I watched one of the suited men drag an unconscious woman out of the room without a word. The others barely noticed, whatever drugs that had been pushed into their system clouding their perception of reality.
I felt sick to my stomach, now witnessing and experiencing what these young women went through after the inhumane auctions.
There were only around twelve of us, and most were completely nude. Only a few of us had on much too revealing teddies, and I was thankful there was the option of wearing a Venetian mask. On top of that, I had opted for a dark wig to further conceal my identity.
"These are important guests, girls," an overweight man warned us, lighting a cigar by large white doors in the classic building.
A woman leaned her head against my shoulder, barely able to keep her eyes open. I wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, searching the room for a glass of water but finding none.
All that was provided was cocaine, most likely to dull whatever the men in this private and invite-only gentlemen's club would do to them.
All I knew was that Lancaster was here, and I needed to kill him tonight.
"You disappoint me, you'll regret it," he finished off with a threat, blowing out thick smoke before opening the doors.
Chatter and laughter reached my ears, and I could catch glimpses of only a handful of suited men littered around a burgundy and velvety regency-era library. Drinks had already been served and business discussed, and now it was time for the entertainment.
A few young women stumbled in after the overweight man, who welcomed the cheers of the men and invited them to fully indulge themselves.
The way the closest men grabbed the first women they could forced me to remind myself I was only here for one, and couldn't kill them all.
I walked in last, concerned for the woman who had been leaning on me once she was grabbed by none other than Mogilevich, who I definitely hadn't expected to find here.
He had these women all around his estate, so whatever business they had discussed tonight had to have been important.
I spotted Lancaster on a brown leather couch in the middle of the room, now filled with the clinking of glasses and laughter. Some men enjoyed the company of two or more women, unfazed by their drugged state.
I strutted toward the man I was here for tonight, but my steps faltered at the one I saw from the corner of my eye at the far end of the library.
As much as I tried not to look, I had to.
He had a dark-haired woman perched on his lap, her gentle touch running along his jaw while he finished off his whiskey.
I focused back on Lancaster, the middle-aged man who was one of the main suppliers in human trafficking. He was shy and quite sober, now alone and drinking only a glass of water, but I was positive I could lure him to a more private location.
"Hi, there," I smiled seductively, catching his attention once I arrived to stand before him. He glanced up and surprisingly blushed at the sight. "Would you mind some company, sir?"
I leaned forward, showcasing my bulging cleavage and gently placing my hands on his knees to move them apart, ready to kneel between them. I burned with excitement to have made it this far, and couldn't wait to get rid of this man for good.
"I-" he stuttered out, taking me aback at how shy he truly was. Noah's description of him didn't do much justice.
Before Lancaster had a chance to gather himself and find something to reply with, the all too familiar voice from the corner of the library travelled over.
"You," Mikhail had noticed me despite the wig and mask.
I cursed at my recurring terrible luck with him, but kept my sultry gaze on the man in front of me on the couch, who was now desperately clutching onto his glass of water.
"You look very familiar," he drawled over the chatter, which remained oblivious to this attempt of a conversation.
His low tone was slow and teasing, for some reason having recognised me instantly while Mogilevich hadn't. There was a clear and underlying threat in his words, that of exposing me if I didn't do as he said.
"Come here," he finished, and the woman was rudely pushed away from his lap.
"I-" Lancaster tried again, but glanced back to find Mikhail staring at me expectantly.
I shot the devilish man a quick glare, before carefully placing my hand on Lancaster's cheek to turn him back to me.
"Will you make time for me later, sir?" I leaned in to whisper seductively, and I heard him gulp.
"Y-yes," he nodded, eyes wide as he gaped up at me. I smiled and gently kissed the side of his lips, slowly moving my hand away from him before I straightened up.
I strutted away and rounded the couch, thankful all the other men were too focused on the other women, in particular the ones fully nude, to pay attention to Mikhail having called for me so directly.
