Chapter 50

Nature's alarm clock of serenading birds singing were in full chorus as if trying to chase away the bleak darkness of the night. Streams of sunlight teasing through the cloudy sky probed through the thin gap in the curtains. Bridget's eyelids felt like they were glued shut. Slowly, and forcibly, they opened. She had slept heavy when she had finally drifted off, but the night was a restless one. Having agreed, whole-heartedly to the task ahead, she could now sense the nervousness and dread attacking every fibre of her being. It wasn't so much about the danger she may be facing but more about the men she would have to give herself to.

With the Rat, she had been doing this for months without knowing anything about it, but now, now she would be stone cold sober. She would know, and feel, everything that was happening in real time. The smell, the sight, the sound of every client in the throes of passion. It's only sex, she tells herself. If she could just close her eyes and think of some gorgeous tanned Mediterranean hunk maybe, just maybe, she might even enjoy it. Saim would sell her to his best clients, at least that's what he said, so that would be better than the Rat's slobbering vagabonds. The thought of his so-called friends doing as they pleased, even though she was not aware at the time, repulsed her even now and turned her stomach to mush.

The aroma of warm bread wafted across the room and made her sniff the air eagerly. In the kitchen Bern was already up and about and putting together, what looked like, a feast fit for a king.

"Hey you're awake," Bern called with a smile.

"You're up early hun and that smells divine" Bridget replies already taking a seat at the table.

"Well I wanted to get up before you. There is no way I'm letting you go and do a full day of, exercise shall we say, with anything inside you"

Bridget could hear her stomach grumbling, sounding like a far off rumble of distant thunder, but she was not sure if it was hunger or nerves. Either way she was going to devour whatever had been thoughtfully prepared for her. The breakfast of fried bread, hash browns, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, egg, sausage and bacon was just right, and cooked to perfection. Overloading every fork full and wolfing it down, with the grace and manners of a hyena, she takes a slice of buttered bread and mops up the last of the egg yolk from her plate.

"Wow you were hungry" Bern continued "There is no need for washing up by the looks of it"

"That was gorgeous Bern," she says, licking the last of the bean juice from her lips "Well time to make myself look pretty I guess"

Dressed in a little black number, bought for the occasion, and with full make up on, she could have been easily mistaken for an executive working in the City. Opening the door to leave she turns and sees Bern, standing there like a mother sending her child off to their first day at big school, she nods and gives a smile. No words needed and none was exchanged. They both knew what was at stake and the dangers possibly ahead. Besides, it was clear that so much as a goodbye would send them both into a torrent of tears.

Washing the plates and putting them away, the only thing Bern could do was wait until she heard the key turn in the door again. Until then, she would not settle.

Escorted into the office and placed in front of Saim, Bridget was shocked that he didn't even acknowledge her. Sitting behind his desk, his head buried in an open folder of paperwork, he seemed oblivious to his surroundings. The phone was ringing but it too did not register to him. After several more rings had blared, each one seemingly louder and more urgent than the last, it stopped. More likely picked up elsewhere Bridget thought.

"Ahem" a short cough made him look up

"Good morning Boss," smiling Bridget continues, "What do I need to do now?"

"It's morning but not necessarily a good one," he growls. His face, snarling like a possessed demon, didn't leave his paperwork. She could sense that something in the folder of pages he was reading was not to his liking.

"You're room is ready for you. It will be used by you and you alone. Understood?"

Looking up, his eyes were glazed, staring, and seemed to be looking straight through her.

"As I said yesterday, you will be servicing my best clients so I hope you are as good as you look"

Hearing a commotion from outside the door Saim, distracted, stands up swiftly.

"Excuse me one moment"

Walking to the door, the voices on the other side become clear.

"You tell him" one voice says

"No way man, you do it" another protests

Yanking at door handle with force, Saim sees two of his guards standing just outside looking feeble. Startled by the door opening, they shoot a surprised glance at the Boss.

"Tell me what?" he demands, his voice bellowing with the ferociousness of a lions roar.

The guards, with knees visibly trembling, start to spit out nonsense in unison.

"Stop" Saim hollers. "Right, you tell me and you piss off downstairs"

Bridget was still standing at the desk, now alone, with the door behind her closed. She didn't know if it was the excitement of the spying game she was now a part of, or just plain nosiness, but she could not help herself. She wanted to see what had made Saim so worked up. Spinning the folder round to see, eyeing the pages like an eagle, it was all just numbers to her. It could have been anything, co-ordinates, phone numbers, she had no clue but there were a lot of information in the long list.

The guards face showed that he wished it were him running down the stairs smiling, wished the other guard were now where his, now sweating body, stood. With what had happened over the past weeks, there was no doubt Saim would not take this well.

"The phone kept ringing Boss and you didn't answer" stuttering he continues, "We thought you were busy so we answered from downstairs"