Trafficking (Powell Book 1) Read online

  Trafficking

  Bill Ward

  Copyright © 2015 Bill Ward

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13:

  978-1507865422

  ISBN-10:

  1507865422

  CHAPTER ONE

  Afina longed to be back in Bucharest. Just two days earlier she was living at home with her mother and life was good. Not perfect. They had a small apartment in a tower block and she had to share a bedroom with her messy teenage sister, Adriana. Her Father had left them when her mother was pregnant with Adriana. Since that day, they had never heard from him and it was her mother who had been left to bring up a small child and a baby without any support. According to her mother, he was no great loss. He had spent too much of the limited family income on drink and too much drink inevitably led to him turning violent.

  Afina had thought to look for him, now she was older, but it was not out of any deep longing to know her father, it was so she could look him in the eye and tell him how despicable he was for deserting his young family. Afina loved and admired her mother. She had always provided for them and they had never gone hungry or short of clothes.

  Afina had struggled to find regular work since leaving school. Her education had been blighted by too many hours in a gym, pursuing her dream of becoming a famous gymnast and following in the footsteps of her hero, Nadia Comaneci, the first gymnast to obtain the perfect ten in an Olympic competition. While friends at school studied algebra and history, she was learning handsprings and backflips.

  Her dreams had come crashing down as a fifteen year old, when she tore all the ligaments in her foot. Despite the agony, it was the look of despair she had seen on the team doctor’s face, which had hurt the most. Subsequent visits to specialists had only confirmed the foot would recover for a normal life but would never again be able to take the stress required to be a world class gymnast. She had combined hard work with natural talent but in the end been defeated by bad luck

  Afina’s academic work continued to suffer as she struggled to adjust to a life without hope. Her gymnastics had been the way to escape the harsh reality of a poor life in Bucharest. It took her twelve months of dabbling in boys and alcohol, before she took a grip on her life and decided it was time to stop feeling sorry for herself, after one of her good friends died of a drug overdose. Fortunately, she had never really been attracted to drugs, settling for the high of alcohol but as more and more of her friends started to move from drink to drugs, she knew it was time to sort out her life or risk joining her friend in the morgue.

  Afina had been left with few qualifications and no possibility of going to university but she knew she had something special, a winner’s attitude. She understood what it meant to work hard, to get up early every day before school and spend two hours training and then after school going straight to the gym for a further three hours of intense training. While the hope of the Olympics burned inside her, she had been completely dedicated to her sport but when that flame was extinguished, she had temporarily lost her true self and quickly gone from winner to loser.

  She had regrets, especially as no qualifications made finding work difficult, which in turn meant there was little money for going out and having fun but that was all about to end. She had been found a job working in a bar in England, by a friend of a friend, and would soon be earning enough money to live well and help her family.

  More importantly, at twenty two she wanted her independence. She loved her family but she needed her own room, the freedom to wear what she wanted without comment from her mother and the option to stay out all night if she wanted. She could never invite a boy back to her apartment. Unfortunately, her mother judged all men by her father’s standards, which to her mind meant they were all useless and only after one thing. Afina quite liked that one thing and didn’t share her mother’s opinions but if she stayed out late, it always resulted in an argument when she came home.

  Her mother was worried for her daughter and had been in tears when they kissed goodbye at the airport. Afina had promised she would return home for Christmas and they could speak everyday on the phone. Afina was also nervous but it was caused by excitement not fear. She had never flown before and never left Romania. She was embarking on the first great adventure of her young life and could not wait for it to start. She would make her mother proud and start to repay her for the love and support she had always received, as she was growing up.

  Afina had studied English in school and from a young age it had been her dream to visit England. Of course, she had envisaged seeing the world through gymnastics competitions but despite that never happening, the desire to travel remained. The flight took only three hours and she was met at Gatwick airport by a taxi and driven to Brighton by someone from Timisoara, who had been living in England for three years and said it was indeed a great country, he was never going back home. She was more sure than ever she had definitely made the right decision.

  She had been improving her English and reading everything about England. She knew the weather was quite different from home and wasn’t surprised when she emerged from the airport to find grey skies, despite it being mid-June and having left a heatwave back home. She had pale skin and would not miss the sun too much. She was in England to make money and to properly start her adult life.

  From the taxi window she had her first view of Brighton. The streets were overflowing with people and the famous pier, about which she had read so much, jutted out into the sea. It was only the third time she had ever seen the sea. The previous two times were holidays to Mamaia on the Black Sea with her last boyfriend. Brighton looked very different. For a start it had a beach of pebbles not sand, which she found very odd. Surely it was uncomfortable to sit on stones? She had a fleeting view of the pebble beach and it was surprisingly full of people, despite the lack of sunshine.

  Afina had a guide book in her suitcase and there were many interesting places to visit around Brighton, which was going to keep her busy on her days off. Even London was only one hour away on the train. She was going to visit Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. She felt a sense of freedom like nothing she had ever experienced before. She could go where she wanted, when she wanted. She had made the right decision to come to Brighton.

