Stolen Love (A Cartel Romance)

04

Harley's POV

After Henry showed me back to my room, I was able to look around and get myself situated. The room was tiny, but nothing was better than that cell I was in. I had already tried to look for a window or something, but there wasn't any in the room. Although sir had warned me that I wouldn't be able to escape, I still needed to try. I can't accept all of this without at least trying to get out.

As soon as I entered the room, I made a direct line towards the bathroom. I saw all types of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, etc., neatly tucked away in individually colored baskets next to the sink. I suppose those belong to the other maids that live in this room. I never thought I'd be so excited to see bathing essentials. I took it upon myself to carefully look around the place. The left bunk bed looks to be completely occupied, but the right bunk only had one occupied bed. The top bunk was left naked with folded sheets, and a comforter laid neatly on it. There was also a pair of cargo pants and a plain black shirt along with a pair of underwear and bra that were entirely too small for me next to the sheets. It was alarming that whoever left me this stuff thought I could fit in something so little. Nonetheless, it felt great to remove the nasty sweaty clothes I had on previously. The rancid smell filled my nostrils; I immediately threw them away when I returned to the bathroom. I couldn't wait any longer to remove all the dirt and grime off my body.

Like I was dipping a toe into a cold pool, I slowly stepped onto the chilled stone tiles. The shower door and walls were all glass, which didn't leave much protection if someone walked in. Still, I quickly turned the water on, immediately letting the water coat my body like a warm blanket. The water was so hot it felt like acid was being poured on me, but at the same time, it felt so good. The hot water kissed my bruised-dirt stained body. I stood there for a while with my eyes closed and sparks of light attacking me. I couldn't find any soap other than the bottles that belonged to the other maids, so; I took as little as possible from a large cherry blossom-scented bottle of body wash so I could at least get my body clean. My hair was so greasy I could grease a baking dish with it.

As I let the water wash over me, my mind went to Avery and my family. I wonder what they were doing at this exact moment. I wondered if they were thinking about me like I was thinking about them. I wondered if Avery was at school or home. I wanted so desperately to say "fuck it" and take my chances escaping this place to see them. A sharp pain emerges in my chest every time I think about them. It's subtle, but it a reminder of how painful this all is. I've always tended to swallow my feelings to get through painful or stressful situations. Life has always been somewhat stressful for me, and the only way I ever got through things is by not dwelling on the situation and pushing past it no matter how difficult it is. I worked hard so my brother could have a decent childhood. We never had much, but I want him to have all things I didn't have. My dad is a lot better at providing for us than he used to be anyways, which is all that matters. He and my mom were drug addicts when I was younger. I rarely saw them, and when I did, they were unrecognizable. Drugs took my mom when I was only 6, so I don't remember a lot of her, but I remember how my father reacted to her death. It was almost like a wake-up call to him. He stopped using shortly after her death and left me to my grandmother to get himself clean. He returned a couple of years later when I had just begun middle school with my brother. My brother's mom died while giving birth to him, and my grandma died later on. Although we are only half-siblings, I still love him like he is my own. So I don't think my father can live without me and neither can my brother. They need me, but I also needed them. We are all each other has. They are the only reason I needed to stay alive and keep fighting, so if I had to work for these jerks to get to them, then so be it.

Once I finally left the bathroom after practically scrubbing my skin off, I wrapped the fluffy towel around my body in an attempt to dry myself off. I quickly slipped the clothes I had found over my naked body and tied my long hair into the neatest bun I could make before leaving the now humid bathroom. The bra was digging into my shoulders, and the underwear was cutting off the circulation to my ass. However, I still felt very refreshed, but it was short-lived when anxiety immediately began to invade my body when I walked out of the restroom, and I was met with two women sitting on the bottom of one of the bunk beds staring at me. My eyes widen as their eyes bore into me. Their eyes made me nervous as I shifted uncomfortably towards the door. I knew they had to be the other maids, but they didn't look thrilled to see me. In fact, they looked like they wanted to jump me. One woman had short brown hair and appeared to be older than me. The other girl had long pin-straight blonde hair that looks so soft I wanted to reach out and touch it. She was stunning.