Saving the Villain

[ TRIGGER WARNING: THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE CAN CAUSE DISCOMFORT TO READERS. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. ]

"I'd pay you. I'd pay you even in installments. I'll pay you! Just — just stop, okay?"

"Amie." Henry tugged her arm, but she didn't budge.

"Just stop bothering him." Her voice sounded quieter, almost begging the leader. "I have one grand for now, but I won't run away. I can give you everything you need to know to believe that I won't run away! So please… don't hurt him anymore."

The boss assessed Amie from head to toe, leaning back comfortably. From the looks of it, although Henry was nothing but breathing trash, this girl right here was sincere.

"Poor girl…" the boss shook his head, glancing at the crafty Henry, who was acting remorseful.

The leader knew this guy and what a terrible human being he was. Therefore, he could see through Henry's smoke and mirrors. Behind Henry's worried expression, the leader could see him smirking deviously. However, that wasn't the boss's problem anymore.

All he wanted was his money.

"Sure. I will give you a chance." The boss's agreement made Amie's face brighten up. Little did she know what he was about to ask later, something that would diminish all the sliver of hope she had. "But before that, I need to test whether you are sincere or not."

"What?"

"How much do you think she's worth per night?" the boss asked Henry, making Amie look back at Henry with wide eyes. "Hmm?"

"Henry…"

Both Henry and Amie looked at each other with shaking eyes. Amie looked at her friends, but all they did was look away from her. They wouldn't help her or Henry, staying quiet as a dead rat so they wouldn't gather more attention from the boss.

"Amie." Henry reached for her hand and spoke in a hushed voice. "Take back your words. Don't worry about me. I will find a way to pay them back. You don't have to do this."

Her breath hitched as her hand underneath his grip felt cold. Henry wasn't in a better position but was still worried about her. Therefore, it amplified her desire to help him. She loved him, after all. No. They love each other, and as a couple, they should face this problem together.

"I'm alright." Amie placed her other hand on top of his hand, nodding reassuringly. She then faced the boss bravely. "Why do you need to know my worth?"

"Obviously, that boyfriend of yours has a lot of debt. Chasing after him is tiring. So I want to treat my boys to some meat and also get more than a thousand grand tonight," explained the boss in a matter-of-factly tone, shrugging. "How about five hundred per head? I'm giving you a deal, eh? I can get a girl with just two hundred, but since it seemed you are fresh meat, I'm raising your value."

"Who wants to taste her?" the leader then glanced at his minions to see if they were interested.

"Haha. Boss is surely generous in these things," someone commented, sizing up Amie while licking his lips. "I don't mind, boss. I'm actually hungry."

"Count me in."

"I'm not in the mood right now."

"Come on, man. How can you be not in the mood when the boss is treating us nicely?"

"I will."

The boss's lackeys chatted happily as if they weren't talking about having to share with a girl for tonight. It wasn't new to them, after all. In the end, out of five minions, three of them agreed.

"So three." The boss set his eyes back to Amie, tipping his head on the table. "Four, including me. That's about two thousand — that's a lot. I'd even give you a bonus if I like your services. How's that sound?"

Amie's entire body shivered as her expression turned blank, dating her wide eyes to the minions who wanted to have a round with her and then at the boss. Four guys… Amie hadn't been with someone, even with Henry. Who in the world would find this amusing or less scary?

However, two thousand less was tempting. Even though Henry's debt was something that sounded impossible to pay, if she could reduce it, she believed she would one day clear this debt. Amie hung her head low, staring at her knuckles.

"Sure," she whispered before raising her head, showing the determination on her face. "However, I am a virgin. So the first one to take me should be around ten — five — no, three thousand grand!"

"Hah?" the boss cocked his head to the side.

"That's a total of four thousand and five hundred grand," Amie continued in a raised voice, counting with her trembling fingers. "I should've raised it since it'll be my first night, but I only raised the first one. I'm giving you a deal, so take it or leave it."

The boss stared at Amie's countenance before he laughed. His minion also laughed at her courage.

"Geez… this girl is so silly." The boss wiped the corner of his eyes as he recovered from his laughter. "Can you look at yourself?"

He looked back at her, pointing at her from up and down. "You're not even pretty, especially with that heavy makeup. But fucking is fucking."

"Still, sure, let's go with that just because I like your attitude," the boss added, rocking his head in approval. "I'll close our deal to five thousand if your claim is true, plus the one grand you promised tonight. That's a total of six. However, if I figure out you're lying, I won't pay you a cent. Do you understand?"

Amie's heart thudded at the intimidating tone the leader used at the end of his sentence. Before she could even react, the boss flickered his fingers.

"Get her," ordered the leader, and his lackeys didn't hesitate to approach Amie.

"Wait, what —" Amie shrieked as two guys lifted her by the shoulder, only to get pinned on the table. Her eyes snapped open as her mouth fell open, horror dominating her face.

Why did they lay her there?

"Haha. Come on…" the boss slowly rose from his seat, walking around the table until he was looking down at her. "Did you think we have some time to do it somewhere else?"

That second, Amie's heart dropped to her stomach. She made the wrong decision. She looked back at Henry for help, but to her disappointment, Henry looked away.

"Haha. Do you think he will help you? Damn… I'm fucking you because I pity you for even trusting a word from that guy." The boss's lazy voice came from behind her while she was frozen on the spot. "You should've listened to my advice earlier and kept quiet. Now, learn your lesson while being screwed by four guys in front of the trash boyfriend you wanted to save with your life."

Coldness seeped deep in Amie's bones as her expression turned blank. Her eyes stayed on Henry's figure, but the latter and all his friends, which she thought were also her friends, weren't saying anything. They just all looked away, despite knowing what these guys were about to do in front of them.

'I was wrong…' she whispered in her heart as helplessness washed over her, knowing this realization came a bit late.