Mr. Pulson

I sat nervously in Kaine's car, counting the traffic lights, the fresh rain that was painted across the road glimmered in the street lights.

Kaine looked over at me, one hand on the wheel, the other situated under his chin. "You don't need to be nervous, whatever the hell the girls told you is a lie. He wants sex, he'll believe a goat is good if someone tells him." I managed a crooked smile. His car slowed down, he read the house numbers, vertically placed in fancy script. He stopped in front of a beige house, three car garage, and the lawn was like a barbie lawn. Perfect, kept, and green.

I unlocked my seatbelt. Kaine grabbed my hand. Looking into my eyes, he smiled. "You'll be fine. If anything goes wrong, text me." He pulled out his sleek EnV. As always, he kissed my forehead, and waved me off.

My heels clicked on the concrete. I put on a smile as I rang the doorbell. Silence. What a weird sound. Mr. Pulson opened the door, a warm smile on his face. Not a seductive one, or a disgusting one, but a warm one. Like a friend would give to another friend.

"Miss Snow," he said, his voice made me melt. It was sexier than Kaine's, which was definitely hard to beat. Mr. Pulson gestured for me to come in. I looked around, his ceilings were high, a chandelier handing from above the door. Carrie tells no lies, he has money.

"Are you thirsty?" I shook my head, the warm feeling had left me. I just wanted to get this over all a sudden. "Alright." He paused, looking around, sucking his lip. "You can sit down." I looked over at the fancy blue couch. It looked new, like no one had sit on it before. I decided it'd be best to sit down.

Mr. Pulson sat down beside me, a wine glass in hand. "Tell me about yourself."

I twisted my face in confusion. Didn't he pay for me to make him feel dirty in his... areas? Not to sit down, he could probably walk into a bar and any girl in there would talk to him.

"What's the point in jumping right into it?" He answered my expression. "Better to know who you're doing, in my opinion." I nodded slowly. "How about I ask a question and you answer?"

"Alright," I began slowly, watching what I said. Maybe he was trying to find a way to pin Kaine, I had to be careful. I looked at his flat screen, hanging on the wall, it looked untouched, come to think of it, everything did. Maybe he cleaned all day.

"How long have you been a prostitute?" He looked at his red wine instead of my face.

"Three years."

"Really? I've heard good things about you, I'm sure Mr. Smith told you that already." I laughed at Mr. Pulson. I had never heard someone refer to Kaine as Mr. Smith. It didn't suit him. "What?"

"Nothing," I paused, feeling more comfortable. "I just have never heard anyone call Kaine that."

"Really? You guys seem close," he finally looked at me, well, a made up whore looking me. Me did not wear cleavage exposing shirts and mounds of eyeliner and blush.

"I guess so," I shrugged, he was my handler, I had to trust him right?

"Any spark there?" I looked at him, confused. Spark? My eyes popped, knowing what he meant.

"No, no."

"You guys haven't done anything?"

"He makes it a rule not to do those things with his... um... girls," I said awkwardly. I made it seem like we were possessions. I deserved it though, I was lying through my teeth. Sort of. Kaine and I had one episode a year a go. We were both drunk. It didn't get too far, both of us were fully clothed when he realized what he was doing. He ignored that event to this day. I never brought it up.

"Wow, hard to find any with responsibility." He caressed my face. "Especially when he's around someone like you." I had to fight to not slap his hand from my face. His eyes looked into mine, I noticed the ocean blue in them this time. His eyes went from my lips to my chest. I knew what was coming. He moved his hand. "Excuse me." He got off the couch to answer his ringing phone.

I felt my phone vibrate. I had a text message from Kaine.

How's it goin'?

I hastily replied back.

He's asking me about me. It's kinda awkward.

Mr. Pulson came back in the room, carrying martinis. I hated alcohol. He handed me a glass, I politely took it.

I knew what Kaine was thinking, Just get to it already.

I looked at Mr. Pulson, trying to pull myself from my shy awkwardness. I pursed my lips.

"So," I began, feeling the usual guilt. "How about I ask a question?" I moved closed, placing my hand on his thigh.

He played along, sensing what I was doing. "I'll try my best."

"What's your real name?" I whispered in his ear. I put myself in his lap, trying not to hide the disgust I had for myself. I felt vile, like I was vermin, this was all so wrong. I pushed the thoughts out of my head. As always.

"I'm just going to let you guess," he whispered back. In an instant he found my lips. He pushed me back on the couch.

