Her Darkest Secrets

Chapter 4

Annie POV

Annie Nineteen Years Old

"Annie, how long have you been working here now?" I jump and turn around throwing my hand over my heart because Wyatt just scared the c.rap out of me.

"Jesus Wyatt, warn a girl before you sneak up on her will ya?" I laugh at him, "to answer your question though it's been I don't know three or four months now I guess. Time just flies when you're having fun."

"That's what I thought. I wanted to talk to you about a new opportunity."

"Like here at the club?"

"Yes, and a little more. We have a few other open positions available that I think you'd be perfect for. The position I'm thinking of would come with your own little apartment, I mean you'd have to put down a security deposit but it would be yours and get you out of that shelter. You would also need to upgrade your wardrobe."

"And would this new position come with a pay raise?" I ask, I've been working here every day but Saturdays, and at the diner every night except for Sundays, which leaves me with no days off. If he has a position where I'd make more, I might be able to drop some shifts and have some time to myself to finish up my degree, look at colleges, maybe make some actual friends.

"It would."

"That sounds great it really, really does," I bite my lip not sure how to say this next part without sounding like a charity case because the reality is, even though I'd love to drop some shifts and have a life I can't afford that. I'm not even sure I could afford a security deposit, and depending on the clothes I would need, I probably can't afford a complete wardrobe overhaul.

"But?" Wyatt says pulling me out of my thoughts and making me realize I hadn't finished my sentence.

"But, I'm not sure I can afford all that right now."

"I thought you might say that, so I wanted to offer you the opportunity to have the club give you some money."

"I don't want your charity," I tell him sternly.

"It's not charity, I swear, we can setup a repayment plan and once you've repaid everything your salary will go back up and you can keep working for me, or stop."

"Hmmm, that almost sounds too good to be true," I tease him. "Can I think about it tonight and let you know for sure tomorrow?"

"Not a problem."

"And would you want me to start right away?"

"Yes, as soon as possible for you."

"Okay, then I'll give you my answer first thing tomorrow." I get everything cleaned up during the rest of my shift, which proves to be difficult because I'm so distracted. By the time I'm done and leave to head out to the diner, I've made up my mind, I'm going to take Wyatt up on his offer for a better position.

I let him know during my next shift and he lets me know one of the other girls that works for him will go shopping today for me to update my wardrobe, and then he shows me where my new apartment will be. It's actually in a building that's attached right to the club which will be really convenient for this new job. Afterwards, he lets me take the rest of my cleaning shift off so that I can go get what stuff I have at the shelter and bring it back to the apartment. He also convinced me to quit at the diner. He promised that my new job would more than make up the salary I was earning there, even accounting for having to pay them back. After I left the shelter I was flying high, and so excited for this new path in life. For the first time in a really long time I feel like this could be the real start of something new.

"Welcome back," Wyatt says when I get back with all my stuff. "Let's go get you settled in your room." I follow him up to the new apartment and I'm a little surprised when he follows me in and shuts the door behind him.

"Are we going to start the new job tonight?"

"As a matter of fact we are. Your clothes are in that closet right there," he points to the freestanding closet that's been added to the room. It's not a huge apartment, I think it's actually a studio. There's a bed, that little closet, a mini fridge, and it looks like maybe a hot plate. It's not fancy, but it's mine for now. I walk over to the closet and open it up. I can't help the sharp intake of breath as I look at the new clothes in there, if they can even be called clothes. I think they're actually pieces of lingerie.

"Um, Wyatt, I don't think these are the right kinds of clothes for what I'll be doing."

"And what is it you think you'll be doing?"

"I guess I haven't really thought about exactly what I'd be doing, but I assumed it is something in a professional capacity."

"You will be a professional."

"I don't think professionals wear these kinds of clothes."

He smirks at me while shrugging, "I suppose that depends what kind of work the professional is doing."

"Wyatt," I say slowly, "what is the job?"

"Finally, I'm so glad you asked. Here's how this is going to work, I did you a favor, I'm going to keep doing you favors and taking care of you and, in turn, you're going to help me out," he reaches forward and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear."

"H-how will I be helping you?"

"You my precious girl are going to help me by taking care of the men." My stomach starts to sink, the clothes, the things he's saying, I think I know exactly what he's getting at, but surely he can't mean what I think he means.

"Taking care of them how?"

"It's simple for your first introduction we will hold a special auction and whomever wins you gets to spend the night with you. After that, we'll take special requests and you will fill in when needed."

"Are you talking about me having s*x with strange men?"

"Yes, that's exactly what we're talking about."

"No, no, no, I can't do that, I won't do that Wyatt."

"You don't really have a choice honey, not anymore, you've made your decision. You said you wanted a better job, this is that job. You quit at the diner, you left the shelter. The only place you have left to depend on is here."

"No, I can go back to the shelter. And I'll find another job."

"You know as well as I do as soon as you left your room was given away. And you aren't going to find another job that pays you well enough to reimburse me for the costs of this apartment and the clothes I supplied you with. Until you pay me back for those things Annie, you will stay here and do as you're told."

"I can set-up a p*****t plan or something," I tell him as the tears start to fall down my face and my whole body starts to tremble.

"I don't think so sweetheart. Now I'm sending someone in to get you ready for the night, be a dear and listen. I don't want to have to come back in here."

Two weeks later

I don't know how much more of this I can take. I've only been here for two weeks and yet it feels like an eternity. I think there might be only one way out for me. I can't help these thoughts that consume me, I'm lost to them when my door opens and Wyatt walks in with a woman. Great, another woman he will probably have get me ready for another disgusting pig.

"Annie, Melissa; Melissa, Annie. She's here to take care of you and get you presentable for your next client." Wyatt tells me, I freaking knew it. But I can't do this, not again.

"No, please, don't make me do that again. I can't do it again, I won't!" I yell at them.