The woman that had been pushed off his lap walked past me with a frustrated huff and bumped her shoulder into mine aggressively and purposefully. I slowed and turned to watch her, confused as to why she would act jealous when she was a victim of this horrid exploitation.
"I wonder where I've seen you before, sweet girl." The grin in his low and taunting tone was infuriating, and made heat boil in the pit of my stomach.
My steps slowed and I breathed in deeply to calm myself. The last thing I needed now was to draw any unnecessary attention to myself and risk Mogilevich recognising me.
If he did, he would surely make a number of me truly being one of Wellesley's instead of one of these drugged women.
"My," he tsked, hand reaching to take a hold of my wrist and turn me to him. His dark eyes definitely weren't on mine, and I scowled down at the man sitting quite comfortably in the velvet armchair.
"Turn around for me," he ordered lowly, gaze glancing up momentarily to find mine.
His darkened eyes sent an involuntary shock of pleasure coursing through my veins, and the knowing grin tugging on his delicious lips caused the hot ball of tension in my lower stomach to grow.
"Don't humiliate me," I hissed quietly, huffing out while seating myself on his lap. I fought to keep my eyes from him, hoping he would just want to tease me for a bit and then let me finish what I came here to do.
His large hand took its time brushing over my behind and placing itself against the small of my back. I cleared my throat and shifted on his thigh, uncomfortable to be so barely clothed, let alone to now find myself perched sideways on his lap in the most demeaning way.
"And here I thought tonight would be a dull one," he mused to himself, his burning gaze piercing into my vulnerable and sensitive skin, "did you really think a wig and a mask would be enough to hide from me?"
"I didn't think you'd be here," I muttered underneath my breath, watching as one of the women was dragged out of the library by one of the men.
I assumed there were private bedrooms for the guests to use these women in, and knew I needed to get Lancaster there sooner rather than later.
He remained seated alone on the couch, too shy to even look up at the disgusting ways his friends were handling the young women he dutifully supplied.
"I wasn't expecting you, either," he chuckled to himself, before swiftly hoisting me to sit atop him, my knees on either side of his impressive stature. Heat crept up my neck, lewdly aroused by the way his hungered eyes then drank me in.
"Who knew you were such a little vixen?" he smirked to himself, pleased at the silencing glare I sent him and how he now held my full attention.
My frustration subsided at the feel of his hands moving up my bare thighs, darkened eyes remaining overwhelmingly fixated on mine.
"I must admit I prefer you blonde."
"I don't care about what you think," I stated firmly, careful to keep my voice low to avoid anyone hearing and questioning this.
He observed my fierce eyes with care and a hint of amusement, strong hands so very distractingly paving their way to my hips, from where he roughly tugged me forward and closer to him.
Instinctively my hands raised to his hard chest to steady myself, silently staring at him. Heat coursed through my veins, finding this position in particular with him far too intimate and intoxicating.
I relaxed my arms, obliviously inching closer to his front. I could feel his hot breath against the skin on my neck, and pitifully attempted to squeeze my thighs together to relieve the pulsating need I felt between them. A low grunt rumbled up from his chest at having felt my feeble attempt and knowing precisely why I had done it.
"You're after Lancaster, are you not?" he gruffed out, so close now that his lips brushed against the side of my ear. Unbearable heat lit up every nerve, and my breath hitched. His rough hands gripped my thighs, holding me firmly in place atop him.
The chatter and laughter behind me faded out slowly while I submerged into the intense physical reactions he aroused. This time though, his teasing amusement was left to a minimal level.
"Yes," I breathed out, grasping at his dress shirt for any kind of grip on reality in this current moment.
The air around us had grown heavy and tense almost instantly, with my rational mind pushed to the farthest parts of my understanding.
"Suppose I helped you," Mikhail thought aloud, the intensity of his voice melting me despite my desperate attempts to hold myself together, heart racing in my chest and each breath growing deeper, "what would I get in return?"
"I don't need your help," I gritted out, but bit my lower lip to silence a pathetic whine when he grabbed my behind roughly in his hold, burning gaze finding mine. I felt as if I was on fire, each nerve begging for him to put them out, and he was fully aware of this.
