He grinned, and before I knew it, he was leaning in and kissing me. His lips pressed to mine, kissing me slowly, and gently, before pulling back.
“What was that for?”
“Well shit, what’s the fun in having hot girl like you all tied up in a cell if you can’t steal a kiss or two?”
I laughed as he slung his arm around my shoulder and pulled me tight. “We’re going to figure something out, Cassandra, I promise. The plus side is, we’re your guards while you’re here. We’ll watch you and make sure nothing happens, okay?” He stood before leaning down and kissing my forehead. “Try to get some sleep.”
Sleep didn’t come for a while after he left. Eventually though, his words sank in. I might not have known what was going on, but something told me if Foster, Gareth, and Zane were watching me, that was at least a step in the right direction.
Chapter 12
“Rise and shine!”
My eyes flew open to see Mitch standing in doorway of my cell, grinning down at me.
“We got a special day planned for you. Time to get you all fancied up, just in case we need to move to plan B.”
I swallow, sitting up in my cot and smoothing my shift-dress down. “Plan B?”
“If your step-daddy don’t pay, I mean. Plan B is the auction.”
The color drained from my face as Mitch leered at me. He winked as his eyes drifted unabashedly over my barely-covered body.
“Gareth and Foster — couple of my guys — are gonna get you all cleaned up and show ready.”
He tipped his hat, his eyes lecherously moving over my legs again before he turned and slipped out of the cell.
The door shut behind him.
I was still sitting on my cot, staring at the floor when the door opened later. I looked up, and my heart flipped a little when I saw Foster step in. We both stood there in silence for a second before I finally opened my mouth.
“I talked to Zane.”
He nodded. “We know.”
“I’m angry,” I said quietly. “And I still haven’t decided if it totally trust you or not.”
“Extremely understandable,” he said with a small smile. “Look, we’re here to—”
“To watch me, I know. Look, just make sure Mitch doesn’t sell me to a sheik or something, okay?”
He smiled grimly. “Not gonna fucking happen, I promise you.”
“So, Mitch wants us to take you to the bathing room to get cleaned up.”
“The bathing room?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like.”
I smiled slowly. “Alright, fine. It might be nice to actually get clean.”
Foster nodded and walked over, undid my handcuffs, and took me by the arm. He led me out and down a long, cement hallway.
“Appearances have to be kept,” he muttered under his breath in my ear as we passed by some other guards. He nodded stiffly at them as he yanked me roughly by the arm. “Keep up!” he barked at me.
We rounded a corner and he quickly stopped and turned to me. “I’m sorry, Cassandra.”
“Appearances, right?” I smiled a wry smile. “I get it.”
We moved down another hallway and through a set of doors to a tiled-wall room that looked like it’d been a locker room of some sorts before. Gareth stood in the middle of it next to a large, metal tub slowly filling with steaming hot water.
“Time to get you cleaned up,” Gareth said with a smile grin, nodding at the tub.
I stopped and looked at them expectantly.
“Uh, sooner than later, Cassandra.”
I frowned, tugging at my shift dress. “Uh, can I get some privacy?”
Foster cleared his throat. “We’re, uh, we’re supposed to make sure you get in.”
“Yeah, and also…” Gareth trialled off as he picked up a pair of cuffs connected to the side of the tub by a small chain.
“Seriously?”
“Mitch’s fucking orders,” he muttered angrily. “Sorry.”
“Hey at least it’s nothing we haven’t seen before, right?”
I turned, my withering look wiping the grin from Foster’s face. “Watch it.”
He grinned again, making me blush.
Finally, I just sighed as I reached down and slipped the hospital-gown dress up and over my head. Gareth’s eyes flashed something hungry as they slipped over my body, and I bit my lip.
I liked that look.
Slowly, I reached down and slipped my panties down my legs, kicking them off before standing there awkwardly before them.
“Come on in,” Foster said gently, his hands on my shoulders as he led me over. They both helped me climb in, and it was weird to find myself being helped into this giant tub totally naked by two guys, but then, with this whole situation?
This was maybe the least weird part.
The cuffs clicked shut with a snap, and Foster handed me some soap. “We’ll give you some time by yourself. Relax, soak, get cleaned up, and we’ll be back to finish you off.”
My face went red instantly as he grinned wickedly.
“Dirty girl,” he murmured, handing me the soap before the two of them turned and walked from the room.
I washed my body and my hair, actually feeling like a person again for the first time since I’d been taken from the resort. After that, I sank into the hot water, letting myself soak and relax — again, for the first time since that night.
My eyes were closed when the door opened and Foster and Gareth walked back in.
They were shirtless this time, and I was about to question it, when I looked down and froze at the glinting steel of the straight razor in Gareth’s hand.
He smiled, seeing where my eyes flashed. “Don’t worry none, I ain’t gonna hurt you.”
“Um, what’s that for?”
The men exchanged a look before turning back to me.
“Mitch needs you looking a certain way.”
The color drained from my face, before they stepped over to the tub. “Hey, hang on.” Foster’s arm went around my wet shoulders, pulling me close. “Zane already told you, nothing’s going to happen. But we do need to shave you.”
My eyes went wide as they jerked up to his. “Shave me?”
Foster grinned as my face went crimson.
“God, you mean…”
“Yep.”
I felt my face burn hot as I dropped it into my hands. “You can’t be serious.”
“Boss’s orders, darlin,” Foster murmured in my ear. “Gareth’s got the hands of a fuckin’ surgeon, don’t worry. Shit, he’s been my surgeon, come to think of it.”
Gareth grinned.
“Is this seriously necessary?”
“It’s for the…” Gareth scowled, looking at the floor. “It’s for the auction, Cassandra.”
That chill from before crept up my spine, despite the steam from the bath.
“That auction that isn’t going to happen, Cass,” Foster said fiercely. “I promise you. This is just to appease Mitch and his bullshit — dissuade doubt and all that.” He winked. “Besides, I know a great way to soothe you after.”
I felt the flush creep across my face all over again as those eyes of his let me know exactly what he meant.
Finally, I nodded. “Okay, okay. Just be—”
“You won’t feel a thing,” Gareth said, stepping forward and kneeling next to the big tub. “Just trust me.”