Page 2

Cillian

What the fuck am I doing?

It’s been a long, frustrating night, and the last thing I want to do is participate in an auction of young, innocent girls. But something about this particular girl has me acting out of character. Up on that damn stage, she looks as lost and clueless as she did back in the hallway. I shouldn’t care. Hell, I should have gotten the heck out of here and never looked back, but something made me turn around and come back inside—a long-buried protective instinct that makes me want to save her.

You can’t save her. Just like you couldn’t save Lily.

I clench my fist, ignoring the jeering voice in my head and the gnawing guilt in my chest. Now’s not the time for that.

“Seventy thousand,” a raspy voice calls out, cutting through the thick silence that’s settled in the room. It’s a voice I recognize.

I keep my gaze locked on the girl, watching her every expression. She seems to flinch each time a new number is called, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Rage simmers inside of me at the thought of that sick bastard owning her. Not on my watch.

“One hundred thousand,” I counter calmly.

The room falls silent and I can feel the tension climbing higher. None of the other girls even came close to half that price. It’s a competition and she’s become the prize.

“Five hundred thousand,” that same voice calls out with deliberate smugness.

I keep my expression flat. I can’t let them sense my inner turmoil. In a place like this, emotions are a weakness. This is a game I can’t afford to lose.

The auctioneer’s voice cuts sharply through the silence. “Number six going once for—”

“One million dollars,” I say without taking my eyes off her, hoping my gaze will somehow help her stay grounded. She doesn’t need to see any of these bastards’ faces. Especially not his.

The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating until the auctioneer finally breaks it. “Sold!”

I let out an inaudible breath of relief, glad the ordeal is over. She’s safe now, and that’s all that matters. I just need to get her out of here and—

“Number six, please make your way to your buyer,” the auctioneer instructs, his tone dripping with anticipation. “We’ll all get a front-row seat to watch number six pleasure her new owner.”

Fuck. How could I have forgotten about this part?

I came here tonight to gather intel, and I’ve observed enough to know what they expect to happen next. Each of the previous girls has been forced into engaging in some sort of public display. Some of the men are still going at it with their purchases, in the shadows around the edge of the room.

“That won’t be necessary,” I growl, my voice low and lethal.

“If you refuse, your payment will be refunded,” the auctioneer replies in a perfunctory tone. “And number six will be passed along to the next highest bidder.”

I clench my fists at that. Over my dead body.

“Also, if the commodity’s performance appears unsatisfactory in any way, she will be returned and replaced.”

Commodity? Fucking animals.

I manage to keep my expression impassive. “I see.”

“To indicate satisfaction, please press the green button on the right arm of your chair, and the red button if you’ll be needing a refund.” The auctioneer pauses slightly for dramatic effect. “Now…number six, make your way to your buyer. Make it worthwhile!”

Her heels click loudly against the hard floor. I can tell from the hesitant, uneven rhythm of her footsteps that she’s scared shitless. I wonder how she ended up in this hellhole.

But none of that matters now. I just need to get her out.

Soon, she’s standing right in front of me. I let my eyes rest on her face, taking in her dainty features and innocent green eyes. She’s a stunner for sure, but she doesn’t belong in this world.

“W-what do I do?” she asks me hesitantly, shuffling awkwardly from one foot to the other.

My chest constricts as I watch her lower lip tremble, like she’s barely holding herself back from crying. I find myself wanting to hold her, to shield her from the gaze of every bastard in this fucking room.

“Come,” I say, holding out my hand to her.

She hesitates for a second and then quietly takes my hand. I close my palm around hers and gently tug her onto my lap. She gasps softly, her body strung tight, like she’s ready to flee at any second.

“What’s your name?” I ask gently, quietly so no one around us can hear.

“Aria.” Her voice is a breathy whisper.

“Okay, Aria, I’m Cillian,” I say, keeping my tone soft. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I’ll get you out of here.”

“Really?” she asks, her eyes flaring with hope.

“Yes, love. But…we do need to put on a little show first. Just trust me and follow my lead.”

She nods, her body relaxing slightly against mine. “Okay.”

My chest clenches tightly at the complete trust in her beautiful green eyes. How could she be so…innocent?

What if I fail her? Like I failed Lily?

I raise my hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek, her skin soft and smooth beneath my fingertips. I let my gaze linger on her plump lips, and I can’t resist—I run my thumb over her lower lip, unprepared for the wave of lust that washes over me. Her face grows redder under the intensity of my gaze, eyes opened wide and lips slightly parted.

She has no fucking idea how alluring she looks right now.

“I’m going to kiss you now, and then hopefully we can get the hell out of here, alright?”

She nods, running her tongue over her lips as if to prepare herself for what’s coming. A searing lust shoots straight to my cock at the gesture. Fucking hell, what is this girl doing to me?

