Chapter 5

Phoenix

Graduation

Isearch for McKenzie. This will probably be the last time I see her for a while. I've learned that her father is going to let her go to college before he sells her. I've also learned that Dick is going to buy her. He promises Marcus he'll protect her, but since I found out, I've been keeping an eye and ear on him and he's lying. He's not going to follow through with their plan.

Marcus thinks Dick will buy her, then bring her to him. But Dick is not going to follow through. He's going to have sex with her and he's going to keep her. Why Marcus puts his trust in this man, I'll never know. But it's obvious he's not a man of his word.

McKenzie walks into the courtyard with Anna. She's gorgeous. Her silver hair swaying behind her as she walks. She glances around and I know she's looking for her father. I know he'll be here today and even though I hate the man, I'm glad he's going to show up for her.

Her red lips lift in a smile at something Anna says. I wonder what those lips would look like wrapped around my cock. I suck in a breath and force myself to think of something else. One of the perks of wearing my graduation gown is it hides the evidence of how attracted to her I am.

Her eyes land on me, and I smirk. Anna says something and pushes her toward me. I take that as my cue to head their way.

"Hey Phoenix," Anna greets me.

I nod in her direction. "Anna."

I turn toward McKenzie, and her eyes widen slightly. "McKenzie, can you go for a walk?"

Her mouth opens in surprise as she looks between me and Anna. She acts like I'm not around her all the time. The amount of times I've walked with her to class, walked with her to the library, sat with her at the library, and just sought her out because I wanted to hear her raspy, sexy voice.

"Sure… sure," she replies. I take her arm and lead her toward the lacrosse field. She fidgets with her gown and looks around. She has no idea of the power she holds over me.

"Are your parents here?" she asks. I grind my teeth. She has no idea about my mother. Who she is or who I am. And I'll keep it that way. She doesn't need to know.

"My father is," I reply, hoping she'll let it go.

"What about siblings?" she asks. According to my father, I was a miracle. They had a hard time getting pregnant, so after I came, they stopped trying and were grateful they had me.

"No."

I stop when we get to the bleachers. She glances from me to the bleachers. I have a reputation for taking girls under the bleachers. But usually I just used them to get off. I'd push them to their knees and fantasize it was McKenzie.

"So, did you want to talk about something?" She's nervous. I wonder what she would do if I took her under the bleachers. Actually, I'd never take her under the bleachers. The things I want to do to her are better done somewhere more private.

"Your father doesn't like me," I tell her, forcing my mind to focus on the conversation at hand.

"No. He doesn't like your father either." She's blunt, which surprises me. I like it though. He finally came to one parents' weekend and he and my father made a scene that I had to break up.

"Do you know why?" I ask her.

She looks away and shifts. "I've learned some things in the years since I've been here. It seems your father is encroaching on my father's business."

I snort and put my hands in my pockets. My father is doing that. "Not in the way you think, though." I know I'm being vague, but how do you tell someone that their father took your mother?

My father is encroaching on her father's business as payback, but also as a way to find out more information. At least that's the story he's telling me. I don't care about getting into the drug business. I've focused more on the fights.

"What do you mean?" Her eyebrows dip as she narrows her eyes at me.

I run my hand through my hair to keep myself from rubbing my thumb over the worry lines between her eyebrows. I want to comfort her, but now isn't the time. I have to keep my distance.

"I mean, when you realize what an awful man your father is. I'll be there to rescue you. I promise."

It's the closest I'll ever come to warning her. I want to tell her that her father is going to sell her. He's going to try to sell her to the dean of this school. But I know she won't believe me. She still holds onto the hope that her father is a good man. I can see it in her eyes.

She sucks in a breath and glances around again. "I should probably go. My father should be here soon."

I don't want to let her go, but I nod anyway. She walks away and I know this is the last day I'll see her until the day her father sells her at an auction. But I will find her again one day. I will always find her.

