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Selfless
To escape a dangerous boyfriend, Pumpkin started working in Mama’s nightclub, where she learned to sell her assets to the customers.
The nightclub was also where she met Cream — and became part of a closely knit sisterhood.
Everything was going fine until cops raid the nightclub, pushing Pumpkin and Cream to the streets.
Desperation forced the girls into a situation they didn’t understand, and now they’re faced with a nightmarish reality.
It was one thing to sell themselves for a night. It’s another when their bodies and souls are sold to the highest bidder.
Locked up and abused, they desperately plan for a way to escape. But what happens when the only way out means one has to be left behind?
The nightclub was also where she met Cream — and became part of a closely knit sisterhood.
Everything was going fine until cops raid the nightclub, pushing Pumpkin and Cream to the streets.
Desperation forced the girls into a situation they didn’t understand, and now they’re faced with a nightmarish reality.
It was one thing to sell themselves for a night. It’s another when their bodies and souls are sold to the highest bidder.
Locked up and abused, they desperately plan for a way to escape. But what happens when the only way out means one has to be left behind?
- GenresRomanceDark RomanceAdult
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2014
1 person is currently reading
166 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 6, 2014
I loved this series but Pumpkin and Cream's story is the most emotional one to date.
September 14, 2014
Lexie's runaway series caught me with Stronger I just had to know how the other girls faired. Although with book 2 and 3 lacking the power that Stronger had I didn't have much hope. This story is the perfect reason you should always listen to your first instinct. You never know when it can save you. I was glad the story went into a different direction although very dark, it was good. Series are notorious when giving other characters their own story to have the same rinse, wash, repeat plot line. I have to read how Mama became Mama which I assume her story is just as bad as the girls.
May 9, 2017
I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. I don't get the title, and I don't get the main characters. It's one thing to be naive, and another to be clueless. I know that shock and fear can affect a person's reaction, and maybe they were in denial, but they took all the wrong decisions for all the wrong reasons. At times it was hard for me to feel bad for them, you are supposed to learn from your mistakes, not keep making them. Also, the end of the book felt like an afterthought, and kind of unnecessary. Sometimes I finish a book wanting more, just a little more about the characters, and in this one, I felt like the last part was just filling. I couldn't connect to the book or get into the story. I liked that it didn't just follow the same formula as the previous ones, but I didn't like the direction it took.
December 18, 2024
In a change from the other books in the series thus far, this book did not have even a shred of romance.
Pumpkin's childhood was one where she wasn't seen or heard, and her family essentially bade her to remain quiet because 'all her unspoken words are stored in her ass'.
Her ex is essentially a guy she hooks up with in a club bathroom stall, egged on by her cousins and drunk. She thinks it must be love, and ignores a good amount of red flags about him being a gang wannabee.
Even when he talks about getting her pregnant to trap her, and has drugs around the apartment where her cousins babies are, she stays with him, right up until the day he nearly chokes her to death.
She gets away by stabbing him, and fleeing to Mama's club. It's understandably a while before she's able to work, both due to her trauma and her throat being bruised horribly, but once she does, she sticks firm to using protection at all times.
Cream, meanwhile, is there essentially because she enjoys sex and comes every time-horrifyingly, whether she consents to the sex or not.
The two of them are tricked into being auctioned off and bought together, and the man who buys them acts almost nice at first, having them merely clean and cook so he has someone to return home to. All too quickly, things go downhill and his true colors are shown, and both girls are SA'd and raped multiple times.
In the end, they escape because they find he had been watching them with hidden cameras the whole time, and he had planned to kill them for their plotting to escape [This leads Pumpkin to be handcuffed to the bed before he leaves for work, Cream helping her squeeze free, and the two destroying the apartment in an attempt to find a way out.]
How do they get out, you ask? Pumpkin uses a cast iron skillet to break a window and jump out to a window washer's basket, while Cream stays behind to hold the door shut and is brutally beaten to death.
The story ends with Pumpkin meeting Cream's brother she'd wanted to find again, and their captor going to trial.
While the end does have an almost hopeful shine to it in the two survivors healing together, this book felt like it was an exercise in torment.
Pumpkin's childhood was one where she wasn't seen or heard, and her family essentially bade her to remain quiet because 'all her unspoken words are stored in her ass'.
Her ex is essentially a guy she hooks up with in a club bathroom stall, egged on by her cousins and drunk. She thinks it must be love, and ignores a good amount of red flags about him being a gang wannabee.
Even when he talks about getting her pregnant to trap her, and has drugs around the apartment where her cousins babies are, she stays with him, right up until the day he nearly chokes her to death.
She gets away by stabbing him, and fleeing to Mama's club. It's understandably a while before she's able to work, both due to her trauma and her throat being bruised horribly, but once she does, she sticks firm to using protection at all times.