I lean forward and capture her mouth with mine, molding my lips to hers. She tastes heavenly, a heady mixture of mint and berries, and I find myself craving more.

Her lips part, her arms going around my neck as she presses her body closer to mine. I graze my tongue over her lower lip and she lets out a breathy moan. I take the chance to slide my tongue into the warmth of her mouth, placing a hand on the small of her back to press her closer as I deepen the kiss. I’m suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of urgency, a gripping need that threatens to push me beyond the confines of control.

I pull back abruptly, slamming my hand down on the green button with more force than necessary. Aria flinches, and I want to punch myself in the gut for startling her. She looks rattled, confused, yet there’s no mistaking the unbridled hunger in her eyes. My cock hardens at the thought that she felt what I felt while kissing her. But this is not the place or time to exploit these feelings.

I need to get her the hell out of here.

“That won’t cut it,” the raspy voice from earlier says. “We didn’t come all the way here to watch a sloppy kiss.”

“It’s my fucking money,” I say with a loud scoff. “Why do I have to give you bastards a show?”

“It is policy, sir,” the auctioneer says, his voice veiled with an unmistakable threat. “The commodity can’t leave here until she pleasures you for all to see.”

I clench my fist, muttering a long string of curses underneath my breath. I am seconds away from whipping out the Glock 42 concealed in my suit jacket and blowing the scumbag’s head off, but the thought of frightening Aria any further stops me. And I know the security here is too tight. I’d have to go through at least ten guards, and Aria could get hurt in the process. No, the only way to get out of here is to give these bastards what they want.

“I’ll do anything,” Aria says quietly, her eyes pleading with mine. “I just want to leave.”

I shake my head at her. “You don’t know what they’re asking of you, love.”

“Please…”

My gut clenches at the desperation in her eyes, and in that moment, I realize I’ll do anything to protect her.

“I want you to focus on me,” I say, guiding her hand over the bulge in my pants. “Forget every other bastard in this room and touch me like you own me.”

She nods nervously, her face growing even redder under the dim lighting. I widen my knees to accommodate her as she slides off my lap and kneels in front of me.

She starts to fumble with my zipper. I raise my voice slightly, hoping to add to the show and distract attention from her trembling hands. “Yeah, that’s it, get your hands on my cock.” I allow my voice to come out rougher. “I want to feel that sweet mouth on me.”

I gently place my hand over hers and help her tug down the zipper, letting out a harsh curse when her hand comes in contact with my cock. The feeling is beyond electrifying. Pleasure courses through my veins, intensifying the hunger that I’ve been trying to ignore ever since I saw her.

A low moan slips from my throat as she starts to slide her palm up and down my cock, slowly as if accustoming herself to the size. I shouldn’t be enjoying this so much, especially given the place and circumstance, but I can’t help myself. I don’t even need to act anymore. My cock grows harder under her clumsy ministrations, pulsing hard and fast. Then she lowers her head and I almost lose it.

“Oh, fuck,” I murmur through gritted teeth. I can barely breathe as I watch her slowly take my tip into her mouth. Pleasure jolts through me in hot waves as she moves her tongue along my length, her mouth working with a dedicated focus. I weave my hands into her golden curls, gently guiding her head.

I’m teetering on the edge, pleasure coursing through me with each innocent movement of her hand and mouth. She’s inexperienced, but there’s a hunger in her that matches my own, pushing me to the brink. I want to devour her, to pull her closer and drown out the rest of the world, but this is hardly the place to give in to such desires.

Right now, I’m going to focus on this moment. On her.

I close my eyes as every muscle in my body strains, and I know what’s coming. She keeps bobbing her head over my cock, running her tongue along my length in clumsy but persistent strokes. A guttural groan escapes my lips as an intense ache builds up inside of me. I don’t hold back, knowing that the sooner I let go the sooner I can get her out of here. I need her to be safe.

My fists tighten in her hair, my body going taut as I spurt into her mouth. I expect her to jerk back, but she surprises me by swallowing. She coughs a little but keeps going, eagerly lapping it all up. As I watch her, my chest fills up with something strange and warm…something that I can’t afford to feel.

I glance around to realize that the auction has continued without us, and girl number eight is on stage now. No one is paying us much attention anymore. I pull her into my arms and kiss her, long and hard, until we’re both short of breath. When we pull apart, she angles her head slightly, searching my face.

“Can we go home now?” she asks quietly.

My chest tightens at the word “home.” She probably doesn’t mean anything by it, but the thought of Aria in my home , safe and away from this crazy hellhole, makes my heart swell with emotions I don’t want to explore right now.

I cup her face in my palm, giving her what I hope is a reassuring smile. “Yes, love. We can go home now.”