Pretty Dirty (Dirty Bad Things Book 2)(4)

…Alice is my downstairs fucking neighbor.





3





Zoe




How did we get here?

I’ve asked it of myself about a million times in the last few weeks, but I still don’t have any answers. How did we get to the point where I’m so fucking excited for this that I’ve been pacing the apartment for an hour, waiting for the email ping? Or to the point where when it does, I can barely contain myself as I make a beeline for the laptop and camera set up against the far wall, across from the bed.

“Hi, Lewis.”

Hey pretty girl.

My heart skips a beat, like it always does at his voice.

Fuck, I did it again. I keep referring to it as “his voice.” It’s not even a voice, and I keep having to remind myself that. It’s a fucking chat message. It’s not a face, it’s not hands touching me, and it’s not real words murmured into my ear. But, it’s just the power of his words that seem to be driving me out of my mind with want.

…Great, I’m lusting over a faceless, voiceless man, over the internet. It’s like a bad scifi movie.

At first, it was the money, obviously. When I first “met” him, and heard the offer, yeah, it was the money. I mean, whatever sick shit this guy had in mind — well, to be honest, I was prepared to do a lot on camera for fifty thousand dollars. Fuck it, seriously. You can only get so naked, right? And aside from hurting myself or committing a crime, or like, I don’t know, going to the bathroom on camera or something, there wasn’t much I’d say no to. And I was prepared for the weird.

I wasn’t prepared for him, though.

Commanding, and not in a controlling misogynistic asshole way, but in this powerful way that ignited something inside of me. He exuded power, and confidence, and this magnetic charm. His words made him hot. The way he knows exactly what to say to me have made him fucking irresistible.

And fuck he turns me on so much. I mean, I’m wet even right now, just from looking forward to this. I’ve felt the tingle of knowing this is coming teasing through my body for the last hour or two.

I mean, there’s not a lot else going on right now for me. I lied before, when I said I had a life. I don’t. At least, not anymore. Not these days. I used to, I suppose, but even then, it was more war stories than happy endings. But now, after the interview for the movie, and the spiral that took me down, and then Joey?

I shiver.

Well, that's why I’m here.

Kept.

A prisoner, working off a debt.

Or at least, that’s what I was, before him. Before “Lewis.” Before my trip through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole of whatever this is with him. And whatever it is, I will say this: it makes me feel more alive than I have in years. Maybe ever.

I take a deep breath, trying to chase away the schoolgirl-crush blush on my face before I step in front of the camera and sit down across the bed.

I smile, blushing and biting my lip, exactly how I told myself not to. I’m supposed to be sexy for him — a sultry fantasy come to life. Not some blushing, giggling, nervous girl with a crush.

I swallow and move onto my side, letting the silk robe I’m wearing slip open so that he can see the lingerie underneath. I know he loves this see-through stuff, and fuck do I like wearing it for him. It’s the contrast of the pure white with the fact that you can clearly see my nipples, my piercings, my tattoos, and my pussy right through it.

“Hey daddy,” I purr out, my face beating with heat. I start to slide the robe off, the blood pounding in my veins, when suddenly, I hear it.

Oh God.

First, it’s the sound of a key in my lock, and that has me confused before the door slams in, crashing off the wall. That’s when I know who it is, and that’s when I remember.

Oh fuck.

“You bitch!” Joey roars from the kitchen, slamming something against the wall as he storms through the apartment towards my room.

I meant to text him back, to tell him the money was here.

Fuck.

I forgot, because the only thing I could think about was getting online and talking to Lewis today. We didn’t get a chance to yesterday and it was really boring, and goddamnit did I miss him. And then today, I was just excited and completely forgot to text Joey back.

And now the shit is about to hit the fan.

Joey comes once a week to collect on the debt I owe. You see, Heartthrob Cams sends a check, weekly, with what we’ve made. And every damn Saturday, Joey’s here, taking me and the check downstairs, out the back door, and twenty feet to the liquor store behind the condo building, with the check cashing window next door. I cash the check, I give the money to Joey, and that’s that. I’m sure there are easier ways for him to get paid, but I’m also sure it’s some sort of tax-evasion thing for him.

I’m also sure it’s just an asshole power move.

After that, we go back inside. If I’m lucky, he calls me names and tells me to get back to work. If I’m not so lucky, there’s some slaps in there too. If I’m really unlucky, well, that’s only happened once. He didn’t do much, just put his hands where I wish he hadn’t. I’ve heard it’s been much worse for other girls who owe him.

I hate him.

I haven’t told him about, well, my mystery man. About Lewis. I’m still getting paid, and way more than usual actually, so he hasn’t exactly questioned me on anything. And most of the time, that’s all the interaction I have with him: the check, cashing it, and giving him the money. Except today, I forgot to answer when he asked if the check was here yet.