"Why do you think none of the girls go to him, Natalia?" he inquired lowly, hot lips brushing against mine and forcing my eyes to flutter shut with a shaky exhale.
"He's shy-"
"The ones who make it out alive tell stories," he informed me, hands tugging me closer and closer to him until the minimal space between our fronts pushed my hands to his strong shoulders. He shifted underneath me, and I felt exactly how hardened he was. It was the final touch to drive away any last bits of my sanity.
"A woman like you should not be left alone with him."
"I can handle myself just fine," I assured him barely above a whisper, the spitefulness in my tone unconvincing as every sense clouded with his delicious cologne and burning touch.
Mikhail was the most dangerous man in this room. Not because of his name, family or money, but because of the power he so easily asserted over me.
"You go in guns blazing without a proper plan. If it weren't for me, you'd have been dead long ago."
"That's not-" I began to shake my head, unwilling to move my eyes from his.
He muttered out gutturally and roughly cupped the back of my neck, before his lips crashed into mine.
My face scrunched up, for once actually fighting against the kiss. I slapped his shoulder and pushed against them with all my might, but his hold on me was too strong.
I bit his lower lip and he grunted, the beautiful sound sending a wave of heat coursing down my treacherous body. He ended the kiss, darkened eyes glaring into mine intimidatingly while his hand tightened on the back of my neck painfully.
Without another word he hoisted me up to stand by the armchair, his towering frame following suit. My heart was still racing, brain unable to gather itself and figure out how to complete this hit with the devil of a man present.
"Stay," he ordered simply, before walking past me.
I watched in horror as the woman who had leaned on me before was now on Mogilevich's lap, passed out against his chest. He was casually conversing with a man beside him, who nonchalantly had two nude women toying with the buttons of his shirt.
The overweight man who owned this gentlemen's club was furiously making his way toward the unconscious woman, and I felt a need to stop whatever was going to happen to her.
A pained and broken scream left her lips when the man lifted her up by her hair and apologised to Mogilevich. He simply laughed it off and grabbed another woman to give him company, touching her incredibly inappropriately. I watched as the woman was then dragged back into the room we had come from, and the doors closed behind her and the owner. I could only imagine what she would now go through, and felt disgusted.
I couldn't do anything, as much as I wanted to. Blowing my cover would put me in grave danger, but more importantly prevent me from killing Lancaster and getting away with it.
I was left standing frozen by the armchair in the corner, frowning at the closed white doors through which even I could hear very muffled screaming. None of the other men or women seemed to be fazed by it.
My fearful gaze moved to Mikhail, who had leaned over the back of the leather couch with a firm grip on Lancaster's shoulder.
My eyes widened, unable to believe he'd dare act so friendly with one of the most powerful men in the world.
Lancaster briefly glanced behind the two and at me, before inaudibly replying and nodding once. Mikhail's hand raised to pat him on the back with a husky laugh.
He then straightened up and turned to find me curiously observing the situation. He sent me a devilish smirk and unbuttoned the lone button holding his suit coat closed. The knowing look in his eyes made me gulp, unaware of how to feel now that he had stuck his nose into my plans once again.
Confidently he strode back over to me, shamelessly letting his eyes wander over my barely clothed body. Heat crept up my neck at the action, and the closer he got the more laborious my breathing grew.
Without a word he grabbed my upper arm and tugged me to walk along with him, headed toward the door several of the men had disappeared through with some of the women.
"What are you doing?" I managed out quietly, hardly managing to keep up with him at the pace he was going, especially in the heels I was wearing.
"Until you learn how to plan ahead," he shot me a sinful and taunting grin while I stared up at him furiously, "you'll do as I say."
"Never," I hissed defiantly, trying to rip my arm away from his rough hold but only managing to have it tighten excruciatingly, "don't interfere-"
He opened the door and forced me inside, almost causing me to stumble onto the carpeted floor before his large hand grabbed the back of my neck. I yelped at the sudden pain, hands reaching to ease his hold.
