Page 13 of Wicked and Bound

Ethan acknowledged the boss with a nod, then grabbed his cell phone before ducking out of the conference room.

Three more women sold. Nash’s rage built with each transaction, each dehumanizing description, each moment these bastards treated people like products.

Ethan returned as the auctioneer’s voice changed, becoming almost reverent. “And now, gentlemen…the moment you’ve been waiting for. Our premium offerings. Our breeding stock.”

Nash gripped his laptop so tightly, he feared it might break.

“Easy,” Kane whispered. “Keep calm. We’re almost there.”

The auctioneer held up a finger. “And as usual, house rules for acquiring breeders apply, so do bear that in mind.”

House rules?“What the fuck does that mean?”

Across the table, Kane cursed and pounced on his keyboard. The collective mood in the conference room grew increasingly tense as he scanned his screen. “We just got access to this part of the site. I’m reading as fast as I can, but…”

“But?” Logan demanded.

Kane shook his head, clearly disturbed by whatever he was seeing.

The bidding commenced. The first breeder sold for a few million—nearly triple the previous prices. The second for even more. The buyers wanted youth, beauty, and fertility. Women who could be forced to bear children for fun, for profit, for bragging rights.

“Found anything yet?” Nash demanded of Kane.

His fellow operative never raised his head, just kept sweeping his stare across the screen. “There are nearly a hundred fucking pages of policies, rules, and bullshit. I’m reading as fast as I can.”

“Lot twenty-three,” the auctioneer announced. “Our final lot. A special acquisition.”

Haisley stumbled onto the stage, clearly pushed by someone behind the curtain.

Nash stopped breathing.

She wore a slip of silk that left little to the imagination, but it was her eyes that gutted him. Fierce. Defiant. Terrified. She held herself rigid as the auctioneer forced her to turn, to demonstrate her “attributes.”

“Read faster,” Nash growled. They couldn’t afford to fuck themselves out of ignorance.

“The bidding for this one will be fierce, gentlemen. Twenty-eight years old. Absolutely stunning—and a natural redhead. Excellent health. One previous pregnancy, so she’s proven fertile.”

The words were a blow to Nash’s solar plexus. His world tilted sideways. Haisley had been pregnant at one point? When? During her wild teenage years? During their two years apart? How had he not known? His mind raced. Haisley pregnant? Carrying a baby she’d never mentioned? Something that monumental, that life-changing… His chest constricted with amixture of shock and an emotion he couldn’t name. What had happened? Where was that child? And why hadn’t she told him anything?

Now wasn’t the time to speculate. As soon as he got her back, he’d get answers.

For now, Nash tried to calm his trembling hands as he swiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. Matt shot Trees a worried look across the table. His brother gave a subtle nod in return.

Kane shifted closer, his shoulder brushing Nash’s, ready to take over the bidding if needed. Ethan kept his eyes firmly fixed on his own screen, offering Nash privacy to deal with his emotional struggle. Hunter stopped his pacing to stand behind Nash’s chair, a silent pillar of support he was oddly grateful for.

The auctioneer continued his grotesque sales pitch. “Not only is she a natural beauty, she has a spirited temperament for those who enjoy…taming their acquisitions.”

Nash’s vision went red.

Hunter dropped a stabilizing hand on his shoulder. “Focus. The goal now is to get her back. We’ll right the rest of the wrongs as soon as we can.”

“We’ll kill all these sick bastards,” Trees snarled.

Logan nodded. “Every last one.”

“Get ready, gentlemen,” the auctioneer said with a lewd smile. “Bidding begins at one million dollars.”

Nash—logged in as JasperTheDick—entered his first bid. Another user, EmirVIP, immediately countered. Then someone who called himself Sultan_479 joined in.

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