Chapter 4

Bianca

He left.

He left me here in this suite after he stripped me, fingered me, and… and…

And basically did everything except deflower me.

My eyes brim with unshed tears and I squeeze them shut, willing the tears away.

"I will not cry," I say out loud. "I won't cry. Not for him. Not for me. I'm doing this for Olivia."

But… maybe if I can find Olivia now while he's not here, we can both get out of here with our cherries intact.

I yank my jeans up over my hips and tug my shirt back on overhead, pausing as the pink gems adorning my wrist catch the low-lit amber light.

I almost take them off and leave them in Cain's room, but I have a feeling that walking around with no bracelet is more suspicious than wearing the virgin pink one.

My heart pounds as I crack the door open and peek both ways down the hall.

It's empty.

Which feels… wrong.

Didn't Cain say this place is crawling with security?

Don't kick a gift horse in the freaking mouth, Bianca. Go!

I silently shut the door behind me and sneak down the hall. How in the hell am I going to find whatever room Cole is in? There's like eight doors on this floor alone and God only knows how many more levels this building has.

Crap. This plan was stupid. So freaking stupid!

I dart around and try to go back into Cain's room. I jiggle the handle, but it's locked. Of freaking course it is.

Now what, genius?

Okay. Think, Bianca. What would Olivia do in this situation?

Cain said he has four brothers. And if this is his room, chances are his brother's rooms are one of the other doors on this hallway.

I sneak to the door across the hall and press my ear to it, hoping to hear something. Anything.

But Cain wasn't joking. This place is soundproof.

"Looking for someone, miss?" A gruff voice behind me asks.

Squeaking in surprise, I spin around, pressing my back against the door. The man standing before me is tall and wide. Built for power and fighting. My eyes scan over his simple but crisp navy blue security outfit and the earpiece tucked into his ear.

Though he's addressing me formally, the security guard is anything but friendly.

I clear my throat. "Yes, actually. I'm, um, I'm looking for Cole."

The security guard's eyes narrow, unconvinced. Then, his gaze drops to my bracelet. "You're his virgin for the auction?"

I gulp, swallowing the nervous laugh that threatens to bubble out of me. Something tells me that giggling right now in front of this man wouldn't be the best idea.

"Yes," I say. Based on the way the guard's eyes bore into me, I think he sees right through my lie.

But if I can only get to the same room as Olivia, we stand a better chance of making it out of here.

The guard studies me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine for any sign of deception.

I can't quite hide how nervous I am, but I lean into that feeling. After all, wouldn't any girl about to be auctioned seem nervous?

"Very well," he says finally. "Follow me."

I breathe a quiet sigh of relief as I fall into step behind the burly guard. He leads me through a maze of richly decorated hallways, past numerous closed doors until we reach an elevator. He swipes his card and the light turns green before the doors slide open and take us up a few flights.

The club has more levels than I ever imagined. The deeper we go into the massive estate, the more my nerves begin to fray. How stupid could I be to leave the safety of Cain's room, especially having no idea how big this place actually is?

Eventually the guard stops before an ornate set of double doors. "Here you go," he announces. "Cole informed me that he won't be attending tonight's auction, but you'll find his brother, Caden, inside with the other gentlemen," he announces. "I trust you know what"s expected of you."

"Is this… is this the auction?" I say, my voice suddenly dry and raspy.

The guard's eyes narrow again, his skepticism fully back. "That is what you're here for, right? You're Cole's virgin for the auction."

Shit. I can't exactly redact what I said. Besides, if I go in there, it ensures Olivia won't… right?

My mouth goes dry, but I force myself to nod. As the guard pushes open the doors, my breath catches at the sight within.

The area we enter is like a staging room. Filled with wall to wall mirrors and lights and a wardrobe rack holding all kinds of hanging negligees and lingerie.

Against one wall is a window where I can see into the lavish room on the other side.

The room is large and ornately furnished, with plush sofas, gleaming wood surfaces, and pristine white carpets with a slightly elevated stage area.

It would be stunning… if not for the fifteen well-dressed middle-aged men lounging on plush leather couches, crystal tumblers of amber liquid in hand as they converse in hushed tones. Their eyes gleam with anticipation beneath the soft glow of the chandeliers.

My heart skips a beat as I realize that these men are all lined up in a semicircle around the stage…

And they're here for the auction.

I'm going to lose my virginity to one of the men sitting here in this room.

I frantically scan their faces, searching for any sign of mercy, but find none. These are not kind men. They have not come here for my well-being.

The guard clears his throat and I"m jolted back to the present. "All underwear off. Time to get changed," the guard says and if I didn't know better, I'd say I hear a little bit of compassion in his tone as he gestures toward the clothing rack. "Our patrons don"t like to be kept waiting."

With trembling fingers, I thumb through the scanty lingerie options until I find a simple white lace and silk slip that offers marginally more coverage.

I shuck my clothes off and pull the slip over my head, adjusting it so that the lace and silk cover me entirely, looking down at where the hem hits me just at the top of the thighs. The silky material clings to my body and without any underwear beneath, you can see the mauve of my nipples through the almost sheer material.

I glance at myself in the mirror. I could put on makeup.

Or use the curling iron they've provided.

But I don't necessarily care about making myself beautiful for these men.

So after a little scrunch of my hair, I turn back around to face the window. It's clearly one of those two-way mirror things where I can see out but they can't see in, because no one seems to even notice I'm back here.

After another minute, there's a knock on the door, the guard having returned. He gives me a once over. "Ready?"

I nod despite my trembling knees and sudden cottonmouth.

Before I can even gather my wits, I'm being led out onto the stage and positioned center stage.

I take one last steadying breath and look out at the men as they fall silent, turning their predatory gazes on me. Hungry, ravenous eyes sweep over my nearly naked body as they all sit forward in their seats.

Another well-dressed man in an expensive-looking suit steps onto the stage with me and I startle because at first, I think it's Cain. He has similar coloring. Similar blue-black hair and the same sharp jawline.

But this man has a scar slicing across his chin. And more stubble.

"Gentlemen! Tonight we are honored to present to you a rare treat. An eighteen-year-old virgin."

He pauses for effect. The room erupts into whispers and the sounds of glasses clinking together as they toast each other. If this were any other time or place I might find it comical how serious these men looked. But tonight, it's anything but funny. My virginity is on the line here.

My stomach turns at the thought.

I'm doing this for Olivia, I'm doing this for Olivia…

My heart pounds in my chest like a drum as I stand there, bathed in the harsh spotlight.

"I believe you all know how this works," he continues." This little beauty has never been touched and we"re giving you the chance to be the first one to deflower her."

This little beauty has never been touched. That's not exactly true, is it? Not anymore. Not since Cain. My cheeks heat and I drop my gaze to my bare feet.

"Look at those tiny little nipples poking through her slip," one man says.

"Creamy and sweet," another one whispers.

"I bet she's already dripping for us…"

Ashamed, I close my eyes. Because they're not wrong. I am wet. I am turned on by this even though I definitely don't want to be with any of these men.

What the heck is wrong with me?

The only man in this whole building who I want to take my virginity is Cain.

Which is crazy.

Utterly and totally crazy.

With my eyes still closed, I try to block out their voices. But one voice cuts through the others. A voice I recognize in the worst possible way.

"This one is mine," he hisses, his words already slurring.

My knees start trembling and bile rises in my throat when I lift my gaze and spot him - my stepfather.

He sits in the back, dead center. Our eyes meet and his lips twist into a cruel smirk.