Please Let Me Be Ch. 16

Writer's Note: This chapter has been driving me insane! This is the third rewrite but hopefully what I write here will actually help along the plot a bit. Most of what I've written to date in Please Let Me Be has been just to play around with all the ways I could write sexual scenes. So thank you to everyone who's kept up to date and actually stuck around. Go you! There will be a few new chapters. I sincerely apologize for the delay. I went into social hibernation. I have since emerged into the fresh air. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This world is based around criminal activity that includes murder, drugs, theft, and selling of people. I do not condone any of these activities and actually feel very strongly AGAINST all of them. Also, every character in this story is fictitious, any and all similarities are purely coincidental. Each and every character is also above the age of 18. Make sure to play safe and practice safe sex. Always get consent!

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Tessa held her breath to try and block out the overwhelming scent of sex and smoke that filled the room she'd just entered. Being part of the Business she'd spent a lot of time around just those things. The fundamental difference here being that the Business had been organized sex and planned smoke breaks. This, though, was mayhem. Bacchanalian, she thought to herself. Pure and unbridled sin spread across the wide open room. Even with her eyes trained on the small woman's back before her didn't stop the glimpses in her periphery. To the left a train of men were rocking back and forth on a plush rug before an open patio. To the right a line of people were servicing multiple men in expensive suits with every orifice available. And behind her were the gambling tables, surrounded with a smoky haze that she hoped wasn't too potent secondhand.

Nothing worse than starting an undercover job while on a contact high, she thought before taking in another small sip of air.

The scenes of sensuality, strangely, didn't interest her. Professionally, she wondered if she could pick up a few tricks from the ladies she'd passed. On the other hand her time learning with Darrien was so much more thrilling than asking for hints on hand jobs from strangers. Instead, Tessa focused back on her guide and new boss, Ms. Carmel. The woman barely reached up to Tessa's chin in height but she had balls of steel from what little Tessa had seen. If anything had been proven in Tessa's past it was that small women could attack like honey badgers when least expected. She fully planned to stay on her boss's good side.

They breezed through a small doorway that opened onto a set of concrete stairs. Obviously, not part of the house's impressionable side. Quickly and quietly they descended three flights to a slightly musty basement. The change of locale both eased and tensed Tessa. She could breathe easier without all the miasma from before but being in a basement on what accounted to enemy territory in her mind did not bode well.

"This is the staff's quarters. We have everything we need down here; a dining hall, communal baths, and the dorms. You'll be sharing with two others so don't even think about bringing men back here. This is a workplace not a whorehouse." Ms. Carmel spoke in clipped English with a slight hint of something South American underneath. She also never once turned around when she spoke to Tessa. They just kept walking forward at a march.

Tessa started to nod then realized she'd have to speak up or risk Ms. Carmel turning to look her in the face, "Yes, Ms. Carmel."

"Good," the tiny women pulled open a door with force, reached in and extracted a large pile of cloth that dwarfed her. Tessa hurried to take it from her; the pile covered her to her nose. Stretching her neck she peered over the pile to find Ms. Carmel swiftly walking down the hall again.

Mini hurricane, she huffed silently and hustled after her. Another door was wrenched open by the tiny force of nature and Tessa sighed before following her in.

"This will be your bunk," she pointed to a naked twin mattress on a battered metal frame stashed in the corner of a concrete walled room. "Your roommates are currently upstairs handling affairs."

Affairs meaning...what exactly, Tessa thought with a furrow to her brow. Darrien hadn't mentioned her having to service anyone. But then again, what good would a girl like me be? He paid a lot for the Tester at the Business, it makes sense he'd want something more than the generic. She hated the doubts so she tossed them aside and refocused.

Holding the pile of cloth to her front like a shield she surveyed the room. Small, clean, ugly, but serviceable; it was nothing like what she'd just come from. Darrien's rooms had been spectacular and far beyond anything she'd imagined as Tess the Tester. This room, though, was much more like what she'd first pictured living in after the Business off loaded her at a certain age. She'd known she had an expiration date. Age meant everything in the Business, or the business of selling companions, if she was being honest.

