51Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews! Raqndomer, Brooke didn't start working when she was five. You'll learn more about what she really did in the later chapters. onetreehillgirl066, Annie is kindof like an older version of a Karen-Haley. She's motherly, but still is a good friend to both Lucas and Jake. But Haley will be making an appearance later on, so don't get Annie confused with her. Here's Chapter 2. Brucas finally meets and you get to see more into Deb/Brooke's relationship.
Just for further information, Deb is not related to Nathan or Lucas or Dan or anyone else in any way. In this story, she is a solo character. She is just the brothel owner.
I would like to thank my beta, Gia (CheeryFan), for helping me out with this chapter! She's great and helps keep me sane!
Enjoy!
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"Do what makes you happy. Be with who makes you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. Love as long as you live." –Anonymous
"I realized for the first time how much a human being is capable of loving something. Love is scary, like anything else, whether you're falling in love, whether you're discovering love in something else…if you're really going to jump off the cliff, when you meet somebody that you love you're going to jump off that cliff, you've got to give them everything. And when you have a kid, it's on a much greater level." –Kate Hudson
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Chapter 2: Slaps and Seduction
"…forty-eight pretty ladies, forty-nine pretty ladies, fifty pretty ladies," Bevin sang as she gently pulled the brush through Brooke's cascading brunette hair. "All done, Brookie."
It was a ritual that Bevin brushed Brooke's hair with fifty strokes before every customer just for good luck. For Bevin it was a means for fun, but for Brooke, it was a walk down memory lane. She used to watch Mandy brush Mama's hair fifty times everyday and had been enthralled in the beauty of the ever-glowing locks. Everything had changed so much from that time, but still, Brooke needed something to hold on to from her ancient life.
"Thanks, Bev. You better get going now before Deb gets in here. You know how she is about―" Brooke started.
"―Bevin spending the night in your room?" Deb snarled, a devilish smile plastered upon her face as she leaned against the room's doorframe. "Get out of here, Bevin. Now!"
The blonde girl didn't need another warning as she fled from the scene in a hurry, giving Brooke an apologetic smile before she disappeared.
BAM! The door shut with fury as the elder lady whipped around to face the emotionless brunette.
"Breaking my rules now, Brooklyn? I thought you would've known better. I mean that is how your mother ended up as a poor whore. I just thought you would have learned from her mistakes, but of course, like mother, like daughter." Her words shot one by one into the open, shattering the previous blissful air.
"Don't talk about my mother. It's not like you are any better." As the words left her mouth, she felt a burning sensation fill her face as her head swung back at the contact of Deb's hand with her cheek. Immediately, a hand went up to soothe the pain. Brooke was used to the frequent slaps, but still there was a sting that never seemed to die away.
"Don't you ever speak to me like that again, girl! You understand? You are a filthy no good for nothing cheap slut and without me you'd probably be washing dishes or better yet, dead. So if I were you, I'd learn my place around here."
Brooke's previous hurt look quickly changed to one of disgust and detestation as she contemplated Deb's last sentence. Of all the flaws Brooke had embedded in her soul, her uncontrollable temper sat at the top of the list.
"My place, huh? Hmm…let's see what my place is…I bring in most of the money, which you spend on your ugly dresses and dreadful locks. I give hope to the other girls that one day they will be as successful if you can even call it that. I lie and say that Felix, my oh so obedient goon, is a gentleman when really he deserves to be hanged in front of the whole community in shame. I am the reason this stupid brothel isn't a failure. You want to know my place, Deb? I'll tell you my place. Without me, you'd be nothing! No more than a dirty stain on the floor!"
Deb's eyes flashed with fire as the fury boiled within her. She couldn't help but smirk inwardly, though. Stupid, stupid girl.
Before Brooke could continue onward with her speech, Deb's hands snarled around her neck in a death-tight grip causing the brunette to start chocking and gasping for air.
"No, darling, you are obviously mistaken. You are the dirty stain on the floor or better yet, the dirty stain on the sheets? I run this place, and you do what I tell you to do."
Deb threw the girl across the floor causing her head to hit a sharp part of the bureau. Brooke just laid there, breathing heavily in and out, her lungs burning for air as she tried to regain full consciousness. The world was a bit hazy, but she was still aware of the fact that she had definitely crossed the line with this one.
"You are going to behave now aren't you, Brooklyn?" She whispered, her voice now grave yet still holding the same amount of fatal wrath.
Brooke looked up into the wicked eyes as she slowly replied, "Yes, ma'am." Her body was weak and helpless and her mind was defeated and tired. This ongoing battle seemed endless and she just wondered if maybe it was time to give up, to take the same advice she had given Bevin the night before. This is our life. This is where we're meant to be. Was this where she was meant to be?
