Chapter 12 #3
I feel the heat behind me as two muscular hands fall on either side of me, caging me between a hard chest and the counter, and I swallow, knowing who’s behind me without turning back.
“I’ve got this, Trent.” The guy’s brow shoots up, but he quickly averts my gaze, nods, and moves on to the next customer.
“It won’t help her,” he whispers into my ear, his scent filling my lungs and disturbing all my senses because he sounds exceptionally wicked in this place.
I swallow once again and spin around, facing Levi, who still keeps me prisoner in his hold, and the counter now digs into my back as I push harder against it.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.
” Up close, his mask looks even scarier and more sophisticated at the same time, while his blue eyes darken.
“And even if I did, who cares? You are a liar.”
“When did I lie to you?” I hate that, on a technical level, he’s right, but he didn’t say anything when he brought me here, so he might as well have lied.
That’s what you get when you talk to lawyers—or future lawyers. They dismiss all your emotional outbursts simply because they aren’t facts, and to that, I say fuck it.
“Rafael won’t be able to help Aurelia, but you don’t have to worry. Wyatt won’t hurt her. He bought her so Ian couldn’t.”
What? How did Ian get into this conversation? “Ian is here?” I thought he had already used up his one-per-year visitation quota.
Plus, how does he have the money to bid on Aurelia anyhow?
“Somewhere. He has connections to have eyes everywhere, and he must have known Aurelia was in desperate need of money.” He clicks his tongue. “Ian has a soft spot for tortured souls.”
“At least one of you has a heart.”
His knuckles on the counter tighten, and the muscle on his cheek twitches. “I wouldn’t speak so highly of a man you barely know if I were you.”
For a brief second, I think he’s…jealous?
I shake my head from the stupid thought. No need to think about the impossible.
All of it is a game, and I might not know the rules, but I sure as hell plan to learn them to beat him.
“Ian wanted to shield her from Wyatt’s wrath. He cares about her.”
“Wyatt hates her this much?”
I understand loving and wanting to protect your siblings, but in this case, it’s Ian’s fault. I checked the facts myself the other day!
Why can’t Wyatt see that whatever Ian did might not have warranted such a harsh punishment from Zachary? Still, it wasn’t Aurelia’s fault.
“No. He just can’t forgive Ian. And since he can’t punish his brother, Aurelia has to be the one to bear his self-loathing.”
What does that even mean?
Levi doesn’t clarify anything. Instead, he orders, “Stay out of the King twins’ drama.”
“I won’t stay away if he plans to humiliate Aurelia or force her into doing something she doesn’t want.”
“Let it be the first and last time you ever suggest something like this. None of my friends would ever do it to anyone, let alone a woman. We respect them.”
Anger boils my blood as the audience cheers again when finally, some man wins the bid on the guy who keeps on blowing kisses to everyone.
“Could have fooled me. Didn’t notice much respect back on the island.” I push at his chest and make room for myself, going toward the bathroom, and this time to get my hectic emotions in check.
Then I’m going to sit through every auction and try to have as much fun as possible so Levi won’t get any satisfaction in chasing me away.
I follow Trent’s direction, and my brow furrows when I notice two doors. One is dark and the other is dark green. Since there are no signs on either, I try the green one first and enter a long, narrow hallway.
My heels click soundly on the parquet floor that’s polished to perfection, and I move forward, noticing endless doors on either side of me.
Oh, so they must have individual bathrooms for everyone.
I try the first one, and it’s shut, so I walk to the next one, opening it wide, and step inside, only to freeze when I see three people engaged in a sexual act.
A man has a blindfold, his hands tied at his back as he kneels in front of a naked woman, sans her six-inch heels, who holds a crop in her hand and tips his chin up while another man, who’s fully clothed, occupies the chair by the door, drinking whiskey.
Both men are hard. Even though I try my best not to look, it’s damned hard.
Pun intended.
They both turn their heads in my direction as her grip on the man’s chin tightens so he won’t move, I assume, and she smiles at me, her eyes sparkling with interest. “Would you like to join us, beautiful?”
Her question snaps me out of my stupor, and I shake my head, mumbling, “I’m sorry.” And get the hell out, pressing my palms to my flaming cheeks.
