[Warning: Violent images of physical and s.e.xual abuse . ]

"Because he had her gagged and she was choking!" she screamed as if it was the most natural thing to say . In the world of crime, the questions asked were normal, procedure even, but for a victim or bystander, even if they were part of the world of crime, these questions would seem blasphemous to them . Here, neither Anthony nor I was the victim .

From somewhere behind us, we heard a breathy voice whispering . "She was badly bruised and half-dead when I found her, and she was still tied to the bed . I don't think she'd eaten in days, probably was dehydrated . " And that was what had made him snap . The look on his face said it all . The condition that the girl was in was very similar to what he had been through and being a victim himself, it would be natural for him to tell us that what Cienna had a.s.sumed was true .

"Thank you," Cienna mumbled, appreciating the voice of reason in the room . She waited for a few minutes, trying to regain her bearings and then proceeded to tell us the story . By some miracle, no one stopped her and she didn't stop herself . "I tried to fight him off of her, but he had at least fifty pounds on me . He got off her and overpowered me . My plan failed and I ended up tied by my feet and hands on the floor . He continued to a.s.sault her in front of me . I don't remember much, but somewhere down the line I snapped and begged him to let me go . He wouldn't until I had told him everything about my employer . I didn't open my mouth, Anthony . I swear . He used Samantha to blackmail me . She's just a kid . Her mom was a colleague of mine and got pregnant while she was working . Eventually, her mom took her away from the area when she turned ten . . . She's barely grown into her adulthood and he's destroyed her . She wasn't even in the business . He must have kidnapped her . He knows I had a soft spot for that girl . f.u.c.k!" and she breathed deeply .

"Things got out of hand and I convinced him to let me go . He was reluctant at first, but then I promised to give him information and he let me go . He stopped tormenting the poor girl . He didn't keep his hands off, though . He offered me some Ecstasy: both the kinds and I couldn't refuse one of them . I was repulsed by the idea of having him anywhere near me, so I took rounds and got high over and over until I didn't remember feeling any repulsion . I just wanted to protect the girl . I don't know if I did a good job . I don't know . . . " she whispered .

"I'm not sure if I gave in, but I don't think I slept with him . I hope I didn't . " She gave out a humorless laugh . "There was a time when I would've jumped his bones at any given moment . He was a s.e.xy b.a.s.t.a.r.d, but he couldn't see me go away . He was toxic for me . He didn't want me leaving him with his business . He's wanted to sell all the proof he has about my past life to the media . It would be bad business . With the number of connections he'd acc.u.mulated in the past few years, I didn't think even Tanya could have stopped him from ruining me . I did what I could . I tried to shut him up with money . Every month I send him a fat cheque to keep his mouth shut . Recently, he's been acting up and demanding more . He's been threatening me to give me out to the media even if I did pay him . I was so desperate that I didn't have enough money to pay him this month that I . . . he asked me to meet him to settle the deal . I didn't think much of it, but . . . you know how it turned out .

"I think I was there for two or three days, I'm not sure . But he had good drugs . I hadn't had a taste in a while . I lapsed . You know how that works . Eventually, he started threatening me and pressurizing me into spilling things . We got into a fight . I hit him with a vase, I think . He was too high to get out of the way, I think . I took the opportunity to run . I regret it, now, but I couldn't think of anything better at that moment . I went straight to where I knew Samantha's mom lived . I couldn't find her there . She lived in a s.h.i.+tty apartment and from what the landlord said she'd been behind on rent . I asked the neighbors and they told me that they hadn't seen her . So, I called up a few old timers who kept contact with her . There was no trace of her . I spent days trying to find her out . Nothing . One day while I was trying to find her, James surprised me . He took me up to his own apartment and got me high; offered me some alcohol and I was so scared that I couldn't do anything . I just went with the flow . I don't know where I ended up, but he got me on the cab and threatened me that there were some dangerous people trying to get their claws on me . I didn't believe him, at first . But . . . I'm scared . "

