15. Kali

15

KALI

M y heart pounds as I step into the auction house. The memory of last night still lingers under my skin. It was the most passionate encounter of my life, even if it was with a certifiably insane man who played a part in my captivity.

Is this what Stockholm Syndrome feels like?

I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts as I walk to the end of the chained train, Luna in the middle and Alice at the front. My mind is consumed by the events of last night, replaying Matias's rough caresses and hungry kisses over and over. A part of me is disgusted by the twisted pleasure I took in submitting to him. In contrast, another part aches to experience it again.

I hadn't noticed all the men surrounding us until a crude comment from one snaps me back to reality.

"Can't wait to break you in myself, sweetheart."

The remark comes from a stocky man with a scraggly beard, his tongue sliding over chapped lips as he undresses me with his eyes. Revulsion washes over me as several others join in with equally vile catcalls and gestures.

Bile rises in my throat as I'm reminded of the degrading fate that awaits us at the auction block. To be sold off and used like mere objects, our humanity stripped away. A tremor runs through me, my steps faltering.

Although Alice says that Taren intends to stop the auction, many things could go wrong.

Luna glances back, her hazel eyes filled with a fierce determination that steadies me. We may be chained, but our spirits remain unbroken.

I lift my chin, refusing to cower before these vile men. We're more than just bodies to be bought and sold. We are warriors.

As we're ushered into the middle of the room, the air thick with the stench of sweat and desperation, I steel myself for the ordeal ahead. No matter what fresh horrors await, we will survive. And perhaps, just perhaps, a part of me still clings to the faint hope of seeing Matias again, no matter how twisted that desire may be.

A guard moves forward and unchains the three of us. "Sit," he barks, nodding at the three wooden stools in the center of the room.

"We've got an hour. Let's check that these girls are ready," the stocky man suggests, glaring at me.

The guard who unlocked our chains smirks. "Stand," he demands.

I grind my teeth and stand.

"Hop on one foot," the other man orders.

The rest of the guards chuckle as we're forced to act like circus animals for them. My leg aches, but I continue to hop like a fucking rabbit. The thought reminds me of Matias's nickname for me. Rabbit. I don't know why that nickname gets me so worked up, as I know he calls me it because he sees me as this helpless prey animal.

After about five minutes, the burly guard smirks. "Kneel," he growls.

Fucking dickhead.

I drop to my knees, and my stomach drops when the same guard unzips his pants. All the while, his horrible, beady eyesare fixed on me. "You," His eyes remain on me. "Open your mouth."

Sickness coils through me; all I can think of is Matias. The same bastard who has treated me like shit since we met, and I want him here now more than ever. He wouldn't allow this man to do this to me if he were.

Instead of doing as I'm told, I remain frozen, staring at him.

"I said, open your fucking mouth, whore." He steps closer, his horrible stubby little dick an inch from my mouth. He smells of body odor and stale beer. "Now."

"Carlos! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"Taren growls, making relief seize around my heart.

Since Taren took over our training, he has always stopped anyone from taking advantage of us, at least if he witnessed it.

Carlos steps back and stuffs his disgusting cock back in his pants. "Wanted to make sure the girls are ready."

Taren steps forward. "That's not your job," he says. "I've already made sure they're ready." I notice Taren glance at us, his gaze lingering on Alice. It always does. He cares about her in his own fucked up way, just like I'm sure Matias cares for me. "To your stations," Taren commands.

I'm thankful when the guards leave the room, especially the horrible man who tried to make me suck his cock.

Taren walks toward us. "Did they touch you?" he growls, gaze fixed on Alice.

Alice shakes her head. "No."

"Good, or I would've ripped his throat out."

Luna and I exchange glances. There's something between Alice and Taren. According to Alice, Taren is going to stop the auction. I have no idea how. Matias didn't mention it, so perhaps he's not in on Taren's plan.

"We might die," Alice murmurs and my brow furrows as I look at them.

Taren's jaw clenches, and he whispers something to her, but I can't make it out.

She mutters something back.

