Blyss (The Blyss Trilogy 1)
Jared sniggers. “Case in point, women have forgotten their place, their role in life, and they’ve never been taught otherwise.” He lifts his eyebrow and points his index finger at me. “You’re one of the lucky ones, you know. These are not just your ordinary, everyday men. They are wealthy, and they’re looking to invest in a woman to obtain their ultimate dream, whatever that may be for them. But believe it or not, Julianna, these men spend over a million bucks to own their most prized possession.”
Jared turns back around, fiddling with his items on the counter. After a moment’s pause, he turns and speaks again, ticking off with his fingers, “It’s similar to owning a purebred racehorse. They’re expensive, the most sought after, they have majestic beauty, they’d give their last breath to their owner, and they exert every bit of energy into doing what it is their handler wants them to do. They give all their heart and soul with every last fiber of their being, and in return, they’re treated like royalty.”
“Yes, all under a horsewhip. Lucky me, indeed.” I scowl with a hiss. “What ever happened to moral standards? I’m not some animal to be…” my voice trails off. I think I’m going to puke. I swallow the acidic saliva pooling in the back of my throat.
Jared’s mouth lifts in a wry smile. “There’s one thing in life you can always count on, Ms. Julianna,” he says with a knowing confidence lining his voice, “and that is sex sells. It always sells. It’s been sold in some form or another since the beginning of time. Selling sex,” he pauses, shaking his head, “is the oldest occupation on the planet. It’s also the most lucrative—when done right—especially when used in combination with this drug.”
Jared’s cold stare gives me shivers, and my throat begins to feel constricted, making my breathing shallow. “As long as there are men on this Earth, they will have urges…some more than others, but urges nonetheless. The sooner you accept your new circumstances, the better off you will be. You are no longer your own.”
My eyes blaze into his with a loathing I’ve never felt so intensely, and I yell at him, “So basically, you just turn women into high-class nymphomaniac whores! Do you feel a little manlier now that I’m drugged?” Damn, I feel sick. My vision is turning blurry, and I hear Travis chuckling in the background. Is this a fucking joke to him? Despite the drugs, my emotions are still running high, and my adrenaline feels out of control. I watch Jared approach me as he puts on a pair of latex gloves, and I immediately go nuts. He’s not going to touch me.
“I’m not a piece of fucking meat, you jerk!” I scream and struggle under Travis’ hold. “Back the hell off!”
Jared stops in his tracks, and I see the muscles in his jaw flex as he looks to Travis with slight trepidation, making sure I can’t break free. “Travis, you going to let her talk to me like this?”
“Well, what the hell do you expect? Her meds aren’t regulated yet, and,” he pauses, drawing out the last word, “I don’t think you gave her enough sedative.”
“I know what I’m doing. I gave her the bodyweight-to-drug ratio, just enough to get us through this exam.”
Travis shakes his head. “You and your bodyweight-to-drug ratio bullshit. How can one be so smart, and yet be so stupid?”
“All right, smartass, how much do you think it’s going to take to put her down, since you seem to know so much?”
“I’m thinking the same amount it takes to put down a damn horse, since you so eloquently compared her to one.” With Travis’ statement, I hear Jared mumble a curse under his breath.
While the men argue, I start to gag. I feel bile rising from deep within, making its way to the surface. They are so twisted and sick, every last one of them! I want my father; my God, I want him to come to my rescue so badly. I start tasting the bile at the back of my throat and I can’t hold it down; God knows I’ve tried. Jared and Travis must see what’s coming, because I suddenly find myself face-down over a garbage can, heaving my guts out. Travis’ arm is wrapped underneath me and bracing me over the edge of the exam table, while holding back my hair with his other hand.
Hot tears and wracking sobs accompany the hurling of my breakfast. I heave and heave until nothing is left, and then I heave some more. I feel Travis rubbing my back soothingly as I cry myself out. Jared brings me a few wet paper towels, and I take them from him, my hands shaking uncontrollably. Travis swipes the towels out of my hands and proceeds to gently wipe down my face. I’m an utter mess, my breath is hitching between the uncontrollable sobs, and my tears are streaming down in droves. These men are winning; they’re finally breaking me down, one step at a time.