Oh my God!
Now I understand why Scarlett doesn’t like watching other people have sex, it’s just weird!
I was so focused on the people inside, I didn’t get to study the interior, but how spacious a freaking bathroom must be to have a threesome in it?
Or whatever the hell they are doing in there.
Inhaling some air, I try the other doors, and most are locked, the various whimpers and moans coming from them leaving very little doubt about what’s going on inside.
And then at the very end of the corridor, I manage to enter the last door, my eyes widening.
The spacious room has a glass wall with a view of the entire first floor, where I see cage number three being actively bid on. This girl is way more daring than Aurelia, as she showcases all her curves.
Maybe that’s why the bidding is already at three million.
It has a wide couch, two chairs, a bar with various bottles and snacks, and…
I come closer to study the silky blindfolds, ropes, and…knives? What a strange combination.
There is also a stack of condoms along with some ointments.
The round table in the middle finishes the rather confusing design.
“Where am I?”
“The Pleasure Zone. You should have chosen the black doors earlier if you needed the bathroom.” I turn around as Levi enters and closes the door, the soft click exceptionally loud in the otherwise silent space, and my heartbeat speeds up. “My room, to be exact.”
That would explain all the sex.
The people at the unlocked door probably liked the audience, so they didn’t mind me.
Everyone is wearing a mask anyway, so it’s not like they would be afraid of me recognizing them.
Then his words fall on me, and coldness rushes down my spine while I become slightly nauseated. “So this is your fuck pad in the club?”
He brings women here, which would explain all the devices, albeit they are way tamer than I would have expected.
Irrational territorial jealousy hits me as he unbuttons his suit jacket, throwing it on the chair, the shirt plastered against his carved muscles.
Why does he have to be so handsome?
His perfection is almost painful compared to my imperfections.
“Your jealousy should turn me on, considering how fucked in the head you got me, but it just pisses me off. Stop thinking about me with other women. I don’t like it.
” His words shock me so much that I’m left speechless as he removes his mask, his eyes drinking me in from head to toe, and for some reason, scorching heat travels over me. “I don’t bring women here.”
“I don’t care what you do and with whom. Your life doesn’t concern me.” I should walk away and go back to Scarlett. My heart drums in a way I’ve never experienced. “If you have a problem with my brother, then maybe you should hash it out with him. And stop trying to humiliate me.”
“I wasn’t the one who invited you here. Kane did.”
Unbelievable! Another harsh blow, and a strained laugh escapes me.
“You just can’t help yourself, can you? Excuse me.
” Now I want to get out of here, but gasp when he wraps his hand around my waist and lifts me, taking a few steps and pressing me against the glass wall. “What are you doing? Let go!”
A wicked smiles curves his mouth as he steps closer, the tips of his shoes bumping against my heels, and I press harder against the glass, wishing to put as much distance between us as possible.
My heart beats so wildly I won’t be surprised if it jumps out of my chest and shows everyone the affect this young, handsome and forbidden man has on me.
“It should concern you.” His softly spoken words laced with edge and darkness make me furrow my brow as our gazes clash and I try to understand the meaning behind them. “What I do and with whom.”
The air hitches in my throat at his close proximity when he places his forearm above my head while his other hand lands on my collarbone, the touch burning my skin and causing goose bumps to erupt all over me while the fire swirling in the pit of my stomach only increases.
His molten blue eyes bore into me as if they’re staring right into my soul and see all my wicked cravings and wishing to explore every single one of them with me.
Such dangerous and delusional thoughts.
For Levi this must be an interesting game, seducing all the willing women who probably fall at his feet is his daily occurrence and somehow this allows for the rage to pierce through the sensual and seductive veil he cast upon us, giving me strength to fight this.
“You’re my sister-in-law’s brother. That’s all, and you can do whatever you want.
” I put my hand on his chest and nudge at it, the carved and hard muscles rippling at the contact.
My God, how strong is he? He’s like a massive shield, nothing and no one would ever be able to pass by him, and why does this thought makes me feel so hot? “I’d like to go now.”
Away from this madness that has my downfall written all over it.