A quarter of a million dollars just to hold their place in line. Just for the privilege of having a doctor confirm that no one has fucked me yet. No wonder Kozlov seems to have lost interest in collecting Jake’s debt.
“Deposits are non-refundable,” Kozlov reminds, his beady eyes shining with delight at the windfall. He rubs his greedy hands together with glee. “I just want to make sure you understand in case you’re not successful at the auction.”
Ashworth is still staring at me. He hasn’t stopped since he walked in, his gaze crawling over my skin. “We will be.”
My heart sinks. This is a man with the determination and means to get whatever he wants, and right now, that’s me. I already know the auction is merely going to set the final price; the winner is inevitable.
His wife’s adoring smile is tight, and I wonder if her enjoyment of these encounters is genuine.
“She really is exquisite,” he says to his wife, as if I’m not sitting right here. “Look at those eyes. That mouth.” He tilts his head. “I wonder if she’s a natural blonde.”
The woman laughs, a brittle sound. “You’ll find out soon enough, darling.” Mr. Ashworth stands and reluctantly shakes Kozlov’s hand. While his attention is elsewhere, the wife looks at him with a hatred that runs deep, then at me, with pity and anger that’s chilling.
That look isn’t one of desire, it’s something colder. She’s going to enjoy taking her rage out on me. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and all that.
Behind me, Bodhi shifts again, and I hear the soft sound of his knuckles cracking. Normally, I wouldn’t tolerate the idea of violence against a woman, but in this case, I believe I could make an exception.
Kozlov is walking the Ashworths through the terms, the minimum bid, the payment arrangements, and the transfer of ownership. What to do after, when they wish to end their possession of me. I focus on the hypnotic flames, letting the words wash over me but refusing to absorb them.
In my mind, I’m back in that pantry. Bodhi’s hands on my thighs. His growl against my ear. The way he said “no” as if it was killing him.
He said no, but his body said yes. And I’m not giving up.
When that physician examines me and discovers I’m not what Kozlov promised, these smug bastards will demand their deposit back. Kozlov will lose his mind. The auction will be ruined.
And I’ll be dead.
The thought sparks something warm in my chest. Satisfaction. Defiance.
Ashworth is describing what he plans to do with me after the purchase, his voice low and eager, and I tune him outcompletely. I will never be in his bed. I will never let those manicured hands touch my skin.
At this point, I don’t even care that it will cost me my life. I just hope Kozlov will be so enraged he’ll kill me quickly.
Kozlov is walking them toward the door, still outlining transfer procedures, when I hear the front entrance open and close, and the sounds of running feet.
Then the lights flicker.
Once, twice, then the room plunges into darkness.
Murmurs of concern quickly escalate into barked orders when the lights stay off. Dimitri orders the men to check the hallway, the entrance, the perimeter, and his radio pressed to his ear.
I twist, immediately turning to Bodhi.
He presses a finger to his lips and closes his eyes, head tilted, listening. When his eyes fly open, shining in the firelight, his whole expression hardens, like something inside him just snapped into place.
“Not here,” he murmurs, so low I almost miss it. “East wing.”
Bodhi grabs me under both armpits and hauls me up and over the back of the sofa like I weigh nothing at all, his mouth at my ear. “Stay down. Don’t move.”
Then he’s gone, moving toward the doorway before anyone else wraps their head around what to do.
He yanks the door open, and the muffled pop, pop of silenced gunshots floats in from somewhere outside the room. Then runs straight out into the mayhem.
13
BODHI
My body moves before my brain catches up. I grab Emma under both armpits and yank her up and over the back of the sofa, growling at her to stay down.
