Page 11 of Auctioned to the Titan

“You don’t like the food?”

“It’s just…why are you doing this? What do you want from me?”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Of course. She doesn’t trust me. Why would she? She’s been through God knows what, sold off like an object in a place like that, and now she’s in the house of her buyer. The fact that she even managed to sleep here... it must have been pure exhaustion.

Without a word, I start to make her a plate with a little bit of everything. Maybe if I continue to show her small acts of kindness, we can build the trust between us.

I gently slide the plate of food onto the table in front of her. Her lips part slightly but she closes them again.

“Uh. Thanks.”

“My name’s Damon Blackwell,” I start. “But you already know that. I’m a businessman—tech, finance, real estate. I don’t have a favorite color, but I wear a lot of black.”

“What…what’re you doing?”

I pause and look at her. “You asked what I wanted from you. I’d like for us to get to know each other.”

Once again, she looks like I’ve just said the most surprising thing.

Does she get surprised very easily, or have the men in her life treated her any less than this? If it’s the latter, they deserve a death sentence.

I continue. “My parents died when I was young, care accident, so I don’t have any close family. Or close friends for that matter.” Alice looks up, sympathy brimming in her eyes, and I clear my throat. “I hate peanuts, and I like to travel, which is a good thing since I do so frequently.” My voice drops as I add, “Though I think I’ve found a reason to stick around.”

Her eyes light up, and she allows herself a small smile before it dims.

“You also buy girls in auction houses.”

Oh.That’swhat this is about.

I make sure I meet her eyes when I say, “I was at the auction house to end a business partnership with a man I can’t trust anymore. I never expected to meet someone like you.”

“What is it about me?”

“You captured me.”

She clears her throat and when she looks at me again, the shy smile that appeared is gone again. “And what is it you want with me?”

Even though I don’t want to scare her, I don’t want to be dishonest with her either.

“To fuck you. That’s for sure.” I ignore her silent gasp and continue, “To make you mine. I want to make sure you want for nothing, that whatever you need, whatever you want, it’s yours. I want to make sure no one will ever hurt you, and you’ll never have to do anything you don’t want to do again.”

“Why?”

I nudge her plate of food, knowing she must be hungry. “I don’t have a reason. At least not one I can explain in words.”

She stares at the plate for a few seconds then with a deep breath, she picks up the fork and takes a bite. I watch her carefully as she swallows.

“My full name is Alice Cramer. I was accepted into art school, but I had to defer until next semester. At least I hope I can go then. I…” she pauses. “I don’t have any family besides my father.”

“Does he know you work at the auction house?”

Her eyes glisten and she takes another bite of the pancake with a small sniff. “He’s... the one who…gave me away.”

My breath catches in my chest, and I feel a wave of heat rise through me, but I keep my expression blank. “He gave you away?” I repeat, my voice cold.

Her hands tremble slightly, and she places them in her lap. “He couldn’t pay his debt to Mr. Kirk so he…sort of offered me instead.”

Her words slice through the air, and the pain in her voice makes my blood boil. The thought of anyone doing that to her makes my hands tighten into fists under the table. I want to find her father, whoever he is, and detach his head from his body.

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