing the game in on it? Are they all their employees, which is why they aren’t doing any of the debts when they lose?
So many questions and no answers.
My eyes drift to Liesel across the room. She doesn’t look back, but I can see the hairs rise on her arms. Her body stiffens at the feel of my gaze on her. She’s worried that I can’t handle seeing her in pain.
She’s right. I fucking can’t.
Seeing her suffer is worse than any torture I could ever physically endure. I’d rather die than see her in pain.
But she deserves the same right I do to try to get our kids back. We are both willing to lose everything to protect them, as it should be. I have to put my feelings aside for now, but I hope to hell that we get Rose back before I have to watch Liesel endure more.
I take my cards as the next round starts. I don’t have a single face card, which means it’s going to be hard for me to win. At least the tasks won’t add up to anything difficult.
The three men I’m playing against are all middle or upper aged. They all have gray hair, a well-fed stomach, and don more riches on their tuxes, watches, and rings than most people will earn in a lifetime.
I don’t look at what the dares are on my cards. I don’t care the pain I have to endure, as long as it doesn’t hurt Liesel.
I smirk, thinking about my girl.
She might even slightly enjoy seeing me in pain for all the shit I’ve put her through over the years.
When it’s my turn, I bet everything in my hand. “Twenty-three.”
It’s not enough. Every bet after mine is higher. It’s my turn again, so I just lay my cards down, surrendering to the pain that I’m about to go through.
I look over at Liesel, who lets out a triumphant exhale. Thank god her cards were better this time.
A woman stands over me. “Mr. Pearce, right this way, please.”
I stand up and follow her, my eyes still on Liesel. Her eyes grow wide, the corner of her mouth turns down, and the pink from her cheeks whitens. Maybe I was wrong thinking that Liesel could somehow enjoy seeing me in pain, seeing another woman or man touch me? Maybe she feels more for me than I think? Maybe she already loves me?
I walk onto the small stage, and the crowd grows silent, ready to watch the show. No one else is in line to the stage; the losers from the other tables walked right out of the room after they lost.
I’m right in thinking that only Liesel and I will be completing the debts. Only the two of us have enough at stake in order to be humiliated and in pain like this. For everyone else, this is just a silly game or an evil trap.