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46. Tasha

46

Stephano leads me by the elbow to the French doors, where a bodyguard has been standing the whole time. The man opens the doors for us, and as soon as I step inside the suite's circular foyer several pairs of eyes turn to me.

Someone wolf-whistles and I'm choking on a new terror I've never felt before as I take in the scene in front of me. I'm trapped. Three men, dressed in tuxedos, stand with drinks in hand; two more sit further away in the living room on a half-moon shaped sofa; and a poker table is going with four men, one on each side. Male waiters are attending to their every need by the look of half-eaten plates of steak that are pushed to the side, but trays of finger foods are also doing the rounds.

My heart pulses in my constricted throat, my whole body quivering. I should have taken Stephano up on his drug offer, but there's no going back now.

"Smile for the camera." Stephano points to where a laptop is discreetly placed so whoever is watching can see my entrance, but not the other guests. "That's the Don looking on."

I swallow, looking at the camera but not smiling. "To think I still don't know what my dad has done that I deserve this."

"Matteo hasn't told you?"

"Nothing much."

"Your crooked dad copped out of a deal, blew the whistle on our location and that killed our brother Alex. Then he never settled his opportunity costs. That's why you are here."

Tears burn behind my eyes, but I nod. That photo Matteo had in his closet, of him with a teenaged boy his age. Alex. Dad, how could you? "I'm sorry for your loss." I know the pain of losing a loved one. How it balloons in your chest out of nowhere, suffocating you.

"Our brother has been atoned for, and this auction will cover the rest." Stephano pushes me toward the men who are waiting. "I'll introduce you to our guests. Smile and wave. Play nice. Leave the claws for the bedroom, kitten. They'll like that."

I feel the red heat staining my cheeks at his words. Kitten. I know Stephano heard Matteo call me that, but nobody gets to call me kitten except Matteo. "I'm not your kitten."

I try to shrug loose from his hold on my elbow, but Stephano's grip firms as he turns slightly to face me. "He isn't here, princess. You're under my watch now, and soon you're going to belong to one of these men, if only for half a day. I suggest you start playing along so I'm not forced to turn our classy evening into a vulgar sex slave market."

"What do you mean?"

"Tie you up, strip you naked, put you on a pedestal with a gag and blindfold so you can only moan your displeasure instead of shooting deathly glares at everybody."

I close my eyes. I asked for this; I took a risk that hasn't panned out. I blink and take the first step toward the group of men who are standing, patiently waiting for us to come their way. They're enjoying the show we're putting on; all of them are smirking as their eyes strip my body.

I shudder. Soon I'm going to be sold to one of these perverts. And then?—

Behind us the door to the suite opens and footsteps fall behind me. "Party's over. Bidding's closed."

I stall as I hear his voice.

That voice that I've come to love.

That voice that can command my body as if it alone is its master.

My legs want to buckle, but Stephano has me steady.

"Oh my God!" another voice chimes in, high heels clicking on the porcelain tiles. Gigi. Gigi Trapani has come for me too. I don't know if I want to laugh or cry. She carries on hissing things in Italian which I don't understand and don't care to either. All I want is Matteo.

"I'll take over from here," Matteo says as he comes to stand where we're frozen, his presence filling the room. The other men only look on, waiting to see what happens next. His hand slips around my waist and I lean back against his chest in relief.

Stephano lets go of my arm and as soon as I'm free, I turn into Matteo's chest, clinging to him. His arms wrap around me, and I've never felt safer, more treasured in my life.

"What took you so long?" Tears that I've been holding back by a mere thread spill over.

"Gigi," he says. "That one doesn't sit and stay. She killed the WiFi and ordered the captain to sail out to sea, practically kidnapping me to do a hostage exchange for you, kitten. Then she forced me to bring her along to see that you don't come to any harm. She's got guts, that I'll give her."

One day I'll thank her for caring so much that it was almost too late.

Matteo presses a soft kiss to my neck, and I shudder at the sudden warmth and pleasure of it. Him. This. Us. It feels so right. "Where's the livestream?" Matteo asks Stephano.

I peek at Stephano, and the fury on his face is almost comical. Gigi is standing toe to toe with him, every challenge in her stance.

Without breaking the staring contest going on between him and Gigi, Stephano points to the camera where a minute ago I was supposed to smile at the Don, the evil orchestrator of this whole mess.

I watch as Matteo casually flips the bird at the screen, then bends down and throws me over his shoulder. I shriek and laugh and cry at the same time.

"Let's get out of here before shit hits the fan," Matteo says as he heads to the front door.

"Where're you going?" Stephano says, his voice clipped.

"You'll figure it out." Matteo calls back.

"Thanks for the fuck-up, brother," Stephano hisses. "And leaving me to deal with… this."

By this he means so much more than Matteo's gate-crashing his virgin auction. Gigi is in his face, and she isn't going to take any bullshit.

"I'll make it up to you." And with that, Matteo strides out of the suite, down the corridor to the elevator, which waits, a bodyguard holding it open.

Matteo walks in with me, presses the button for one floor down and I giggle all the way as we make our escape to a suite he must have booked. A bodyguard is there and opens the door for us. It swings closed with a decisive click.

One thing is for certain: I'm going to lose my virginity tonight, and to the only man I ever wanted to give it to.

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