In front of me was a dim and long hallway, with several dark doors littered along it. These definitely were the private bedrooms.
The door closed behind us, and I could faintly hear crying from one of the rooms.
I raised my foot and stomped it onto his in an attempt to get out of his hold. He gruffed out a curse and let me go, eyes furious once I spun around to meet them.
My steps were slowly retreating from him, preparing myself to attack if he decided to come any closer. I glared up at him, fists raising while I steadied my stance.
"As much as I'd love to give you a good beating," he began lowly, pleasured gaze soon replacing the harshness in his menacing eyes, "I promised Lancaster we'd fuck you senseless."
"Excuse me?" My stance faltered and eyes bulged in shock, "are you out of your mind?"
"The opposite, kukolka," he took a confident step closer, and my body tensed once more, "don't worry, I don't like to share."
I scoffed out an angry laugh. It was obvious he didn't like to share, as demeaning as it was in this context. He couldn't give me the pleasure of completing simple hits such as Gold and now Lancaster, and instead proudly took the opportunities from me with full enjoyment.
My expression fell when he pulled out a gun and cocked it, a dirty grin tugging up the sides of his lips.
"Last room, Natalia," he motioned for me to walk down the hallway, eyes firm and expectant.
I began shaking my head slowly, not taking the chance right now. I couldn't trust his words or whatever he had planned. I had no backup, and bumping into him here only increased the danger of the mission.
"You're wasting time," he grunted lowly, and my body reacted to it pathetically. As if he could read my thoughts, he added, "trust me."
With that he raised the gun to aim at me. I glared at him, enraged for several and very different reasons. Adrenaline flooded my veins and I turned around, fists lowering to clench by my sides before I began making my way down the hallway.
The muffled cries from the rooms I passed deeply disgusted and upset me, and further motivated me to take this whole business down. I needed to do it for these young women and men, my family, and my mother in particular. This is what she would have wanted, and something that would've kept her alive.
I made the mistake of glancing back over my shoulder to find Mikhail following a few steps after with his heated gaze focused on my behind.
I huffed out with distaste and muttered out curses at him. He met my glare with a pleased grin, witnessing the blush that then covered my cheeks.
I reached the dark door at the end of the hallway, but focused on the metal one opposite it that read in big red letters 'EXIT'.
"Not a smart idea, Natalia," he advised, and I froze at the way his hot breath fanned over my bare neck and hand brushed over my hip from behind.
I shimmied away to create sorely needed space between us and avoided his eyes at all costs. Fighting him and my body was incredibly exhausting, and the more I did it the less I was able to hold on to myself.
He opened the door and stepped inside, infuriatingly confident that I would follow him. I discreetly rolled my eyes and threw away my pride, before stomping after him.
My steps halted at the sight of not only a dark and burgundy bedroom, but what resembled a sick sex-dungeon. The grand bed was equipped with all sorts of straps and cuffs, and a black pillory stood in the corner with whips and other toys strung on the wall behind it.
The door closed behind me and I was jolted out of my thoughts. I spun around only to almost bump into Mikhail's strong chest.
An unflattering squeak slipped my lips as I stumbled backwards, heart racing before his hand on my waist steadied me easily.
"Try to keep professional," he taunted, the amused grin on his lips sending blazing fury through my body. I scoffed and averted my gaze, clearing my throat to hide the prodding and sinful feelings still lingering from before.
He tucked his gun away, but neither of us moved an inch, standing way too close for it to be appropriate.
"What's your plan?" I muttered out with frustration, hating that I was confirming his ability to plan further and better than I ever bothered to.
Instead of mocking me or showing any sort of pleasure from my admission, he inquired, "what weapons do you have?"
"I'd have used them already if I had any," I stated firmly and with underlying threat, meeting his dark and intoxicating gaze confidently. He smiled, and I ground my teeth together at how sexy and beautiful of a sight it was.