Suddenly, Thiago appears. "Taren, it's time."

I notice how Thiago's attention lingers on Luna, his jaw clenching.

"Keep your heads down when it all goes to shit," Taren instructs before walking out .

"Is there something going on with you and Thiago?" Alice asks.

My attention moves to Luna, and she's already blushing.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she murmurs.

"You like him?" Alice asks.

She sighs. "What the hell. I know I accused you of Stockholm Syndrome, but I've fallen into the trap, too."

I tense because I know I have, too, even though Matias is the most unhinged of the three men. "Maybe I have, too," I admit.

Alice frowns at me. "What?"

I shake my head, hugging my arms around myself because I know how wrong that is. Matias is a predator. A violent, psychopathic man who has tormented me since the moment he set eyes on me. "I don't know. I'm feeling fucked up."

Alice places a hand on my shoulder. "Kali, you don't have to figure it out now. We're all in strange waters here."

Luna nods. "It's okay, Kali. We're with you, no matter what."

I look at my friends, and tears fill my eyes. Their words mean so much, but they could never understand the inner turmoil. And I can't find the words to reply. We all fall into silence.

"Whatever happens," Alice says. "We stick together. We fight together."

I nod, a flood of determination running through my veins. We're about to be in the middle of a fucking cartel war, and anything could go wrong. If we make it out alive, then it'll be a miracle. But I must believe we're strong enough to survive after everything we've endured.

It feels like forever ticks by until we all hear distant gunshots.

Alice clears her throat. "This is it."

"Shit," Luna says, her face paling.

I hate myself for wondering where Matias is and if he's okay. Anyone could get caught in the crossfire. And the fact is, Taren might fail.

The gunshots echo through the auction house, shattering the tense silence. Chaos erupts as people start scrambling and shouting. Amid the commotion, a man in a black suit suddenly appears, his eyes fixed on Alice.

"No!" I cry out, lunging forward to stop him, but he swiftly pulls a gun and aims it at me.

"Don't even think about it, sweetheart," he growls, his finger tightening on the trigger.

I freeze, my heart pounding in my ears. Luna grabs my arm, her eyes wide with fear.

The man turns his attention back to Alice, who's shrinking away from him. "Time to go," he barks, grabbing her roughly by the arm.

"Let her go!" I yell, my voice cracking with desperation. I can't bear the thought of being separated from another one of my friends.

The man sneers at me. "Shut up, or I'll put a bullet in your pretty little head." He drags Alice out of the holding room.

I look to Luna, my mind racing. We've got to do something, but with a gun pointed at us, our options are severely limited. I clench my fists, hating how helpless I am.

As the man nears the door, a loud commotion erupts nearby. Gunshots ring out. The man's grip on Alice momentarily loosens.

"Now!" Luna yells, and without hesitation, we both lunge at the man to pry Alice free from his grasp.

The man swings the gun around, shoving us back with a furious roar. "I said, stay back!" He tightens his grip on Alice, dragging her out of the holding room and into the main auction house.

I watch in horror as they disappear through the door, Alice's terrified gaze burning into my soul. Panic and despair threaten to overwhelm me, but I refuse to give in. We have to find a way to save her.

Turning to Luna, I see the same fierce determination in her eyes. "We have to go after her," I say, my voice trembling with emotion.

Luna nods, her jaw set. "Then let's go."

Without another word, we race toward the door, only to find that the bastard has locked it on his way out.

"Fuck! We're locked in here," I shout.

Luna's face pales. "We must have faith that Taren's plan will work out." Her throat bobs as she swallows. "He won't let anything happen to Alice."

I pace the locked room, my heart pounding in my ears. While I want to believe Taren will save Alice, I can't shake the sinking feeling that he's not entirely in control. He's going up against his boss, Ileana Navarro.

The distant sound of gunfire and chaos heightens my anxiety. I need to do something, anything, to help my friend. But with the door locked, we're trapped like caged animals.

Turning to Luna, I see the same worry etched on her face. "We've got to find a way out of here," I say, my voice laced with desperation.

