Chapter 5
My friend Toddended up being very helpful. He told me everything I need to know about the auction and the protocols the invitees are required to follow. His information was invaluable. When the time came to end his sorry excuse of a life, I was feeling magnanimous and showed mercy, making it quick. Even though I wanted to drag it out, I had too much to do before the auction.
Lucky him.
Anticipation thrums through my veins as I exit my car and pull on my mask. When I collected Todd”s invitation from his safe, there was a plain black mask that would cover the upper half of my face. It was non-threatening and unimaginative. Something you would wear to a simple masquerade party, not something sinister like a slave auction.
When the security guard posted at the front door sees me approaching, I know I”ve made the right choice with my mask. I soak up the look of fear on his face. Based on what Todd disclosed, most of the men invited are old fucks that are richer than God or trust fund babies that have never seen a hard day”s work. I”m neither of those things.
The guard is a large man. Over six feet with broad shoulders. He looks like he can hold his own in a fight with most men. Not me. I”m several inches taller and obviously broader. He looks like he”s playing dress up compared to me. Add the black goat skull mask with curling horns that hide my entire face, and I make an imposing figure.
The eye holes of my mask are covered with black mesh, which allows me to see out but makes it impossible for anyone to see my eyes. This adds to the fear factor. Taking away a person”s ability to see someone”s eyes makes them uncomfortable. The eyes give you a glimpse into a person”s soul and can help you read someone”s intentions. Take that away, and all you get is discomfort and fear.
Precisely what I am going for tonight.
”Invitation,” the guard growls.
I smile at his pathetic attempt to display his strength and prove he”s not afraid of me. He would piss his pants if I lunged at him right now. I”m amused that he thinks he”s fooling anyone with his bravado. I hand him the invitation, and he studies it closely. My guess is he”s trying to figure out who I am despite the invitation not having a name on it. Each invitation has a number instead of a name. Anonymity is guaranteed.
It makes it easier for me to gain entry, but it will complicate things when I later go to free the women sold tonight. Thanks to Todd, I know how they handle payments, which will help me track down the buyers. It”ll take a little time, but I can”t afford to show my hand too soon and take the women tonight. Finding out that the Russian Bratva is involved means I need to be cautious in how I approach things.
Tonight is about recon. I will observe the operation and learn as much as I can. I”ll bid on a girl, but not enough to win. I want to be on the radar as a client who”s ready to spend money, but it”s imperative that I leave without a girl so they will invite me back to the next auction.
The guard gives me another once-over and then steps aside so I can pass. As I walk by, I keep my masked face turned towards him, smirking when he steps back. Since the Russian mob is involved, you”d think they would have better security protecting their assets. Though from what I”ve seen at Mecca, they don”t have much in the way of security there either. It”s either hubris or stupidity. Either way, it will benefit me and my goals.
There is a low pulsing music playing that teases you to follow. The entryway is empty and dark except for dim light from sconces on the walls. I follow the sounds of the music and the din of voices I can hear coming from deeper inside the house. The noise leads me to a staircase that leads down.
A second guard stands at the open door. He gives me an appraising look. I”m guessing the guard at the door told him about me, and he”s assessing me based on whatever the pissant at the front door said. He not so subtly flashes his gun holstered on his hip. I barely bite back my laughter at his weak display. He may have a weapon, but I could disarm him in seconds and have him dead in another. I don”t change my stance at the silent threat. Just like the man at the front door, fear flashes in his eyes for a moment before he schools his expression again. Without a word, he steps aside, allowing me through.
The people running this despicable business are definitely idiots. They have no idea who they”ve allowed into their lair. They didn”t even check for weapons for fuck”s sake. They are obviously used to prissy white-collar assholes attending and don”t consider them a risk that deserves better security. Again, it works out for me, so not going to complain. I can only hope the hubris continues. It”ll make my job easier.
I slowly descend the stairs, the music and voices getting louder the closer I get. The stairs open up to a large room decorated like a luxurious club. There”s a bar across one wall and booths set up on another. There are several couches and other seating facing a stage at the far end of the room. It looks like a typical stage in a strip club including nude women dancing on poles, but I know it”s more sinister than that.
