29. Anastasia #2
I watch in fascination, noting how the bidding activity picks up for this the most. At some point Rhett’s chair ends up near flush to mine, his arm draped over the back of mine while his hand strokes idly over my thigh, exposed by my crossed legs.
Every now and then he climbs daringly high, riling me to no end.
“Would I find you bare?” he whispers sinfully in my ear as the next piece of jewelry is auctioned.
“A woman never tells.”
“A gentleman would never reach to find out,” he says. “But I’m no gentleman.”
My breath catches with the bold slip of his fingers at the top of my hip. My heart pounds and my pussy heats so inappropriately for the fact we’re in public.
“Just as I thought.” He hums in satisfaction. “My girl is ready to take her punishment at any moment.”
I’m melting in my seat, and this is just the beginning of his torture.
The next box onstage contains a breathtaking set of emerald earrings that spark with a familiarity. My chest beats at the image that flashes to mind, and I don’t even realize what I’m doing until the paddle in my hand rises.
“Switching colors?” Rhett questions in my ear. “Emerald would look exquisite on you.”
I don’t want the jewelry.
“I don’t have the money,” I say.
Yet my paddle keeps rising against two other bidders.
“High theft isn’t exactly what I planned to exhaust my resources on tonight, but for what you want ...”
Finally, I win. For a million dollars.
The next item is brought onstage, and the box is opened to show a diamond necklace with a ruby center.
“Shit.” Rhett swears quietly in my ear.
“Some were wearing these pieces last night. It means something, doesn’t it?” I conclude. I don’t want to be right. Not with the insidious feeling that starts to overtake me.
It’s a masked event to keep buyers anonymous. Because what they’re truly buying isn’t jewels, but flesh.
“Do they ... Are they selling the woman from last night?” I breathe. “The jewelry correlates to each one.”
“You figured it out, little bird,” he says, kissing the hollow spot below my ear. “Well done.”
“And finally, our main prize of the night,” the host announces about the ruby necklace.
Rhett is so subtle in reaching into his pocket for his phone, barely glancing down as my body covers his quick typing. To further keep us looking completely enamored, I lean back with a smile, cupping his cheek, but I can see his calculations over whatever splits his attention.
Fury simmers over his features and my body turns taut. His hand brushes my nape as his breath caresses my ear.
“Go to the restroom, baby. Don’t leave until I come for you.”
I smile, playing along though my heart is racing. Liam casts me a look as I reach for my purse. Something is off, missing, about the cheerful demeanor I greeted him with earlier tonight. I give his shoulder a squeeze as I stand and head toward the restrooms.
The bidding begins, and even as the voices fade it’s the most activity of the night, very quickly surpassing one million dollars. Then two. Jumping to five.
In the restroom I’m alone. Slumped against the counter, I take steady breaths, mind reeling with the very real and very active heinous crime happening right outside.
A room full of despicable people here to buy women while the others around them remain oblivious to the sickening scheme right in front of their eyes.
I want to help with whatever Rhett is up to, but I promised I’d act by his command as it could be dangerous.
A woman enters and I straighten, pretending to fix my hair and lipstick. She washes her hands behind me, but her gaze flicks up to meet mine a few times through the mirror, and I smile kindly at her.
Then I double-take.
I spin around and she straightens with a flicker of hope in her eyes.
“I saw you last night ...” I trail off.
The emerald earrings. I bought them tonight. She was wearing them last.
Whatever composure she’s trying to hold onto crumbles, It’s as if this is the first time anyone has ever noticed her at all.
“Please,” she whispers.
My adrenaline spikes. I cross over to her and survey the area to be sure we’re alone. I can’t be certain there aren’t hidden cameras. I hold out my lipstick to her, hoping she’ll play along. Taking it, we turn to the mirrors, fixing ourselves.
“Is it just you?” I ask carefully.
“No,” she says, applying my lipstick, which is a darker shade of red, but no one will notice.
“All the jewelry ...” I trail off then shake my head to rally composure. It was one thing to hear about it, but to be around the activity is making me boil with a dark desire to storm out there and confront whoever is responsible.
Of course, that would be reckless. Irresponsible. And Rhett would be furious.
“What’s your name?” I ask her.
“Dalia,” she whispers, like it’s condemning information to share.
“You’re going to be safe,” I promise. “Hide this.”
Giving her my phone, I help her arrange it under her bra strap since she has no purse.
“You’re missing the event,” a sharp voice cuts in just as I step away to make sure the phone is concealed. A woman with a disdainful expression stands expectantly in the entrance.