She nods, her brow furrowed in concentration. "There has to be another exit, something we're missing." Her gaze sweeps the room, searching for any sign of an escape route.

I join her, eyes scanning every inch of the small holding cell. The walls are bare except for a single barred window above our reach. The door is our only way out, and it's locked tight.

Frustration bubbles within me, and I kick the solid door in a futile attempt to break free. The impact sends a jolt of pain up my leg, but I barely feel it, my mind consumed by the need to save Alice.

"Kali, stop!" Luna grabs my arm, her eyes pleading. "Hurting yourself won't help."

I know she's right.

Sensing my distress, Luna pulls me into a tight embrace. "We'll find a way, I promise. We won't leave her behind."

Suddenly, the door to the holding room swings open, and Alice walks in. Luna rushes toward her. "Thank God you're okay!" She hugs her.

My eyes are drawn to the man behind her.

Matias.

It's the first time I've seen him today. And the smirk on his lips makes my stomach twist.

"Hey, little rabbit," he mouths.

A shiver races down my spine. I can't draw my attention elsewhere, even as Thiago moves to Luna and kisses her. I'm caught in the wolf's gaze.

Matias clears his throat, eyes fixed on me. "Where's my kiss?"

That comment snaps me out of my daze, and I shake my head, unable to show my affection for him openly in front of my friends. "I'd rather gouge my eyeballs out."

His expression darkens. "It didn't seem like it last night."

Thiago grabs his arm. "We need to get out there and end this."

Matias sobers and nods, holding his machine gun as they both disappear without another word.

I watch with a mixture of relief and disappointment as Matias and Thiago disappear back into the chaos. A part of me hates myself for feeling let down that he didn't force me to kiss him like he's done before.

What is wrong with me?

This man has tormented me, broken me, and treated me like an object. Yet, I crave his attention, his touch, his... domination.

I shake my head, trying to clear my shameful thoughts. I should be grateful he's gone, that I'm safe, at least for now. But the ache in my core tells a different story.

Alice turns to us. "I've got to find Taren."

I shake my head. "You heard Thiago. It's too dangerous out there."

"I'm not sitting here doing nothing because if he..." Alice doesn't finish that sentence, but we all know what she was about to say—if he dies.

"You going out there might distract him more. Consider that," Luna interjects.

"You cannot persuade me otherwise. I'll see you when this ends." Alice turns to leave.

"Alice," Luna says, forcing Alice to glance backward. "Be careful."

She nods before sprinting out of the room, leaving us alone again. Luna and I glance at each other.

"What now, then?" she asks.

I pace the room, my nerves fraying with each passing second. Sitting here feels like the worst kind of torture.

I turn to Luna. "We can't just sit here and wait. If things go wrong, we need a way to get out of this auction house. The door is no longer locked, so we can find an escape route."

Luna nods, her expression mirroring my resolve. "I'm with you. We can try to find a way to help Alice."

Without another word, we rush toward the open door. The sounds of gunfire and shouting grow louder as we step out into the pandemonium of the auction house.

Debris litters the floor, and people are scrambling in all directions, desperate to escape the violence. I scan the room, searching for any sign of Alice or the guys, but the chaos makes it difficult to discern anything.

Suddenly, a figure emerges from the smoke. Matias, his dark eyes fixed on me, a predatory grin spreading across his lips.

"Well, look who decided to join the fun," he purrs.

I instinctively step back, but Luna places a hand on my arm, holding me in place. "We're not here to play your games, Matias," she says, her voice steady.

Matias chuckles, his gaze never leaving mine. "Oh, but the game has only just begun." He takes a step forward, and I can't help but feel drawn to him.

I open my mouth to respond, but the sound of a gunshot nearby makes me cringe. Matias takes advantage of my distraction, closing the distance between us and grabbing my arm.

"Time to go," he breathes.

I struggle against his grip, but his hold is unyielding. "Let me go!" I cry.

Matias leans in, his lips brushing against my cheek. "Never," he whispers, and I can't help but shiver at the promise in his words, hoping it's the truth.