Chapter 6 #2
I sat up in my seat, studying her intently.
While I could easily tell she was terrified, her resolve and fury kept the adrenaline rush flowing.
My God, she was fucking stunning. So much so that for a few seconds my heart was beating rapidly, completely mesmerized by her soft, creamy skin and the way her long blonde hair cascaded across her shoulders.
The dress was beautifully designed for her voluptuous body, accentuating every rounded curve perfectly.
With her long legs and aristocratic features, she was easily the most beautiful girl in the room. Although I could see signs of dehydration and sleep deprivation that no amount of makeup could hide, even her skin glowed under the harsh lights.
Not once had she made full eye contact with any man, but she did with me. Very slowly, her lips twisting as soon as she did. There was an instant sense of connection, one so strongly tethered it was as if a crackle of electricity flowed between us.
She stopped all movements, lifting her head, searching my eyes with hers. I was utterly taken aback, vibrations humming through every muscle. I’d never reacted to a woman so strongly before, the need and hunger almost uncontrollable.
“You have excellent tastes, Mr. Cavanaugh. That’s Star. See how she shines.” Suddenly, Lucifer was behind me, chuckling as if this was all preplanned. “A true find and I would guess she’ll command a very high price.”
“I can see why,” I said, although I barely tossed him a glance. “Do you know anything about her?”
“What’s to know? She’s beautiful and willing to do what it takes to please a man. Her in a collar with you holding a leash.”
“She is lovely, although a bit arrogant.”
“Oh, no doubt. Definitely a girl who needs to be broken. It takes a very special client to handle someone of her fortitude.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Breaking a woman is my specialty.”
“Then I’ll be eager to see your bid.”
Was the bastard testing me even now? I couldn’t allow it to bother me. Instead, I returned to being absorbed in her beauty, blocking out the rest of the room. All noise. All activity. There was just the two of us.
And the intense connection I sensed she felt as well. Even as she was led toward a group of cages that had descended from the shadows of the ceiling, she’d taken a few seconds to tilt her head over her shoulder.
Her gaze wasn’t imploring, merely curious as to why the electric tether was so strong.
I remained on the edge of my seat, no longer surprised my cock was stiff, pressing against the tight confines of my trousers. Everything about her intrigued me from her stunning good looks to her defiance.
Even my balls ached from the sight of her alone.
Now I just needed to get her the hell out of here.
The dancing excited the crowd, several of the men now on their feet. The actuality of what was happening wasn’t just disturbing. It was reprehensible, disgusting in a way that challenged every sense of my moral code.
It appeared the women were challenging each other, each dance becoming a provocative representation of sexual intentions.
But I sensed the girls had no clue what in the hell awaited them.
I made mental note of the women as well, hoping my memory would serve me well enough to have sketches drawn of them.
Maybe a discovery of their identities would also provide information about the members.
I might not have been able to identify a single man of yet, but there was no ignoring that they were predatory beasts.
And I’d been required to become one of them. I was reminded of the game that was being played, a test of my mettle and how far I was willing to go, not only to display my sadistic proclivities, but also the willingness to harbor a secret.
For life.
If exposed, I could only imagine the ripple effect.
What troubled me was that at Lucifer’s suggestion, I did have the imagery of Reese in a collar and heels. And nothing else but the leash in my hand. While I shook the image away, I had a feeling it would haunt me for some time to come.
The dance continued for several minutes until finally the cages were lowered.
Then the bidding war began.
I sat idly by, watching the men in action, most silent in their endeavor to purchase a slave. But there were a few who’d obviously had too much to drink, tossing out abhorrent slurs to the women.
My anger was only increasing.
I did find it interesting those men were chastised by one of several bouncers keeping watch on the festivities. Lucifer was smart enough to know disgruntlement led to betrayal.
Suddenly, the bidders were given the opportunity to touch the merchandise before making a final decision.
In watching the way they manhandled the women, it took everything I had not to intervene. Their breasts were fondled, nipples pinched. Hands were placed between their legs. I watched in both disgust and fascination.
When one of the girls tried to pull away, she was quickly tossed over the man’s lap.
“You know the rules. Now, you will suffer the consequences.” He ripped up the edge of her dress exposing her naked bottom, proceeding to spank her as if the woman was nothing but a bad little girl.
It wasn’t long before she was sobbing, writhing on his lap.
Something twisted inside of me, a wave of unexpected and unwanted hunger. Fuck. I forced myself to look away, idling with my drink while my cock continued to twitch and Reese’s face formed lurid images in my mind.
Things almost got out of hand, the man’s brutality as disturbing as everything else. Lucifer motioned for one of his men, who finally pulled the girl from his lap. I didn’t bother listening to what was said to the naughty club member as I didn’t care.
I could tell given the incident the young women finally began to understand what was at stake. Steven made an appearance, admonishing the women to the point they were instantly quiet, hovering together. Fuck me. This was a nightmare.
I couldn’t take much more of this.
One by one, the girls were bid on and won. As I watched the men make their selection, I noticed one bidder who’d remained quiet and unmoving the entire time. The man who I was certain had been told to watch me carefully. Ah, I could see a game was about to be played.
His eyes were pinned on Reese, studying her even more intently than I’d done. And in those seconds of realization, a flash of jealousy was tossed aside by an extreme feeling of possessiveness. As if she already belonged to me.
What the fucking hell? Was this how indoctrination was started? The competition to have the most beautiful woman in the room. Wars had been lost over women.
“And now, we have our final contestant for the evening. Star. Perhaps the star of the show. Let’s start the opening bid at one hundred thousand.”
