I have so many questions to ask and no one to ask them.
“Elena!” Julian’s gruff, muffled voice filters through the closed door, snapping me out of my own thoughts. I quickly shove the small key into the built-in bra of my so-called dress.
“Coming,” I call out.
Rubbing my sweaty palm down my dress, I take one last look in the mirror. You can do this. Opening the door, I find an angry looking Julian on the other side.
“What were you doing in there?” He pushes the door open further to look inside.
“I just needed a minute...” I start to explain, but Julian doesn’t really seem interested in my answer. He grabs my wrist and starts to pull me away from the bathroom. It’s by fate alone that I don’t trip over my own feet.
“Moretti,” a familiar voice calls, the sound making my chest hurt, and my stomach churn. Julian stops in his tracks, making me yet again bump into him. His hold on my hand becomes tighter, almost as if he expects me to run away.
“What do you want, Romero?” Julian snaps.
“Did you have to bring her here? Wearing this of all things? She’s not a whore.” My father’s voice cuts through the air like a knife dipped in acid. I want to look up at him so badly, assure him that I’m okay, but I remember Julian’s words. Disobey, and Marie will pay.
“She isn’t any of your concern anymore. Ten million says so. In fact, I’ll strip her naked, walk her up on stage and throat fuck her in front of everyone if I want to, and there isn’t a fucking thing you can do about it.”
“Jesus Christ, Moretti, what’s fucking wrong with you?”
Julian answers with a chuckle. “Nothing more or less than any other man in this place, including you. Do you know how many offers I got on sharing your daughter tonight? Maybe I’ll take some of them. Pass her around. If you’re lucky, I’ll send you a video.” Julian’s tone isn’t just cold but mocking, and his grip on my hand becomes tighter and tighter until it’s hurting.
“I want to buy her back. I’ve got the money.”
“No.”
“No? I’m saying I’m giving you back your ten million. You had your fun, now I want my daughter back.”
“So you can sell her to someone else?” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Julian shake his head. “Where did you come up with that kind of money anyway? You were pretty broke last time I checked.”
“Does it matter where I got it from? I’ve got it, that’s all that matters. Let’s go, Elena, we’re going home.”
My father extends his hand out to me, and my fingers twitch, yearning to grab hold of his, but I force myself to stay still, to keep my gaze trained on the ground.
“What have you done to her?” My father’s accusing tone is aimed right at Julian.
“Trained her. She will not speak to you, or anyone because she knows what happens if she does. And your offer means shit to me. She is mine. You knew the type of man you were selling her to when you accepted my offer.”
“I will not let you hurt her. She is pure and innocent–”
“Not anymore,” Julian interrupts, making my father shake in anger.
“She is not made for this world. Give her back to me.”
Julian takes a threatening step forward, tugging me right along with him, and my knees shake. Waves of uncertainty run through me while my captor, and my father, the man who sold me, stand toe to toe.
“She is mine, so if I want to hurt her, I will. If I want to use every hole in her body for my pleasure, I will. Fuck off, and a word of advice. If you try to infiltrate my home again or make any effort to take her from me again, I won’t hesitate to come after you. A deal is a deal, Romero. You know how it works. Stand by it, or I’ll be forced to draw blood.”
Julian doesn’t even give my father the opportunity to respond.
Brushing past him, he drags me right alongside him, and my heart feels like it’s being dragged through the mud behind me. My father was right within reach, and I couldn’t so much as look at him. Tears prick my eyes, and I blink rapidly to stop myself from crying.
When we reach the bar, Julian releases my hand and ushers me back into the stool I was sitting on before. I rub at my wrist, the blood finally circulating back into my hand. The bartender is cleaning a glass, waiting as if he knew we would be returning shortly.
“I need another whiskey and a glass of red wine,” Julian says cooly as if he wasn’t just arguing with someone.
The bartender gets our drinks, and I grab the glass of wine as soon as it’s placed in front of me, taking a small sip, hoping it will calm my chaotic nerves.
“Gentlemen, can I have your attention, please. Momentarily our auction will begin. Tonight, we only have four girls for sale, but believe me, it’s quality over quantity tonight. Enjoy, and may the highest bidder win.”
Did he just say, girls? I couldn’t possibly have heard that correctly. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I look in the direction the voice came from. Horror fills me when I see that there is a huge stage, with four pedestals on it.
This cannot be happening. This is worse than what happened to me… unless the girls are actually here out of their free will. Yes, that has to be it.
A moment later, that thought evaporates into thin air when the girls are brought out on stage. There is a crowd of men congregated around the stage, and the area fills with whistles and loud hollers as the half-naked girls are each placed on a pedestal.
Each girl looks more scared than the next, their eyes wide with shock, their body shaking, but the worst part is that they are in chains. In actual chains. There are collars around each of their necks, and a chain hangs down that’s connected to their handcuffed hands, which hang in front of them.
You’ve gotta be kidding me. How can they just sell another human like this? Tie them up like animals and display them like this is a circus. Rage burns through my veins.
The host starts talking, introducing the first girl, but my mind is in chaos, I can’t even comprehend what he is saying. Men start bidding, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. I want to ask Julian how to stop this nonsense but can’t get my lips to move.
“Drink your wine,” Julian’s voice pierces through the heavy fog. He holds the glass of red wine I’d easily forgotten while watching this horrible event out in front of me, and I take it on autopilot. “Drink,” he orders as if that’s going to help me process what’s going on.
“Sold, to number six-o-one!” The auctioneer calls just as I bring the glass to my lips.
“Fucking Christ!” Julian growls, “I need to talk to Markus. I’m going to leave you here at the bar. Do not get up, do not go anywhere, even the bathroom, and do not talk to anyone. I will be within distance and watching you the entire time. If you try and run, I will not only hurt Marie, but I will punish you. Understand?”
Gulping a little more of the wine down, I nod. The fear of being left alone creeps up my spine, making my gut tighten. Even with the auction taking place, I just know someone is going to come over and try and touch me, but Julian doesn’t seem to care about what I want. Maybe everything he’s said tonight is true? Maybe he’ll sell me or let someone take me? I can imagine myself up on that stage.