There are at least thirty men here with women in various states of undress serving drinks or draped over the men. A woman wearing a tiny pair of panties and stiletto heels saunters up to me. She is going for sultry, but she does nothing for me. She”s thinner than she should be and despite her smile, I can see the dead look in her eyes. She doesn”t even show a bit of fear at my mask or imposing size. Either she”s seen it all and fears nothing anymore or she”s on drugs and so high she doesn”t care.
I”m unsure if she”s paid to be here or if she”s an unwilling victim as well. She could very well be a paid prostitute since I know the Russians deal in flesh. If it”s the woman”s choice, so be it. When that choice is taken away, I have a problem.
”Hello, sexy. I”m Lexis, and I”ll be yours for the night.”
She steps closer and trails her finger down my chest. It takes a Herculean effort to allow her touch. Sending her away would rouse suspicions. I have to play the game to win my spot among these people. I don”t say anything in response. I stare down at her, waiting for her to make another move. My lack of reaction has made her uncomfortable. I almost feel bad, but I won”t be putting my hands on her, and the less I speak, the better.
I don”t know how many people know that Todd Mallory was expected at this party and if it will raise red flags that he”s not here. With the guaranteed anonymity, I”m not too concerned about being found out, but it”s better to not take the risk. Portraying the aloof businessman with deep pockets is the goal. Making them both respect and fear me is my first goal. It”ll let the people in charge know I belong here. By the looks of it, I look like I belong here more than the men who were actually invited.
A few men are wearing Halloween-style masks that would look intimidating if they weren”t obviously men who haven”t seen a day of hard work in their lives. Most of the men are overweight or too thin. The outliers are muscular and would maybe be intimidating to lesser men than me. Not a single person here could take me in a fight. It would be laughably easy to take them down.
”If you”ll follow me, sir, I”ll take you to your seat. The auction will begin soon,” the woman before me says.
I give her a nod. She turns and leads me towards the stage. I can feel eyes on me as we weave through the room. I don”t give any indication that I”m paying attention to them when, in reality, I”m taking everything in. I might not be able to see who they are, but I”ll find out and enjoy exacting justice for every woman they”ve touched with their vile hands.
Lexis leads me to a chair that looks more like a throne. It”s made of deep red velvet with gold trimmings. To the side is a small table with a glass box that protects a black button. That button is how you bid on a woman.
”Would you like a drink, sir?” Lexis asks.
I shake my head once. She swallows thickly and shifts on her feet. The more my silence drags on the more uncomfortable she”s becoming. I lower myself onto my assigned seat and watch her eyes dart around the room. She pauses at a man wearing a basic black mask covering only his eyes. He glares at her in a way that makes me clench my fists.
Her discomfort isn”t because of me; it”s because she”s afraid of that man, and my disinterest in her is being seen as a failure on her part. I have no doubt she”ll be punished for displeasing a client. The idea of her touching me in any way makes me sick, but I don”t want her punished because of me, either. With a deep sigh, I pat my thigh. Lexis visibly relaxes at my invitation and perches on my lap. I wrap one arm around her, placing my hand on her hip to keep her steady.
She puts her hands on my chest and studies my mask. I know she”s trying to see beyond the black mesh to my eyes, but it”s impossible. She wriggles on my lap, trying to rub on my cock. If she”s trying to get me hard, she”s going to be disappointed. Nothing about this situation is attractive to me. I”m disgusted and nothing she can do will change the state of my dick.
I grip her hip more firmly, stilling her movements. She freezes on my lap, her hands clenching against my shirt. She”s probably afraid I will push her away and get her into trouble. I”m not going to do that, but I don”t want her trying to tempt me into fucking her, either.
”Relax,” I say quietly.
Her eyes widen in surprise at my command, but she slowly obeys. Her fingers relax so her hands are just resting on my chest again, her body loses its rigidness, and the fear that was radiating off of her dissipates slowly.
”I”m yours to use however you want tonight,” she says, confused.
She”s obviously not used to men at these parties not taking advantage of the free pussy that comes with an invitation to these events. It makes me equal parts sad and angry that she expects to be used by any man she”s made to cater to. It adds to my determination to shut these fuckers down. Even if Lexis is here willingly, I want to offer her and all the other women here a different life.
