Blood Lust

Chapter Two: Slow Down

        Joy was stiff, her eyes shut and tears wet her lashes but never fell. She tried to enjoy his touch, for this wasn't Sam. This wasn't someone who would do that to her, but she physically couldn't get herself to ease, paranoia and anxiety crawling through her veins faster than cocaine ever would.

        His fingers glided along her arm, creeping around her waist, then he her drew her in and delved his hand into the barrier of thin lace that shielded her backside and that's when she caught his wrist and prevented him from going any further.

        "Please, not tonight." The same voice that came down on other people like a whip, would always return to the small voice of her younger self when she was afraid. The quiet and fear filled tone that never failed to make her feel weak. She hated it.

        Her body was tremoring, and all she could do was excuse this for another bad day. Days that were more common than not.

        Isaiah recoiled and stepped back from her, however it didn't make her feel better.

        She only felt exposed and it made her want to curl into a ball. She hugged herself and looked away, her eyes becoming pink under the strain of holding back tears. Her head began to ache but still she never let those tears fall from her hazel eyes.

        Joy just wanted to leave now, wanted to go home and scrub her skin clean.

        "I ain't him, Joy." He said, his tone filled with traces of annoyance. "I wouldn't do that to you." He moved back behind his desk, and Joy ran her fingers through her waist long brunette locks. She could feel her fake lashes becoming unstuck due to the wetness that coated them. "I don't even know why you're still upset about it. It happened years ago."

        "I know." She wished she could explain it to him, but that did no use. She's tried before. She tried to explain that just because he was out of her life that the pain never went away. She never went to therapy to cope. She never spoke about it. She kept it in. "I'm sorry. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow night." But who knew if she'd be alright then?

        Isaiah sighed in frustration, but his voice softened. "Don't apologize. You didn't do nothing." He took in her lifeless appearance, and waved his finger. "C'mere." Joy took a few shaky steps forward, moving around his desk and standing before him. "How much did you make tonight?" Joy pried in her bra and ripped out two handfuls of bills.

        It had to be over a little over a thousand she placed on the table. "I haven't counted yet." Isaiah noticed the dazed look she had in her eyes since she walked in. She wasn't here completely.

        He didn't understand her or how she felt. He never would.

        "Someone must've really liked you then, hmm? Can't blame em right?" He gave her a small grin and Joy returned it weakly.

        Tobias.

        He didn't watch her like she was an object of pleasure. She saw something in his eyes. Like he admired her. A twinkle of awe.

        It might if been a trick of the light, but his eyes didn't say she was a mouthwatering toy. They told her she was beautiful. She was so caught off guard it made her forget for a moment that she was feeling like dirt.

        She quickly shook away the thought. No. He was just like the rest of them.

        He was no different.

        "If you needed a hit of something, you should've told me." He opened the drawer near his feet, fishing around within it for a few measly seconds.