After a few minutes, Yvonne’s tears slowed, changed to hiccups, then finally calmed. He walked her out into the bedroom to seat her on the side of the bed next to him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She looked down at her hands, fidgeting before her, and nodded. “I don’t remember the last time a man treated me like a person, not a sex toy.” She sucked in a sharp breath as her tears threatened to return, and Ben just put his arm around her shoulder.
She rested her head against him. A short time later, she was calm once more and made a quiet snort sound. Ben pulled back to look her in the eye. She smiled at him, but it trembled. “Can I tell you why I’m here?”
Ben gave her a concerned look. “You don’t have to-”
“I want to. For the first time, I feel the need to confess,” she insisted. Ben nodded and waited as she gathered her strength. “Hollywood isn’t the only place where actors deal with sexual abuse. I’ve met my share of horrible men who expected me to suck their cock before they would consider talking to me, much less casting me for any role in their movies.” She shivered, and Ben waited for her to go on. “I’ve been acting for almost fifteen years, and I’ve reached a point in my career where I can get roles based on the success I’ve had in the movies I’ve been in. During the filming of my last movie, the director, the lead actor, and I were going over some scenes in my trailer.” She paused to swallow as she was having difficulty speaking of it.
“They put something in my drink. I don’t have any memories of what happened next, but they made a video. They raped me, and it looked like I actively participated, but I didn’t. They leaked the video, and it spread like wildfire. I didn’t see it until a week later, but I was labeled a whore who fucked my way into movie roles by then. They destroyed my career. The paparazzi have been especially vicious.”
Ben watched her struggling to keep the tears at bay, so he wrapped her in his arms, and her emotions broke free once more. He rubbed her back and gently rocked her as the pressure gradually eased.
When she was done, she pulled back, and he gave her a gentle smile. “I’m sorry you were put through that terrible ordeal. You didn’t deserve it, and you aren’t defined by it. That was something done to you, not by you. Your career and the roles you’re most proud of represent you.”
She smiled and nodded shakily.
“Why don’t you go get dressed, and we’ll meet downstairs for breakfast?” he suggested.
She nodded, and they stood. Then she suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. When she released him, she smiled. “Thank you, Ben, for restoring my faith in one man at least.”
He snorted. “Please. I’m no angel.” He glanced down, and she followed his eyes to see he was tenting his towel.
“That isn’t a bad thing, as you refused to act on it,” she teased with a gentle smile. “And a woman likes to know she’s still attractive, even after crying.”
“See you downstairs,” he said with a smile and a nod.
She picked up her clothes from where she dropped them the night before and slipped them on before leaving his room.
Ben quickly finished drying off and pulled on the fresh clothes from his closet.
Stepping out into the hallway, he saw Princess Zama leaning against the wall watching him.
“You had sex with the actress?” she asked point blank.
Ben frowned at her. “No, not that it’s any of your business.”
She blinked in surprise. “You didn’t? That is surprising! She came from your room, and I assumed that’s why she was there.”
He stopped in front of her to look her in the eye. It was a unique situation to be able to do that without bending his head down. “Again, not your business, and don’t make assumptions.”
She immediately looked contrite. “I did not mean for that to sound like an accusation. My apologies if it did. It was simply an observation.”
He saw she was being honest, so he nodded. “Breakfast?”
Her smile flashed across her pretty face as she nodded.
They climbed down the stairs, and he glanced over at her. “You’ll be nice to Yvonne?”
She looked back. “She’s been angry and bitter since she’s been on board. The other guests and companions find it difficult to speak to her.”
“I’ll deal with that. Please be ready to offer her a truce. She needs people on her side,” Ben said, and the young woman nodded. He looked at her curiously. “Have you not spoken to her before?”
Zama shook her head. “I will speak to anyone who is polite. She has not been polite.” Ben nodded.
They reached the deck level, and Ben looked through the solarium to the pool deck. The companions had stacked the lounge chairs as they scrubbed the deck with brushes. Two were cleaning the grills of the gas barbeque next to the bar. He saw two stacks of cheap plastic chairs had been pulled out of storage. One of the security goons collected a chair from a petite red-haired woman and slapped her ass with a cruel grin on his face. The young woman wasn’t smiling as she put her hands over her reddened ass cheek. The thug walked towards the glass doors, and his grin quickly faded as he saw the glower on Ben’s face.
A soft hand touched Ben’s arm as Zama pulled Ben toward the dining hall. “Come. Do not interfere now. It will only make things more difficult for Megan.”
He glanced at her, hearing she knew the redhead’s name. She smiled. “All of the companions speak with me. They are polite.”
