And scared.
Whatever world I’d just stepped into, it was one I’d never wanted to peer into again. All that talk of being “sold” or auctioned — no way. Whatever that was, and no matter how gorgeous those three men had been, I wanted no part of that world.
Angrily, I opened my clutch, looking for my phone to call Andrea. My face fell as I remembered that Ryan the asshole still had it.
Fine, whatever. I could buy a new—
I never heard the footsteps until it was too late.
When I did, I half turned, the scream rising to my lips before the hand clamped over my mouth. More hands grabbed me — men in dark suits and masks yanking me roughly with them towards a dark limousine that suddenly swung around the corner.
My blood turned to ice.
I knew that limo. It was the same one I’d rode in earlier that night.
The door opened, and suddenly, a grim-faced, sneering Ryan Cunningham stepped out. “Shoulda played nice, kitten,” he hissed, reaching out to stroke my cheek. I screamed into the hand over my mouth, twisting away from him, but the hands held me tight.
“See, you don’t just get to leave the club. I may have broken the rules a little bringing you there tonight, but my father…”
He trailed off, grinning. “Well, it doesn’t matter that rules aren’t meant for men like me. Because after tonight?” His smiled deepened, his eyes lancing into me.
“After tonight, you’ll be mine. Get her in,” he growled to the two men holding me.
I screamed again, twisting helplessly against them as they tied my hands behind my back and replaced their hands with a gag before shoving me into the back of the limo. Ryan followed me in, chuckling as I tried vainly to kick at him from the floor of the car.
“Fight now, little kitten,” he smiled, chuckling. “Because after I win you at the auction tonight?”
He grinned evilly at me, and I felt my heart sink.
“After that, I’m going to really enjoy breaking you.”
The limo drove off into the night, my heart pounding in terror, my skin crawling, and my screams falling on deaf ears.
Chapter 4
Mia
Strong hands gripped my arms as I stumbled down what seemed like a hallway. I’d screamed into the gag as they’d dragged me out of the car, and the sounds of the city had quickly gone silent with a click as they’d led me inside a doorway.
To here — wherever here was.
The gag was pulled from my mouth as we stumbled and walked.
“Please,” I pleaded. “Just tell me what—”
“You’re at the Auction House, luv,” a gruff, English accent rasped near my ear.
I shivered.
“And tonight,” he chuckled, the rumbling of his laugh sending an icy chill through me. “Well tonight, you’re the high bid.”
He chuckled again at the gasping sound I made, and suddenly, I blinked as he pulled the gag away.
The fear spiked in me as I glanced at the British man leading me. He was built — swarthy looking, with an evil looking scar running the length of his jaw. I glanced up, and gasped as I took in the luxurious, gorgeously decorated hallway we were walking down. It seemed like we were in some sort of opulent mansion, though there were no windows anywhere.
“You’re at the Auction House, and tonight, you’re the high bid.”
The man’s words had me terrified as he half led, half dragged me through a set of wooden doors into a small, dimly lit room.
“Sit here,” the man growled, shoving me into a high-backed chair.
My head spun at the blur of what had happened tonight — at my bizarre date that turned into the horrible time at the club, which had turned into this.
Kidnapped.
Bound.
Ready to be sold.
I wanted to cry, but I was too frozen — too numb from the shock of it all. I wondered for a minute how long until Andrea, and my family started looking for me.
I wondered how long they would wait until they figured I was dead.
I swallowed that horrible thought back down, shivering.
“Please,” I pleaded, eyes going wide in fear as I looked up at the man. “Please, just tell me what’s going on.”
That grin spread like a second scar across his face. “Rules were broken, luv. You don’t bring dates to the club, only girls you rightfully own.”
“Own?”
His eyes sparked something evil. “Mr. Cunningham’s father — well, he holds clout around here.”
“Where’s here?”
“The Auction House,” he purred, his eyes dripping down over the front of my dress and making me shiver uncomfortably. “You’ll fetch a very nice price.”
“You can’t—”
“Do this?” He grinned. “They all say that, sweetheart. And trust me, I can, and it is being done. Cunningham’s father had you pushed up in line to be the main attraction tonight, so that his son can fix his mistake and make it formal with the Organization regarding you.” He winked. “Then you’ll be his.”
A bell chimed quietly, and the British man smiled. “And here we go, luv. It’s show time.”
I started to open my mouth when he suddenly yanked me up.
“You’ll be taking that off now.” His eyes dropped to my dress, and he grinned.
“What?”
“I know you heard me just fine, luv,” he growled. “Now take it off, or I will help you.”
Cold fear lanced through me as his eyes oozed over me.
I could feel every single pulse of my heart as I turned away from him, shivering as I reached back to pull the zipper at the back of my dress. I slid it down, feeling his eyes on my naked back, before I let the dress drop to the floor.
And then I stood there in just the black bra and panties I’d worn under Andrea’s dress, my mind reeling at the reality of what was happening to me.
“Turn around.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, biting back fear as I slowly turned, my hands meekly covering myself.
He grinned. “Oh, you’ll fetch a nice price tonight, luv.”
I gasped as he suddenly pulled a piece of leather out from his back pocket.
My eyes went wide.
No, not a piece of leather…a collar, one attached to a long lead.
I felt cold as he slipped it on me, his wicked face grinning. “I’m Jorry, by the way. But we won’t speak after tonight. After tonight, you’ll do as Mr. Cunningham — and only Mr. Cunningham — says.”
“Please,” I begged, my heart pounding as I tried one last time at empathy. “Please, don’t do this!”
“See, there’s where you’ve got it wrong, luv.” He grinned. “You think you’re going to appeal to my better side, that it? You think you’re going to get to that little spot inside of me that hates all of this?”
He laughed before he yanked the collar tight and pulled me close.
“Not gonna happen. You see, sweetheart,” he grinned, leaning close. “I love all this.”
The bell chimed once more.
“Time to go.”
Chapter 5
Mia
The room was almost totally dark as I was led onto a small stage of sorts. Dim lights slowly illuminated me, standing alone in the darkness practically naked, with the collar around my neck.
And slowly, my eyes adjusted as I looked out. And if this was a stage, they were the audience.