Aj
The voice from the speakers erupts as the doors swing open. “Ladies and gentlemen…we have something truly special for you tonight!”
Bright lights flood the stage, blinding me. The guard shoves me forward, and my knees lock up. The jarring noise hits next—jeers, clapping, laughter. It drowns out the pounding of my heart, but not the cold sweat breaking out along my spine.
“She’s stunning, isn’t she?” the announcer’s voice oozes. “Fresh from Akim’s personal collection. Look at her, gentlemen. That tight little body. Those innocent eyes. This is her very first time at the auction, and she’s exquisite. Let’s start the bidding at two hundred fifty thousand.”
I fight against the guard’s hold as he pulls me onto a table and ties my wrists together. My throat tightens, a scream clawing its way up, but I choke it back.
The sound of bidding and the numbers climbing, it’s like a nightmare I can’t wake up from. Numbers start coming faster, one after the other, shouted from the shadows. Each rising bid ticks my pulse faster as it thuds in my ears.
“Sold!”
The word cuts through the chaos.
“To the gentleman in the blue suit.”
I try to see into the crowd, but the lights are too bright. I’m so overwhelmed that I don’t notice the guard securing my ankles to the table. The realization of what’s about to happen hits me.
The man in the blue suit makes his way onto the stage.
“Please,” I beg, trembling, “please don’t do this.”
I struggle against the restraints, the rope digging into my flesh. I can feel him getting closer.
The announcer’s voice blares, “Now is the time for us to see just how beautiful she is.”
I try to shut out the sounds around me—the cheering, the laughing, the shouting. But it’s impossible.
“Let the show begin!”
I frantically yank on the restraints again, the pain from the rope burning into my skin. Pain. It’s the only thing that reminds me that this is real. That this nightmare is actually happening.
“Please. Please, stop,” I beg once more, but it seems useless.
With the man in the blue suit now hovering above me, I frantically shake my head.
He climbs on top of me, the weight of his body crushing mine as my gaze fixes on the ceiling.
I pray for it to be over soon, for the darkness to claim me and take me away from this hell.
I’d give anything to be free, even if it means death.
His breath is hot against my skin, his hands rough.
“Look at me.”
I can’t.
I can’t look at him.
I can’t breathe.
He grips my throat tightly, and the pressure forces the collar to dig into my skin.
“I said, look at me.” His fingers clamp harder, cutting off my air until my vision blurs. “That’s better.”
As he loosens his grip, I gasp, drawing in a burning breath. His hand slides beneath my dress, hiking it up, the fabric catching on the rope.
“AJ, your father sent me. I’m a Sovereign.” His voice is a harsh whisper that causes my body to jump. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
“What?” leaves me on a shaky exhale.
The bristle of his beard drags along my skin as his mouth moves against mine. It’s not a kiss. It’s something meant to look like a kiss.
“Shh, it’s okay. Just trust me.”
He pulls back, his face inches from mine. His green eyes are hard and cold. There’s a flicker of something—pity, regret?—only there for a second before disappearing.
“We have to make this look real.”
Before I can speak, his mouth crushes mine. He forces my lips to part, his tongue pushing in. I try to twist away, but his grip tightens, his thumb smearing my tears.
“We have to do this,” he mutters into my mouth. “Play along.”
Bile rises in my throat, my stomach twisting into knots.
“Please don’t,” I cry.
“We have to.”
His hand is on my thigh, sliding higher, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. My body jerks in response, a whimper escaping me. The crowd cheers as their excitement increases.
The heat of his body seeps through the fabric of my dress as he squeezes my breast. His other hand moves down my side, gripping my hip.
His lips stay near mine. “Eyes on me. Only me.”
I stare up at him, unable to speak. He shifts his weight, and his erection presses against my entrance. I clench my teeth, fighting back a sob.
“Stay with me, AJ. You can do this.”
He slowly pushes inside me, his huge cock stretching me. The pain is searing. I bite my lip, trying to keep from crying out.
The smell of him, the heat of his skin, the feeling of his cock buried deep inside me—it’s too much. I can’t take it.
I can’t do this.
“Look at me.”
“It hurts,” I choke out.
“Pain is better than fear. Hold on to it.”
Something sharp stings along my collarbone, making me hiss. That’s when I notice he’s holding a knife—
The blade digs in. Warm blood trickles.
“Focus on this. It’ll drown everything else out.”
His pace increases, the sound of skin slapping together growing louder, the crowd screaming for more. I try to focus on the pain, but the sensations are overwhelming. His hips roll into me again and again. My body jerks as a sound I don’t recognize tears from my throat.
