Hands clenched into fists, I listened, and nothing. My curiosity got the better of me, and I went toward the bathroom.
Earl lay back in a bathtub filled with bubbles.
My gaze was on him.
“If you wish to keep me company, come and sit.” He pointed at the toilet seat.
Glancing back at the bed, I was tempted to leave him, but after four days without any company, and I was going crazy.
I went toward the toilet, and lowered myself down, only to stop. Instead, I went toward the bathtub and kneeled beside it.
He glared.
“My … er … it’s bruised.” I glanced down at the floor.
“Let me see.”
“It’s fine.”
“Ashley!”
I didn’t know what he could do to me lying naked in a bathtub, but the way he said my name had me standing, turning toward him, and lifting the dress, showing him the curves of my ass.
Earl hadn’t gone lightly on me.
I’ve never had my ass spanked before. Not that I thought it was erotic or anything. I didn’t have daddy issues, or if I did, I wasn’t aware of them. I wasn’t aroused by his brand of punishment. At least he didn’t starve me, throw me overboard, or cut me up.
Lowering my dress, I kneeled back on the floor and waited.
Silence.
I hated it.
Four days of feeling it, and I was tired of it.
I didn’t want there to be any more quiet. Talking to him would admit defeat, wouldn’t it? He’d have the power.
At that moment, I no longer cared. All I wanted was to talk to someone.
“None of the women served me,” I said. Considering we hadn’t spoken in so long, bringing up the very cause of our disagreement was so stupid. The moment the words left my mouth, I felt how thoughtless I’d been.
“It’s not appropriate after your episode. You would get yourself or one of them killed.”
Staring down at my hands, I felt the tears well up. I wasn’t going to say sorry to him.
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“Me?”
“You were covered in blood.”
“It’s not all my blood.” He sat up and rubbed at his eyes, letting out a groan. “Just so you know, I get it.”
I looked at him. “Get what?”
“You want to save everyone. You’ve got this ideal about the world, and guess what, I did once as well.”
I frowned as I gave him my full attention. What was going on?
“I was born to a man who had trafficked a woman and kept her as a slave. I was the only son that lived, I believe. She didn’t last long, from what I can gather. He got bored of her and sold her.” Earl ran a hand down his face, looking like he wanted to be talking about anything but this. “When my dad died, I ended up living with my grandfather. If you think what I do now is awful, then know that I inherited a legacy I’m not proud of. I’ve gone out of my way to change. Give me your hand.”
Slowly, I placed my hand within his.
He put his other hand on top of it.
“My grandfather believed everyone was for sale. All had a price. Men, women, children, pregnant women, babies. He was into it all. Not just sex. People want humans for all kinds of things.” He let out a breath.
“You only deal in women?”
“I know it doesn’t make it any easier or nice to bear, but yeah, I deal in women.” Earl’s gaze landed on me. His green eyes bored into mine. “I was once like you, Ashley. I didn’t believe in the sale of flesh. I argued with my grandfather. Got many a scar on my back because I tried to set them free. When I succeeded in getting ten women free, he taught me a lesson. Took it out in my back, my thighs. He cut me up real bad, and then he went to teach me a lesson. If I thought he was bad, he showed me what truly awaited the women that were not selected by him.”
I felt sick to my stomach. I didn’t need to know any details. I could imagine.
“I embraced my legacy from that day forward, and when the time came for me to take over, I did. I removed some of his products, changed it up, became who I am today. I don’t want you to stop having your ideals, Ashley. The world needs people like you, but you’ve also got to realize the world isn’t full of fairytales. I can give up that business, but there are ten, fifty men who will take my place.”
He let go of my hand, and I hated the loss of his touch. I felt so uneasy without it.
Putting my hand down, I covered it with my other, but my touch didn’t relieve the emptiness. All it did was make it harder for me to bear.