la

my ribs. The room smelled like perfume, fear, and expensive liquor. The girls bar

clicking on the floor like the ticking

for

e to ask. My sto

ed lips and dead eyes - and motioned her toward the door. The girl

t before

histles.

All

h

even twen

l. Just how

s tight a

y and slick. My bl

nched. Maybe they'd gone through the same panic

ken. The redhead wi

of growls fr

t those

bid at two hun

e hun

ing-fuck, t

gainst my thighs to

t know when, but I felt it

acticed, not hardened. I was nothing more than a sheltered gi

lled my name, the ro

id, her voice gentle

t nothing came out.

my ear, then pressed something cold into my h

a numb

"Slow. Don't speak unless you're told to.

panic clawing its

was t

oor o

as push

first-golden, h

ld barely see the crowd, but I could feel them. Dozens of

armth of the marble stage beneath my feet. The silk of the dress sli

ttered. "Look at that wal

added. "I'll start the bid

-fif

ev

or the first

snapping in the air like

, but the tears

somewhere else. Pretending I was somewhere else. A bedr

r tits-she'

d of innocence?

s ever even see

er. Cruder. Drunker

th

le

llotine ha

absolute, sliced

mil

A breat

ripple

he sa

the h

Mine too, against

rved from stone. Men shifted in their seats just seeing him

nzo M

s tone cold enough to frost gl

trembled as he slamme

remaine

u didn't challen

as a wolf choosing when to lunge. Every inch

he stage and

violence. H

r a long, unreadable moment. His

s gaze flickered. Somet

dn't

dn't

andler and said, "Sh

hat wa

h. No ge

quiet authority. His presence drew whispers from the

whispered from the cro

e Moretti really was,

cross

red make eye c

ept

couldn't

d cut glass. His mouth was unsmiling, firm, but not cruel... not exactly. His hair was thick, dark, just a little tousled like h

s bea

fying

ft. No

arre

relaxed but ready, like he could break a man's neck without blinking. His

ed a little. My

e not

rve of my throat, the way I gripped my fi

ed between us,

ical-then nodded to Vince. He didn't touch me either. Just tu

sita

eard a q

ov

didn't have to. It wasn't a reques

elt like it would break out of my chest. My feet hit the f

ed breathe as I passed. I kept my eyes down, but I could still feel them

last a night with

l rui

she'll

s clawed a

poseful. The crowd parted like the Red Sea. Hi

't look

I was bei

r. The noise of the auction faded behind thick walls

said gruffly. "You

't answer

s no vulgarity in it. Just... calculation. Possession. Li

e said coldly. "I don't want t

lammed int

cracked. "I do

enough to touch, but enou

said, voice l

cco, he added, "Wra

at her twice, break their hand

e was gone-walking ah

some

nd him than I eve