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I shake my head as Tim leads me deeper into the crowd, keeping his mouth close to my ear. He casually rubs his nose along the side of my face, sniffing my perfume.
“Still as intoxicating as ever, pet,” he coos. “I must say, I was a little disappointed when Dmitri told us you were being shipped off to Ukraine, but now that you’re back, I might have to make sure the Krukov family keeps you around.”
My steps falter, and the only thing keeping me from falling to the ground are the fingers digging into my arm. “I-I-I’m not go?—”
Tim laughs. “Oh, my dear, you delight an old man with your stories,” he announces as he pulls out my chair. He leans in close one last time. “Make no mistake,pet,now that we know where you are… we are coming for you. There’s nowhere you can run. You’ll never be safe.” He stands to his full height. “It was such a delight to meet you, Aurora. Until next time.” He waves to the rest of the table. “Ladies, gentlemen… have a good evening.”
“Senator Briggs,” they all acknowledge.
“My dear, are you alright?” a kind lady next to me asks. “You look awfully pale.”
Not trusting my voice, all I can do is nod. I fidget with my clutch to distract myself from my churning stomach and tightening chest. The longer I sit and wait for them to arrive, the more anxious I get. I glance around the room quickly to see if I can spot them. My dad and Vera are still engaged in the same conversation, but Tim has his back to me.
I push back from the table quickly, almost knocking over a glass of water. “I’m so sorry.” I apologize. “Excuse me for a moment.”
I rush out of the ballroom and dip into the first restroom that I can find. I don’t breathe easier until I’m behind the locked door.
I have to get out of here. Don’t think… Run.
I yank my phone out of my clutch and search flights leaving D.C. to take me back home to Boston. There’s a flight leaving in three hours I can easily catch. Next, I book an Uber. Luck is on my side so far as there is a driver two blocks away who can pick me up in five minutes. I open the bathroom door and step into the hall cautiously, swiveling my head from side to side as I make my way outside.
The Uber driver pulls up a moment later. I verify her name with the name on my app before I slide into the backseat and give her the name of the hotel we’re staying at. I type out a quick text as we pull away from the reception.
Me: I had to leave. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you
Dad: I was looking for you. Are you okay?
Me: I’m fine. Tired.
Dad: Are you sure? We’ll head back as soon as the awards are done
Me: No, you guys have fun. Seriously, Dad I’m fine. I’ll probably just watch tv and take a bath. Go to bed early
Dad: If you’re sure
Me: You deserve this, have fun. Love you
Dad: Love you, baby girl
We pull up to the hotel, and I hesitate to get out. Fear shakes me to my core, and suddenly, I wonder if I was followed. I have everything I need to get on the plane in my purse, and my car is parked at the terminal in Boston since I flew into D.C. Whatever is up in the hotel room can be replaced. It’s not worth the risk.
“On second thought,” I say. “Can you drop me off at the airport? American Airlines terminal, please.”
“That’ll be extra,” the driver replies.
“I know. My card’s on file.”
Thirty minutes later, I’m in line at the counter to get my ticket. The tightening in my chest recedes once I’m in the air and even more when I land in Boston. I parked close to the terminal and a guard shack for my own comfort, but it still doesn’t stop me from glancing around to see if anyone is following me.
When I get home, I wave to Gill, the security guard, as I wait for the elevator to take me up to my apartment. Once I’m behind my locked door, I unravel. I slide down to the carpet in a heap and scream at the injustice of it all as the floodgates of memories open and assault me.
The platform spins slowly as I’m chained like a dog. My knees are bent, and my ass is resting on my legs which are spread wide for everyone to see my nakedness, and my ankles are shackled to the ground so I can’t move. My wrists are handcuffed behind my back and also connected to my ankles, forcing my chest out. My muscles protest, but there’s nothing I can do. A ball gag in my mouth keeps me from crying out. Tears run down my face, and goosebumps form all over my body from the cold.
“Gentlemen.” Dmitri’s voice fills the room. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. This will be her only time on the auction block. I’m the only one who has sampled the merchandise… And I must say, Aurora’s as delicious as she looks.”
“You’re only going to let one of us have a go at her?” someone shouts angrily.
“Now, now,” Dmitri chides. “You all know me better than that. For the right price, I’m willing to let a number of you try her out.”