"Do you have any questions?" Ms. Carmel asked while opening a tiny cupboard hiding a heating unit under one of the other bunks.

Tessa thought for a long second before deciding the question was logical and innocent, "What exactly will I be doing here?"

"You were brought on as cleaning staff and will stay so until I am told otherwise."

Tessa nodded and put her burden down on her bed.

Ms. Carmel waited a while longer then finally turned to look her in the face. Tessa held her searching gaze with open innocence. Then Ms. Carmel nodded, dusted off her skirt and headed to the door, "Make your bed, unpack, and clean up. The baths are three doors down to the left. Dinner will be at 6:15 sharp and is five doors down to the right."

The door closed silently behind her. Tessa worried for a second about knowing what time it was but noticed the cheap clock above the doorway and sighed heavily before setting to work.

Two hours later, Tessa was clean, dressed in her new work clothes and heading down the hall to the right for Dinner. She was still early by a bit so she took her time finding the dining hall. So far she hadn't seen a single other soul in the basement. After making her bed and unpacking a small kit of living supplies and uniforms she'd gone to the communal baths. A large, white tiled room with shower heads, small ledges for soaps, and drains; it was nothing spectacular. She had ached with longing for Darrien and the hot tub they had soaked in. Then she'd put on the black tunic and slacks and worried for a second that maybe she had been secretly sold. That Darrien had changed his mind and forgotten to inform her of his boredom. That he had decided to recoup some of his cost by selling her into servitude. She wanted to trust him, but it just seemed so much more logical that he would grow tired of her and pawn her off.

"He wants me," she whispered to herself, "he may not need me or love me but he wants me."

Insecurities buried once again she entered the dining hall and did a quick surveillance. Long, heavy, wooden tables with small metal chairs covered the bulk of the room. On the far side was a window into a large chrome kitchen. The ledge between the two was covered in buffet tureens of food. She followed a woman to a shelf off to the left and went through the motions; plate, utensils, water bottle, food. All that was left was to find a place to sit.

Tessa knew better than to follow the woman. She'd already received a couple of dirty looks just by following too closely to see what she should do. Deciding to play things safe she maneuvered her way to a smaller table in the corner closest to the door. It gave her a view of those who entered, security at her back, and an easy exit. Slowly more staff filed in as she ate. The staff seemed 70/30 with women being the bulk of the workers. Cliques had already formed and the room was filling up fast with Tessa's table remaining one of the few mostly empty.

She knew her peace and quiet was at an end when a group of men entered and kept looking her way as they filed through for food. Tessa tried to finish and pack up before they made it over but wasn't fast enough.

"Hey, mind if a few join you?" The words were friendly but she still tensed.

"I was just about to leave," she started to scoot back from the table but was stopped by another man trying to ease behind her.

"No need to leave on our account," He put his plate right next to hers and dropped into the seat to her left.

Her easy exit thwarted she looked to her right and found the other man had sat at her side. He smiled at her look and popped a fry into his mouth. Three more men sat across from them and Tessa heavily regretted not moving faster.

They're just coworkers, you'd have to talk to them eventually, she reasoned with her worries.

"So, you must be the new girl," the friendly guy to her left said. He was leaning into her space with an elbow on the table and a hand on the back of her chair. Tessa nodded and smiled at him, waiting to see how he would pounce next.

"I'm Caleb, I've been here for 6 years so I know all the in and outs."

"He means to say he's been here 6 years so he's fucked all the in and outs." This came from the man to her right. He said it so quietly at first that she thought she'd imagined the words.

"That asshat is Jack," Caleb said while ignoring what Jack had said, "I can show you around the place if you haven't been around already."

"He means he can show you all the places he'd like to secretly fuck you while on the clock."

Tessa frowned and held tightly onto the laughter that was building up inside.

"I can also help you figure out who to befriend around this place." At this Caleb glares at Jack.

Jack, however, is watching Tessa with a slate face and amusement in his eyes.