Five Years Later

"Dad, please stop talking to me." McKenzie's voice comes from behind me and it takes everything within me not to turn around. She's here, which means she's going to be sold tonight. I have been waiting for this night for five years, but I still feel unprepared.

I was accepted as an initiate into the council almost one year ago. They said I had to make a purchase within three years to become a member. I've paid more than my share of fees and dues trying to get in their good graces, and it's worked. Once I buy McKenzie, then we'll have to have sex tonight, we'll have to have sex one more time in front of just the council. Hopefully, she'll forgive me one day.

I greet the host and hostess and make my way into the area they're having the auction. I sit in the middle and force myself not to look around. Marcus avoids me at all costs at these things when he attends. He doesn't come to all of them, but I do. Mainly because I never knew when he'd show up with McKenzie.

Dick sits a few rows in front of me. I want to strangle him. He has no idea I'm going to outbid him tonight. All bids start at half a million dollars, sometimes they're more. Usually, that's for virgins.

Marcus shows up and sits next to Dick. "You ready?" he asks. Dick nods enthusiastically. I ball my hands into fists to stop myself from strangling them both. Marcus is an idiot to trust this man.

Dick comes to every auction as well. He's bought two other girls. Where he gets the money, I don't know. And I haven't cared to look into it. When Anna was sold a few months ago, he tried to buy her, but a senator who most likely will be our next Vice President outbid him. If I had known Rex at that time, I would have bought her.

The auctioneer comes up and tells how many are up for auction tonight. There's more than usual. Part of me hopes McKenzie is one of the first, so she doesn't have to wait, but the other part hopes she's toward the end to give me time to come up with an explanation for her.

Five people have been bought so far, but I stay focused. After tonight, she's going to be mine.

"The next person up for auction is McKenzie Knight. She's twenty-three years old, recently graduated from NYU, and is an excellent baker." Someone escorts McKenzie onto the stage. The fear in her eyes makes my stomach clench.

How the hell am I going to have sex with her in front of a group of people when she's terrified?I grind my teeth and force myself not to focus on that right now.

"The starting bid is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars." Dick raises his hand. "We've got seven hundred fifty thousand."

"One million," someone says from the back.

"One and a quarter million," Dick says quickly. Too quickly.

"One and a half," the person from the back says. I want to turn and look, but I keep my eyes focused on McKenzie. She keeps wiping her hands down her dress.

I know she has to feel uncomfortable in that. It doesn't look like something she'd wear willingly. At least not the girl I remember from high school. The one that always made sure her skirt was long enough and her buttons were all done up. I'm sure her father made her wear it. The majority of those who are being sold wear revealing clothing to make them more appealing.

The bid gets up to four million. A third person has joined in on the bidding. I stay quiet and wait them out. Every auction I've been to, no one has been bought for more than four and a half, so it's almost time for me to throw in my hand.

"Four and a quarter," Dick says. It's silent after that.

"Going once, twice."

"Four and a half," I call out. Dick begins to turn around, but Marcus puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"What do you say to that, sir?" the auctioneer asks.

Dick looks from him to Marcus. "Four and three quarters," he says, but it's strained. The auctioneer looks at me.

"Five." I sound bored, but I'm anything but. I have been preparing for this for over five years. She will be mine.

"Five and one hundred thousand." Dick replies, sounding strained.

I snort. "Five and a half."

Dick shifts in his seat, and Marcus runs his hand through his hair. They were expecting the bidding to stop around four and a half. If my suspicions are right, I'm sure they were counting on it. I'm going to win.

"Five and six hundred thousand." Dick's voice is so low the auctioneer has to strain to hear him. The auctioneer looks between the two of us. I stay quiet.

"Going once, twice." Dick squirms in his seat. I shake my head. He thinks he's going to win. "So—"

"Six million," I say calmly. Dick squeaks, and the auctioneer looks from me to him. He shakes his head slightly, finally giving in.

"Sold, for six million." I stand and allow one of the ushers to escort me toward the front so I can claim my prize. As I pass the row with Dick and Marcus, I smirk at them and give them a small salute.