I will offer them a spot at Hope House where all the women we”ve rescued over the years go if they don”t have a family they want to go home to. They are offered a place to live, therapy, education, and help finding employment. Whatever they want to do in the future, Hope House helps them. Slade and the Savage Knights set it up to help the women and children rescued from human trafficking rings integrate back into society.
Hope House isn”t advertised and gets zero funding from the government unlike other nonprofits that attempt to do the same thing for abused women. Every penny of funding comes from the men who run the trafficking rings and their clients. We not only take down the people who run them but also drain their accounts and use the funds to help their victims.
”Are you dissatisfied with me?” Lexis asks, glancing back at the man she”s obviously afraid of.
”No,” I growl, sounding harsher than intended.
She swallows thickly and nods. ”O-okay.”
I grip her hips and spin her in my lap, so she”s straddling me. I pull her close so her chest is against mine, her hands trapped between us. She gasps at the sudden move but doesn”t protest. I run my hand up her back and grip her hair gently. It will look like I”m manhandling her to the outside world, but that couldn”t be further from the truth. Using my hold on her hair, I guide her head to my shoulder so her face is hidden in the crook of my neck. With her hands trapped between us and her face hidden, it looks like I”m taking advantage of my gift even though I”m simply holding her in place.
”Relax,” I murmur.
Slowly the tension leaves her body, and she lets out a quiet sigh. She probably doesn”t get a break from the life she”s found herself in. This is likely the only time she”s not been taken advantage of, and she doesn”t know how to react.
”Why?” she whispers after several minutes of silence.
”Quiet,” I say with quiet command.
She nods and rests more fully against me. She”s still and quiet, taking advantage of the safety I”m offering her. She knows it won”t last and is uneasy about my unknown intentions, but she”s rolling with it. It doesn”t take long for the already dim lights to lower further. A spotlight flicks on, showering the stage in bright light. The strippers disappear behind the stage and a large man with a skull mask strides to the middle of the spotlight.
”Welcome, friends. It”s time to get the festivities started. We have five women tonight for you to bid on. Each of you has a button that you will use to bid. Each bid is one thousand dollars. Payments are due directly after the auction before you can claim your prize. Transfer instructions will be given at that time. You may bid on as many women as you”d like. They will be brought to your assigned room after payment.
”There are no limits to what you can do in those rooms. They will be thoroughly cleaned when you”re done, and the body will be cremated, leaving no evidence of your time in the mansion.”
My body stiffens at his words. Lexis lets out a low whimper, and I immediately loosen my hold that reflexively tightened on her the more the fucker on stage talked. This isn”t just a regular auction. These bastards are here to murder the women they buy. My jaw clenches at the thought. This changes my plans. I can no longer wait to figure out who buys the women and rescue them at another time.
Without showing my hand, I have to figure out how to get them to safety tonight. I don”t know the mansion”s layout or where the rooms are. I don”t know how many people they have working security. Everything I need to learn before an operation is out the window.
”Now, on with the auction!” the man says enthusiastically, ending his speech.
The first girl comes onstage wearing a white dress that would be conservative if it wasn”t completely see-through. Her large breasts and bare mound are on display. The men around me cheer when they see her, and she freezes halfway to the front of the stage. With the bright lights shining down on her, I know she can”t see the men in front of her. She knows they are there, but being unable to make them out adds another level of fear.
She”s shaking like a leaf and looks like she”s seconds away from fainting. Despite her perfect makeup, I can see how pale she turns when the auctioneer tells her to keep walking. She slowly continues until she”s standing in the middle of the spotlight.
”Starting bid is ten thousand for this beauty.”
A screen that I overlooked before lights up with the starting bid amount. Within seconds, the amount changes. Bids come in quickly, and before long, it”s up to thirty-five thousand dollars. A few seconds tick by without another bid, and the man on stage claps.
”Congratulations to number two-four-eight!”
Silent tears fall from the woman”s eyes as she”s roughly pulled away from the stage. She disappears behind the curtain and another woman is brought out. She”s dressed exactly the same with perfect makeup and hair. She”s not as outwardly afraid as the previous girl, but her eyes tell a different story. She might be keeping it together on the outside, but on the inside, she”s terrified. Not that I blame her. She”s probably just learned tonight she”s going to die after being tortured and raped.