"He means that he can keep away from all the people who might want to be your friend in this place so he can befuck you himself, I mean, befriend you himself." Tessa coughs out a laugh and rubs the smile off her face while Caleb's face turns an angry red.

"What the fuck, man? Are you my asshole translation or something?" Caleb growls.

"Just saying," Jack pops another fry into his mouth while the three men who had been silent across from them chuckle. He wipes of his hands on a napkin then reaches out a hand to her, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jack, Caleb's friend, and you are?"

She shakes his hand, "I'm Tessa."

"Tessa," he repeats with a nod.

"Jack," she smiles at him and he answers back with that hidden humor in his eyes.

"These three are Tony, Anthony, and Antoni. We call them the Three Tones. I personally think they all have different names but want to fuck with us so won't tell us." Jack says with a wave to the three chucklers.

Tessa just nodded and smiled in greeting. Caleb had leant back while Jack had made the introductions but now that his angry flush had subsided he was again in her space.

"I really meant all I said. I would like to be your friend." Caleb smiled but it was toned down from the initial flirtation.

Tessa waited a beat and looked to Jack for translation. Jack noticed her watching and smiled but kept silent.

"I'll consider it," Tessa settled for a non-answer.

Caleb quirked a brow but removed his hand from her seat and started eating. Tessa hid her sigh and thought about how best she could remove herself from the table without making things even worse. She had not been around this many men at once at close range since the day Darrien had purchased her. It was nerve wracking to have strange men close enough for the heat of their skin to sink through her clothes. After a minute of half thought through escape plans were scrapped she gave up and relaxed in the chair to observe those around her. The other servers, servants, she thought, seemed subdued but generally content. No fights were breaking out and overall state of the place was neat and tidy from what she'd seen so far. Being sold into serving on Darrien's behalf could have gone much worse for her in a multitude of ways. As the tester she had always assumed she'd never be 'used' in the way of the other products. That assumption had been tossed out with the arrival of her owner so though he'd told her she'd only be cleaning and spying for him she'd worried somewhere deep inside that those words came with extra duties. Duties such as servicing other men.

"What has you thinking so hard?" Jack asked quietly with a gesture to her head, "I can see the steam coming off your head from that engine of a brain working overtime."

Tessa shook her head in answer but his words had her lips twitching in a slight smile.

"Do you know where you'll be working?" Caleb asked.

"Translation: Will you be fucking with the other women on the main floor?" Jack supplied.

"I'm cleaning services only, Ms. Carmel said so."

Caleb smiled wide at that before shoveling in a large bite of pie. Jack's smile was only visible in his eyes but she could tell he was relieved she was cleaning staff. Tessa cocked her head and raised a brow in question. It was strange that both men would be so happy to know she was blowing away dust bunnies and not blowing dicks.

"The women who service tend to cycle through faster and they-" Jack thought for his words but winced and continued, "-they wear out faster."

He paused, "Plus you seem like fun, it'd be such a waste."

Tessa's brows both rose at that. She bit her lip and nodded as his words sank in. In was an immense relief to not be a servicer. Even at the business she had never wanted to be used by many. She only wanted one man. Now that she had Darrien that slot was filled. Tessa smirked at the dirtiness of her own thoughts. My slot sure has been filled, she snorted an unlady-like laugh.

"Share the joke?" Jack nudged her shoulder with his elbow.

She just shook her head at him. Before Jack could push Tessa for more Ms. Carmel marched into the dining hall and let loose a shrill whistle. Activity paused across the entire room and they all turned to give her their attention.

"There will be a celebration in 5 days. Tensions will be high during those days and we will have a surplus of guests. This means we need more rooms readied off the main floor and the ballroom will have to be cleaned as well as a deep clean for the hall. Everyone's duties will be posted on the board like usual. If you have questions find the leader for your duties, they are color coded for ease. If anyone is caught shirking their duties, well . . . you know what will happen."

On that note she clapped her hands once and promptly left the dining hall at a clip. Whispers picked back up again and while Tessa had expected people to be worried about the lingering threat of those last words most everyone seemed excited.

