Page 20 of Savage Assassin

I have to fix this.

There’s not much to hear, as I make my way around the room. Most of the conversation focuses on the auction, on the types of girls the men are hoping Diego has to offer, the things they’ll do to them–all conversations that make me sick to my fucking stomach. If I had my way, I’d burn the place down with every one of these fuckers trapped inside.

Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards today.

There’s one other thing I need to do before the auction starts, and that’s look for an escape route. Myplanis to do this all by the book, to buy Elena and make it appear as if everything is fine, as if I’m just another billionaire with his new acquisition until we can both leave normally. But if things go upside down as they’ve been wont to do lately, I want to know that we have a way out.

That what happened at the Santiago mansion won’t happen again.

Diego’s home is well-guarded. I manage to get a decent idea of the layout of the first floor by pretending to get lost looking for a restroom. That quick bit of recon only reinforces my determination to keep this from going badly by any means necessary. If Elena and I have to escape, it won’t be easy–and I’m not entirely sure that it will be successful.

I’m in the lion’s den now. We only get one shot at this. If we get caught, not only will things be worse for Elena, but I’ll be dead. I have no doubt that Diego will make certain of that.

The best plan is the one that Ricardo and I came up with from the start–that I’ll sit through the auction, ensure that Elena is “mine” by whatever means necessary, and then play the game until I can leave with my new “purchase” along with the others.

I’d rather fight my way out, if I’m being honest, but that’s the option most likely to get me–or both of us–killed. I’ve learned many times over the years that sometimes the best plan is the quietest one.

A sound from the entrance to the courtyard catches my attention, as the crowd splits apart. It takes me a brief moment to realize what’s going on, and then I see four well-armed guards in fatigues walking in, and behind them, a line of women.

“For your viewing pleasure, before the bidding starts in one hour!” A short, rotund man in a black suit speaks from beside the arched entrance. “Look over the merchandise, gentlemen, but don’t touch! If you wish to examine any of them more closely, please speak to one of the guards, and they will assist you.”

I look for Elena immediately. There are about twenty women in all, a few of them brunette, and I look for her thick dark hair and pretty, heart-shaped face in particular, trying to pick her out.

When I do see her, she’s directly in the center of the line. I can see the tight set of her jaw, the way her lips are pressed thinly together as she’s guided with the rest to the far end of the courtyard and lined up with the others, as the crowd waits for the signal that they’re allowed to approach.

It feels very much like being in the middle of a slavering pack of hunting dogs.

All of the women are wearing the same thing–what looks like an ivory-colored silk slip dress with thin straps and a hemline that barely reaches the tops of their thighs, with lace edging. It looks as if someone took the time to try to style their hair–some differently than others, but other than that, they look clean and bare-faced, standing there looking nervously from side to side as the men start to approach.

I know I can’t go directly to Elena without possibly causing some suspicion, regardless of how much I want to. Besides, there’s already a line forming to look at her, which makes me instantly concerned. Ricardo gave me access to an absolutely ridiculous amount of money to purchase her, butallthe men here are rich. I doubt I’ll be outbid, but it very well might use up all of her father’s liquid resources and then some.

I’m prepared, if need be, to add some of my own to get her out of here. I would have been willing to, no matter what, but seeing the men approaching her only emphasizes the need to make sure that she leaves with me regardless of the cost. The interest in her is overwhelming, exactly as Diego had expected that it would be.

“She looks familiar,” I hear one of the men near Elena say as I pretend to look a little more closely at the woman standing in front of me, a pretty redhead who looks past me as if I’m not even there, her expression blank. “It can’t be–surely not–”

So Diego is leaving the big reveal for the auction itself, in order to drive up the bidding.He’s a shrewd businessman, which will make this more difficult. He’s aware of the motivations and tics that his prospective customers have, and he’s set this auction up to play to those to the fullest. But I also have some idea of how this game is played.

Viktor never auctioned women like this, in the days when he still participated in the trafficking business. But I saw and heard plenty of his clients, and I also know how they think. The things that they want that make them empty their pockets. I can anticipate some of what Diego is doing, too.

I linger as I walk past each woman in the line, pretending to be looking at each of them with interest as I approach Elena. A tall blonde with sharp features and hazel eyes looks directly at me as I stop in front of her, her lips curving prettily in an attempt at an enticing smile.

“You look handsome,” she murmurs. “I’d rather go with you than one of these old pricks. Buy me, and I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”

“No talking!” A guard from a few feet away from her steps forward, smacking her on the backs of her thighs with a leather strap–not hard enough to mark her, but hard enough to make her jump a little, with a sharp, startled squeal.

I have to bite back my instant reaction. I want to chastise him, to tell him that’s not necessary, but it would make me stand out. Not another man here would care about that, and ifIcare, it singles me out–if I show it, at least.

I have to force myself to keep walking. I can’t risk Elena’s freedom.

She sees me when I approach. For a fraction of a second, her eyes widen in shock and recognition, but her face goes blank so quickly that I doubt anyone else saw. It surprises me, actually, because it’s rare for anyone to have such good command of their emotions without training.

I worried that she might give away that she recognized me, but it was impossible not to go up to the line of women–that would have seemed suspicious, too. I’d had to trust that she would understand, that she could manage to play a game that she didn’t even know she was in, and she’d pulled it off beautifully.

Once again, as I look at her, I feel that spark of interest, of curiosity. There’s more to this girl than I’m aware of; I’m certain of it. Already in the brief time I’ve known her, she’s managed to startle and impress me more than I would have ever expected.

Her lips press tightly together as I stop in front of her, her gaze canting to one side. I know she’s trying to hold back everything she wants to say, the pleas for my help, the questions about why I’m here, about what the plan is. I know she’s trying not to look at me so that she won’t accidentally let that flash of resignation show again. And I also know that I need to make this as quick as I can, without giving anything away.

I want to give her some hope. I want to give her something to hold onto, through what I know must be the most frightening experience of her life.

---