And I just stare back at him, unable to respond.
Then he turns back to the auction, like nothing happened. So I do the same. And I let the chaos feed this new sensation inside me.
Fights break out over bids, engines roar to life, and rich men try to outdo one another with large numbers barked like threats. And through it all, Alder watches with a casual authority, simply nodding to his men to break up scuffles, escortbuyers to pay, and remove anyone who doesn’t belong. This is more than business. This whole thing is about power, presence, and keeping your neck above water in a game where everyone’s watching for weakness.
And I can’t get enough.
“2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed,” the auctioneer says as he moves to the next car in the line-up. “Brought in from a private estate in Connecticut. Twin-turbo W12 engine, 650 horsepower. Black exterior, oxblood leather interior. Minimal mileage. Cleaned, cleared, and polished.”
A man in front of us tentatively raises his hand in a bid, and I notice it’s the guy Alder said he’d keep an eye on.Danny. I hadn’t even realized he’d been watching him this whole time.
The bidding continues, quickly rising to $190,000 as Danny cautiously raises his hand every now and then, like he’s not sure he should even be doing this. And every time he bids, it’s slower and less certain.
“For $200,000,” the auctioneer calls, pointing toward a bidder near the front. “Going once, going?—”
Suddenly, Alder steps forward and draws his gun.
I don’t even have time to process what’s happening before he’s standing beside Danny, pressing the gun to the side of his head.
And no one even bats an eye. They just watch and wait.
“Your family fuckingownsthis province,” Alder says in a cool, deadly tone. “You can do so much fucking better than that.”
The auctioneer folds his hands in front of him as he stands beside the Bentley, patiently watching like he’s waiting out a boring delay.
Danny swallows and raises a shaky hand. “Two-ten.”
But Alder presses the gun harder against his temple, and his glare hardens.
Danny lets out a breath. “Two-twenty.”
The auctioneer glances toward the front, then back at Danny with a nod. “Sold. For two hundred and twenty thousand.”
Alder lowers the gun and slips it back into his cut, then grabs Danny by the lapel and shoves him towards a side table. “Pay.”
One of the Basin Kings falls into step beside Danny, not-so-gently herding him towards the table.
As Alder turns back to me, something across the room catches his attention, and somehow his expression darkens even more.
I follow his gaze to find a man watching him from the far side of the warehouse. He’s wearing a cut, but it’s not the Basin Kings. He just stares at Alder for a moment, his mouth curled into a slow, knowing smile. Then he dips his head in a nod and turns, vanishing into the shadows beyond the door.
Alder’s eyes flick to Kurt, who’s watching too. Kurt shakes his head and exhales as tension passes between them, and I’m not sure what it is… but it feels heavy.
When Alder’s eyes return to me, the darkness swirling inside them zeroes in on me, like it’s just decided what it needs. Like I’ve just become a part of it.
And I feel it in every part of me. The threat, control, power, and everything he’s capable of.
And I like it.
“I think we’ve seen enough here, don’t you?” Alder asks, stepping in closer.
I lift an eyebrow, glancing at the line of cars still waiting their turn. “You don’t need to be here?”
“No, baby,” he says, slipping a hand under the hem of my shirt and curling his fingers into my belt. “Our cars are sold. The floor’s open to others now. My crew can handle it from here.”
An engine rumbles, and a fight breaks out behind us, but Alder’s eyes stay fixed on mine.
So I simply nod. “Let’s go then.”