“Sorry,” I slur, blinking as if I’ve had too much to drink.
“My fault. She kept trying to leave, but did you knowww people used to believe ‘fuck’ was an acronym for ‘Fornicating Under Consent of King,’” I laugh, balancing against the counter.
Hey, the weird facts you learn among peers in a literature degree, right?
“Turns out fuck really just means sex, pretty much. All original speculation derives from the Indo-European root word ‘peuk’: to prick.”
The woman in the doorway looks at me like I’ve lost my damn mind, but it does the job of erasing any suspicions about what we were talking about in here.
Dalia gives me a timid smile before she leaves.
“See you later, Delilah,” I call lazily. For extra measure.
Sobering up the second they’ve left, my adrenaline is racing.
Rhett said he’d come for me, but without my phone, and being in the ladies’ restroom, I wonder how he plans to do that.
So I leave, remaining casual as I scan back to my table, which is too empty.
Rhett, Liam, and Matthew are gone. Deciding to head for the exit, thinking that’s where Rhett will be, I’m intercepted in the lobby by Jacob Forthson.
“Leaving so soon, darling?”
My mind screams to get away from this man. This is his event. Is he behind the trafficking too, or is he just the accomplice? The distinction doesn’t really matter to me.
Jacob is beautiful, from his dirty-blond hair and green eyes to his conventionally attractive features, with a tall, slim build and a posture that screams arrogance.
But he’s got nothing on Rhett. The fact Rhett even comes to mind only further sheds a light on the contrast I feel right now, just as I did last night.
Danger instead of the safety I’ve always been encompassed in in Rhett’s presence.
“The main event is over. It was a wonderful show and auction, but I’m ready to retire,” I say politely, trying to sidestep him, but he mirrors my movement.
My heart skips a beat.
“It’s not over yet. People are yet to claim their biddings, and there will be a violinist. Am I not correct in saying you have a particular talent for the instrument yourself?”
That isn’t common knowledge. Sure, the one performance I gave years ago was public, but I’ve never played again, certainly not enough for it to be a well-known fact about me. My reservations about this man are all sinister beauty.
“I used to. It’s an old hobby. If you’ll please excuse me?—”
“Ana.” Matthew says my name, appearing as my savior out of nowhere.
I think Jacob will show a hint of ire, but his pleasant reception toward Matthew seems genuine.
“I was looking for you,” Matthew adds.
“Me? Why? Where’s Liam?”
“He left shortly after you. When Kaiser slipped out I thought you’d maybe fallen out with him, and I came to see if I could assist.”
“I assure you that’s not the case,” I say quickly. “I’m actually looking for him now. I’m not feeling so well and would like to go back to our hotel.”
“Was it the large purchase you made? I can take you to collect,” Matthew offers.
“No,” I say a little too quickly, and I swear his eyes flex with impatience. “Rhett is looking for me.”
Part of me wants to go to see if they’ll take me to Dalia, but instinct screams that wouldn’t be the case. They wouldn’t expose the real auction to me, so what might they do with me instead? Rhett would tell me to stay here, somewhere public and open. He’ll come for me.
“You’re too good for him,” Jacob chimes in casually. One hand slips into his pocket and I want to punch his stupid face.
“Then you don’t know him,” I grind out.
“He’s not like us, Ana. He’ll never truly understand you,” Matthew says, trying to be gentle , and I decide I’d like to swing at him too.
Fucking pretentious, arrogant assholes.
“He’s the only person who’s ever understood me,” I snap when Matthew tries to lay a hand on my back. “Now I’m leaving to find my boyfriend.”
“Hey, princess.” I’ve never been more relieved to hear Liam’s voice. “Kaiser sent me for you. He’s getting the car.”
His brother doesn’t appreciate the interruption. Relief drops my tense shoulders.
“Thank you,” I say to Liam. Then I reluctantly force a smile at Jacob and Matthew. “It was good to see you both.”
It certainly wasn’t.
As I step around them Jacob’s grip on my arm makes me jump.
“Do we have a problem, Forthson?” Rhett’s chilling tone from behind me breaks a shiver. His hand curls around my waist.
“No problem. Ana and I were just talking,” he says smoothly.
“Then we’re about to have one since your hand is still on my girl.”
It’s a power play. Jacob knows he has all the authority in the room. Despite Rhett’s dominating height over him, his build, the fact he practically radiates his threat, Jacob’s small smile shows he takes sadistic pleasure in provoking him.