His knife trails lower, the point biting just enough to have me gasping.
“Don’t—”
With one hand clamping my hip, the blade in his other presses harder.
“You’re doing good.” His lips roughly brush my neck. “They’re watching. Every second counts.”
He moves his hand between us, his fingers finding their way to my clit as he begins to rub slow circles.
I shake my head at the welcomed sensation, whimpering, “No.”
“Yes.”
It’s been so long since I’ve had any type of pleasure, the feeling is foreign and strange.
I can’t believe I’m doing this, enjoying this.
His thumb brushes across my nipple, his teeth grazing the delicate skin at the base of my neck.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he whispers so quietly I almost think I imagined it.
The pressure builds the pain from the knife mixing with the stretch of his cock. It’s too much. I can’t hold back. An orgasm rips through me, and I cry out.
He grips my neck, dragging me up to face him. Leaning down, his lips graze my ear.
“I’m getting you out.”
I don’t know if I can believe him or trust him, but at this point, what choice do I have?
The weight of him pins me down, his cock still thick and unmoving inside me.
“We’re not done.”
My stomach twists all over again, taking over the remaining tingles of my release.
“It has to look real.”
“Please…” I whisper brokenly.
He grinds into me—hard. I bite back a sob.
“There’s no other way. Fight me.”
He begins thrusting again, his movements faster and harder. The sounds of the crowd rise like they’re cheering him on to hurt me. Holding my chin, he forces my eyes to meet his.
“Do it. Or we’re both dead.”
His hand slides to the back of my head, fisting my hair, jerking it back with a yank.
“You’re going to be a good little whore and take it. Aren’t you?” he shouts.
My mind fractures. Flashes of all the men pinning me down. Every inch of my skin crawls. His mouth crushes mine to swallow my scream. And I snap. My teeth sink into his lip, tasting blood.
He grunts, tightening his grip.
I tear my wrist free from the rope. My nails strike his shoulder and claw into his skin.
“Fuck,” he groans as his hips buck against me.
I dig deeper, slashing down his chest.
“Keep going. Make them believe it.”
The sound of the crowd is deafening.
“Keep fighting, AJ, I’m close,” he pants, thrusting harder, his cock pulsing.
The thought of him coming inside me makes me want to vomit. My nails tear into his back, through fabric, through flesh, until blood stains my fingers.
“Good girl,” he groans.
I strike him across the face, my palm cracking against his jaw. Pain shoots through my wrist.
He barely flinches.
A low growl rolls from his chest as he grabs my hips and hauls me off the table. My hopeless screams shatter the air. He bucks one last time, his whole body seizing. As he spills inside me, a roar rips from his throat, and a sick warmth spreads between my legs. The sensation makes my stomach lurch.
I drive my hand into his face again, harder, all my rage behind it.
He catches my gaze and holds it, his lip curling, blood staining his teeth.
“You did good, AJ,” he whispers.
He lowers me onto the table, his cock sliding out of me. I cringe at the sickening feeling of his cum mixed with my arousal.
The announcer’s voice booms through the air over the crowd’s cheers, “Ladies and gentlemen, what a show!”
The guards step forward and grab my arms, pulling me off the table.
“Time for you to enjoy your private room,” a guard says through a laugh.
Their rough hands yank me away, pulling me off the stage. I’m in a haze as they drag me down the hall, my mind replaying what just happened.
“You’re a tough little bitch, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, she is,” the other guard says, amused. “Let’s see how tough you are after a whole night.”
They drag me into a dark, windowless room with chains on the wall and a bed in the center. My wrists are shoved into metal shackles, my arms wrenched above my head until the strain burns through my shoulders. The cold steel bites into my skin.
“I’ll make sure your owner for the night knows how to use this.” Fingers trail the collar at my neck before squeezing hard. Pain lances up my throat as the pressure forces the collar deeper into my skin.
“It’ll keep you quieter—and it’s a helluva lot more fun.” His grin is wide as warm blood trickles down my neck.
Their laughter is the last thing I hear before the door slams shut.
My breath is ragged. Everything shakes—my arms, my legs, my insides. Tears streak my cheeks, and I let them fall. The collar still stings, and every breath catches on raw, punctured skin.
The door opens.
I tense, choking on a gasp as a figure slips inside. It’s him—the Sovereign. His shirt is torn, blood smeared across his chest where my nails ripped his skin. His cold green eyes drill through me.
