Lei'd With Cupcakes (Cupcakes 3)

I cried out, trying in vain to do something to make them stop messing with the girls. I even went so far as to try and stand up, but the floor was slippery with my puke, and I fell back down to my knees.

“Jesus, you’re fucking disgusting,” Yusuf said, and I assumed he was talking to me. “Go get her cleaned up, then deliver her to the stage. You, take Hannah’s friend to one of the rooms. I’ll be taking the star of the show to the front of the house. Some of the gentlemen want to get a little taste before bidding starts.”

I flopped around like a ragdoll when I was lifted off the ground. This time, the oaf didn’t through me over his shoulder. Instead, he held me out by the armpits, away from his body so he wouldn’t get puke on him.

It was an uncomfortable and awkward way to be carried, but I was pretty impressed that he was strong enough to hold me like that all the way to the clean-up room. This time, they left my clothes on while spraying me down, and even though I knew what to expect, the first hit of spray was shocking enough to make me gasp.

Once I was again freezing and dripping wet. I was escorted into the dre

ssing room, where the old Filipino woman was waiting.

“Here,” she said when we approached, her hand outstretched.

I turned my palm up and she dropped an individual packed of Dramamine in it. It was sealed, and my stomach was still queasy, so I opened it and popped it in my mouth. I did worry momentarily that they were tricking me, like they’d done to the others with the water, and were giving me Molly instead of Dramamine, but at that point it was a risk I was willing to take.

Once I was changed and my hair was tweaked to get the escaped pieces back in the braid, I was feeling a bit better and knew the Dramamine was working. With my stomach pains no longer ruling my ability to think, my mind started reeling with possible ways to escape.

“I’m taking you to the stage,” the oaf said, coming to stand next to me, then placing his hand on my arm. “If you try anything stupid, I won’t hesitate to beat you down. I don’t care that you’re a woman. You’ve already been a pain in the ass, so don’t try anything funny, and I won’t be forced to drop you where you stand. Got it?”

I nodded, feigning submission, even as I was mentally prepping myself to take any opportunity that arose. There was no way I was allowing Alani, Hannah, or myself to be sold to anyone on this ship.

The room that had been empty was now filled to capacity with men in suits. Men of all shapes and sizes. Men of all races and all ages. All with one thing in common: they were the scum of the fucking earth.

The fact that there wasn’t an open seat in sight made my stomach threaten to revolt, and it wasn’t due to sea sickness. I was filled with such rage that I swear, if I could, I would Hulk it up and smash them all to pieces.

Instead, I was being carried around like a baby doll, while I took in my surroundings.

All of the curtains were drawn back, revealing the beds with young girls strewn about them in different drugged-out stages. Some girls were still sleeping; some were staring out the window vacantly, with no idea what was going on; and in the room on the end, Alani was dancing around the room, a small smile on her lips.

I lurched, as if to jump out of the oaf’s arms, but he tightened his hold like a vise, keeping me in place.

“Let me go,” I growled, gasping with shock when I was dropped to the ground.

I looked up to see him cocking his arm back. “I warned you,” he said, and then I saw fireworks.

His fist contacted with my cheekbone and I stumbled back, falling to my butt as my hand came up to cradle my face. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pain somehow, but it didn’t work.

“Take her up by the stage and secure her in a seat,” I heard the oaf say, but I didn’t know or care who he was talking to. A hand grasped my bicep and urged me to my feet, then dragged me toward the stage.

My eyes were watering when I opened them to see where I was going, not wanting to stumble and fall again. At this rate, I was going to be covered in bruises from head to toe by the time I got out of this place.

I looked to my left, and my heart stopped, then leapt to life with hope and joy.

Jun was sitting in a seat on one of the ends of the rows, looking almost unrecognizable with a tailored dark suit and expensive glasses. He moved his head slightly left, then right, telling me to be cool and not give him away.

Not lifting my head, I let my eyes search the room, and I noticed both Chris and Ripper were also in place, acting as buyers. I almost sagged with relief, but knew I needed to brace myself and get ready for whatever was about to come.

Once I was shoved in a seat with my arms pulled behind me as they were tied, I looked around the room freely, careful to keep my expression fearful as I searched for Cade.

I didn’t see him yet, but I knew he was somewhere on this ship, and felt totally confident that he had a plan to get us out of this mess. While I waited, Yusuf took the stage and the auction began.

I heard him talking about the great crop of girls he had available, and the shining star who would be the final girl on the block, but did my best to block out his bullshit.

One by one the girls were showcased. A goon would enter the rooms and pull each girl up off of the bed, then walk them closer to the window to give the men a chance to look them over. The girls were like rag dolls, allowing the men to turn them, lift their hair back to show their faces. They didn’t even flinch when their dresses were lifted, showing off their young, still-developing bodies to the perverted assholes who were there to ruin them.

My throat burned with unshed tears and rage as the men in front of me raised their paddles to bid on the girls.

One by one the girls were sold off, and as I watched, I worked on loosening the rope that held my hands together. I kept my eyes on the crowd, hoping it looked like I was terrified and unable to keep them still, when in reality I was watching Jun, Ripper, and Chris for signs.