"Woah, a new girl and a celebration, what a week," Jack let out a low whistle.

"Why is everyone so happy about a celebration? I remember walking through one on my way down here."

"No, no, that's not a celebration, that's just normal business. The House is kind of like a casino, brothel, black market, and auction all set up in one. What you walked through is just the regular. A Celebration however, that's something special."

"Everything is taken to whole new levels with a celebration, the gambling becomes life and death, the women triple in numbers and skills, we have a whole new set of vendors selling things that should most definitely not be sold and the auction gets pretty dicey." Caleb butted in with that bit of distressing news.

"Plus, we all get a nice break and bonus after a celebration. We all take rotations during clean up to have time off to go have fun," Jack winked at her. Tessa scrunched her nose at him but her body betrayed her by flushing bright red. She ignored the intrigued look he threw her.

"We could schedule our break together." Caleb cajoled.

"What's the bonus?" she asked instead of answered.

"You can have 1 of 3 things; money, an item from the market, or an hour with one of the servicers."

"What would I do with an hour with a woman?" Tessa asked.

"I can think of a few things," the sleazy words from Caleb were ignored by both Tessa and Jack who answered her.

"They have male servicers as well, even a few non-binary servicers too. The options are there because they are trained professionals." Tessa nodded her understanding. Everything she had agreed to with Darrien was piling up. He'd said things would move fast but she'd hoped for at least 24 hours before the danger pumped up a notch.

"We can help you figure things out if that's what you're worried about," Jack offered.

"I can help you with whatever you wish," Caleb said while leaning into her space. Tessa tried to lean back but only ended up crowding further into Jack. Of course things just go worse when Jack put an arm out on either side of her, one on the back of her chair and one along the table before popping his chin over her shoulder to look at Caleb straight on. The effect had Tessa sandwiched between two new men. She felt trapped by Caleb but for some odd reason Jack's warmth against her back relaxed her. He smells so good, she thought for a second before forcing her brain to redact the idea.

"I'm sorry to say that both Tessa and I will be unavailable during whenever your break is," Jack's breath brushed across her hair with his words. A betraying tightening in the pit of stomach had her squirming.

"Uh huuuh," Caleb's smiled died and Tessa watched his eyes cool before sparking with humor, "awe, Jacky do you have a crush on the new girl?"

Jack grunted and his warmth abruptly left her. She felt strangely chilled as both men returned to their food between throwing each other nasty looks. Tessa hoped they'd forgotten her presence. She'd wanted to insist that she was neither man's new girl but couldn't figure out how to say that without bringing back up the antagonism she'd just felt.

Tessa was eventually escorted from the dining hall by Jack and Caleb, the other men going their own way. She followed along between them as they showed her the schedule assignment board and the supply rooms. Thankfully they kept the flirting at a minimum so she went along with them willingly. If anything it was good luck on her end that people were willing to walk her through things like where the maps were for the building and which areas were off limits to staff and heavily guarded or filmed. Both men were making her life much easier. She remembered everything the way Darrien had taught her, touch, scent, sound and sight. If she touched something near what she wanted to remember, smelled the air, listened and memorized the sight she was able to recall it all easier.

I can't imagine that Darrien doesn't know all this, though, she thought while dragging her hand across a small statuette before a restricted area.

"You must be a menace in museums," Jack said far too close to her ear.

Tessa tensed but forced herself to relax and thought over his words but couldn't quite figure them out.

"You keep touching everything; you know our job is to clean off fingerprints, right?" Her hand stilled on the statuette, Fingerprints, that can't be good, oh, but I'm just cleaning staff so, maybe?

"It's okay to touch," Caleb smirked at his words. He elbowed Jack back from Tessa. Darrien would've warned me if it would get me in trouble, right?

"I've been going behind you and cleaning off he prints, don't worry." Jack whispered this from behind her.

She turned to him with surprise.

"So you don't get in trouble for making a mess," he explained with humor in his voice.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Tessa shut down on the warmth budding in her chest. He's just doing his job and taking care of the new girl for some reason. It's perfectly normal. She reasoned.