The bidding starts at ten thousand again and quickly hits forty-seven grand before bids stop coming. I have a feeling that each girl will go for more. It”s not so much what the girl looks like tonight since they are being used as a disposable toy. People are more discerning when they are buying a long-term slave. Tonight, it”s about one night of depravity. With a limited number of women, the bids will get higher and higher.
The following two women go for sixty-two thousand and seventy thousand. I have not placed any bids, saving them for the last girl. I”m not sure why, but when I don”t intend to win a woman for myself, something has held me back. Maybe it”s merely the disgust I feel at what they”ve got planned for these poor women. My time is up though. I have to bid on this last woman so that they know I”m a serious player in this fucked up game.
The final girl comes out and my whole body stiffens. I immediately recognize her as the woman I saved from Todd Mallory”s whip at Mecca. Despite her situation, she walks onto the stage with her head held high. She”s not crying like the other women and not shaking with fear, either. I”m not sure where my Beauty gets her confidence, but it”s fucking breathtaking.
She”s more beautiful than I remember. Her blonde hair is curled and falls down her back like a waterfall. Her blue eyes are lined with black, making them stand out. The haunted look she had before is gone. Replaced with fire and determination. I want to ask what”s going through her mind right now. She doesn”t look like a woman ready to give up like the previous girls. She looks like an avenging angel prepared to fight to the end. My cock twitches for the first time tonight. If Lexis feels it come to life, she doesn”t acknowledge it. I clench my fists, pissed at myself for getting turned on by one of the women I”ve devoted my life to saving.
I don”t notice that the bidding has started until it”s already up to twenty-five grand. I quickly press my button, my heart pounding in my chest. I came here for information and to get my foot in the door, not to win a woman. Yet, as the price rises to seventy-five thousand, I keep bidding. I can”t seem to stop myself. My plans are already fucked since I have to figure out how to save these five women before they are murdered tonight. What”s one more wrench in my plans? If I buy my Beauty, I know she”ll be safe. If I can”t save the rest, at least I can save her.
The bidding stops at ninety-three thousand dollars. The glowing green around my black button says I”m the highest bidder. I hold my breath to see if another bid comes in. I don”t care if it goes up to a million dollars. I”m not giving up until she”s mine.
No, not mine. Fuck. I can”t think of her like that. I haven”t been able to get her out of my mind since I helped her last Saturday and it”s fucking with my head. Having her in my arms felt so right. Her beauty and pain call to me like no woman has in the past. She”s tempted me unlike ever before.
If I wasn”t so damn disgusted with this whole situation, I would worry that I”ve finally snapped and fallen into the same depravity as the people I hunt. I”m a dominant. It took me a long time to come to terms with what I like in the bedroom, but I would never take advantage of an unwilling woman. Anyone I”ve been involved with knows exactly what she”s getting into and is ready to beg for it.
I remind myself that I”m not buying my Beauty for sex. I”m buying her to save her, not to keep her. No matter that I crave her like a decadent dessert, I won”t take advantage of her. I”ll save her like every woman before her and send her back to her real life. I can”t keep her even though the devil on my shoulder screams that I should.
”Congratulations, eight-three-two!” the auctioneer says.
My body relaxes when my number is called. I won my prize, even if she”ll never actually be mine. I can pretend for one night. If I”m to make these guys believe I”m here for what they”re offering, I”ll have to. I don”t know how I”ll manage it yet, but she”s leaving here with me along with the other women.
My Beauty is led off the stage and the bright lights shut off while the lights in the room brighten again. Lexis sits up in my lap and looks at me like she doesn”t understand me.
”You bought someone,” she whispers almost accusingly.
I nod in agreement.
”You don”t want me…”
”It”s complicated,” I say quietly.
I can tell she wants to say something else but bites her lip to prevent herself from speaking. I feel like a fucking monster after buying a woman that I”m so attracted to even if I have the best of intentions. She”s not the first woman I”ve purchased in an auction, but this is the first time I”ve wanted to keep one.