  Then the taxi had dropped her at this apartment and she had met for the first time, the man in the next room who introduced himself as Stefan. He was a tall man with a couple of days stubble on his face and unkempt hair tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing jeans and a check shirt open almost to the navel, revealing a hairy chest, which Afina didn’t find very attractive. A heavy gold chain hung around his neck. The temperature in the apartment was stifling hot, which probably explained Stefan’s need to undo his shirt. Perhaps in England it was normal for people to keep their homes so hot because it was always cold outside.

  Almost immediately, Stefan dropped the bombshell the job was no longer available. The bar had hired someone else. He explained she had to pay him back for her flight and accommodation. She planned to do just that once she started working but now she had no job. He seemed a reasonable man and said they would be able to sort it out, she wasn’t to worry. To start with she could cook and tidy for him. He would help her find other work.

  She was a little concerned when he insisted on keeping her passport as otherwise she might just run off and he would be out of pocket but he had a point. He had spent a lot of money on her and it wasn’t an unreasonable request so she handed it over. Anyway, she wasn’t going to be needing her passport for several months, certainly not before Christmas, which was six months away.

  She had tried to call home but her phone did not work, which Stefan explained was normal, it would only work within Romania. He woul
d get her a new phone in a few days, one that worked in England. So instead, she went online and sent a message to her sister to say she had arrived safely and everything was good. She didn’t mention the problem with the job as she didn’t want to worry her mother. She couldn’t message her mother directly because she didn’t have a computer.

  Afina thought her room was pleasant enough. She had a double bed and a television. There was a large mirror on one wall and a wardrobe for her clothes. It was very spacious compared with her bedroom back home but it was sterile, it lacked warmth or colour. She unpacked the picture of her family and put it beside her bed. If she ended up staying in this room very long she would buy some posters for the walls, like she had in her bedroom at home.

  At Stefan’s suggestion, Afina cooked some frozen pizzas for dinner and he offered her some red wine, which she didn’t normally drink, preferring to drink beer on an evening out, but this was a special occasion so she had a couple of glasses. She had always helped her mother with chores and the cooking so felt well prepared to cook and clean a little for Stefan, until she found her new job.

  After clearing up she returned to her room to watch television and finish unpacking. A short time later, Stefan entered her room without knocking. She looked up in surprise. She had noticed there was no lock on the inside of her door but neither did she have a lock on her bedroom at home. Perhaps Stefan was not used to having anyone stay in this bedroom so a lock had never previously been necessary.

  “Would you like some more wine?” he asked.

  “No, thank you,” she answered in English. He had insisted she must only speak English as she needed to practise.

  “Did you tell your family everything is good?”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  He sipped at his wine and his eyes lingered over her body. She recognised the look. Her tall slim body had always attracted plenty of looks, especially after giving up gymnastics, which allowed her to eat more and in turn her body became a little more rounded and feminine. There had been two proper boyfriends in her twenty two years and quite a few other brief flings with boys. She wasn’t naive. She understood men liked to look.

  “Take off your clothes,” Stefan instructed in a pleasant voice.

  “Sorry?” She wondered if she had understood him properly.

  “Take off your clothes,” he commanded much less pleasantly. “I want to look at you.”

  Afina moved away from him until her back was against the wall. She was scared and feeling very vulnerable.

  “I’m not going to wait for ever,” he continued. “Take your clothes off or I’ll take them off.”

  “I don’t want to. Please don’t make me,” she pleaded in her native Romanian.

  “Haven’t I been nice to you?” he asked in English. “Haven’t I spent my money on you? Provided you somewhere to live.”

  Afina didn’t answer. She wondered if she screamed would anyone come to her aid. Stefan dwarfed her tiny frame. She was quite sure he could force her to do anything he wanted. She needed to get away but he was blocking the door, leaving no possibility of escape. She was trapped and for the first time she wondered if there had ever been a job? Had she been very foolish coming to England?

  Afina made a decision. Her best chance of getting away was to pretend she liked him. Then he would relax and she would be able to escape. It was distasteful but she had no real choice. She would sneak away in the night when he was asleep. The alternative was almost certainly that he would hurt her and the end result would still be the same.

  “I’m sorry, I should say thank you properly,” she apologised, returning to English. “I am grateful. I am just surprised that a man such as you would like me.”

  Stefan smiled and relaxed. “Good. I like you very much. Now take your clothes off. Let me look at you.”

  She was wearing a tee shirt over jeans. She pulled the tee shirt over her head. Her breasts were small but her flat stomach and long legs gave her a model like appearance. Her face was often described as cute, occasioned by the freckles around the bridge of her nose and green eyes. Her straight, brown hair reached halfway down her back. She saw him run his tongue over his lips. She knew he approved of what he saw. She reached behind her back and undid the clasp of her bra. She was never shy in front of boys. She was proud of how she looked and knew men found her attractive. She let him feast his eyes on her breasts for a time before slowly removing her jeans.