"Once he gets here and the hallway is empty, he'll concentrate on you and I'll take care of him," Mikhail explained with ease, "we leave the body and head through the back exit."
"And when they realise Lancaster is dead and you're missing?" I raised my brows with challenging doubt, the inner battle I was having not giving me much choice but to trust him on this, as much as I hated having to do so.
"I went after the woman who shot him, but she managed to escape," he finished simply, "my gun is untraceable. They'll think she was one of Julio's."
"Fine," I muttered vehemently, despising him further once I had no other hesitations or doubts.
His inviting and buff body towered over me, and especially in such revealing attire I felt all the more vulnerable and unable to control myself in his intoxicating presence. I held his gaze, standing my ground stubbornly.
"You're upset that I'm saving you?" a devilish grin tugged up his lips, and my glare harshened.
"You're not saving me, Mikhail."
"And how is it that you planned to get him?" he challenged, eyes glimmering with excitement which only infuriated me to new extents.
Not giving him a chance to prepare himself, I slipped past him and readied to jump and hook my arm around his neck in a chokehold.
Such a method would've taken a lot of time, but I couldn't have risked smuggling any weapons in here with me.
Before I could show him just how capable I was of killing someone with my bare hands, he had swiftly turned to me and grabbed my body with ease. I was thrown onto the bed and, before I had a chance to process it, he pinned me down with his heavy form.
"This is the point you'd get fucked senseless, sweet Natalia," he taunted calmly, grabbing my wrists into his hand to prevent me from pushing him away.
"Fine! You win," I struggled against him the more his hard body pushed against mine, "let me go."
My firm command trailed away when his lips brushed against mine, and tensed at the uneven breath that then escaped him.
With one knee on the bed underneath my thigh and the other strongly supported on the carpeted floor by the bed, he had rendered me in quite the unfortunate position.
Mikhail cursed under his breath and used his available hand to tug my body closer to his from my waist, raising my lower half upward in the process.
My heart beat loudly in my chest and I held my breath, gaping at his lips and how close they were to mine.
So close, I could easily kiss him.
Every second seemed to slow and grow increasingly more heavy with hot tension.
I realised that with each touch he had avoided my injured side, where the fractured rib was still healing. It could've been by accident, but my luck with him around wasn't that good.
He had purposefully left it untouched as not to actually cause me a great deal of pain.
His hardened bulge torturously pushed against me between my thighs, and it would've been naive to think he wasn't aware of how aroused I had been since having sat on his lap in the library.
Lancaster, my mission, and all morals were shoved out of my mind when his breathing deepened, mirroring mine.
I craved to slap sense into myself but instead gave in, assuring myself that it was for just this once.
The second I had pressed my lips against his he let my wrists go, kissing back with such force and hunger it made me the room spin. Each nerve lit up, my senses heightening and each touch feeling all the more excruciatingly pleasurable.
I didn't push him away or hit him, but instead almost unwillingly and hesitantly trailed my hands to cup his tensed and prominent jaw.
I knew this was wrong, and remembered how furious my father had been after witnessing the two of us so close at Mogilevich's estate.
Those hesitations wiped out of my consciousness when his rough hand tightened its hold on my waist, pushing it down and pulling it toward him at the same time.
With his other hand he grabbed the side of my neck, feeling my accelerated heartbeat and how I struggled to catch a proper breath, all the while directing my face in a way that enabled him to better assault my mouth.
I was filled with rage toward this devil of a man, one built of pure muscle and everything dirty and evil.
I despised the internal struggle I faced when in his vicinity, and the ease with which he saw through my feeble attempts at resisting him and my temptations.
I wanted and needed to kill him, I knew that much, yet melted the instant he touched me.
With my hands cupping his jaw I attempted desperately to draw him closer, but as much as I craved it, it was impossible. His hard front was less than an inch away from crushing me, enveloping me fully in all that was him.
"If you weren't injured I'd fuck you right here," he promised hotly against my parted lips, heavy breaths fanning over my face.
His dark eyes found mine for a fraction of a second, and he cursed under his breath at what he saw.
