It was the birthday party of an elite, a powerful elder named Frederick Douglass.
The ballroom was full of rich people in expensive clothes. They drank champagne and talked quietly. Their laughter was fake. Everything here was about power.
I stood in the shadows, watching.
My name is Riley. I am the star performer of the Onyx Club. My being here showed their power over people like me.
I saw my face in a mirror nearby.
A smooth brown skin that glowed under the light, dark and deep eyes, like a quiet night. My black long hair, combed perfectly.
I looked beautiful—but it's a beauty that has cost me everything.
To everyone else, the Onyx Club seemed like a fancy place for art and music. A place with beautiful, quiet helpers like me. They called us "Blood Bound." It sounded nice but it hid the ugly truth.
The truth is, the Onyx Club was a slave house. We were slaves.
They owned our bodies and our time. We performed. We served. The pack made money from us.
Then the man on the stage spoke loudly. "Let's welcome a very special guest! The brother of our Alpha, Falon Gray, here with his wife Selene… Trevor Gray!"
My heart stopped. That name was like a burn on my soul.
Trevor Gray. My rapist.
The man who almost took everything from me.
I saw his face—pale, with a mean smile. His blond hair was thin and slicked back. His cold blue eyes looked out at the crowd like he owned everyone.
He started talking about family and honor. I didn't listen.
All I could hear was my parents' voices from thirteen years ago, telling me: "It's for the best, Riley. The Onyx Club will take care of you. It's an honor to serve the pack."
An honor. They sold their own daughter to a monster and called it an honor.
But as I stood there, something changed inside me. The fear left me. He was just a man. A weak, pathetic man. The shame was his not mine
And in that moment, I felt strong.
Not just for me, but for every girl who'd been hurt and made to feel small. We don't have time to cry over the past. We're made to fight for our future.
A silent army.
When he finished, people clapped loudly.
The man on stage spoke again. "And now… a performance by the jewel of the Onyx Club herself!"
The lights went down. A single bright light hit the stage.
It was my turn.
I walked out of the shadows and into the light.
A calm, empty smile on my face. I was the star, the jewel and also their prisoner.
And this ...is my story.
The music started—a deep, sad cello that I felt in my bones. I began to dance.
Every move of my arm was a silent cry for help. Every bend of my back remembered the chains I wore.
I was dancing out my pain, and they saw was something pretty.
I spun around. The room became a blur of bright colors and watching eyes.
I could feel Trevor watching me. His eyes were like hands on my skin. I didn't look at him. I looked right through him.
I let the music wrap around the hard ball of anger in my chest and turn it into something smooth. Something beautiful.
For a few seconds, I was free. Just me and the music.
Then, the last note played.
Silence.
For one second, no one made a sound. Then the room exploded with applause.
I stood there, breathing hard, my fake smile was back in place. I took a bow like a perfect performer. When I stood up I looked across the room.
Trevor was staring right at me.
He wasn't clapping. He just smiled slowly. A smile that said the show was over, but his game was just beginning.
I left the stage immediately. The sound of clapping followed me.
Backstage, I dropped the smile. The energy left my body. I was feeling empty and tired. My skin still felt dirty where he had looked at me.
I leaned against the cool wall and closed my eyes. I just needed to breathe.
Danny was there. His strong, kind face made me feel a little safer. His dark hair was cut short. His eyes were worried. He didn't say anything. He just held out his phone. The screen was on.
"Hey," he said quietly. "He's been asking for you. I thought you might need this."
I took the phone. My hands were still shaking. I took a deep breath and tapped the screen.
And there he was.
"Hi, Mom!"
Billy. My eleven years old son. My secret. My reason to live.
His face was bright and happy. He had a small gap in his smile from a missing tooth.
His warm brown eyes sparkled. His soft brown hair was messy. Just looking at him made all the fear and acting melt away. A real smile broke across my face.
"Hi, my love."
I never told anyone I had a son. He is my whole world. My breath. The one part of me they could never touch or own. He stayed with Danny's nonna (grandmother), who helped me take care of him.
"I saw you dancing on the live stream! You were so cool!" he said, his voice full of pride.
My heart hurt. He was so innocent. He only saw the beauty, not the prison. "You watched?"
"Of course! Uncle Dan helped me find it." He smiled, then got serious. "Are you coming home for my birthday weekend? You promised."
"I promise, baby. I'll be there. I have your present right here." It was a lie. The present was still just a dream. But I would do anything to make it real.
"I'm not a baby," he said, but he was trying not to smile.
"Okay, my big, strong man," I said, my voice soft. "I have to go now, okay? I'll see you soon."
"Okay. I love you, Mom."
"I love you more than anything in this world," I whispered. It was the truest thing I'd ever said.
The screen went black. I stood there for a moment, holding the phone, his smile stuck in my mind.
I gave it back to Danny. "Thank you," I whispered.
He just nodded. His eyes said everything. We both knew what that call was. It wasn't just talking. It was a reminder. It gave me strength.
For Billy,I kept living.
I stood up straight. I put the Jewel's calm face back on and walked out into the hall of powerful people.
I headed toward my dressing room. But as I reached for the door, a voice spoke softly behind me.
"Leaving so soon, little songbird?"
I froze. The air felt cold.
Trevor Gray stepped out of the shadows. He smiled like a wolf. He didn't wait for me to answer. He pushed the door open and motioned for me to go in.
"After you," he said. His voice left no room for argument.
My heart beat fast. The hall was empty. Danny was nowhere nearby. This wasn't a planned meeting. This was a hunt.
I walked into my room. He followed me in and closed the door.
The lock clicked shut.
The sound was loud in the quiet room.
I stood frozen, my back to him. My mind raced. My heart beat like a wild bird in a cage.
"Hello, beautiful," Trevor's voice said from behind me.
I didn't turn around. I didn't speak. I just stood there, trapped.