The minutes tick by and I lose track of time. Ten minutes could have passed or maybe it’s an hour before I hear the heavy metal of my door sliding back. I brace myself, having absolutely no idea who I'm about to come face to face with.
A dull light filters through the room as two men walk through the door, standing over me and studying my body. It’s too dark to make out their features; all I can see are the outlines of their bodies as the dull light shines behind them, leaving me to rely on my other senses.
I feel their lingering gazes sweeping over my body like hungry predators. “You’ve won yourself quite a prize,” the shorter of the men says, his voice taking me back to the club last weekend, sitting up in the VIP room and confirming that this is without a doubt Knox’s Uncle Sam. I’m sure he’s probably come to send me off himself so he can personally thank his new vendor and tell him to come back any time he pleases.
Rage burns through me.
My fingers curl into fists and with the last remaining energy I have, I run at Sam, my fist flying through the air but before I can connect with his face, an impressive tight grip curls around my wrist and forces me back, yet somehow managing not to hurt a single hair on my body in the process.
I go stumbling back a few steps, and my stare flicks to the taller man, my new owner. “Wow,” he says. My blood runs cold. “They mentioned that she was a fighter, but I never dreamed that she’d be quite so wild.”
Dante. Fucking. Carver.
Betrayal burns through me as Sam looks back at Carver with a wicked grin. “I bet you’re going to have your hands full with this one.”
“Oh, I hope so,” Carver tells him, holding out his hand.
Sam instantly takes it and gives a firm shake. “Excellent. Now, transport? I’m not a holding facility. You have twelve hours to get your girl off my property before she goes back on the market.”
Carver nods. “I’m taking her now.”
“Like hell you will.” A sinister laugh bubbles out of Sam’s throat as he looks back at me, his depraved stare soaking up my subtle curves in the disgusting black lingerie. “You’ll get your girl once you’ve paid for her.”
Carver looks back at Sam and the stare he gives him almost has Sam shrinking back. “I thought you were the boss around here.”
“I am,” Sam snaps back at him.
“Then tell me how the hell the boss isn’t aware when five million dollars is handed over to his staff?”
“I … excuse me,” Sam says, bowing out of the room to go and check his funds, leaving me alone with Carver and giving me a chance to fucking rage.
He walks toward me and I spit at his feet. “You fucking pig,” I seethe, keeping my voice low as to not draw attention to my cell. “How could you? You fucking own me now? What kind of bullshit are you into?”
Carver circles me, stepping into my back and grabbing my waist, his hand flies up over my mouth keeping me quiet. “Keep your fucking mouth shut,” he growls, his voice low and threatening. “It was either I fucking bought you or someone else did. Take your pick, because if you’re not down, I’m more than happy to rescind my offer and leave you to the fucking rapist who would have bought you instead.”
Fuck.
“Yeah,” he scoffs. “That’s what I fucking thought. Now keep your head down and follow my lead so I can get us the fuck out of here. These pricks won’t hesitate to kill us, so don’t do anything stupid.”
His words are like a ray of sunshine beaming through the darkest night. It gives me the kind of hope that a girl like me should be terrified of, one that I shouldn’t allow myself to trust, but what choice do I have? Carver is all the hope I have of getting out of this unscathed.
I allow the hope to fill me and I sink back against him, his tightening hold the greatest comfort I’ve ever known. It’s nearly over. Carver is going to save me.
His head dips and his lips press against my neck. “You’re going to be okay,” he promises.
I close my eyes, feeling his hands on my body and allowing myself to pretend that we’re back in his bed in Ravenwood Heights with his arms securely wrapped around me, back before any of this bullshit happened.
The door rattles and Carver pushes me back to take my own weight, but he doesn’t take his hands off me. The door swings open and Sam walks back in with a grim expression. “Forgive me, Sir. You are free to go with what’s yours. The funds are paid in full and we welcome you back at any time.”