Page 16 of Maxim

Men and women alike begin to bid on the little fawn. When she starts to sway side to side and becomes as white as a sheet of paper, I act without thinking, raising the paddle in my hand that was meant for show.

As soon as the auctioneer points to me, acknowledging my bid, I feel eyes on me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her father smirk.

That sick bastard. That’s what he meant when he said he hoped I saw something worth bidding on tonight. He knew I’d see her.

I don’t even think about it as I raise my hand bid after bid until I’m the only one left and the auctioneer declares her as mine.

Jesus Christ, this wasn’t part of the plan. I was never supposed to buy someone.

Worst of all, though, one thought rolls through my mind on repeat. Does this make me as bad as everyone else in the room?

“Mr. Boyko is now the owner of this fine specimen!” the auctioneer cheers as the crowd starts to grumble with displeasure.

My body trembles as I blink rapidly to try and clear my vision enough to see who the man in the back is. His name rings a bell, but I’m not sure why.

Who is he? Do I know him? And the biggest question of all, why did he buy me?

I must stand frozen for too long because someone comes up and grabs me by the arm. Instinctively, I try to jerk out of his hold, but it’s no use. He drags me offstage and into a private room. As soon as the door clicks shut behind him, I walk across the room and into the corner. Turning, I face the door before falling to the floor.

Oh god, what’s happening to me?

I rub my chest as I try to breathe, but I feel like I can’t get any air. At the same time, I feel like my body is on fire and cold at the same time, something I didn’t even know was possible. I knowI need to move and try to escape, but I can’t. My body is frozen with fear.

This is really happening.

My father let someone buy me. He sold his own daughter.

Did he…

The sound of the lock turning on the door makes me flinch and cower further into the corner. When Father steps inside, my breath catches when I see his face.

For some reason he looks…pleased?

“Oh, Olena…”

“F-father.”

He frowns, shaking his head. “Enough of the stuttering, and why are you in the corner? Get up now.”

I bite my tongue to stop myself from yelling that I don’t think I can move and instead do as he asks. Only instead of standing, I crawl over to the couch and pull myself up.

Father tsks. “I hope you listen better for Mr. Boyko, but if you don’t, he will be pleased. I’ve been told he enjoys the defiant ones. He has ways of punishing them until they break.”

My body shivers at his words.

“Father, please, I’ve learned my lesson. Don’t make me go with him,” I plead.

“Olena, pull yourself together. Do you really think I would turn down the million dollars you just made me? You will go with Mr. Boyko and do exactly what he says. You will be everything he wants, and then when your time is up, he will come back and buy another. Who knows, maybe it will be your sister,” he muses.

“No! You can’t sell her. She’s just a child!” I shout.

Father’s eyes narrow. “You will not take that tone with me, Olena, and may I remind you that you cannot tell me what I can and cannot do with my children. Surely you would have figured that out by now.”

“Father…”

“Enough,” he says harshly. He takes a moment to gather himself before continuing. “If you are good and Mr. Boyko doesn’t have any complaints when I check in with him, then I will take it easy on the children. You step out of line, and I will take it out on them. Do you understand?”

I lick my lips and nod as tears roll down my face.

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