Chapter 11

Over the next two weeks, Wendy and Rhonda saw little of each other. Between classes, library work and keeping Eric's clients satisfied, neither girl was spending much time in the dorm room. It was because they spent so little time together that neither young woman noticed that the other was dressing rather provocatively on certain nights of the week and returning quite late, if at all. With Eric's entrepreneurship Wendy was soon servicing certain fraternities and sororities almost exclusively. No less than three fraternities and two sororities were paying three hundred dollars a night for the use of Wendy's attractive and satisfying body. She seldom turned less than twenty-five to thirty tricks at one of these Greek parties, often more. Rhonda, on the other hand had become Eric's plaything. Although he still partook of the other young women in his blackmail stable, it was Rhonda who was his favorite. She was giving herself to him almost nightly, sometimes the two alone and sometimes, when Eric was in one of his sadistic moods, he would invite a couple of friends and Rhonda would have to satisfy them all at the same time, an act she found especially degrading.

Twice in the last week, she had had to cancel dates with Paul in order to service Eric and his clients/friends. She was racked with guilt, hiding her secret life from Paul, but also in a quandary as to what to do. She wanted to simply tell Eric to go to hell and walk away, but he had made the consequences of that all too clear. She wanted to tell Paul and the two of them marry and leave, but could he give up his career and could he love a woman who... could he love a whore? Her own self confidence shattered, she simply no longer could be certain of anything. But was it fair to Paul to continue this charade? He loved her, she knew. Torn and racked with remorse and guilt over what she had allowed herself to become, she decided to appeal one last time to Eric for the incriminating tape. If nothing else, perhaps she could, at least, protect Paul.

"Eric, I want the tape of Paul and me."

"I just bet you do," he said smiling.

"No, I mean I'll do anything you want to get it back."

"Still want to protect the boyfriend, eh?"

"Look, Paul has nothing to do with you and me. I'm your... whore now. I'll do whatever you want."

"You're doing that now. Why should I give up that tape when it's the leverage that keeps you doing what I want?"

She searched desperately for a bargaining chip.

"I'm not rich but I can..."

"Save it Rhonda. My father's rich."

She knew that was true. Eric was into his blackmail/prostitution scheme as a power trip, not for the money.

"Name your price," she said, unable to think of anything she might offer.

He mused for several seconds, then an evil smile crossed his lips.

"It'll cost you... big time!"

"What is it?" she asked.

"Drop out of school and work for me full time."

"You mean become a prostitute?"

"You already ARE a prostitute. I'm getting a hundred a fuck for that gorgeous body of yours Rhonda. Oh, I give you away as a freebie to some of my friends from time to time, but most of the time you're turning tricks for money, just like a streetwalker."

"But, if I drop out of school, I'll no longer be in Paul's class and..."

"All my tapes are electronically dated as they come in and are logged. The tape can prove the two of you were fucking before you dropped out. Besides, I wonder what that little girl of yours would think to know her precious mommy was screwing not only her professor, but half the campus and town as well?"

Rhonda's sense of hopelessness deepened.

"But, but, but... where would I live?"

"Right here," said Eric, indicating his apartment. "I kind of like the idea of my own personal concubine."

"For... for how long?"

"For as long as I say so. Oh, I'll get tired of you eventually... when you're not as tight and satisfying as you are now. Then, I'll let you leave."

She knew that her sister Cathy would keep Tabitha for her. She would have to come up with some reason for not returning at the end of the semester. Perhaps she could tell them she was being required to take additional classes. For once she was glad for the two hundred mile distance between the campus and Cathy's home town.

Eric paused, smiling.

"And there's one more thing."

She looked to him with resignation, knowing he would impose some other unbelievably unbearable condition upon her.

"Kiss your professor boyfriend goodbye."

"You mean..." she started in shock.

"Get rid of him Rhonda. After all, if you want to protect him, the best way is to distance yourself from him."

"But... but..."

"I imagine the newspapers, as well as the Dean of the college, will be interested that not only is Professor Paul Terrance fucking his student, but she turns out to be Black AND a prostitute!"

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Do those two things and when I'm through with you, the tape is yours."

Her mind tried to function, find alternatives.

"Isn't there anything else I could... ?"

"Take it or leave it. After all, it was your idea to work out a deal for the tape."

"Something wrong, Rhonda?" asked Wendy.

It was one of the rare evenings when they were both home in their dorm room. Despite the fact that she was depressed about her own sexual slavery, Wendy had noticed the deep and gloomy disposition of her friend.

"I..."

Rhonda wanted, needed to talk with her roommate to whom she had become close, but the thoughts of revealing her awful secret to anyone was simply unbearable. Besides, unburdening herself on Wendy might, in some way put Wendy at risk. The fewer involved in this unspeakable and ever deepening quagmire, the better. But she also knew that Wendy would soon become aware of at least certain aspects of the situation.

"I'm thinking about dropping out of school."

"WHAT!"

"I'm going to leave school."

"But why?"

"Personal reasons."

"What personal reasons?"

"They're private."

"What about... ?"

"Paul? I won't be seeing him anymore."

"Did you two have a fight?"

"No. It's just that I've got to get away from everything, from him for a while."

"Where will you go?"

"I'll stay with my sister," Rhonda lied.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Rhonda had agonized over this decision for the last two days. She knew she could simply go to the authorities, but the thoughts of ruining Paul's career and Tabitha learning what her mother had become, were simply too threatening. She had decided. She would sacrifice herself for Paul's safety and Tabitha's ignorance. When Eric grew tired of her, she would destroy the tape, collect Tabitha and move far away to try to begin again. She knew she could never face Paul again after leading the life in which she was involved.