I turn and face her so she can see the heat in my eyes as I wrap my hand around her throat, squeezing slightly. The vibration of her moan tickles my hand and everything in me wants to lift my mask and kiss her. I’m beginning to regret choosing this mask. Her eyes dance with laughter as she catches on to what I’m thinking.
She leans forward, allowing my hand to press even tighter against her throat. “Where should we get matching tattoos?” Her hand squeezes even tighter around me. She places her lips just below my ear and begins to suck. I loosen my hand around her throat slightly, but she shakes her head, so I tighten it again.
“What about here? It’s our favorite spot on each other.” She sucks again and I know she’s giving me a hickey. I love it when she marks me, her territory. I release her throat and she whines in protest. Later I’ll choke her all she wants while I pound into her, but right now I want her soft side.
Wrapping my hand around her hair, I pull on it slightly and she lifts her mouth from my neck inspecting her work before sitting back and looking at me. I rub my thumb just under her ear and smile at the thought of a tattoo being right there where I mark her.
“What kind of tattoo?”
Her smile widens like she’s been waiting for me to ask. “I was thinking, a king and queen chess piece or a king and queen crown.” My stomach heats with how right that sounds.
“We’ll ask my guy to draw both and see which one we like. But I have one small request.” Someone rings a bell, letting us know there’s five minutes until things begin.
“What’s that?”
I rub my thumb across the spot under her ear, imagining the tattoo there. “Yours sayshisand mine sayshersunderneath it.”
Her smile is bright and beautiful. “I love it,” she exclaims.
“I love you.” She leans forward and kisses me where my mouth would be on the mask. I chuckle and shake my head slightly.
She sits up and puts her legs back on the floor. She kisses me on my jaw and lays her head on my shoulder. “I love you, too.”
Victor’s friend Julian helped hire a few undercover detectives to stay in the back with the girls that are bought to keep an eye on who comes and goes. As soon as someone is purchased, the buyer goes and meets the one they bought, but they are to stay in the back until the time comes for the ritual of having sex with them in front of everyone.
After a very lengthy meeting over several days with the council, many changes have been made that haven't been announced yet. One being, the ritual is no longer a requirement. We’re all going to gather downstairs to see who all comes if we don’t find my mother and Dick beforehand. All of this is very risky and I’m nervous about what could happen.
Another reason we asked Victor to host the auction is because there won’t be a second ritual the council is expected at. When Victor sent out the invitations, he made sure to mention girls that just graduated high school would be attending. Dick’s flavor of choice.
McKenzie’s spine goes ramrod straight, and she places her hand on my knee, digging her fingernails into it. I don’t flinch. I lean toward her, making it look like I’m flirting with her. “What do you see, love?”
She swallows and relaxes a little. “Your mother. She’s here.”
I force myself to stay relaxed. Running my hand along her shoulder, I run my fingers through her hair, trying to get her to relax a little as well. “I’m not going to leave your side. You’re safe.” I assure her. She relaxes a little. “Where is she?” Shebegins to turn, but I stop her. “Don’t look. She’ll know we’re talking about her.”
“In the back, near the door.” We all have our earpieces in, so I know Rex is listening.
“On it, sir. I’ll report back shortly,” Rex says.
It’s taking a lot of self control not to turn around and see where she’s at. What she looks like. But I keep my arm around McKenzie’s shoulder and pull her tighter into my side.
“I think I’ve spotted the dean.” I think it’s Lincoln that says that. I’m still unfamiliar with everyone’s voices.
“Is he bidding?” I ask, leaning toward McKenzie so it looks like I’m talking to her.
“Not yet,” another voice chimes in, female this time. His wife, Ansley. There’s twenty women and ten men for sale this time. We’ve gone through five women and three men so far, but the women have been in their late twenties.
“He wouldn’t, I suppose. He does like them young.” Anytime he bought in the past, the women’s age were usually just out of high school. McKenzie was the oldest he ever bid on. When I bought her, he didn’t show up again. It makes me wonder about Anna, if she was the one he was always after. Somehow, my mother got her nails in him and let him have her.
“So does Julian,” Bailey says.
“And Victor,” Bec chimes in.
“Bec!” Olivia chastises her, but she’s laughing.
McKenzie laughs and I shake my head. “The difference is their women are willing.”
“So willing,” Bailey says.
