It had taken a few days, but I finally wound up getting a lead. Apparently some of my former customers told me that an American girl had been seen in the home of Luuk from time to time. There were whispers about her from the girls that took them as clients, which was a strict no no in our line of work.
But it intrigued me, nonetheless and lead me to find out where exactly this Luuk’s home was. Because I was so good at what I used to do, my last former client that I had run across gave me the information for a simple favor; to let him jerk off while looking at my bare breasts.
It was a small price to pay for what I was looking for and at least he wouldn’t have to touch me. Once I had what I needed, I covered myself up and left him to clean up his mess in the small room we had rented in the hotel above a takeout restaurant.
The day had quickly disappeared and I was now walking through a darkened night on the way to Luuk’s. I didn’t want to waste any time in freeing this girl. I wanted to get my own life back and didn’t feel that I could fully do so without her help.
With tired legs but a damn determined will, I reached Luuk’s sprawling home. I would dare say that it was impressive and larger than Kerstan’s. Hell, I’d have to let Kerstan know again some day that he had some serious competition, but for now I walked up to the door and knocked loudly.
When there was no response I knocked again. When there was still no response, I kicked the door as hard as I could. That’s when I heard the footsteps approaching quickly. The door swung open and a young, irritated man stood in the doorway giving me an angry look.
“This isn’t a round the clock business that I run. Come back when the sun is out,” he barked.
“I’m not here to make a purchase,” I replied with a small smile.
His demeanor changed almost immediately as he stepped out of the doorway and walked around me slowly. I knew what he was doing; he was looking for scars, marks, anything that would make me unattractive to potential buyers.
“What debt do you have?” he asked once he had made his full circle around me.
“Only the debt to myself.”
“Everyone that comes to my door has a debt,” he said with a smirk. “I can always use another strong girl, but I need to know your debt first.”
Not yet, Luuk. First I want to have some fun, I thought my smile widening a little.
“I will owe you a debt when I leave your house,” I started carefully. “What I will ask of you is to speak to Lieve.”
A look of intrigue washed over his face as he went back to his doorway. He leaned in the frame, crossing his arms over his chest, and raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“My business is my own.”
“Not when the whore you seek is mine,” he shot back, his face becoming angry again.
I scoffed and crossed my arms over
my chest. I knew that the only way I would able to get near her would be to make a bargain. And when you had been in the Red Light District as I had, you knew there was only one bargain to be made.
“I’ll work for you. For one month, in exchange that I be roomed with the American,” I said.
“Done.”
Five
Amity
“My name is Amity Crane. I’m twenty three years old and I’m an American. My name is not Lieve. I’m not nineteen years old and I’m not Dutch.”
I repeated the words over and over to myself trying to emblazon it into my mind. I was starting to feel myself mentally breaking under Smith’s watchful eye and I knew that once he had me where he wanted me, he’d probably kill me.
He had already told me that he had no intention of letting me leave Amsterdam and he assured me that I would never see Theo again.
A tear trickled down my face as I looked bravely into the mirror and repeated the words quietly to myself.
“My name is Amity Crane. My name is Amity Crane...”
“Who are you talking to?” a curious, accented voice asked behind me.