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“You’re delusional.” I point a finger at Topher, doing my best to rein in the tremors. “This is the twenty-first century. We’re in New fucking York. You don’t put people on auction . You don’t do anything without their consent.”

He lowers the fork and knife. “Sit down.”

His perfect facade has a crack in it. An emotion bursts through. Except this isn’t any better, being the subject of his wrath.

Another emotion flashes there, but it’s gone in a heartbeat.

Only wrath remains.

“No.” A high-pitched cackle slips past my lips. It’s funny. Hilarious. “No.”

Why am I even taking him seriously?

Maybe this is Topher having a tantrum. Maybe he sensed I was about to break up with him, so he’s being sour about it.

The guilt that’s been eating at me demands that I let him get it out of his system.

Thing is, I’ve never been a doormat. I punched one of my foster siblings’ throats for far less than this.

“Sit down,” he repeats.

I take a hesitant step away from him. The backs of my knees hit the chair.

“You’re clearly high.” This has to be it. Some rich people’s drug that makes them look lucid. “And I’m not waiting around for you to sober up. This dinner is over. James?”

His lips remain in that firm line I’ve come to know. I force myself to stop thinking about how devastatingly handsome he is. I won’t. I need to leave here. I need to focus on Topher, who’s closest to me.

“Fine. Fine. I get it. He’s your son. All right then. Finish your dinner.” I take a shaky step back, pushing the chair back with me. “Sleep it off. We’ll talk in the morning.”

We won’t. I’m blocking this crazy asshole everywhere.

My purse. I have to get it. Have to call my roommate, Sage. Her family comes from old money like Topher’s. They run in the same circles. Have known each other since birth.

She’s slumming it to stick it to her mom, but she can still ask her to help me. They have James’s address. They’ll send someone here to save me.

The police, even.

I probably won’t have a chance to say much other than scream for help before these two catch me.

I’m sure they will.

These men are tall. Lean. They won’t be running in heels.

But if I reach my phone before that, I’ll be saved.

I won’t be gang-raped. I won’t get sucked into this…what? Auction roleplay where both men end up winning?

Where both of them get to fake-bid, then have me as their sex doll to use?

A shiver runs through my body. My teeth clink.

I slowly step away from the table. I won’t run right away. Won’t risk stumbling on my high heels or encourage them to chase me.

Slipping out of here is my only chance to survive this.

“Ophelia.” This is James. He hasn’t moved to get up. Neither has Topher.

The predators just stare at me.

My skin prickles, and I hug myself.

The cold outside the house somehow managed to filter through the thick windows. It freezes my bones, despite the mansion being heated.

Another step back.

“Stop it. You can’t hurt me. You have too much to lose, remember?

” Reasoning with them could cut through their drug-like haze.

It has to. “Mr. Hawthorne. Your law firm. Criminal law firm. You know there’s no such thing as the perfect crime, don’t you?

You’ll get caught, and it won’t be just you.

It’ll be Topher too. His future as a lawyer will be ruined.

Your other partner will lose everything. Think about it.”

They rise to stand without a word. Buttoning up their suit jackets.

My purse. Get it, now.

Maisie, a lovely brunette from their staff, took it earlier. I have no idea where she’s keeping it. She needs to give it back. This minute.

“Maisie!” I scream as I take a few more steps toward the doorway that connects this room to the family kitchen area. From there, there’s a doorway to the living room. I’ll have to go through those to get out of here. I will get out of here. “Maisie! Anyone! Help!”

James and Topher are in my line of sight as I walk backward. It’ll be a huge mistake to turn my back on them. It’ll seal my fate.

So I don’t.

“G-go drink some water. Sober the fuck up. Stop—Stop looking at me like that.”

“We’re sober.” Topher slides his hand into his suit pocket, retrieving a pair of thin handcuffs.

They glint in the low light. A second is all I give myself to look at it before returning my attention to both men’s faces.

“And serious about this. There will be an auction. You will be put up on stage. The most influential people in the city will place their bid. They’ll be bidding on you, in case we weren’t clear.

By the end of the night, one of them will own you. ”

My back hits the wall instead of the doorway. I don’t recover fast enough. They’re on me, both of them. Surrounding me.

James to my right. Topher to my left. I’m five feet two, and they tower over me. Heels or no heels.

Fuck, it’s terrifying. The ice swimming in my veins is about to reach my lungs and suffocate me.

No.

No.

“Why are you so against it, anyway?” Topher dangles the handcuffs in my face, slamming a hand on the wall next to my head. “You were the one who wouldn’t shut up about…experimenting.”

Oh my God. Oh my God.

He’s talking about it next to James.

I would’ve let the ground swallow me whole, but my goddamn life is on the line. “Fuck you.”

“Someone else will.” Topher edges closer as James remains a firm wall at my side. There’ll be no pushing him out of the way. “Unfortunate, since I could’ve had fun, plowing through your virgin pussy. But hey, at least I get to cuff you.”

“You’re insane!” I’m frozen when I should fight. Throw punches. Kick. Something. Stupid limbs, they won’t work, so I shout. I don’t stop shouting. “What are you talking about? Let me go, Topher! James! Please!”

I feel James’s warmth on my other side. He’s as present for this as Topher is. As much of a threat. He steps closer to me, showing his true intentions.

He isn’t enabling Topher. He’s his accomplice.

My heart races. My instincts scream at me to snatch the cuffs from Topher before he puts them on me. To duck beneath his arm and run. Throw a chair at one of the huge paned windows. Squeeze between the shards and get the fuck out of here.

Save myself.

“You should be proud. Someone will pay a lot for an untouched cunt. A beautiful woman to keep their bed or their basement warm at night.” Topher’s blue eyes darken. “You’ll get to experiment with them, Ophelia. You’ll experiment so fucking much.”

He leans into me.

That’s it.

This.

Is.

It.

In the brief moment I have to think, the rage at being hounded like an animal prevails.

I slap Topher across his face, scratching his cheek. “Go to hell.”

His lips—the lips that I kissed and now repulse me—part in shock. Then they curl into a wicked smirk.

James hasn’t done anything yet. He’s…there. I smell the faint spice of his expensive cologne. I want to taste it.

I…

I’m a fool. He’s here to hurt me, this predator, and I’m falling right into his trap.

These men are psychotic. Or on a bad trip.

They’re preying on me.

So, no.

No sniffing Topher’s dad.

No looking at his son and wondering why I’ve wasted six months of my life on a man who wouldn’t show me warmth and genuine kindness.

Who I stopped liking months ago.

Adrenaline, fear, and the need to fight pummel into my hand. They make me curl it into a fist.

I raise it a second time.

It’s in the air, about to be thrown into Topher’s cheek. He has one hand on the wall, the other gripping the cuffs. If I move fast enough, I could get him. I could?—

“Enough.” A large hand with a bleeding rose tattoo wraps around my wrist. “This little tantrum has to end at some point. Time to go.”