Page 39 of Concealed Deception

“I see Quinn has done her job well.Leave us.”He dismisses her.She scurries from the room with her head bowed and out of sight.

“That dress looks stunning on you, Savannah.You’ll fetch me a good price.Shame about the shoes though, isn’t it?After my men found broken heels on you in the plane, I made sure there was nothing you could use to harm my men on another of your escape attempts.”

I stay quiet.My natural reaction would have me arguing, yet all I’m thinking about is the next time I’m going to be injected with something.

“Calm down, Ava.You’ll get your next hit soon after the auction.I need you well enough to stand in front of potential buyers.If they think you’re a junked up little whore, they won’t pay as much.”

I take in his words and wish time was on my side.

His men come into the room and take me to where I need to be.An idea strikes right as I’m pushed into an empty room.I see multiple cameras and assume this is where all of the bidders get to see me.

I put on a goofy smile and sway side to side.I pretend to speak to people like they’re in the room with me and not on the other side of a screen.I speak quietly as if I’ve got a secret.I make myself look unstable in hopes to drag this process out.

The door bangs open, and I’m dragged from the room.This time, I kick and scream.I don’t want to be put back in the cage like an animal.I want to get out of here.

“Stop your squirming, slut.You’re lucky someone showed an interest in you, or you’d be back in your cage, begging for mercy.”

My shock is enough for him to push me back into the room Quinn helped me in then locks the door behind me.

I can only hope I’m strong enough to withstand what comes next.

I lie on the bed, closing my eyes, hoping the unconscious state I’m familiar with takes hold, however, my brain is too wired from waiting for the next hit I was promised.It’s a peculiar sensation, one I wish to forget, though it’s completely out of my control.

I’m useless to save myself; despite the short amount of water I drank, I’m still fragile and weak.Moving on my own hurts tremendously, like someone’s trying to pry my bones from my body, while at the same time my flesh is being stabbed from within by tiny needles.

I roll on my side in agony and concede defeat.At least the feather soft pillows ease some of my discomfort.As I slide my hand under the pillow, my entire body stiffens.Something foreign lies within my grasp and I’m hesitant to find out if it’s good or bad.

Forcing myself to try, my fingers graze along something cold, smooth, and sharp.I touch the item more to get a better impression on what it could possibly be, then silently thank Quinn for risking her life to give me a chance at saving mine.She’s the only one who could have put the item there.

I may not have my stiletto’s heels as an option this time, but the small pair of pointed scissors Quinn has hidden might just give me a new lease of life.

Twenty-Three

Xander

Before we boarded my private jet in New York to fly to a private LAX airstrip, I made sure Tony had everything he needed to make this plan work.Including Lacey.We brought her with us to ensure this plan goes off without a hitch.She now has long, dark hair and hazel contacts to mimic Ava’s appearance and to be used as bait.

Time hasn’t slowed Camille down, either.She’s a genius on a computer, just like she said.We have her to thank for bringing us to California.She’s managed to bring up old offshore accounts, which showed us exactly what we needed to get ahead.

With the hundreds of thousands of dollars that were transferred on a regular basis, it was the twenty-two-point-eight million that had her digging deeper.

With help from Tony, they located a property here in San Francisco, different to where we originally pinned William, under the name of Denis Stanford.The bastard has been involved in a lot of bad dealings here, and I never knew.

That will change.

We were able to get the information to Knox and Vince’s connections—Miles and his extraction team—before the auction started.I hope like hell Ava is inside that building, because I’m bringing hell to anyone who stands against me.

We’ve got weapons spread throughout the room, arming ourselves with our sin of choice.I pull the magazines from my pistols, making sure they’re full, then load them back in the guns and holsters.Next, I pick up the M4 and check it over.The surge of adrenaline pumping through my veins while holding these beautiful pieces enlivens my demon.

Tony is currently fixated on his knives, cleaning the blades so he can see his own reflection.

Lacey looks on in awe.I wonder if she understands the amount of danger she’ll be put in, however, I have a hunch she has already had a glimpse of the real Antonio.

I overhear him talking to her, telling her how important it is for her to play along, that he has to turn into someone very nasty and she may not like what she sees if it comes to meeting William.She reassures him that she won’t be affected, but he knows differently.I know too.I’ve seen his monster unleashed and she’ll have no control over him.

Those two may not see it, but they share a bond beyond their control.They challenge each other, and I’ve never seen a woman stand up to Tony like Lacey does.It reminds me of my treasure.A woman who stands up to me and challenges me at every turn.

I turn to focus on the screen Tony set up for me, waiting for the auction preview to start.My heart races with every minute that leads to the moment I can lay eyes on her.

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