Page 25 of Playing For Keeps
We’re eternally connected. I’m forever in love with him, and nothing can take that away from us. That realization is so profound that tears leak from my eyes.
“Your name is not Red.”
The stern tone rips me from my solace, and I jerk. My eyes pop open. Alexander is kneeling and peering at me.
I scoot back, pushing up as I do. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I just got out of a meeting. There are two women here waiting for your brother to give in to their demands. If he doesn’t, you’re being sold off tomorrow.”
“What?”
Alexander’s blue eyes grow dark. “If you want a sliver of a chance to get out of here and back with the ones you love, you best come clean with me.”
“Xander, what the fuck are you doing?” The guy from earlier with the light-brown hair stands in the split of the drapes at the front of my room.
Xander?
He rises to his feet, facing the man.
In his strange foreign accent that I can’t place, he says, “She needs to use the restroom. I was suspicious of her reason and told her she needed to be straight with me. If she pulls any funny business, she can kiss her loved ones goodbye.”
The lighter-haired guy peeks around Alex… Xander… It doesn’t matter. The fact remains, the man who seems to be running this place is glaring down at me.
He strides to the side of my bed and sinks into a crouching position. “So you think you’re smarter than anyone here. Is that the case…Dori?”
Chills scatter over my skin. They know who I am.
My brain scrambles for some control. “No. I don’t know why you think that.”
“Because I’ve been told you don’t respond well to orders.”
“Mort, back off. You need her well.” Alexander nudges his shoulder. “Let me take her to the restroom, and you can figure out what we need to do until tomorrow.”
This Mort guy turns his head up in Alexander’s direction as he rises. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“I wasn’t. I just know we need her untouched and with no marks left on her. If you get started, there’s no saying what will happen. If her brother doesn’t come through, she’s all yours before the auction.”
Mort nods as he whistles through his teeth. “Here’s hoping her brother lets her down.”
“Exactly.” Xander holds his evil stare. “I won’t touch her. You have my word.”
Mort looks down at me with something sinister in his eyes. “And if things go well for us, I’ll even share her with you. Imagine her taking us both at the same time. She’ll squeal like a banshee gone mad.”
My stomach rolls. Aiden better not let me down. I don’t know what Hunter’s mom is asking for, but Aiden better givein to her demands. Otherwise, it sounds as if I’ll end up a stuffed pawn for Mort right before I get sold to the highest bidder.
The only thing I might have going for me is I’m older than most girls in a sex trafficking auction. At least I think I am.
Mort slaps Xander on the shoulder. “If things go my way, we’ll take her at the same time. It’ll be your final initiation. After that, you can meet the buyers and start running the auctions yourself. I told you the wait would be worth your while.”
Mort strolls out of the room.
Xander doesn’t move until Mort’s gone. Once he’s out of the area, Xander flicks his gaze to me.
“I’m taking you to the restroom.” He gets on his knees and sticks a key into the lock of my chains that’s bolted to the floor.
He picks them up and slips through the drapes, pulling my restraints and dragging me along.
I rush to his side. “Xander, you can’t let them sell me off.”
