Not a fairytale (Closed)

[Biker_Faerie]

Tink sat in the doorway of a disused office, just a stone’s throw from Westminster Underground station. She was wrapped in the tatty sleeping bag she’d taken from the body of a homeless man who’d ultimately died of exposure a few weeks before. He’d been old and his body weakened through years of poor diet and alcohol abuse. It was a horrible thing to say but he was probably better off dead. He no longer needed the sleeping bag and so she’d taken it. She’d felt bad about it but she couldn’t afford to be sentimental.

The incessant drizzle that typified London’s winters made everything damp and Tink shivered constantly. To the passing commuters on their way home to leafy suburbia she probably looked like another crack-head, desperate for the next fix.

She’d been living on the streets of London for a month now, since moving worlds. It had been harder than expected, but nothing like as hard as the life that she’d left behind. She almost couldn’t bear to think about the years of abuse she’d suffered there, and while she was homeless and hungry now, she was at least free.

Tink had arrived in London with nothing except the clothes on her back. No plan, no friends to help her and most importantly, no money. She couldn’t get a proper job. People wanted documentation and social security numbers and of course she had none of those. Someone had warned her that they locked illegal immigrants up and that scared her. She’d had enough of being kept a prisoner.

So, she did the only thing she could think of. She turned to prostitution. Not the high-class sort but the seedy ‘blow job’ in a car or ‘knee trembler’ in an alleyway kind. It gave her enough money to feed herself on but it wasn’t without its dangers. Several times men had been rough with her, but the previous night had been by far the worst.

She’d got into a car with a guy and they’d driven somewhere quiet. Then, while she was going down on him, he’d put his hands around her neck and tried to strangle her. She’d done the only thing she could think of and bitten down hard on his cock, causing him to let go of her in agony. Then she’d scrambled to get out of the car but not before his punches had rained down on her.

Now she was battered and bruised had no money and hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours. If there had been a low point since arriving in London, then this was it.

She watched as the commuters streamed into the underground station.

“Spare any change?” she kept asking as they passed.

But they just ignored her. Kept their heads down, trying to pretend she wasn’t there. She couldn’t blame them really. This part of the city was teaming with homeless and they witnessed it day in day out. The down and out, the mentally ill, the alcoholics, the druggies, the illegal immigrants. Society’s detritus.

The hunger and the hopelessness of her situation made her eyes water in frustration and she sniffed as she wiped away the tears. A man passing by stopped and looked at her. He had kind eyes and an attractive face. He was wrapped up against the cold.

“Spare any change, sir?” she asked. Then in desperation she added. “I could suck you off if you liked.”

 

[ty5550]

Hands deep in his pockets, Grant exited the underground station and emerged into the cold and wet atmosphere of London's streets. The rain wasn't coming down hard but it was consistently battering against him along with the chill of the wind. He had dressed warmer today and was wearing a long, dark, heavy trench coat to shield his body from the unpleasant weather.

With no umbrella or hat however, his medium-length black hair was getting rather damp on top of his head. The beads of water clung to his trimmed facial hair the same way it clung to the fibers of his coat. More than once he had to reach up with his left hand to use his fingers to comb stray hair out of his eyes and slick it back on his head.

In his right hand he was carrying a leather briefcase. Dressed like a business man, he wore black slacks which extended from the bottom of his trench coat to his ankles in a precise and measured fit to suggest the outfit had been tailored just for his height. The dress shoes he wore were made with expensive black leather and polished with a fantastic shine, however they were designed more for comfort and utility.

For the most part he kept his eyes forward as he walked, he was a man that walked the shadows and often kept to himself. What other people were doing was none of his business. However he could not help but gaze upon the rather helpless sight of what appeared to be a young woman begging for help. He may have been a private and professional man, but deep down he was kind and hated to see unnecessary suffering or cruelty.

Not only that, but for some reason when his soft brown eyes locked with her gaze he felt a sudden pang of sympathy. Normally he wouldn't get involved, he would just offered her some cash and keep walking...however there was something about her, something that entranced the depths of his mind. It actually saddened him to hear her offer of oral sex in exchange for some money.

Stopping in his tracks, he stood there for a moment as he measured her with his gaze. "There are a few hotels in walking distance here." Grant said in a gentle voice, before he continued to explain what he meant or had in mind. "How about we get you out of this cold? A nice hot shower, some food, a change of clothes and a soft bed to sleep on for a few nights?" He certainly had more than enough money on him to cover all of that and a little extra to fill her pockets. Cash was the only currency Grant used as well to avoid any kind of electronic trail.

Shifting the briefcase in his right hand, he stepped closer to her and raised his left hand toward her. Opening his palm and offering it to her, he nodded to encourage her to take his hand. "Please come with me." Grant requested in such a calm and patient voice.