I slapped him and watched his immobilising gaze darken further.
"The more you threaten me with rape, the less intimidating it becomes."
He chuckled lowly, unfazed by the slap as his lips trailed down to my jaw and then the sensitive skin on my neck.
I sighed with relief at the hot and soothing pleasure his open-mouthed kisses sent coursing through my veins, relieving the burning tension in the pit of my stomach momentarily.
Just then the door of the room opened, and a high pitched giggle brought me back to reality. Suddenly the man atop me wasn't so relieving anymore, and my body tensed with panic. I feebly pushed him, and thankfully his lips left my skin.
Mikhail sent me a discreet wink, before lifting himself up to greet the two standing in the doorway.
I awkwardly lifted myself to sit on the edge of the bed, heart still racing from the intensity of the kiss and his strong touch.
Lancaster was smiling shyly, eyes daring not meet mine or Mikhail's while he attempted to hold up an incredibly young and nude woman who could barely stand up straight, let alone keep her eyes open.
"I- The more the merrier, right?" he chuckled quietly, motioning at the woman barely hanging on to reality.
I quickly stood up and walked past the man beside me, heading toward her with concern I didn't bother to hide. Lancaster would be dead soon anyway, so showing empathy when it was risky wasn't an issue at the moment.
"Hey," I spoke quietly, grabbing her from the middle-aged man and trying to keep her head upright. She was very drugged, and the red marks on her thighs in the shape of fingerprints infuriated me. "Can you hear me?"
Instead of opening her eyes her head lulled back and she smiled to herself, before giggling again.
"Jesus..." I muttered out, looking to Mikhail for help.
He averted his gaze without a care, and closed the door behind Lancaster, who then carefully stepped further into the now crowded bedroom.
I sat the woman down onto a chair by the door and knelt down in front of her. Her body slouched over her lap limply, and I pushed her to lean back against the headrest.
Before I could register the footsteps nearing me, my upper arm was gripped roughly and I was lifted up onto my feet as if I weighed nothing.
I glared murderously at the culprit, but Mikhail was focused on the man now hungrily watching me from a few feet away.
"I've had my fun with her," he gruffed out, his heartless reference to me causing my eyes to widen, "finish her off. I'll take Sleeping Beauty."
Lancaster blinked furiously with excitement and nodded eagerly, the smile on his lips widening. With that, I was thrown onto the bed once more despite each muscle in my body resisting against him.
"You bitch," I seethed, glaring furiously at Mikhail who remained by the closed door and the poor woman.
I scrambled to sit up, but Lancaster had arrived in front of me to block my escape otherwise.
He began to unbuckle his belt, his stature no longer shy but incredibly demeaning and threatening.
"We'll have fun, you and I," he nodded to himself, gaze trailing down to my heaving chest. I was too stunned to speak, everything unfolding now so fast.
His hand reached for my breast, surely about to rip away the top of the teddy I wore. Just as I was about to slap his hand and kick him away, I yelped out when his heavy torso collapsed onto my lap.
I pushed him away hastily, and he fell down onto the floor with a thump. My gaze snapped up to Mikhail, who was tucking away his gun. I looked back down at the lifeless man by my feet, and watched blood stain the back of his head and trail down onto the burgundy carpet.
I forced myself onto my feet, rushing away from both men. I had been stunned enough at the fast-paced situation not to have heard the silenced shot. It was reasonable to assume no-one outside this room had heard it either.
Without a word my upper arm was grabbed again and I was tugged to walk with him toward the door. Before he could open it, I ripped my arm away from his hold and caught his attention.
"We can't leave her," I hissed, clenching my shaky hands and glancing over at the oblivious and drugged young woman. His dark eyes met mine and he blinked slowly, not quite understanding why I was now insisting to take her away from here.
"She's high as a kite, she won't remember any of this," I insisted softly.
Instead of waiting for his reply or help, I made my way over to her and managed to lift her up to her feet, brushing her disheveled hair away from her face in the process.