As they entered the dining room. Ben saw Kaan wasn’t there. Noah wasn’t either, but Lars was, and the younger man was looking positively gloomy.
“You okay, Lars?” Ben asked.
He just turned his head away as he brooded over his coffee.
Ben shrugged and walked over to the buffet and filled a plate. Zama did as well, and they returned to the table as the two starlets joined them with coffee mugs.
“No breakfast?” he asked them, and they shook their heads silently. Mara’s expression looked a little haunted, but Lola’s eyes were empty of visible signs of emotion… or intellect, for that matter.
Ben thought that was sad as they were so young. He didn’t know what had happened in their lives that led them to this state. He heard Gabriella’s voice in his head telling him he couldn’t save them all. He was going to hold that woman in his arms for hours when he got home.
He waited for a bit, but when Yvonne, Noah, and Kaan failed to show up, he started eating. Zama followed his lead.
Finally, Yvonne arrived, and he saw she’d styled her hair and put a little make-up on with a pair of dangly earrings. He smiled and nodded to her.
“Good morning, Yvonne,” Zama said, catching the actor by surprise.
“G-good morning, Princess,” Yvonne replied.
“Please call me Zama,” the younger woman said with a smile, drawing one from Yvonne, who nodded in return.
Yvonne quickly collected some food and coffee, sat on Ben’s other side, and began eating.
Kaan finally made an appearance, and Ben noted with interest how the three younger guests seemed to shrink away from the man when he took his seat. The cook personally came out of the kitchen to place Sadik’s meal before him. He glanced at Ben, then hustled back to the kitchen.
Ben thought it was a dick move to eat a juicy steak and egg breakfast in front of guests who weren’t offered the same, but he didn’t expect better of Kaan. His breakfast had been fine, so he wiped his mouth and stared at the Arms Dealer.
After several bites, the man finally had enough of being stared at. “What is it, Ben?” Kaan asked wearily.
“I can’t help but notice we aren’t moving.”
Kaan looked at him curiously. “That is nothing of concern.”
Ben snorted. “Really. We’re so far out to sea, a mechanical failure could be extremely dangerous. I am a mechanical engineer. I’d be willing to take a look if you’d like.”
Kaan gave Ben a fake smile. “It’s not a mechanical failure. Everything is fine.”
“Except we’re not moving.”
Kaan’s eyes flared with annoyance. “Seriously, Ben, don’t concern yourself with this. Enjoy your stay.”
“I will. It’s just that I have many friends who’ll miss me. I didn’t get a chance to let them know before I took this little vacation. They might come looking for me. I wouldn’t want them to incur such costs,” Ben said with a smile as he watched Kaan’s expression closely.
The man’s expression stiffened, and his eyes examined Ben’s expression intensely. Then he abruptly looked away as he forced a sly smile on his face.
“As I said, don’t worry. You’re always so concerned for others, yet you didn’t ask where Mr. Pearce was this morning.”
Ben’s smile faded as he witnessed the three young people go still. “I assumed he’s just sleeping in.”
“He is not. Last night, Mr. Pearce killed himself. Too many bitter words and guilt, I assume,” Kaan said.
Yvonne gasped at the sharp thrust of his words. She pushed back from the table and ran for the exit. Zama touched Ben’s shoulder to keep him from standing and fled the room after Yvonne herself.
“Are you typically this much of an asshole, or are you making special efforts today?” Ben growled at his host.
“I would suggest you carefully watch your tone and words when speaking to me, Ben,” Kaan said stiffly.
“I would suggest you get some lessons in empathy, but I think that might be lost on you,” Ben pushed.
Kaan’s eye twitched, but he didn’t appear to be able to speak.
“How did Noah die?” Ben asked stiffly.
“Overdose,” Lars offered, then looked away quickly as Kaan’s eyes locked on him.
“Thank you, Lars,” Ben said calmly. He looked back to Kaan. “I assume he had a burial at sea?”
Kaan gave him the merest of nods, but it was enough.
Ben stood and walked from the dining room without looking back.
Climbing back up to B level, he suddenly realized he didn’t know which room belonged to Yvonne. He began knocking and waiting at each door. When he reached the fourth room, Zama answered the knock.
“Ah, Zama. I’m looking for Yvonne’s room,” he said.
“This is it. Mine is B one. Come in,” the Princess said.
Yvonne was sitting in the middle of her bed with a box of tissues. Ben sat on the edge, and she immediately scooched over to lean against him for comfort. He rubbed her back as Zama watched them with a smile.