You know how I said I wasn't a good actor, or something of the sort? I'm a liar. I realized then and there that every time I do this, I am acting. Pretending it's the most amazing thing in the world when really I find it highly unattractive that some pervert is kissing me like he's trying to eat my face.

"I like you shirt," I giggled. He looked at his shirt, and smiled.

"I got it just for this occasion."

Mmm, great.

"Would you like it off of me?" he smiled. Like I haven't heard that one before. I nodded automatically. "Good," he paused, "I'd love yours off of you."

I don't know how I did it. How I played along the entire time. It's a damn good thing that time passes so quickly. The next thing I remember is waking up, once again, in some man's bed. I groaned.

Mr. Pulson slept like a log, drooling on his pillow. Attractive.

I got up, and pulled a blanket around me. I shivered. Hastily, I made my way to my purse that lied on the floor. I pulled out my phone, a text from Kaine appeared.

Let me know when you're ready to go. He really only has you until five in the morning.

I looked at the alarm clock on the bed side table, it read seven in the morning. The green numbers made my eyes hurt. The room span. Ugh.

Yeah, you can come now.

I got no reply back, Kaine usually didn't. I pulled my clothes on. Suddenly feeling more exposed than when I didn't have any on.

I opened the door. Mr. Pulson stirred, he looked up at me. "Where are going?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pulson," even though I'm really not, "but your time is up." He sat up, stabilizing himself.

"I'm not done," he replied blankly.

"I'm sorry," I said again. He stood up, walking over to me, feet thudding against the beige plush carpet.

He grabbed my arm. "I told you I wasn't done." He pulled me back to the bed.

I struggled. "Let me go," he covered my mouth. What the hell?

"I'm ready for more," he whispered in my ear. The phone rang, he groaned. "Wait one moment."

He walked over to the phone that hung on the green walls. I snuck my cell phone out of its bag.

Kaine, LOL

I sent the message. LOL was our signal, if we were in trouble, because this did happen. Not to me ever, but Carrie was beaten once. That was when Kaine made the signal.

Mr. Pulson pushed me onto the bed. Smiling, he peeled my skirt off. I prayed Kaine was showing up. I heard the doorbell ring. He looked at me, then out the bay window. Nice, Kaine. He parked his car right in Mr. Pulson's view shot. i was screwed. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," I answered, shaking.

"Did you call you boyfriend?" he sounded angry.

"No, I didn-" he grabbed my cell phone.

He opened the message I sent. "This some sort of code? How stupid do you think I am? I hire whores like you on a regular basis. I know all your tricks."

I opened my mouth to speak, I heard the window downstairs shatter. He struck me.

"I always get what I want. I pay well enough to," he laughed to himself. I heard foot steps thump up the stairs. "I am sickened by how loyal Mr. Smith is, coming to your rescue." He struck me again, I felt blood trickle down my cheek.

Kaine stormed in the door. "Mr. Pulson, would you kindly step away from Miss Snow."

"I told you I'd pay as much as you needed," he said darkly. "I only request a few more hours."

"I'm sorry, but we made an agreement, Mr. Pulson." Kaine shook.

Mr. Pulson stared at me, I held my hand to my cheek. He grabbed my hand. "You know what?" he pushed me over to Kaine, Kaine caught me, holding me like I was about to fly away. "Take her, I don't know why i bothered coming back to your area. You haven't changed in two years."

"No," Kaine replied coldly. "I follow rules, they aren't property, Mr. Pulson. I'm sorry but I will no longer be able to serve you, this is the third time." I opened my mouth.

Mr. Pulson snorted. "As if I'd come back." He looked me straight in the eye. "But they are property, property is sold, and you're selling them."

Kaine turned around, grabbing my arm. He opened my door, moving my hand from my wound. "Damnit," he pulled out his first aid kit.

"What did he mean you haven't changed?" I asked, wincing.

Kaine looked at me, placing a bandaid over my cheek. "Mr. Pulson comes here every few years, he usually uses some other prostitute business. The only reason he comes is when he hears something about us." Kaine paused, setting the white first aid kit in the back seat. "Most prostitution businesses are not nearly as organized as the one you're apart of. It bugs him somehow that I treat you guys with actual respect. He thinks of you as property."

"Oh," I replied, looking at myself in the rearview mirror.

"It's disgusting. I know that if all of you girls had another option, you'd probably choose something else," he buckled his seatbelt, smiling. "I'm sorry, Cassy."

"It's alright," I replied, it wasn't his fault, he rarely turned people down, right?

I knew one thing, I'd never see Mr. Pulson again. Which was fine by me.