Chapter 4: Don’t Blink

            Lexi could see it in his eyes as the woman next to him pawed at him, his distain and his anger.  She prayed for him to have the strength not to do what she feared he was about it.  She rushed to his table, if nothing else to distract the woman, if only for a second.

            “Hello, can I get you guys something else to drink?” Lexi asked sweetly with the best fake smile that she could muster up.  The girls looked Lexi over and smirked as if they were better than her, just because they had money and were out having fun while she was working her butt off to serve them.  The girl closest to JC quickly placed her order, she also ordered for him. 

            His eyes thanked Lexi, for the distraction that allowed him to breathe without someone’s tongue down his throat or their hands on him.  It was his first night on the floor and only his 2nd night there.  Miss Gaillard hadn’t wasted any time throwing him to the wolves.  But that was how she worked, anything for a buck. 

JC wasn’t sure that he wanted the drink that his date had just ordered for him, he wanted to stay in control.  But he was under orders to drink anything that was bought for him, since it was also profitable for his new master. 

Lexi left to fetch the rowdy bunch their drinks.  As she passed by Justin’s table she paused to let him know that his next performance was coming up.  He nodded and knew she would be back when it was time for him to go.  As he turned back to his date, she immediately locked lips with him.  Forcing her tongue into places that that even he was impressed that she could reach.  Her hand grazed his crotch and she shot him a look that said it all.

            “I am sorry baby, but that costs extra.” He offered.  It was surprising even to him, how much control his master and her magic remote had over him.  She could render him completely useless or could force his body to respond in ways that he didn’t want it to.  But this was one time he was glad she had forced impotence on him.  This woman was rough and would tear him apart if she had the chance, but he was also dreading the day when someone came who could afford him.  He shook the thought from his head and took another long hard drink before his date resumed her torture. 

            They were doing shots and encouraging Justin to join in.  He was starting to hope that they would order food soon, since he hadn’t had much to eat that night, but they only ordered more shots and drinks in an attempt to loosen him up and get more out of him.

            He was somewhat relieved when Lexi came back to get him for his performance.  The girls clung to him and begged Lexi to let him stay, but Lexi insisted that he needed to come with her.  Justin latched on to her arm and took a sigh of relief.

            As she guided him away she noticed that he was a little wobbly.  “Are you okay?” She asked.   He said that he was fine, he knew it was a lie but after all it didn’t matter what he said he was going to have to perform either way.  He prayed that the room would stop spinning long enough for him to make it through his set. 

            He took the stage and began his number flawlessly.  JC hadn’t seen very many of Justin performances from before but he could see that Justin was struggling in some parts.  JC looked at his drink and then at Jade Gaillard who was standing off to the side watching as well.  He blamed her for what was about to happen.

The more Justin moved the worse he felt, he could see JC out of the corner of his eye and he had been trying so hard to be good, so that JC wouldn’t have to see what happens when you mess up.  As he was just about to finish the second song Justin fell to his knees and proceeded to get sick all over the stage.  Lexi dropped her tray of drinks and rushed to him, trying hard to pull him off the stage before he made everyone in the club ill.

JC felt bad for Justin; he understood what he was going through and was on the brink of getting sick himself and he wasn’t even the one that had been trying to sing and dance.  He closed his eye and resisted the urge to run and assist his friend.  JC knew if he left his table there would be hell to pay.

In the back room Justin was hunched over a trash can when Miss Gaillard walked in.  Perhaps his gag reflexes were something that she couldn’t shut off.  His angry master watched him and waited for him to finally stop.  His eyes were begging her for mercy as his body heaved forward repeatedly.  Justin’s body was already aching from its own form of punishment but there were no signs of mercy showing on his master’s face.  When his stomach was empty and the gagging stopped, he turned to her, sliding toward her on his knees and begging for her to spare him.  Justin tried to explain what had happened and that he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Lexi lingered nearby wanting to help him more; she had a wet rag in her hand but doubted that her boss would let her give it to the poor man, if nothing else to wipe the vomit from his mouth.  Miss Gaillard wanted to strike him, but knew that she couldn’t, his face was literally worth a million bucks.

“You are an idiot.  This is all your fault and don’t think you won’t pay for this.” Jade snapped.

“I am sorry; I didn’t know what to do.  I thought I could get through it.  Please, I didn’t mean to.” Justin begged, unable to hold back the tears.  Jade Gaillard wanted to inflict as much suffer upon him as she could, but this would also be a good opportunity to teach another stubborn man a lesson.

“Lexi, go get JC.” She ordered.  Lexi froze, she wasn’t sure she had heard her right.

“No, master, please don’t.  Just punish me.” Justin begged changing his mind since he knew the punishment was coming any way; he didn’t want JC to have to watch this.  But Jade motioned to Lexi to do as she had been told.  Lexi hesitated, she had a bad feeling about this but she couldn’t afford to lose this job so she left to fetch JC.

