Alexander pulled the Mercedes up to the curb stopping right in the dirt space directly in front of the house.

The property lacked a garage or even a basic security gate completely exposing the vehicle to the gray street.

Neighbors were hanging around their porches nearby and anyone looking over would easily notice a naked girl wrapped in a motel sheet stepping out of a luxury car.

"Here we are" said Alexander, shifting the car into park "Home sweet home"

Ashley looked out the window her face tightening with anxiety as she gripped the blanket.

She opened the door stepping nervously onto the cracked concrete walkway but she froze the moment she reached the front entrance.

She searched her pockets out of habit only to remember her torn uniform was still back at the motel.

She turned around her amber eyes wide with a look of pure helplessness as she saw Alexander watching her calmly from behind the steering wheel.

"I don’t have my keys" said Ashley, her voice trembling "They were in my bag... back at that bar"

Alexander opened his door and stepped out walking casually up the path toward her.

"Well, that’s a problem" stated Alexander, looking at the deadbolt

He approached the door inspecting the heavy metal security screen that blocked the main wooden entrance.

It was firmly locked.

"Do your mom or you keep a spare key hidden out here?" asked Alexander

"No" murmured Ashley, shaking her head quickly "But there’s definitely an extra set inside the house, sometimes my mom leaves the small kitchen window in the back unlocked, if you could climb up and reach through, the keys should be right there on the kitchen table"

"Let’s check the back" said Alexander

He guided her down the narrow trash-strewn alley beside the house.

Sure enough a small rectangular window leading to the kitchen was propped open a few inches to let the air circulate.

Alexander positioned himself beneath it using the concrete ledge to pull his torso up.

He slid his arm through the narrow gap his fingers straining until they brushed against a cold metal ring sitting on the edge of the laminate table.

With a quick flick of his wrist he snagged the spare keys and dropped back down to the dirt.

"Got them" stated Alexander, holding up the ring

They walked back to the front porch and he inserted the key into the metal screen clicking the lock open before pushing the main wooden door aside.

As he stepped into the house to let her through Alexander took a quick look around.

The interior was completely dilapidated and felt practically abandoned.

The wallpaper was peeling off in yellowed strips a thick layer of dust coated the worn linoleum floor and the air smelled heavily of dampness and cheap cleaning products.

It was a stark depressing contrast to the wealthy estate he had visited earlier that morning.

As his eyes swept the cluttered living room they locked onto a small cracked plastic frame resting on a dusty shelf.

Alexander walked over his eyes narrowing slightly.

Inside the frame was an old family photograph.

A much younger Marcus stood near the center his expression rigid with his arm draped loosely around Ashley who was laughing like a carefree child.

Standing right behind them was their mother Jessica her face worn with exhaustion but smiling faintly for the camera.

"Are you coming in?" asked Ashley, standing just past the threshold, holding the blanket tightly around herself as she watched him look at the photo

Alexander tore his gaze away from the picture his face returning to a perfectly neutral mask.

He turned back toward her walking over to close the heavy security door behind them.

Alexander waited in the living room his eyes scanning the absolute decay of the property.

The walls were stained with water damage and the furniture looked like it had been pulled straight from a dumpster.

For a split second he considered taking a few photos of the squalor to send to Marcus but he quickly dismissed the idea.

It would be entirely too risky and might raise unnecessary questions about why he was here in the first place.

He sat down on a worn sunken armchair waiting patiently.

After a few minutes the rustle of fabric announced her return.

Ashley stepped into the room completely changed into a simple pair of sweatpants and a loose t-shirt her golden hair damp and brushing against her shoulders.

Alexander was just about to stand up when the front door behind them flew open with a violent rattle.

Jessica stormed into the house her face twisted in a mask of pure rage.

She took one look at Alexander sitting in the armchair flicked her eyes to her daughter’s damp hair and completely lost her mind. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"What the hell is this?!" screamed Jessica, her voice piercing through the quiet house "How dare you bring men into my home?! Is this what you do now? You skip school just so you can turn this place into a brothel?!"

"Mom, wait, it’s not—" stammered Ashley, her voice instantly dropping into a panicked whisper

"Shut up!" roared Jessica, marching straight up to her "What did this man promise you, huh? Some money? A ride in his fancy car? You are a whore, Ashley! Get the hell out of my house! I can’t stand looking at what you’ve become"

The scene turned incredibly ugly as Jessica continued to hurl insults her voice cracking with a mixture of bitter exhaustion and fury.

Ashley didn’t even try to defend herself.

She didn’t mention the bar the drugs or the assault.

She simply lowered her head her shoulders shaking as she let her mother’s toxic words beat her down into submission.

Jessica sharply turned her glare toward Alexander her eyes full of venom.

"And you! You think you can just come into the slums and buy whatever you want? She is eighteen, you sick piece of shit!"

Losing all control Jessica lunged forward her hand flying up to slap Alexander across the face.

SNAP.

Alexander’s hand shot out with terrifying speed his fingers locking onto Jessica’s wrist like a steel vice mid-air.

The sudden absolute restraint made the older woman freeze her breath catching in her throat as she tried to pull away and realized she couldn’t move an inch.

"It’s not what you think" stated Alexander, his voice dropping into an icy, unyielding calm as he looked down at her "I only came to accompany her back home to make sure she was safe"