[Warning: Violent images of physical and s.e.xual abuse . ] Because he had her gagged and she was choking! she screamed as if it was the most natural thing to say . In the world of crime, the questions asked were normal, procedure even, but for a victim or bystander, even if they were part of the world of crime, these questions would seem blasphemous to them . Here, neither Anthony nor I was the victim . From somewhere behind us, we heard a breathy voice whispering . She was badly bruised and half-dead when I found her, and she was still tied to the bed . I dont think shed eaten in days, probably was dehydrated . And that was what had made him snap . The look on his face said it all . The condition that the girl was in was very similar to what he had been through and being a victim himself, it would be natural for him to tell us that what Cienna had a.s.sumed was true . Thank you, Cienna mumbled, appreciating the voice of reason in the room . She waited for a few minutes, trying to regain her bearings and then proceeded to tell us the story . By some miracle, no one stopped her and she didnt stop herself . I tried to fight him off of her, but he had at least fifty pounds on me . He got off her and overpowered me . My plan failed and I ended up tied by my feet and hands on the floor . He continued to a.s.sault her in front of me . I dont remember much, but somewhere down the line I snapped and begged him to let me go . He wouldnt until I had told him everything about my employer . I didnt open my mouth, Anthony . I swear . He used Samantha to blackmail me . Shes just a kid . Her mom was a colleague of mine and got pregnant while she was working . Eventually, her mom took her away from the area when she turned ten . Shes barely grown into her adulthood and hes destroyed her . She wasnt even in the business . He must have kidnapped her . He knows I had a soft spot for that girl . f.u.c.k! and she breathed deeply . Things got out of hand and I convinced him to let me go . He was reluctant at first, but then I promised to give him information and he let me go . He stopped tormenting the poor girl . He didnt keep his hands off, though . He offered me some Ecstasy: both the kinds and I couldnt refuse one of them . I was repulsed by the idea of having him anywhere near me, so I took rounds and got high over and over until I didnt remember feeling any repulsion . I just wanted to protect the girl . I dont know if I did a good job . I dont know . she whispered . Im not sure if I gave in, but I dont think I slept with him . I hope I didnt . She gave out a humorless laugh . There was a time when I wouldve jumped his bones at any given moment . He was a s.e.xy b.a.s.t.a.r.d, but he couldnt see me go away . He was toxic for me . He didnt want me leaving him with his business . Hes wanted to sell all the proof he has about my past life to the media . It would be bad business . With the number of connections hed acc.u.mulated in the past few years, I didnt think even Tanya could have stopped him from ruining me . I did what I could . I tried to shut him up with money . Every month I send him a fat cheque to keep his mouth shut . Recently, hes been acting up and demanding more . Hes been threatening me to give me out to the media even if I did pay him . I was so desperate that I didnt have enough money to pay him this month that I . he asked me to meet him to settle the deal . I didnt think much of it, but . you know how it turned out I think I was there for two or three days, Im not sure . But he had good drugs . I hadnt had a taste in a while . I lapsed . You know how that works . Eventually, he started threatening me and pressurizing me into spilling things . We got into a fight . I hit him with a vase, I think . He was too high to get out of the way, I think . I took the opportunity to run . I regret it, now, but I couldnt think of anything better at that moment . I went straight to where I knew Samanthas mom lived . I couldnt find her there . She lived in a s.h.i.+tty apartment and from what the landlord said shed been behind on rent . I asked the neighbors and they told me that they hadnt seen her . So, I called up a few old timers who kept contact with her . There was no trace of her . I spent days trying to find her out . Nothing . One day while I was trying to find her, James surprised me . He took me up to his own apartment and got me high; offered me some alcohol and I was so scared that I couldnt do anything . I just went with the flow . I dont know where I ended up, but he got me on the cab and threatened me that there were some dangerous people trying to get their claws on me . I didnt believe him, at first . But . Im scared .