Chapter 29
Phoenix
Iknow it's not the same. It's not like it was years ago.
Roni didn't choose to leave me. Did she?
No, she didn't. But—what if she did? No, no, it's not the same.
Sam was never there. Even when we were together, it felt like she was miles away.
She never fully gave herself to me. With Roni—my Little Temptress—it's different.
I can feel it. I haven't been able to find a trace of her. Her cell phone’s missing, too.
And while I don't think it's her fault, I don't think she did it on purpose.
I don't think she just abandoned me. But I'm no less livid.
It's why I'm here tonight. At the auction. Not just in my role to make sure the new bidding process and award festivities go off without a hitch, but because I’ve decided to partake in the show.
The boss has promised me any of tonight's products free of charge.
I just have to keep bidding on the one I want.
For the greater sake of anonymity, tonight I’ve pulled a black nylon cover over my head before securing my mask. It's not the greatest to breathe in. Seeing can be a chore if I need to look around. But I can make out what's right in front of me.
It looks like the boss has quite the group assembled here. He hasn't told me exactly how much merchandise he has, but I guarantee he has fewer products available than people here to do the bidding, another tactic sure to drive up the prices. Especially as they get down to the end.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Clark’s voice booms over the speakers again, just as it always does.
He regales us with promises of how amazing things will be here at the Abbey and for The Sect henceforth.
That one of his star pupils has arranged for these events to proceed with greater fanfare, starting with tonight.
He announces there will be a total of ten products from which to choose this evening.
“They will be put up on the block in no particular order,” he says, which I'm sure is bullshit.
He makes it clear. Holding out until the very end may be costly. He tells us our precious cargo will be safely stored until all merchandise has been claimed. That the “kicker,” as he calls it, a separate bidding war will be conducted down in the stables to determine the order of The Chase.
The looks in the crowd's eyes tell it all. It's not what they were expecting, but they're amused. The gamesmanship of it is too good. And of course, filled with drinks and having nothing but money and power at their disposal, they applaud.
“So, let's get our first product up on the block. What does everybody say?” And the crowd roars and claps even louder, some whistling as they're ready to proceed.
It's a beautiful evening tonight. The weather is great. The sun has just peeked down behind the clouds. There's no rain. It's not cold. It's not wet. It's not humid. The circumstances outdoors could not be more ideal for a hunt.
Up first we have Candy, who climbs into the iron cage on her own while we watch.
The Sect never uses their real names. Another layer of anonymity.
She’s an average looking blonde. I can tell by how unenthused I am she's not the one for me.
I step back from the banister overlooking the auction platform as I won't be bidding on this particular piece.
Clark, the auctioneer, sees me step aside and nods, as if he expected I would forgo the first object out.
She goes for a simple $40,000. Nothing amazing.
Then again, who knows if the person who won her will feel like they want to throw more money in the pot to wait no longer.
“Up next is one of the crowd's favorites.
She's been here for nearly two years. She was out of commission for a couple months because one of you heathens forgot the rules.
Let's not allow it to happen again.” He looks directly at a man in a shitty Halloween mask and jogging suit, and the offender shakes his head in agreement. “This is Penny.”
Even after all the time of being used and abused by The Sect, she's still quite breathtaking.
Tan-skinned, with the most gorgeous brown eyes.
And lips painted such a shade of red, they could be seen in the dark, they're that bright.
But this one isn't the one for me either.
This woman gives me no thoughts of those who have wronged me.
But again, she's a favorite. And it takes a while before she ultimately goes for half a million.
“Sold!” Clark shouts, and the crowd goes crazy. It’s not a record-setting amount, but it’s substantial.
“Now up, a girl who is here for her fifth auction. A girl we know is very feisty. A little spit fire. She can run. She’s young.
She loves a good fight, and if you’re not up for the task, she will laugh in your face.
Lord help you if you catch her, because then you have to deal with her.
” The crowd chuckles as he calls out the net name, Quinn.
She steps up on the platform, and I look down at her with a sudden detestation.
It's Mercy.
It’s only been a few months, but she already looks different. Her body is ragged with apparent lack of nourishment, her makeup is smudged like a wild clown, and her hair is cut short. Still long enough to grab a fistful, but maybe not two. And those once piercing blue eyes are vacant.
“OK, everyone, we’re going to start the bidding for Quinn at twenty-five thousand.”
“I’ll bid fifty thousand,” Dex immediately yells out before Clark’s voice goes quiet. This isn’t our first time clashing. He was after Red the last time I had my eyes set on my prey.
Another man in a ghost mask calls out seventy thousand. Dex bumps him up to one hundred thousand. The returning couple wearing wolf masks chime in with one hundred twenty thousand. Dex goes up to one hundred fifty thousand.
Yet another bidder jumps in. This guy is jacked.
Wearing clothes three sizes too small, muscles straining at every seam.
His mask looks like a piece of leather duct-taped to his bald head.
He bids two hundred thousand out of the blue.
At this point, I realize there’s no point in fucking around.
My bid will be the winning bid. This is going to be the girl I destroy.
The girl who reminds me the most of the first one who decimated my heart.
“One million!” I stamp my foot and raise my hand, blurting it out. The crowd goes absolutely silent after a loud gasp.
“Holy fucking shit,” an unknown voice mutters in the back.
“I bid one million dollars, and I assure all of you, none of you will outbid me on this woman tonight. I will be the one who punishes her.”
Dex tilts his head at me. Others glare as if I’ve lost my mind.
“Well, okay. It sounds like we have a winner.” Clark smacks his gavel. He doesn’t ask for further bidding. Nobody else is saying a fucking word.
She doesn’t know it yet, but Mercy is about to pay for all the sins of the women who came before her.