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Tink looked up into the man’s eyes. Nobody had offered her a bed for the night before and she couldn’t help being wary. A lot could happen to her in a hotel room. She was expecting sex but she couldn’t take another beating. On the other hand, she was desperate. Her body was crying out for food and she hadn’t slept in a real bed in so long.

Tink made a decision. If she was going to take the risk she decided, then at least she was going to do it on a full stomach.

“I’m really hungry sir. Could we go to the cafe across the road first?” she asked.

She placed her delicate hand into his and he helped her up from the floor. Her body was stiff from the cold and she couldn’t help wincing as her ribs cried out in pain from the bruising. Then, collecting up her sleeping bag she stuffed it into a hold-all and they walked across the street.

The cafe was a basic affair, like hundreds of others dotted around London, selling cheap fried food to commuters. It was run by Albanians who would serve anyone with money, including the homeless. Tink always bought her food there when she could afford it and the old man behind the counter had taken a shine to her. He would give her a free cup of tea from time to time. He spoke to her in Albanian and somehow, seamlessly, Tink responded in Albanian too.

When he had taken the order the old man turned to Grant and, making assumptions about his intentions, spoke directly to him in English.

“She’s a good kid,” he told him, “If you hurt her, my sons will find you, cut your balls off and feed them to you. Understand?”

Tink ate her food like a dog. Quickly and without stopping to savour the taste. It was gone in no time and although she tried to disguise it, her stomach was so full afterwards that she felt as if she could explode.

It was at that point she thought about doing a ‘runner’. If she left now she’d have at least had a free meal. But there was something about Grant that she felt she could trust. They’d hardly spoken. She’d been too focussed on her food. But she looked into his eyes and made a decision that would change her life for ever. She would go to the hotel with him.

“You won’t hurt me, will you?” she asked.

 

[ty5550]

Grant simply nodded as he helped her up. He had no issues with getting her food first, especially if she was hungry and didn't want to wait. So the accompanied her into the cafe and paid for whatever she wanted without hesitation. All he ordered for himself was a coffee to warm his body up after walking around in the cold, drizzling weather.

He didn't react when the old man threatened him, instead Grant simply acknowledged his words with a simple glance and a knowing nod. It wasn't like he was going to take such words personally after all. Clearly this man was just looking out for someone in his community. There had probably been many men that had tried to take advantage of this woman in a rather desperate situation. The fact that she seemed so ready and willing to offer him a blowjob for money was proof enough of that.

Sipping on his coffee, he observed the dirty and bruised woman as she wolfed down her food. It was almost like she was afraid that it might disappear before she could finish. The eagerness in her actions did bring the slightest smirk to the corner of his lips. Even if it was something as simple as filling her empty stomach he still was glad he could help.

"I won't even touch you without your permission." Grant said in a gentle but very matter-of-fact tone. "If you want to come with me that is your choice, but you can also walk away." He pointed out as he wanted her to know that he had no intentions of making her do anything she didn't want to do.

"Honestly I could just give you all the cash in my wallet, but then that might make you a target for other homeless people or thugs. I would feel much better if you would allow me to escort you to a hotel." Once he finished explaining himself, he gulped down the rest of his coffee and stood up.

Grabbing his briefcase in one hand, he once again extended his other out and offered it to her. "My name is Grant and it would be my pleasure to escort you to the nearest hotel. I need a guide anyways, I'm new around here...so if you know any place nice we can stay that would be great. Cost is not an issue."

 

[Biker_Faerie]

Taking the cash and walking away was tempting. It was certainly the least risk option. But he’d promised not to touch her, at least not without her permission. And she believed him.

“Hello Grant, I’m Tink,” she said, taking his hand. “I’m sorry if I appear nervous. I’ve only been in London a month and, well, as you can see. Things haven’t gone very well so far. But I can be your guide. I know where the hotels are. I can show you.”

The only hotels Tink had seen the inside of were the ones in seedy back-streets. The ones that could be rented by the hour. She didn’t take Grant to one of these. Instead she took him to Belgrave Rd. The street was lined with tourist hotels, created from the once grand Edwardian mansions that had housed wealthy families and their servants in years gone by.

The first hotel they tried had a doorman in a fancy costume standing outside, ready to greet guests. But he took one look at Tink and, having ascertained that Grant wasn’t already a resident, politely informed them that the hotel was full.

The second hotel didn’t have a doorman but when the receptionist saw Tink standing there with her sleeping bag in a hold-all, the response was the same. “Sorry we’re full.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Tink said as they approached the third hotel.

Stuffing the hold-all up the front of the parka she was wearing gave the casual observer the impression that she might be pregnant. She tousled her long blonde hair over her face to hide the bruising then sat in a chair in the lobby looking down at her shoes while Grant spoke to the receptionist.

When she looked up, Grant was walking toward her jangling a room key in his hand. Tink looked at the smile on Grant’s face and an impish grin spread across her own. Then she did something that she hadn’t done in years.

She giggled.