Lexis slowly stands from my lap, not looking away. ”I”m to show you to your room now.”
I nod and stand. Without a word, she turns and walks away. I follow silently. The other four buyers are being led by the women they”ve been assigned as well. The difference is that their women have obviously been used. Their makeup is smudged, and they are completely naked. One of the women is walking slowly, like each step is painful. The man following her looks smug even with his mask on. I want to drop him where he stands.
I clench my fists and let out a slow breath, willing myself to calm down. I grab Lexis”s arm, keeping my hold gentle but firm. She turns to look at me with a question in her eyes. I curse myself for what I”m about to do. This isn”t the plan and could fuck everything up, but I can”t stand not knowing whether these women are here by choice or not.
”Are you here willingly?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
Her eyes widen, and she looks scared. That tells me all I need to know, but I want to hear it from her.
”Are you?” I ask again with a little more force.
”At first… it was supposed to be better than the streets,” she whispers. ”We aren”t allowed to leave. No one leaves unless they are bought.”
I nod my understanding. ”Everyone here by choice?”
”N-not the auctioned girls. The rest?” She shrugs, her face blanketed with pain. ”They make it seem like they are saving us…”
I nod, not wanting to give her false hope, even though I”ve now put getting all the women inside the mansion out on my list. Not tonight, but soon. I would”ve let it go if Lexis had told me they were free to choose. Not because I agree with it or because I want to, but because this situation probably is better than walking the streets if they are willing prostitutes.
Now that I know they aren”t allowed to leave?
Now I have a problem.
Realizing I”m done speaking, she turns and continues to lead me toward the man she”s scared of and the red door he”s standing in front of. The other four men have already disappeared behind it. Lexis stops in front of him, keeping her head lowered submissively.
”He”s in room three,” he says. ”Make sure he has everything he needs… including you.”
Lexis stiffens at the obvious threat. Considering the women sold tonight are all expected to be killed, I don”t blame her for being scared. I can”t decide if taking her into the room and helping her escape tonight with the rest is the right choice or if declining her services is the best. I have a feeling she”s going to be severely punished for not pleasing me if I don”t keep her.
This night is completely fucked.
”Yes, sir,” Lexis says.
She quickly walks through the door and leads me down a short hallway that opens up to a room that looks like the lobby of any high-end hotel. A woman dressed in a professional black dress stands behind a reception desk, adding to the charade.
”This is eight-three-two,” Lexis says.
”Good evening, eight-three-two. Please follow the instructions on the screen to make your payment,” the woman says, placing a tablet on the desk before me.
I quickly enter the details for the account I set up just for this purpose and transfer the funds. The woman picks up the tablet, confirming that payment has been received.
”Very good, eight-three-two. Lexis will show you to your room. A note in your file says she has been gifted to you. You may use her the same way as your prize. Zero limits.”
Lexis is visibly shaking now. She has just been gifted to a man that bought a woman intending to rape, torture, and kill her. That man has been permitted to do the same to her without consequences. I would be worried if she wasn”t scared.
”Lexis. Take him to his room,” the woman says sharply.
Lexis jumps and quickly leads me to the elevator across the lobby. She pushes the up button with a shaky finger. The doors slide open with a ding, making her jump. I guide her into the elevator and wait for her to select the correct floor. Once she”s pushed the button for the second floor, I grab her arm and pull her to me until she”s plastered to my body.
To anyone watching, I”m taking advantage of the gift they”ve offered. Only my hold on her arm isn”t tight, and I”m gently stroking her with my thumb, offering what little comfort I can.
”Relax,” I whisper.
I don”t know if there are cameras or listening devices here, and I don”t want to risk letting on that I”m ungrateful for my gift. I need them to think I”m excited to have Lexis as an added prize. Even though Lexis looks at me with fearful eyes, she”s no longer visibly shaking. She”s scared of the unknown but has some level of trust in me.
The elevator stops, and the doors open. She leads me down an empty hallway to a black door adorned with a gold three. She stops in front of the door and looks up at me nervously.
”Put your number into the keypad.”
I follow her instructions and the sound of a lock disengaging fills the space. She opens the door with a shaky hand, and gestures for me to enter.