"Good," Deb said, a sardonic smile forming onto her face. "I'll have someone sent up to deliver some food and maybe something to drink. Champagne sounds good? Take a short break, maybe a nap. You have customers to please in an hour, and I want you looking healthy and happy as ever."
The fake sugary sweetness of her voice made Brooke want to run to the bathroom and hurl up the remains of her lunch. Instead, she just watched as her owner, disappeared out the door and into the parlor of the House of Red. Gently touching her bruising head, she flinched slightly as her fingers met a sticky substance. Drawing away, she came face to face with her own scarlet blood. One small cut didn't seem like a big deal, but it was like a raindrop to an ocean compared to all the cuts within her poor little heart.
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Few hours later…
In all his twenty-three years of life, Lucas Scott never thought he'd be standing inside of a brothel, about to pay to see a girl who was the opposite of everything he looked for in a girl. She wasn't a Christian. She wasn't blonde. She didn't save her virginity for marriage. She wasn't…Peyton. Lucas knew that he wasn't still hung up on his deceased blonde fiancée but after years of not dating or looking at women, he couldn't help but compare them all to Peyton.
The clicking of heels brought Lucas out of his thoughts as he looked up to see an older lady dressed in an elegant maroon gown.
"Well, well, well…what do we have here? Lucas Scott isn't it? Welcome to the House of Red," Deb said with a sugary sweet smile, a bit of surprise laced through her words.
"Yes, ma'am," he said nervously.
"Well, Mr. Scott, how may I help you this evening? Would you like one of our younger girls or do you prefer one of the older ones?" She said, getting right to the point, walking around the room to get a glass of wine for the man she had never spoken to before.
"Umm…actually, I would like to see Brooklyn."
Deb stopped in her tracks, her mouth slightly open from shock and the wine glass almost slipping from her fingers, but she quickly recovered. She walked up to Lucas and gave him his glass of wine and very gently started stroking his arm.
"Are you sure, darling? I'll have you know Bevin is one of our prettiest girls and all the men just adore Teresa and Marg―"
"I want Brooklyn," Lucas said, cutting Deb off. He stepped back out of her touch. "Only her, not anyone else."
Deb quirked an eyebrow, a bit perturbed. She knew who he was. Gosh, she knew everyone in the whole darn town! He was Lucas Eugene Scott, an average boring farmer, who only came up to town for work or to go to church. She occasionally caught sight of him at Annie's or talking to some of her occasional customers, but he wouldn't dare become one of them. What was he doing now?
"You are probably mistaken, Mr. Scott, but Brooklyn is our top girl. She isn't a cheap date. And I'll have you know that I recognize that you are a farmer and that you don't make a lot. Maybe Bevin or…" Her voice died as she caught sight of the bag he just pulled out. It was more than enough gold for one night with the lovely brunette.
"Is this enough or do you need some more, ma'am?" Lucas smirked inwardly, finding some pleasure from proving the lady wrong.
Deb pursed her lips and gave him a flirtatious wink. "I think that'll suffice for tonight." She snatched the bag and inspected the gold, still in awe at its contents. "Let me go alert Brooklyn that you're here and then you'll be able to have your fun."
She walked away, leaving the blond man in the parlor to brood some more. In a few minutes he'd be able to see her, his dream girl. And there was no turning back.
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She sat on the end of the fresh sheets, swinging her foot back and forth, waiting for her newest customer, the last of the day, to arrive. She was dressed in a dark red wrapper, her hair flowing down in curls. She stifled a yawn as a wave of exhaustion took over her body. It was a long day…from dealing with Deb to entertaining her many customers. She just couldn't wait for the moment when she could hit her head against those fluffy cotton pillows and escape into a fantasy world.
There was a hard knock on the door signaling the next victim of her passion. Immediately, a chipper expression filled the contours of her face.
"Come in," she sang, still remaining seated on the bed, not bothering to get up.
The door slowly swung open revealing a tall, dirty blond man in faded jeans and a white buttoned up shirt. He looked the same as the others except a little dressed down from the usual men. No fancy clothes or nice presents. As he turned to look into her eyes, she was taken aback. His eyes…there was something about them…they were the bluest of blues…like the ocean she once visited with her mother when she was just a little girl. But the rest of his face screamed uncomfortable. He looked uneasy as if he wasn't supposed to be here. Maybe he was married with kids, but she didn't see a wedding band of any kind. Whatever it was, he probably wouldn't take a long time, fortunately for her. The quicker the better.
"Don't be shy," she spoke, her raspy voice drawing him in. She jumped off the bed and walked up to him, getting close enough to whisper in his ear seductively. "What's your deepest, darkest pleasure?"