  There was a knock on the door to the apartment. Her heart jumped with joy. Maybe it was someone who could help her escape.

  “Wait a minute,” Stefan instructed as he moved towards the door. He seemed unconcerned by the interruption.

  Afina watched as Stefan opened the door and immediately turned back towards her.

  “You’re late,” he said, over his shoulder.

  A stranger entered the room and followed him. “Damned traffic,” he responded. He was shorter than Stefan but broader. He had pitch black hair, which was receding at the front, bushy dark eyebrows, matching moustache and a full beard.

  The stranger noticed the half-naked Afina for the first time. “Wow, is she the new girl? Very nice.”

  Afina picked up her tee-shirt from the floor to cover her breasts.

  “This is my friend,” Stefan said. “He is going to join us. You will like him. He has a very big cock.”

  Afina instinctively bolted for the door. Stefan caught her around the waist and threw her back on the bed like she weighed nothing.

  “We need to try you out,” Stefan explained. “See if you have any talent for your new career.”

  “Fuck you,” Afina swore.

  “Exactly,” Stefan laughed. “You are going to fuck us.”

  “She is an ungrateful little bitch,” the stranger commented. “We need to teach her a lesson.”

  As they advanced towards her, Afina curled into a ball on the bed and begged them to leave her alone.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Afina could hear him moving about in the other room. She had cried herself to sleep and didn’t want to get out of bed and face the monster, which was how she now viewed Stefan. He and his friend Dimitry had used her in every way imaginable before telling her to get some sleep, as she would be busy the next day. She had no doubt how they intended to keep her busy.

  Dimitry had been particularly cruel. He had the largest cock she had ever known and he seemed to want to use it as a weapon to assault her mouth and anus. He didn’t want to make love like her boyfriends. He had wanted to hurt her and laughed at her pain and suffering. Stefan had told him to slow down and made sure he used lube before the anal sex, saying she was too valuable to damage. She had felt like a piece of meat listening to them talk about her. It was fortunate she was on the pill because they hadn’t bothered to use condoms. She hoped they didn’t have any diseases.

  She was sore and needed the bathroom but couldn’t face getting out of bed and seeing Stefan. She needed to get away from this hell urgently. Surely he would leave the apartment at some point and then she would make her escape. She needed to be patient and gain his trust. There was nothing to be gained by a frontal assault. She needed to be cunning and take her chance when it came.

  She could not just stay in bed and hope her troubles would go away. That was childish and she was not a child. When she fell trying a double somersault, she got straight back up and tried again. She fell many times but her coach always said, a winner never quits. Neither was she willing to be a victim and just another crime statistic. These animals may have taken her body but they would not take her spirit. She would make them pay for what they had done.

  She was naked under the covers. She went to the wardrobe and took out the pyjamas she had never had the chance to wear the previous evening.

  She opened the door to the bedroom and found Stefan sitting at the table drinking coffee.

  “Morning,” Stefan said, as if nothing special had occurred the previous night.

  “I need the bathroom,” Afina responded.


  “Have some coffee first,” Stefan said, indicating for her to sit down. “We need to go over the basics of living here.”

  She accepted the cup of coffee he poured and added a small amount of milk.

  “Last night was fun,” Stefan continued. “You are a beautiful girl and I have many friends who will happily pay good money for your services.” Then he quickly added, “They are not all like Dimitry.”

  “I am not a whore.”

  “Neither are you an innocent virgin. It is a simple matter to have sex with men. Give them what they want and they pay well. Do this right and I will look after you.”

  “Last night wasn’t so bad,” she lied. “Sex with you was good. I just don’t like Dimitry.”

  “Be good, make the customers happy and I promise you will not have to suffer Dimitry’s huge cock again. I am sorry it was necessary but after Dimitry anyone else will seem easier.” He gave an encouraging smile.

  “I prefer your cock,” Afina smiled rather timidly. She was determined to gain Stefan’s trust. He thought she was a stupid girl. Well she wasn’t and she would be the one laughing in the end.

  “More coffee?” Stefan asked.

  “No thanks, I need a shower,” she answered. “I smell of sex.” She downed the rest of her coffee and stood up.

  “Help yourself. Please just remember one thing. This is my business and I take it very seriously. Do not fail me or I will give you to Dimitry and he will not be so gentle with you next time. He likes to hurt girls.”

  Afina had no trouble believing Dimitry would indeed enjoy hurting her if given the chance. She was sure it was only the presence of Stefan that had stopped him going further last night. She hated Stefan with a passion but by comparison with Dimitry, he seemed a saint.

  She swung her hips as she walked to the bathroom, certain Stefan would be looking at her. When she locked the door behind her, she sat on the toilet and put her head in her hands. How had she been so stupid to end up in this situation? She needed not only to escape for herself but to stop any other girls back home falling into the same trap.