Cream, meanwhile, is there essentially because she enjoys sex and comes every time-horrifyingly, whether she consents to the sex or not.
The two of them are tricked into being auctioned off and bought together, and the man who buys them acts almost nice at first, having them merely clean and cook so he has someone to return home to. All too quickly, things go downhill and his true colors are shown, and both girls are SA'd and raped multiple times.
In the end, they escape because they find he had been watching them with hidden cameras the whole time, and he had planned to kill them for their plotting to escape [This leads Pumpkin to be handcuffed to the bed before he leaves for work, Cream helping her squeeze free, and the two destroying the apartment in an attempt to find a way out.]
How do they get out, you ask? Pumpkin uses a cast iron skillet to break a window and jump out to a window washer's basket, while Cream stays behind to hold the door shut and is brutally beaten to death.
The story ends with Pumpkin meeting Cream's brother she'd wanted to find again, and their captor going to trial.
While the end does have an almost hopeful shine to it in the two survivors healing together, this book felt like it was an exercise in torment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2021
Pumpkin and Cream: their story... I just don't know where to start.
August 17, 2014
The fourth in the series of runaway girls and what happens to them.
This is the story of Cream and Pumpkin who found what they thought salvation from an abusive past and a job in a nightclub...Mama's, but this is no Mama you would want your child working for as her nightclub is also a brothel.
After the raid when the girl's find themselves alone and desperate again they turn to a prior customer but find themselves sold at a slave auction. Have they landed on their feet with a rich good looking man...or is it the start of the next level of hell on earth.
I like the way previous girls have cameos in each others stories so you have a recap on what progress others like Blue have made in life.
This had me in tears and sadly for some runaways their fates may be similar and lives shortened.
As I read each of this series I find my reflection rates them and they are good stories.
This is the story of Cream and Pumpkin who found what they thought salvation from an abusive past and a job in a nightclub...Mama's, but this is no Mama you would want your child working for as her nightclub is also a brothel.
After the raid when the girl's find themselves alone and desperate again they turn to a prior customer but find themselves sold at a slave auction. Have they landed on their feet with a rich good looking man...or is it the start of the next level of hell on earth.
I like the way previous girls have cameos in each others stories so you have a recap on what progress others like Blue have made in life.
This had me in tears and sadly for some runaways their fates may be similar and lives shortened.
As I read each of this series I find my reflection rates them and they are good stories.
June 23, 2015
Oh my gosh, this one was a bit too heartbreaking for me. The series was getting a little bit...boring? I don't know if that's the right way to explain it, but I felt like all the stories were getting to be a little bit repetitive, while still good, they were all kind of the same. But this story, it both made me so happy and then so sad, and then happy again.
So watch out, people, this book is not one that will be the happiest. Like Jazz's story and Cocoa's story, Pumpkin's story is an emotional rollercoaster. Just when I was beginning to think that the series was going to go downhill. Please please, if you've made it this far READ THIS ONE!!
One more left! I don't know how well I will be able to move on after finishing this series. I've never been good at finishing off series' because I never know what to do with myself afterward. Like finishing up a series takes up too much time in your life and then you're done...
So watch out, people, this book is not one that will be the happiest. Like Jazz's story and Cocoa's story, Pumpkin's story is an emotional rollercoaster. Just when I was beginning to think that the series was going to go downhill. Please please, if you've made it this far READ THIS ONE!!
One more left! I don't know how well I will be able to move on after finishing this series. I've never been good at finishing off series' because I never know what to do with myself afterward. Like finishing up a series takes up too much time in your life and then you're done...
January 18, 2014
Book 4 - Selfless in the (Runaway) Series by Lexie Ray. This story is about Cream and Pumpkin which was very sad towards the end as one woman scarficed herself to save her friend. It was an intriguing read and cast light on the plight of women who find themselves in a situation where they are sex slaves. Another great read! On to book 5 Relentless
January 17, 2014
so emotional ...
this book was really hard to read and keep my tears at bay :'( .. I like reading all about the girls and their story. ... wish it could have been longer but going to read book 5 in the series now :-)
this book was really hard to read and keep my tears at bay :'( .. I like reading all about the girls and their story. ... wish it could have been longer but going to read book 5 in the series now :-)
March 2, 2014
Loved this one and think this is the most emotional one of them all!! So heart breaking, these girls went through hell and back and the sad thing about it is that this sorta thing happens in real life!!! Loved this whole series!!! So worth the read!!!!
January 23, 2014
I liked learning about Pumpkin and seeing how close she was to Cream. It seemed like things went from bad to worse, but in the end became better.
February 23, 2014
Best book of the series so far!
November 28, 2014
Short but powerful
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews