Page 116 of The Delta's Rogue
“Nine hundred and ninety-seven thousand!”
My feet spread slightly, and my upper body leans forward, hands wrapping around the backs of my thighs.
“One million dollars!”
A silent sob works its way out of my chest. My breasts sway, visible through the gap in my legs. The tears that have lingered on my lashes since before the platform began its ascent finally fall, streaking down my cheeks, and land on the wooden stage with two soft splashes. Two more follow in their wake, landing in the exact spots the first did.
“Two and a half million dollars!”
The price jumps again, prompting gasps from the audience at the steep climb.
My heart almost stops its galloping race, frozen in place by the massive number.
The murmurs and chatter continue, louder this time, but no further bids come in. I stand bent at the waist with my legs spread for Goddess only knows how long as everyone waits with bated breath to see if anyone else will match this bidder’s number.
The wait becomes an anchor around my feet, dragging me deeper into the frigid tides of my despondency. The blood rushing in my ears is the vicious whirlpool aiding in the drowning of my soul.
Lo siento, Sebastián,I whisper in my mind.
The auctioneer ramps up his selling of me, stretching out the moment to convince any on the fence bidders to make the jump to the next level.
I use my silent message to Sebastian to ignore him as much as I can.
I’m sorry I couldn’t wait for you, and I’m sorry you couldn’t find me. My love for you will never fade. I just wish we’d had more time.
The auctioneer bangs his gavel against his table, tearing me from my inner thoughts and sorrow. “Sold!” he exclaims. “Sold for two and a half million dollars to bidder number 831!”
Before he finishes speaking, my body straightens. I walk forward onto the platform, feet aching and knees trembling from the ridiculously high heels they forced me into. Everything swims in my vision as the platform descends beneath the stage, a result of both the tears pooling in my eyes and the exhaustion creeping up on me.
But my night is far from over.
The witches who finished getting me ready flank me as we traverse the halls, heading away from the stark plainness of the backstage area and into an elegantly carpeted hallway lined with gold-framed mirrors and expensive, intricate paintings. Which means the winner of my auction—my new owner—wants to enjoy me in private.
That thought rattles around in my brain.
Someoneownsme—some male with an unfathomable amount of disposable income and likely the same amount of free time on his hands to think up ways to torture me.
I strain my neck, fighting against the blood magic, but it’s no use. The pain and the shock of its power on me have all but faded, but I’m still powerless to move.
My fate awaits me behind the door Amara stands in front of.
She smiles at me and takes my face in her hands as the two witches open the door to the room. Beaming at me with suffocating pride, Amara leads me inside and spins us so I face the open door and the wall framing it. I see none of the room, catching only the faintest glimpse of the extra-large bed in the center, my eyes locked on Amara’s face.
“I can’t believe it!” she gushes as the other two witches leave. “I knew you would catch us a high roller, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would end like this!”
She pulls me in for a hug, her hands stroking my back as she rocks me side to side, once more emulating a doting mother like she’s done so many times before. Her touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I tense in her arms, breaths shaky as I refrain from pushing her away.
She leans away from me, hands on my shoulders. Her eyes shine with false tears as she brushes my hair from my face and arranges it around my shoulders and down my chest so it frames my breasts.
“Isowish I could stay to witness you meeting your Dom for the first time, but I have business to wrap up with some of our guests.” She cups my cheeks once more and presses a kiss to my forehead before backing away from me completely. “My sweet Anaís. Remember what I taught you. Make me proud.”
I stand in the middle of the room, frozen in place yet trembling as she leaves, teeth knocking together from the force of their chattering.
The door closes, and my eyes squeeze shut, hands curling into fists as I wait, naked body on display like a perfect little gift.
Inhaling sharply, I glance towards my clenched fists. I uncurl then close them again as I comprehend what is happening.
I canmove. There is nothing keeping me in place, no one controlling my body aside from myself.
