“Our clients will pay good money for a fiery woman like this one,” he said, a faint smirk curling at the corners of his lips.
Wait. What?
Panic set in, and I lifted the knife again with an even deeper scowl.
They laughed at me, mocking my willingness to keep fighting.
“Alright. I’ve had enough of the show,” the newcomer said. Then he ordered his men, “Restrain her.”
Before I could use the knife, it was snatched from my hand. The next thing I knew, I was being seized by two huge men. I fought against their strength, my legs flailing in the air, but nothing worked. “Let me go! Let me go!”
“Keep her with the others, but don’t touch her,” the boss added and headed out. “She’s for sale.”
I’d never been more afraid in my life, never hated myself more for not listening to Scarlett’s advice. If I hadn’t come out here tonight, maybe this wouldn’t have happened to me. Maybe I wouldn’t have been a victim of the very operation I fought so hard to bring down.
Everything happened so fast, and I could only hope that this was some kind of nightmare.
They bound my wrists behind my back and dragged me deeper into the warehouse, ignoring my struggles and screams.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch!” One of them smacked me across the face. He stopped in his tracks and gripped my jaw tightly. “You should be grateful we’re not taking turns on you.”
The other guy opened a door in front of us, and they hurled me inside, then slammed it shut behind me. On the floor, I winced at my aching body, and when I raised my head, my heart skipped a beat.
I was in a small room, lit by a single bulb that swung on its wire, throwing restless shadows across the walls. My wrist burned from the ropes, but honestly, it wasn’t the pain that made my skin crawl; it was the helpless faces around me.
Women sat huddled in clusters on the cold floor, their backs against the damp walls and rusted pipes. The women were a mix of Asians, Americans, Europeans, and Africans. Somewore dresses that had been ripped off or wrinkled; others were still in their work uniforms.
These women stared at me with fear and hopelessness in their eyes. Their humanity was stripped down to shivers, ragged breaths, and the sounds of chains clinking whenever someone shifted.
They were prisoners—all of them.
And now, so was I.
Fuck.
Chapter 2 – Nik
This was by far the most boring auction I’d ever attended—and the only reason I was still here was because I didn’t come around to be a part of it. The idea wasn’t to engage but to monitor my enemies in the business.
I slouched in my velvet chair, holding a glass of vodka with a blank expression. My eyes drifted across the dimly lit room, detached from the event as I observed each bidder's choices.
In my line of work, knowing my enemies’ strengths and weaknesses was crucial to the game. It was the only way to stay one step ahead—to always stay in control. I’d been in this business for decades, and I learned over time that what people spend money on reveals a lot about them.
The fact that the parade of these frightened women—too broken, too lifeless, too easy—bored me but excited them was proof that we weren’t the same. I’d never spend my money on anything that didn’t spark something in me.
I glanced at my watch, hoping the bidding would end soon so I could be on my way. There was absolutely nothing interesting happening here, and with each passing minute, the event was starting to feel like a waste of my time. My patience was growing thin; perhaps coming out was a mistake.
My mission had been accomplished anyway. I’d observed every bidder in the room; none of them was worth my time or attention.
I lifted the glass to my lips and finished the last of the vodka. Ready to get up and leave, I set the glass down on the side stool. But before I could stand, a commotion on the stage caught my attention.
Two hefty men were struggling to drag a young girl from behind the curtains. She resisted with all her might, squirming out of their hold. My brows furrowed when she kicked one of the men right in the nuts.
Almost every other man in the room felt the impact, and a low groan rose from the crowd of bidders.
The second the man’s grip on her hand loosened, this strange girl threw a punch in the other man’s face.
Crack!