Lucas felt the palms of his hands start to sweat. She was more gorgeous up in front than from a distance. Her beauty took his breath away and with her trying to seduce him, it was getting harder and harder for him not to give in.
"The only pleasure I want is to talk to you, Brooklyn," he said, stepping out of her reach so that his mind would clear from her clouding perfume.
She smirked mockingly. "Talk, huh? What do I look like, your sister? Now what do you really want?" She advanced towards him once more, wrapping her arms around his neck and staring deep into his eyes, but once again, he dissuaded her affection and removed her arms from around his neck.
"I told you what I want. I came here to talk to you, not for sex," Lucas said, walking over to one of the white chairs and taking a seat. "That's all."
Brooke looked at him in disbelief, but she definitely wasn't complaining. If he wanted to talk the night away, she didn't mind at all. She was tired and lying down on that bed seemed pretty darn good right about now. Let him spill his sorrows then maybe he'll loosen up and she'll give him a taste of what he really wanted. Quick and easy, just the way she liked it.
"You positive that's what you want?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, hands crossed in front of her chest.
"Positive," he replied, giving her a small smile. Brooke couldn't help but admire his nice smile. He had perfectly straight teeth and his eyes seemed to twinkle whenever his lips curved upwards.
"Okay, if you say so." She let out a sigh and jumped back onto the bed, starting intently at the man in front of her. "What do you want to talk about?"
"What's your name? I mean you have to prefer something other than Brooklyn…it's too formal." Lucas stared back at her with the same amount of intensity but also with some curiosity. She was different from everyone else and he wanted to know more.
The brunette couldn't help but smirk slightly. Smart man. "Brooke Davis. I like going by Brooke. Is that all?"
"No, Brooke," he said, trying out her name. He liked it. Brooke. It suited her way better than Brooklyn. "I paid a good amount of gold for this exchange and I look forward to spending every bit of it to my liking."
"Well then, why don't I just give you a little bit of fun so that we're both happy," she slowly drawled out, playing with the tie on her wrapper.
Lucas knew she was teasing him. They might've talked for a few minutes but he had caught on quickly to her quirks and mischievous ways. But unluckily for her, he wasn't in any mood to give in.
"Hmm…as tempting as that sounds, I'll have to decline."
Brooke couldn't help but roll her eyes. Who was this guy anyway? He paid for me, I'm offering myself, and he's declining? Nobody ever turned her down to talk. Ha! If he wanted to talk, he was two centuries too late. But she couldn't help but be partly intrigued. He didn't look a bit shy or ashamed of being here, so what was with the excessive talking? Yes, men have talked to her before, but those were only two sentences of how their wives were ruining their lives. He was just…different from them all.
"Well, since we're doing a 'friendly exchange,'" she said sarcastically, "what's your name, sir?"
"Lucas Scott, ma'am," he replied, a smile still plastered on his face.
"Well, Mr. Scott, where do you live? I haven't seen you at the brothel before." Brooke gave him her own dimpled smile, although hers was out of spite.
He let out a slight laugh. She was trying to play his game but it sure as hell wasn't going to work. Her dimples, however, stood out brightly to him, and he instantly fell in love with them, the way they just brightened her face from a perturbed prostitute to a bright young lady.
"I live about a good thirty five miles south from here on a farm with my brother. Do you have brothers or sisters?" He asked, looking at her keenly.
Brooke fiddled with her gown. Brothers and sisters? Not that she knew of. She used to dream of a big family when she was younger…Mama, Papa, Mandy, two boys, and another girl…her head snapped back up.
"No," she curtly remarked. "You know, we don't have to stay here in the bedroom. We can always go into the shower together. I can make all those fantasies of yours come true."
"Already took my shower in the morning, darling. And if I wanted another one, I would've asked by now." This only earned a scowl from Brooke. "So where are you from? Or did you live here all your life?"
Brooke's aggravation level was on the rise. What was with all these questions? And why did he have to have that egotistical smirk on his god-forsaken face?
"I'm from here and there," she said, waving her hands around vaguely. "I came here when I was a little girl. The end. Did you live here all your life?"
"Nah, I'm from here and there," he mocked, waving his own hands around. "Decided I needed a new start. Favorite color?"
"Red." Like her wrapper. "Yours?"
"Blue." Like his eyes. "Favorite book?"
"I don't read unless I have to. Yours?"
"The Bible. Why don't you like reading?"
"So you're a Godly man I see," she shot back, totally ignoring his question. "You're one of those men."
"Yes, I am. And I see that you're aren't. Why not?" He countered with just as much integrity and interest.
"None of your business," she said coolly. Lucas dropped the topic at that, but decided that it wasn't the last time that he'd try to carve his way into her heart.