JC was shocked to see Lexi approach his table again, their drinks weren’t low and it wasn’t time for him to go yet.  It was the look on her face that said it all.  She told the ladies that JC would be back but she needed him for a minute.  The truth was she didn’t know if he would be back.  What was about to happen wasn’t going to end well for any one.

Lexi wasn’t sure what was going through JC’s mind, but she knew that the thoughts racing through her mind were about to make her sick.  The only thing she could do was turn to JC and mouth the words ‘I am so sorry’ before turning him over to Miss Gaillard.  Justin was still on the floor balling.  JC thought he would never live see the day that a woman would make Justin Timberlake cry. 

“What’s going on?” JC asked, his eye darting from Jade to Justin.  Lexi felt the knots in her stomach churning and darted from the room, before she could be made to do anything else for the horrible woman. 

Jade rolled her eyes as Lexi ran out and motioned for two of the other waitresses to help her instead.  They latched on to JC’s arms as JC felt his legs give out.  They pushed him down on his knees and held him in place forcing his gaze to Jade.

“I think it’s important for you to see exactly what the price of failure is around here.” Miss Gaillard warned.  There was fear in Justin’s eyes as the wicked woman toyed with his friend.  JC tried to break free but it was clear that she had done something to him, he felt weak and unable to fight them off.  “I told you I would break you down.” She added.

“This is sick, I didn’t do anything.” JC snapped.

“You haven’t done anything yet, but I can see it in your eyes.  You’re thinking about it.” She explained, not that she needed a reason.  She laughed and turned back to Justin.  His body tensed as if it could sense what was about to happen.  She held out her controller and looked at JC as she slowly turned the dial, gradually increasing Justin’s pain.  Justin fell to the floor and curled into a little ball but nothing helped.  He groaned and made sounds that JC had never heard anyone make before.

“Stop it!” JC yelled without even thinking.  It only encouraged her as she raised it a little more.  Justin groveled and begged her to stop.  JC tried to look away but they forced him to stare in that direction.  He closed his eyes just as a single tear escaped.  He didn’t want her to see him cry as he fought back the rest of the tears, in his mind he couldn’t let her win.

Justin was hurting in places that he didn’t even know he had, nothing he did eased the pain and he rolled around on the floor.  His eyes were clenched from the pain, but he was glad that he couldn’t see what she was doing to JC.  He wasn’t sure what was worse, what she was doing to him or the fact that she was using him against JC.  His upset stomach was now just a faded memory and the pain was sobering him up quickly.

Jade grabbed JC’s chin and force him to look at her.  He glared at her hatefully, the tears still welling up in his eyes.  “You fuck up, and I’ll make him watch.  We can do this until you two idiots get it right.” She snapped.  JC wanted to spit on her or tell her off, but he could see Justin still rolling on the floor in pain and he knew to do so would only prolong his friend’s suffering.  So he bit his tongue to stop himself from saying or doing anything stupid.  She stood there for a moment just to see if JC would cave, but when he didn’t she smiled.

“Now, watch your friend until I tell you to stop.  If you blink or turn away it will only make this last longer.” She said.  JC tried to do as she told him, he watch Justin lay there in agony but when he blinked Jade announced that the time would start over.  JC fought back his growing anger and the need to blink, he eyes were burning begging him to blink.  He held fast for what seemed like forever before Jade had them turn JC lose just as she released Justin from his crippling pain.

“Now, get back to your party JC.” She ordered.  JC closed his eyes and tried to compose himself before getting to his feet.  He wanted to check on Justin, but he didn’t want to do anything that might cause Justin further pain.  So he stormed out.  It wasn’t until he was halfway down the hall that he heard something that he didn’t expect.  The door to the employee bathroom was ajar and he could hear Lexi crying.  He wasn’t sure why but he pushed the door open to check on her. 

She wiped her cheeks and tried to play it off as if she hadn’t been crying.  She got up and ran over to him.  “Oh my god, are you okay?” She asked, taking the wet rag that she had and using it to wipe a little blood away from the corner of his mouth.  He must have actually bitten his tongue.  But he hadn’t felt it; he felt nothing at this point accept anger and contempt.  His focus had been elsewhere at the time.

“I am fine.” He said taking a hold of her wrist and pushing her away from him.  “I have to get back to work.” His voice sounded very cold and it sent shivers down her spine, but she didn’t try to stop him.  She didn’t want any more trouble for them tonight.  He disappeared into the crowd.  She knew he was headed back to the table, after what he had just been through he wouldn’t try anything stupid tonight.

Lexi leaned against the door frame and looked at the rag in her hands and the tiny blood stain.  She felt something burst inside of her but it wasn’t her stomach this time, this hurt so much more.