The words hit me. Yes, she was the star. And the man seated next to be appeared very hungry.
With a quick glance in my direction, he raised his arm, nodding to the auctioneer.
The twisted competition between us was on.
“Do I hear two?”
Another man who’d been idly waiting made the bid. It would seem her blonde beauty had attracted three men determined to claim her.
To own her.
“Two hundred thousand to the man on the left,” the auctioneer shouted. “Do I hear three hundred?”
The dollar amounts quickly increased, now at five hundred thousand.
Star was frozen, her body slightly swaying and her resolve beginning to fade. She was so young and so helpless that I ached for her.
Yet the rage was more intrusive.
So was the hunger furrowing inside, creating an entirely different kind of need. This I hadn’t planned, the desire unwanted.
Did I have a budget? Of sorts. Did I care? Not a chance in hell.
A bidding war ensued between the two other bidders, bids increasing by hundred thousand dollar increments while I watched from the shadows.
“One million dollars,” the quiet bidder on my left threw out and even with a mask, I sensed by the look being tossed in the other man’s direction, he was sending a clear message to back the fuck off.
As instructed, the other bidder threw up his hands.
“I will need a moment with the merchandise,” the bidder stated.
I resisted playing my hand or daring to interact, although I realized my hand was fisted as the pressure of the bidding war had collided with my goal for the evening. Now I wanted to win, but not for the sake of winning.
For the finality of ownership.
Or her.
At first, it would seem Star was willing to comply, allowing herself to be led from the stage. When she was brought closer, her eyes found mine again. Maybe I was the only one who noticed or perhaps the only person in the room capable of understanding the smirk crossing her lovely face.
Or her intentions.
She bolted toward the door, the move so unexpected not a single person in the room immediately reacted.
This wasn’t a good idea for either one of us. I reacted without thinking, lunging toward the same door. As quick as my reactions had been, by the time I made it from the room, Star had already been tackled by two brutes.
“Get off me,” she snarled, using everything she had to try to break free.
“Let her alone,” I commanded.
They ignored me, but the quick glare tossed in my direction from my dared interference gave her a slight opening. She jerked free, issuing a hard punch to the jaw of one and elbowing the other with a brutal enough jab he was pitched backward.
When she tried to escape again, I made a calculated move, grabbing her arm and swinging her into my arms.
“Get off me!” she hissed as she pummeled both fists against my chest.
“Calm down,” I said, keeping the volume low but the tone commanding. While I tried to connect in a way that would both calm and send a message, she was having none of it, continuing to fight.
The commotion had brought a crowd, including the man who believed he’d won the bid.
“Don’t touch what’s mine,” he growled, immediately reaching for his belt buckle. His voice was almost unrecognizable. “For that infraction, Star, you’re going to be provided a lesson you will never forget.”
“Fuck you!”
He glared at me, daring me to interfere in any way.
“Calm the fuck down,” I told him.
“Mind your own business. There are plenty of other women.” He grinned as if he was the winner.
She continued struggling in my arms, hissing at him until he ripped the leather strap from his belt loops and dared try to take her from me.
That was it.
I’d had enough. I pushed her aside, giving her one last quick commanding look. The bidder managed to grab her arm with one hand, lifting his other, preparing to strike her with the belt.
My days as a rodeo star might have been short lived, but there were certain skills I hadn’t forgotten.
Now at least they wouldn’t go to waste. I snatched the belt with one hand, jerking the man until I was able to wrap the thick leather around his neck.
As I pulled him down by a few inches, enjoying his choking sounds, I could tell I’d gotten the attention of everyone in the room.
Including Lucifer.
Who began to clap as he walked toward me.
“Nicely done,” he stated. “You should know better than to initiate an act of abuse within our club, Shadow. Our merchandise is precious commodity.” Shadow.
What a ridiculous moniker for the abusive bidder.
“That being said. Shadow appears to have the winning bid and the right to take possession of his prize.” He stared me directly in the eyes, assessing what he would do.
And how I would respond.
I smiled in response, a knowing gesture that forced him to narrow his eyes.
“There’s one problem with your thinking, Lucifer. The bidding had yet to be completed.” I twisted my hand, allowing Shadow to feel the burn. While the bouncers were ready to jump in if necessary, Lucifer waved them off.
“Interesting.” He seemed confused at first at my statement, even conferring with his auctioneer in a whispered conversation.
Lucifer didn’t seem overly happy, his heavy smirk full of ire.
“Very well. Finish the bid on this one, but first, release Shadow. I do value the safety and wellbeing of our members.”
It would seem he’d grown annoyed.
I refused to comply immediately, the music unable to hide Shadow’s agonizing choking sounds. When I finally relented, I tossed the belt aside. He could go crawling for it if he wanted.
“Bastard.” He acted as if he was going to try to take Star with him until I stepped in front.
All I needed to do was to cock my head for him to back off. Smart boy.
“Just leave me alone,” Star spit out.
Turning toward her, I placed my index finger across her luscious lips. For whatever reason, this time as her eyes searched mine, I could sense some understanding. As if I was trying to help her.
“Do we have any other bids on unit four-five-seven?”
I slowly turned my head, also furious the auctioneer had suddenly started referring to a sweet, vulnerable woman as a number. As a slave. He was lucky my patience was wearing thin.
Perhaps in playing a game of being nonchalant I was risking exposing my real identity, but the last thing I wanted was for them to believe I actually gave a damn about who they were.
So I waited until Shadow was gloating before ending the bidding war.
“Two. Million. Dollars. And the slave is mine.”