"You okay?" A voice asked.

" Yeah," I faked a smile. " Fine, thanks"

That's hardly ever true.

I woke up this morning to banging on the front door. Jackson left early to go to the mansion and sent some guy named Jimmy to get me. I was barely able to slip on a pair of jean shorts and my Tøp T-shirt before he began rushing me out the door. The car was driving so smooth, you could only tell we were moving by looking out through the window. Although the AC was on, I wind my window down and let the cool october breeze hit my face.

Everything that happened yesterday is starting to feel so much like a blur now that i'm wondering if those things ever really happened at all. I remember finding a gun under Jackson's bed, I remember him looking up at me with sad eyes after waking up from another nightmare, I remember his deep sexy voice as he told me what he wanted to do to me. I think he almost said...

"Ashley I think I..." his voice rang in my head. That's about the time when the pizza delivery guy showed up at our door because I had ordered lunch. Damn me and my pregnant woman's appetite! but now none of that matters because I managed to squeeze some information out of Jimmy.

" Why would Jackson leave at four in the morning?" I had asked when he told me Jackson left the dorm five hours ago.

He shrugged. " Training I presume, the Mafia doesn't joke about that stuff"

I crossed my arms. " Training for what exactly?"

" War" That's all he said before mentioning he's said too much and dragging me to the black volvo.

We pulled up in the long driveway of the now familiar red brick mansion. There was a huge fountain in the middle —kind of serving as a round-a-bout— of a family, a mom, dad and a little girl smiling up at the sky with water pouring out of their eyes like tears. Accurate, I thought to myself. The double doors in the entrance were made of antique bronze and crystal clear bullet proof glass in the center.

"Wait here" Jimming said stepping inside leaving me standing alone —with around ten cameras— in the driveway.

I would've waited —really— except I heard someone screaming. The sound was coming from the pool house in the backyard. I never noticed before but on the doors of the pool house smeared in red paint were the words;

The Girls Room

What? Is this a bathroom or...?

My question was answered as soon as I walked through the door. Everything seemed normal at first, until I tripped on something hard underneath the rug in the entrance. I moved the rug aside and lift up the metal latch I tripped on, immediately music began thumping from underground.

The noise and laughter got louder as I descended the stairs.

" Excuse me" Someone tapped my shoulder.

" Ahh!" I screamed turning around to face a young girl, not very older than I am, completely topless.

I have never felt so flat chested in my life.

" Would you like a drink?" She held out a glass to me raising her eyebrows.

" Uh..." I finally began to take in and notice the environment around me. " No thanks"

" Is this a...?"

" Strip club?" Jimmy appeared next to me, looking nervous. " Yeah, kind of"

I gasped as another girl, this one completely naked started feeding a member of the Mafia grapes as he grinned up at her.

" I think I'm gonna be sick"

" I told you to wait outside," Jimmy painfully gripped my arm. " Jackson wasn't kidding when he said to keep an eye on you because you never listen"

My heart sunk.

"I heard someone scream!" I yelled because the music was get louder by the minute.

A brunette just wearing a red thong walked over to us cupping her silicone boobs. "Does mommy and daddy want a threesome?" She licked her lips and winked.

I cringed.

Jimmy blushed. " No Felicia, not right now"

" How did you know I was down here?" I asked scrunching my face up as another member of the Mafia grabbed Felicia's butt and starting grinding on her.

Men.

" I actually wasn't looking for you" His eyes traveled around —what was this place? definitely not a strip club because i'm pretty sure these girls do more than that.

" Then who—"

"Jackson, he's in a meeting" Jimming quickly answered my question.

" Down here?!" I asked, appalled.

"Yes," Jimmy scratched the back of his head. " Well..."

Almost as if we could feel each other's presence, I locked eyes with Jackson. He was sitting in the far back of the room which is why it took so long for me to notice him. Next to him looking stressed and tired in a black suit was my Father and to his left was a Latino male in a purple suit which made him look like some kind of pimp. A young sexy pimp that is, he can't be much older than 24.

Jackson rose his eyebrows at Jimmy when he saw me and went back to looking bored. Between each male was a topless girl dancing and shaking their large breast. That's when I met my dad's eyes and he instantly stood up, his face turning red.

By the time I got to their booth with Jimmy my eyes were burning. I don't know if it's because I didn't really expect to see my dad with another woman although I knew he most likely moved on from my mom a long time ago, or it was the fact that there was a girl dancing and rubbing her hands all over Jackson and he just...sat there, numb almost. Completely indifferent. The only time his expression seemed to change was when our eyes met for the seccond time.

" Paid hookers, really?" I said as I arrived in front of them, with Jimmy next to me looking apologetic and scared.

The girl dancing on Jackson —who I noticed was the same girl who offered me a drink when I just arrived in this place— scowled at me.

" Not hookers hon, unpaid pleasers," My dad waved his hand and the girls left shooting me glares. " Lets just say their paying off a debt"

The Latino man chuckled at my shocked expression. " It happens all the time querido, Mommy and daddy gamble and borrow money from people in power, can't repay them so we turn their daughters into pezones, er sluts, for our enjoyment —until the debt is repaid. Sometimes parents actually go as far as killing their daughters out of fear of being disgraced by them"

I looked at my father, sick to my stomach. " Dad? What? Why?"

He took a swig of some strong liquor in his glass. " I own one of the most respected famiglie in the country Ashley, you don't get that title by being nice all the time"

The tears I was holding back slid down my face and for the first time in my life I felt regret. Regret my dad came back in my life, regret I left home for college —I'd rather be nagged to death by my botox loving mom than live like this. And regret I ever met Jackson Miller in the first place.

My whole damn life is a regret.

Without meeting anyone's gaze, I turned on my heels and ran. Shoving everyone out of my way I left 'The Girls Room' drowning in tears.

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