Page 3 of Auctioned Surrender

When Layla returns, I act like this sort of thing happens every day, scolding her for not using the lock when she came home, but she’s hardly interested. She’s standing in the bathroom doorway, counting hundred-dollar bills. “You know that guy, because he’s sure as hell not going away anytime soon;you know this, right, mami?” Layla says, pursing her plump red lips together.

“I can’t control what other people do,” I say, shrugging indifferently and sinking into the now tepid water to soak up the last bit of luxury I can provide myself with these days.

“Listen to me, Lacey girl, you’re not like the rest of us. I told you; they have men coming to the States for the masquerade ball on Friday night. If they think you’re hot, you won’t have a chance in hell of escaping after that. I don’t know a lot of the details, but you don’t have much more time to make a run for it, mami. It’s now or never,” Layla says.

“It’s never; I’ll do whatever the men want. You and I aren’t so different. Money talks, right?” I ask, smiling as wide as I can, anything to stop her line of questioning. I’ve done everything my captors have asked, haven’t caused a bit of trouble, obeyed every order, but Layla isn’t fooled by my act.

“Your fake smile doesn’t do it for me, mami. I know better, si? I don’t know why, but I know better. Now, quit hogging all the hot water and get your ass out of here. It’s already almost 3 a.m. I got off with a headache tonight, but R.J.’s gonna be horny in the morning,” Layla says, pulling her shirt over her head, unclasping her bra, and leaving me no choice but to give up the tub. I reluctantly pull the plug, get out, and reach for a towel as she slides out of the little skirt she’s wearing and steps into the bath, pulling the shower curtain closed and turning the water on.

I head into her bedroom, which is the only one in the apartment. I pull on a pair of panties and nightshirt from a drawer she’s given me to use, head to the living room couch. I pull down the blanket that’s lying over the top and snuggle into it, and for the first time since my captors took me, I allow the tears to fall and cry myself to sleep.

Chapter 3

Damian

The tip of the blade is pushed against my flesh. “I’m leaving.” I know instinctively it’s Layla, the dark-haired woman with flashy red lips who I followed home, and the same badass who is now wielding a knife to the middle of my back. I turn slowly, and she backs up, allowing me to walk past her and into the living room. I throw my business card on the couch, along with ten hundred -dollar bills. “I’ll triple that if you meet me alone at the park a few blocks from your work tomorrow.”

“No deal. Leave the money and get out of here before someone sees you,” Layla says, and her dark eyes dart toward the window and out into the darkness.

“Tomorrow, noon, come alone or bring the girl, but either way, we should talk. I’m trying to protect that girl,” I say to distract her, watching her contemplate while I drop a small microchip from my suit coat onto the seventies-style shag carpeting, before making my way out the door.

“Perhaps, papi,” Layla says.

I make my way out of the parking lot and back to where Evers is parked. I leave the Honda running and jump into the back seat with Garrett. He opens the door and is just about to get out, butI press five hundred-dollar bills into his hand. “Thanks for the loan of the car on such short notice.”

“No problem. You have any more work?”

He seems like a nice guy just trying to make a few bucks, and he’s a friend of Keith’s. “Listen, I don’t have anything for you right now, but give me your number. I’ll call if something comes up. Oh, and the car’s pulling a little to the right. You might want to get that taken care of first thing in the morning in case we need it again,” I say, pressing another thousand dollars into his hands.

He doesn’t even look at the amount of the money, just tells me his number while I put it in my phone, and then he heads toward his car. Evers pulls the limo back onto the road and is grumpier than normal. “That guy was ear-fucking me the whole goddamn time you were gone,” he grumbles.

I have to suppress a chuckle because if Garrett said more than two words to Evers, that would constitute ear-fucking. If he’s already grumpy now, things are sure to get interesting. “Evers, my friend, it’s going to be a long-ass night.”

“Come again, I thought we were done?” Evers says, and I text Keith to let him know that I’m going to need him or someone to back me up at noon tomorrow. I give him the address to the city park and tell him to remind Garrett to get that car of his fixed in case we need a few more men and a beat-up looking car in the near future.

“We’re not done by a long shot,” I say to Evers.

He glares at me in the rearview mirror but doesn’t say a word.

I already know Layla will show up tomorrow. I thought at first she was going to sell Bryanna out at the club for a little cash, but something’s not adding up. She’s the boss’s girl. She knew those cameras were on, where they were located, and knew exactly where to stand to ensure I wasn’t captured on camera. Ialso know that when she had that knife to my back, she wasn’t messing around, and she was prepared to protect her friend.

“I’m gonna stake out the apartment tonight, and until the others arrive you can be my backup,” I say to Evers.

He doesn’t say no, so I take that as a yes and pull out a bag equipped with everything I’ll need from the side compartment of the limo. I shrug out of my jacket, unzip my pants and shift out of them before toeing off my shoes and pulling off my dress socks.

“You need a little strip tease music back there, Dame,” Evers says, scowling at me in the rearview mirror.

Damn. Does that guy ever smile? If so, I seriously don’t think I’ve ever seen it. “Not unless it turns you on,” I say, earning me a growl as I shrug out of my white dress shirt, don the black t-shirt, a long-sleeve black shirt to go over it, and slide into my black camos. I bend to pull on some warm socks and lace my boots, take a quick inventory of my equipment, holster my weapons, pull out a small backpack, and then send a message to my backup.

“Stay here until Keith arrives. If anything goes sideways before he arrives, get word to Matt. He’s still in the city,” I say.

“Roger that,” Evers says.

I push out of the limo and make my way back to the apartment complex. The lights are still on, and no new cars have parked in the lot. I head toward a secluded row of bushes adjacent to the complex, get my binoculars out, and settle in for the night before sending a text to Matt.

Found Bryanna. She’s alive and seems okay. Will know more tomorrow.

Roger that. Let me know if you need help.

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