Roses & Thorns

Chapter Five: Goodnight Rosemary

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Talking was what had gotten me here.

I could've said nothing and swept the whole situation under the same rug that Greene's body was probably rolled up in.

But I talked and now I was stuck.

The next two nights in the basement consisted of me seeing Hannah and several trays of food. When I needed to shower and change, I did so in the basement. I ate in the basement. I slept in the basement. I was slowly dying in the basement. 

Hannah stayed with me a majority of the time but never spoke to me about my situation or the activity this obvious crime syndicate ran which was refreshing but also frustrating since I wanted to know who these people were.

Then one evening, after I finished a dinner of steak, mashed potatoes, and string beans, Hannah told me to follow her upstairs. I reluctantly followed since I hadn't been called up since I went to the doctor and formally met Donovan.

"Rosemary, you're a small right?" Hannah asked as she led me up the stairs and through an arched doorway.

"I should be." Although the clothes she'd been brining me were all a size too large.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, feeling tempted to run in the opposite direction.

"Well," Hannah stopped in front of a door. "Donovan is having a meeting with his associates and he requested your presence."

She waited for a reaction from me but when it didn't happen she continued. "He would like you to top their glasses off and keep the platter stocked."

"He wants me to be a waitress?" Being kidnapped wasn't punishment enough to him!

"No, a shot girl or a 'wet girl' like we call it at Lush." I cocked an eyebrow at Hannah. "Wet girl" was a term that only Lush girls used interchangeably with shot girl.

"We?" I asked. Hannah blinked.

"I mean-you. You call it that." She stammered and turned quickly on her four inch heels to open the door we stood in front of.

"Anyway, there are a few pieces of clothing that I picked out for you in the closet in this room. Shower, pick whichever you like and then I'll bring you over to the meeting."

"What if I don't want to be his personal shot girl?"

Hannah looked at me and frowned. "Unfortunately, with Donovan, there are no choices."

"Ever?" I asked dumbly. Hannah put on a tight smile and lowered her tone while stepping closer to me.

"Rosemary, this place and this operation are ruthless and the best way to avoid getting into trouble is to cooperate."

Those words were worthy of a full body shiver and her tone made me not want to ask any further questions. I gulped and nodded slowly.

"Don't stress though. I think Donovan likes you." She smirked. I rolled my eyes at the thought and opened the door to enter the luxuriously decorated vanity room.
                                        • • • • • •
Walking around in scantly clad clothing was the usual at Lush, but this felt different.

Maybe it was the fact that I was being forced to wear these clothes. Or maybe it was because they were La Perla which I'd never owned because I didn't make enough to even look at their lingerie. When Hannah had said she picked out clothes I assumed Salvation Army at best. I wasn't expecting designer choices with the tag still dangling on each piece.