Page 28 of Fractured Devotion

“We’re going to have to stash them somewhere. Half of them can barely walk, Alex.”

Scrubbing my hand down my face, I sighed. “Fuck. I don’t know what to do. We can’t leave to get them to safety, but I don’t want to leave them here either. Carmela would have my ass if she knew we left them here to die.”

“I’ll take them out,” Lorenzo spoke as he pushed further into the room. “The three of you can keep moving forward.” Lorenzo tucked the tools back into his backpack and slung it over his back. “Can you four walk?” He spoke to one of the girls cowering in the metal prison. Despite the haze coating her eyes, she nodded.

“Are you sure, brother?” Sofia furrowed her brow, a look of worry crossing her features.

“Why don’t you and Miguel help him?” I glanced between her and Miguel. “I’ll keep looking for Carmela, and you can come back once you get them in the van.” We’d left our transportation tucked in the woods not too far from the compound. Seeing the state they were in, I didn’t have any concerns that they would try to steal the vehicle. Besides, Sofia had the keys.

Sofia glanced at Miguel, then at her brother, who both gave a quick nod of agreement. “Okay. Don’t get yourself killed, Alex. Carmela would gut me if something happened to you.”

The shuffling footsteps of the departing women faded into the distance, and the silence became a thick blanket, suffocating in its intensity. I waited, my breath shallow, listening for the echo of voices or the telltale creak of a floorboard that would signal I wasn’t alone. Seconds stretched out, each one a lifetime until I was certain—the corridor outside was mine, if only for a moment.

Slipping into the shadows, I made my way through the dimly lit hallway. We had some idea of the layout thanks to the man on the inside. The sounds of voices slowly ebbed from the doorway I was approaching. Easing through the wooden barrier, I pressed against the far wall. Hidden among the men, I took several deep breaths to quell the burning rage inside my chest as I watched them parade drug-laden women onto the stage.

“And now, gentlemen, what we have here is a true-blue princess,” announced the man in the center of the room with a sneer. “This spirited lady requires someone who can break her defiant spirit. She’s got a taste for the rougher side, making her catch for any man with a taste of the darker depravities. Bidding starts at half a million dollars.”

Paddles went into the air as men vied for her ownership. With every hand that held up the wooden number, my mind cataloged the faces of the walking dead. As the commission for the newcomer’s body rose, a final call of one and a half million dollars bellowed into the room. The man’s Cheshire-like smile made my skin crawl. But just as the auctioneer made one last call, a new voice carried above the noise.

“Three million dollars.”

The room was blanketed in silence as men turned to see who had entered the game with undoubtedly the largest bid of the night. He stepped out of the shadows and spoke again.

“Three million dollars.”

Shifting my gaze, I scanned the room. I waited with bated breath to see if anyone dared to go against his offer. When the last call for any other bidders was uttered, I moved closer, trying to see who had made such a ludicrous offer for the woman on the stage. Unable to get a clear look at the bidder, my focus shifted to the woman. Nothing could have prepared me for who I found clutched beneath the fluorescent lights. Carmela wobbled to her feet, clearly under the influence. But what had my blood boiling with fury were the fresh bruises and cuts covering her once flawless skin.

“Looks like you’ve got a home, Princess.” He pushed her down the steps and forcefully guided Carmela into a small room off the main auction room.

I was about to move forward when a man pressed up behind me, stopping me in my tracks. “Don’t. You’ll only put her in more danger if you react now.” I threw a glare over my shoulder at the man who had issued the warning. “I’m here to help her,” he said firmly. “I’ve just paid a handsome sum to secure your girl’s release. Just give me a little time, Alex, and soon enough, she and I will be walking out of here together.”

Before I could react, he disappeared into the throng of men gathering for the next auction. I could only assume this was the friend Sofia had mentioned. If not… he was going to be the next person I put a bullet into.

sixteen

CARMELA

Lipovsky was ungentle, almost brusque, as he shoved me toward Andrei. Together, they navigated me through the compound until we reached our destination. The moment the threshold of the new room was crossed, a cold sense of dread settled in the pit of my stomach. Around a small, spot-lit stage, a cadre of men loomed like sharks waiting for their feeding. With a forceful hand, Andrei nudged me toward the stairs ascending to that glaring platform.

My gaze flitted across the sea of faces, each one a mask of anticipation. My breath stalled in my chest when I spotted a man at the far end of the room, his eyes anchored on me. For a fleeting second, I questioned my own senses—could they have slipped me something, creating a drug-induced illusion? But the slight nod of his head confirmed the truth. There, amidst the throng, was my mentor, Harlen Drago, his stare laced with silent fury.

“And now, gentlemen, what we have here is a true-blue princess,” announced the man in the center with a sneer. “This spirited lady requires someone who can break her defiant spirit. She’s got a taste for the rougher side, making her catch for any man with a taste of the darker depravities. Bidding starts at half a million dollars.”

Paddles went into the air as men vied for my ownership. With every hand that held up the wooden number, my mind cataloged the faces of the walking dead. As the commission for my body rose, a final call of one and a half million dollars bellowed into the room. The man’s Cheshire-like smile made my skin crawl. But just as the auctioneer made one last call, Harlan’s voice carried above the noise.

“Three million dollars.”

The room was blanketed in silence as men turned to see who had entered the game with undoubtedly the largest bid of the night. He stepped out of the shadows and spoke again.

“Three million dollars.”

I waited with bated breath to see if anyone dared to go against his offer. When the last call for any other bidders was uttered, I nearly fell to my knees when the man motioned to Harlen, congratulating him on the winning bid. Andrei climbed the steps and snatched me by the arm.

“Looks like you’ve got a home, Princess.” He pushed me down the steps and forcefully guided me into a small room off the main auction room. “Wait here. I need to make sure the money is transferred before your owner collects you.”

Slamming me inside the confines of the tiny space, I took several deep breaths and looked around. I had to believe Harlen’s presence in Columbia was on purpose. We’d spoken of the possibility I might need him here, but I hadn’t called him—so who had?

The sounds of the lock and the hinges squeaking forced me to turn. Harlen stepped through, followed by the man I’d traded my soul to find—Aleski Lipovsky. Andrei smirked as he tugged the door closed.

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