He moves fast, crossing to a corner and dragging a chair into position. Climbing up, he yanks an air vent cover loose. A black backpack drops into his hands.
Stepping down, he tosses the bag onto the bed.
My voice barely works. “What are you doing?”
He pulls out a lock-pick set.
When he comes closer, I flinch. The shackles scrape as I twist my wrists, pulling away on instinct. He hesitates, then starts on the locks without a word.
“Who are you?” I ask through a scratchy throat. “What’s your name?”
He keeps his focus. “Wolff.”
“Wolff?”
No response. I study his face. His strong, defined jaw is covered in light stubble. A small scar cuts down through his right eyebrow.
“Are… Are we safe?”
“No.”
A click. One shackle falls away, and blood rushes back into my arm.
The other snaps free, and I stumble forward. He moves fast, unzipping the bag on the bed and yanking out a pair of dark cargo pants and a black hoodie. Doesn’t speak. Doesn’t look at me. Just holds them out.
My hands fly to my neck, tugging at the cold metal still clamped tight around my throat.
“Take the collar off,” I plead as my fingers slip against the steel. “Please, take it off.”
“We don’t have time.” He pulls a pistol from the bag and slides it into his waistband.
“No.” I yank harder, and pain slices through my skin. “I can’t— I can’t wear this. Take it off. Now.”
“AJ.” His voice drops. “They could walk in any second.”
“Ple—”
He moves fast toward me. A knife flashes in his hand, the cold of the blade pressing flat against my lips. I freeze as my pulse spikes.
“Shut. Up. We’re still in this goddamn shithole. I’m trying to get us out alive. So stop fucking arguing with me, Autumn Jane.”
He spits my full name like it tastes wrong and quickly slides the knife under the thin strap of my dress. One sharp pull. The fabric parts, pooling at my feet.
My palms slam into his chest, and I shove him—hard.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Keeping you alive.” He thrusts the clothes at me again, jaw tight, eyes fixed somewhere over my shoulder. Anywhere but at me. “Get Dressed. Now.”
My chest heaves. Rage claws its way up through the terror.
“You’re an asshole.” I rip the pants from his hand.
“I’m the asshole saving your life.”
Eyes narrowing, I bite out, “So I should be grateful you raped me on stage in front of—”
His fist buries in the wall next to my head, and I flinch.
“You’ve got thirty-fucking-seconds to get dressed before I do it for you.”
His threat sucks the air from my lungs. I don’t wait.
The pants hang loose around my hips. The hoodie swallows me whole, brushing mid-thigh. Before I can reach for the shoes, he tosses them at my feet without a word.
I shove my feet in, barely able to breathe. He shoulders the pack, checking the chamber of his gun with a snap.
“Stay behind me.” His tone makes it clear: no arguments.
I trail after him into the hall. My heartbeat thunders in my ears, each breath a fight as we slowly move down the hall.
Suddenly, a light flips on, and heavy footsteps pound ahead.
“Shit.” Wolff spins, gun already lifted and ready to aim.
“Drop the weapon!” they shout, and I freeze mid-step.
“Run.” His gaze never leaves them as he speaks to me. “Now!”
He fires the first shot, and gunfire explodes. Bullets tear past. I scream and drop low.
“Go!” His grip clamps my arm, hauling me to standing.
My legs scramble to catch up as he drags me down the hall. Gunfire echoes behind us, voices bark orders, and my shoes slap the floor as panic propels me forward.
“Faster!” His grip tightens as we round the corner.
An elevator looms at the end of the corridor. He slams the button. As soon as the doors slide open, he yanks me inside. Metal closes us in, the world falling silent but for my ragged breathing. My whole body shakes.
“When the doors open, you run. Got it?”
“I can’t—” My chest seizes. “I can’t breathe.”
“It’s the drugs. They pumped you full of them to keep you compliant.”
“I feel like I’m dying,” I wheeze.
“You’re not. Fight it.”
The elevator dings.
He pulls me into motion. My feet stumble, but he doesn’t stop. The gun stays steady in his hand as we barrel down another hallway.
Shouts sound from behind us. Boots. More gunfire.
“Move!” he barks at me.
“I can’t!”
His fingers bite into my arm as he yanks me to his side.
Another corner. A door.
He slams into it at full force. It bursts open, and cold air wraps around me. The night sky looms wide, too open, too much.
I stumble as the ground sways.
“Wolff…” My voice splinters. “I—”
The world goes dark, the edges of my vision blurring. His voice is a distant echo. I reach for him, but he’s too far away as everything fades to black.