"So you don't seem to have anything personal around here do you?" He was quick to change the topic once again. After observing the room several times, he was curious to why there weren't any photos, any books, or any garments lying around. The room was orderly, almost too clean, and it didn't cry out homely at all.
"Deb― I mean Madame, doesn't like the room to be cluttered. Most of the men don't appreciate it either," Brooke said as she herself started looking around. She really hadn't questioned her boss when the rule was proposed but now she wondered why she didn't have any pictures hanging up. Of Bevin, of herself, of even Mama. The room was so impersonal. "Does it really matter?"
Lucas just stared at her, his eyes now showing sympathy and a bit of sadness. "Yes, it should matter."
The way this conversation was turning was bugging Brooke. It was getting too personal and as flashes of her past overtook her mind, the brunette realized that it had to stop. Soon.
Instead of continuing the conversation, she got up from the bed and sauntered towards Lucas who now had an uncertain expression on his face while swinging her hips from side to side. She stopped in front of him, a dangerous look on her face, and then slowly unraveled her wrapper from around her body, leaving Lucas to see her lacy undergarments. The blond, who definitely wasn't expecting this, was frozen in position. Brooke took advantage of this and started straddling him.
She leaned closely to his ear and felt him shiver slightly as her lips neared his flesh. "No, it really doesn't."
And then before he knew it, her lips were on his and she was kissing him furiously. As their flesh came into contact with one another, a shot of electricity passed through both their bodies, but Lucas would be the only one to admit it. He couldn't help but kiss her back just as heatedly, but when he remembered the reason why he was really there, he broke the kiss, leaving them staring at each other, panting for air.
For Brooke, this was the last straw. She drew back her hand and slapped him as hard as she could and then got up in disgust, making her way back to the bed post, covering herself back up as if he didn't deserve to see her like that. Who was he to turn her, Brooke Penelope Davis, down anyways? After minutes of interrogating her as if she was some criminal!
Lucas sat there, rubbing his face. Damn, for a petite girl, she sure could slap. He got up from his chair and walked towards her for once.
"You know, I'm not mad that you slapped me. If I were you, I probably would've slapped me too," he stated, resting his body on the opposite bedpost, much to Brooke's dismay.
"Look, Scott, you don't know a damn thing about me," she retorted, her jaw clenched from rage. "You're just some nosy, arrogant fool!"
"I know that as much as you won't admit it, you hate this place," Lucas snapped back. Her stubbornness was starting to irritate him.
She stood baffled for a second. "What are you some prophet?" Her voice was no longer harsh but the tenacity was still present.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," Lucas joked, smirking slightly.
Brooke angled her head to the right so that she could get a better view of her challenger. "Well then, Lucas, what is in store for me in the future?"
"You, Brooke, are going to marry me one day." Lucas didn't know what came over him but the words just tumbled out of his mouth, and surprisingly, they felt good.
The brunette's head snapped up and her mouth gaped open for a second. Then all of a sudden, she broke out in a fit of laughter much to Lucas' confusion.
"Oh God, do you seriously think that I would just say yes? Do you know how many proposals I get on a weekly basis? This is my fourth actually. And those were from rich men…not average farmers who live in the middle of nowhere. If you haven't figured this out already, Lucas, I come from money. Look at this wrapper. It's pure silk! Why in the world would I trade all these delicacies for old cotton flannel shirts and worn jeans and stiff shabby dresses? Sorry mister, but that's a no."
Lucas just gazed at her, his sapphire eyes penetrating into her soul. "Come home with me, Brooke. Marry me and come home with me. You can get out of this place and I'll make sure you're the happiest lady in the world. You won't have to entertain another guy for the rest of your life. I know inside that money doesn't matter to you. You just want to be free and content."
And for those few seconds, Brooke almost changed her mind and said yes. No more Deb. No more orders and no more confinements. No more pain and torture and sadness. No more men looking at her like a piece of meat. But like previously stated, she almost changed her mind.
"Lucas Scott, you might want to use your gold for something else because I am never going to marry you, and that's final." Brooke turned her head to look up at the clock. "And if I'm not mistaken, your time's up." She motioned for him to leave not showing a bit of regret for turning down his proposal.
Lucas complied with her wishes and made his way to the door, but before he left, he turned around sharply, a mysterious smile forming onto his face.
"This isn't the last time you're going to see me. Sorry to disappoint, Pretty Girl, but I'm coming back. I'm the guy for you Brooke Davis and one day you're going to realize that."
With his last words out in the open, Lucas closed the door, leaving a flabbergasted lady inside to drown in her new found emotions.
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End of Chapter 2! Hope you enjoyed it! Next: More Brucas
Please R&R! Thanks! Hope you have a good day :D