“Leave him to me. I’ll make him see the light,” Zarina said, bringing my mind back into the room with them.
Andrew rubbed his jaw, his smile making me squirm. “I can’t understand his fascination with this one, though.” One of his hands gripped my butt roughly, jerking me to his chest.
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” Zarina laughed.
“Twenty thousand,” Andrew replied. Planting my hands on his chest, I pushed away from him. He let me go but grabbed my elbow again. “Stop it, girl, you’ve nowhere to go,” he sneered. “It’s me or some other bastard in this room that’s going to fuck your sweet pussy.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from whimpering and looked over his shoulder again, my eyes trying to find the other man. The men he stood with were still there. He wasn’t. Disappointed, my head snapped from side to side, searching for him.
He was gone.
My shoulders sank. Why did I think he’d be able to help me? What made him seem so different?
“Twenty?” Zarina scoffed. “Look at her. She’s worth double that, if not more.” She touched my hair, and I jerked my head away.
“I’ve already tasted her, Zarina. She’s used goods,” he said, sounding impatient.
Zarina’s laugh hurt my ears. “You have. Hmm, then you must’ve enjoyed it, otherwise, you wouldn’t bother haggling another offer, would you, Andrew?”
“Fine. Forty and not a cent more,” he grumbled.
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Zarina smiled. “You have my banking details. Transfer now and—”
I didn’t hear the rest. Digging my nails into Andrew’s hand holding mine, I scratched, drawing blood. Cursing, he released me, and I ran. My hair, long and thick, fell out of the bun Zarina had styled, blocking my sight. Swiping at the falling locks, I increased my speed, bumping blindly into people. I’d just made it out the door into that first room we entered when someone came at me from the opposite side. I slammed chest first into them, tipping backward.
“Hey,” strong hands gripped my arms, preventing my fall. Struggling, I fought their hold. “Look at me, girl,” a man’s stern voice, more powerful than Master’s, had me stopping with my palms flat on his chest.
Even in the now darkened room, I recognized him through the curtain of hair shielding my eyes. It was the man I’d seen over Andrew’s shoulder. Unlike anyone before him, I inhaled his scent and felt his heartbeat against my palms. I didn’t understand the soothing tremor running through my body.
He raised a hand and, with one finger, gently pushed back my hair, uncovering one eye as he asked, “are you—”
Before he could say more, I heard Zarina’s shout behind me. “Cinder!”
“No,” I mumbled, shoved at the man’s chest, and bolted again, almost tripping as one shoe came loose. Leaving it, I ran. As soon as I flew into the night air outside, a hand wrapped around my waist, and another clamped over my mouth, muffling my shouts. I squirmed against the hold. It was no use, his grip was firm. I recognized the car as he neared it.
Luke.
He opened the door and threw me inside. My shoulders deflating, I sat up, pushing my hair out of my face. I stared at him when he slipped behind the wheel then the car moved, leaving Zarina. Tucking my knees to my chest, I curled my arms around them, and a familiar scent tickled my nose as I did. Curious, I sniffed my palms, my arms, my hair.
The stranger’s smell.
Wishing I knew how to recognize scents, I sighed and stuck a thumb in my mouth. Because whatever this was, I liked it. Or maybe it was the kindness on his face, the softness in his touch, that I liked more. Whatever it was, I gave it a name.
Him.
Was this the perfect moment to cry? I’d just met someone who looked like he could save me, and I ran. Maybe it was never meant to be.
I stared at the pink ribbon I’d wrapped around my wrist and remembered my promise. “I’ll save them, Mama,” I whispered, staring at the dark sky, wondering if I’d ever see him again.
Then I pressed a hand to the window and let my forehead touch the cold glass, my eyes waving goodbye to a dark scenery I might never see again. My shoulders sinking, I sighed and leaned back against the seat. At least I wasn’t sold to that horrible man whose face I still couldn’t remember.
