Amaris
The word 'auction' was stuck on repeat in my head as I somewhat allow Felix to roughly guide me through the maze of hallways. My feet have a mind of their own and drag under me more so than cooperate. I'm just waiting for my ankles to twist in these stilettos.
Inwardly, I kick myself. I nearly groan aloud as I realize I haven't been paying attention to where this jerk has been leading me. A smart person would have paid attention to their surroundings and attempted to commit them to memory. Unfortunately my intelligence has flown right out the window. Although, it isn't hard to miss how marvelous this place is. I really wonder where I'm at. Is this some hotel? Perhaps a mansion belonging to Vlad and his Russian mobsters, which drops a lot of the appeal this beautifully crafted building holds. What a shame.
Even though I have been guided along by the harsh tugging on my arm, I wasn't prepared to abruptly stop, slamming my face into Felix's hard body. My body is going to be broken and useless before the day is over.
I groan slightly, rubbing my nose. "Ugghhh, can't you at least warn me when you plan on stopping?" I glare up at Felix, his attention isn't on me, but on the men surrounding a large table in the room we have entered. The table is polished and a deep, rich mahogany color. Fancy schmancy for a bunch of goons. The men occupying the seats are all in expensive suits and look very dangerous. Of course they all have a cigar or something they are smoking while tipping back alcohol. How cliché. Like they are mimicking a show straight from the bowels of all organized crime TV. The head chair is occupied by none other than Vlad.
Oh, well, just perfect.
I hoped that I wouldn't see him again so soon but lucky me.
He eyes me up and down, from head to toe and back up, pausing at my chest for too long. His eyes snap to mine, clicks his tongue and motions for me to come forward with his hand. I'm frozen in place momentarily from the obvious eye humping he just did before I slowly make my way over to him. As soon as I approach his side, he pulls me into his lap and wraps a strong arm tightly around my waist. I stiffen but I know there is no point to try and get away. He is simply too strong for me to overpower and he will probably shoot me for sure this time.
Which might be the most ideal outcome for me honestly...
He returns his attention to the men surrounding the table, while I remain on his lap, my body rigid with unease as he strokes his thumb along my ribs. His body is pressed so close to me that I can feel his voice vibrate through my back as he speaks.
Idle chatter stops as Vlad clears his throat, drawing all attention upon himself. "Are all the preparations completed for tonight's events?" I glance sideways and up at him, his eyes searching the men's faces surrounding the table. His face lacks all emotion. He's blank. I find it more intimidating than when he was yelling at me and shoving a gun inside my mouth.
"Yes Don Penzkov. Everything is in order and ready." One of the men answer, his voice shaky a bit, almost as if he too fears his boss. I can't blame him, the man is very frightening.
He nods, bringing his hand up and caressing my hair. He moves my hair behind one shoulder and pauses. I look at him as his fingers clamp firmly around the nape of my neck. My breath stutters in my throat. My body feels so cold that I can't help the trembling as it overcomes me. I think I have to pee. I might not be able to hold it and he would definitely kill me if I piss in his lap... unless fear kills me first.
"Perfect. You all know the works. All buyers need to know the code word sent to them to verify they received notice of tonight's events. Untraceable accounts for wire transfers and cash only. Be twenty minutes earlier than usual tonight. Dismissed." His eyes never leave mine, but I soaked up every word he said. Chairs scrape the floor as Vlad's goons quickly disappear from the room. Lucky them. Can I leave too?
No such chance. "As for you princess, you will be accompanying me. You will make a great addition for appearances tonight." He whispers, his voice husky in my ear. On instinct, I try to pull away from our close proximity, but his grip tightens. "This is your only warning. Don't do anything stupid or you'll regret it." His warning is calm. Too calm. He means business.
•••
A few hours have passed and then it was time to head out with Vlad. My eyes scan the property as soon as we step foot outside its walls. The surroundings are unremarkable and I honestly have no idea where we are. It appears to just be any other kind of large mansion on a massive property, which doesn't help me out one bit. I could be anywhere in the world at this point.
I try to glance at the license plates to see numbers and a state display when I realize, the license plates aren't the kind I typically see. I fight the smile threatening to stretch across my face as I realize a small bit of my whereabouts.
I am not in the United States anymore.
I slip into the back of a black SUV with Vlad following me in. I stare out the window so that I don't have to look at him. Maybe I will be forgotten about and they will discuss more information around me.
And talk they do. My luck is nothing but bad. These assholes are blabbing on in Russian. At least I think it is Russian. All I know is that I do not know anything that they are saying, however I do know they are talking about me at times by the occasional glance in the rearview mirror towards me or when I hear them say 'suka' since I've been called that a few times.
The drive away from the property is a short time through dirt and rock roads until we hit a town. The sun has started its descent and the pink tinged sky is a beautiful reminder of sunsets back home. Before everything turned to shit.
"Miss?" A man stands next to the SUV's open door. Huh, I didn't even notice someone opened the door, let alone the vehicle stopping. Timidly, I take his outstretched hand and allow his help as I step out of the SUV. He leads me right over to Vlad and releases my hand. Vlad holds his arm out for me to take and even though I want to run, I know better than to risk it right now, so I comply and link my arm through his.
He smiles. A kind smile in a dangerously creepy way. I feel nauseous and still need to pee. He leans down, skimming his lips across my cheek, stopping at my ear. His warm breathe tickles as he whispers, "Good girl, moya kroshka." Now what the fuck does that mean?
As we start walking towards a large metal building, I bravely choose to ignore the man and keep my eyes ahead of me, paying attention to my surroundings.
We stop just outside the building next to a group of men waiting by the door. Their guns on their waistbands don't go unseen. This definitely can go really bad if I don't obey every command. Self-preservation is top priority at this moment. Vlad begins speaking in his foreign gibberish again as we stand before the men.
My unease kicks up a notch as I feel myself being stripped by multiple pairs of eyes and without conscious thought, I twist my body into Vlad's side. I don't know why my brain signaled this because: A - this unexpected advance of my body on Vlad could really piss him off even though I do not have any intentions behind it but to shield my front from these men and B - this could mislead Vlad and make him think I want to be close with him.
Fuck.
B.
Always my damn luck.
Unlinking my arm from his, he wraps his arm around my body and holds me close to him. His nose dips down into my hair and he groans as he inhales the scent. Gross pervert. I resist the urge to cringe. "I knew you would warm up to me quickly." He murmurs against my head. Don't gag, Amaris, don't fucking gag!
Vlad finishes speaking to the dudes with guns before leading me into the building through the heavily guarded doors. There are several long tables set up in lines with armed men guarding each one. My eyes nearly jump out of my skull when I see the large amounts of drugs and weaponry placed upon all the tables. My mouth falls agape as we stop in front of one table that has large squares of a white substance wrapped up. "So this is what cocaine looks like," I muse to myself. At least I thought I said that to myself. The gruff sounds of laughter prove I said it out loud as some of these men find my discovery comical.
"Has the little miss never seen a drug before?" One goon questions. I try not to make eye contact with any of them and quickly avert my gaze any time I do. These men all scare the absolute shit out of me.
But I answer anyway. Can't be rude after all when there's a shitload of weapons around. "No I haven't seen these kinds of drugs before and I am proud of it." I quickly glance up to Vlad, hoping I didn't anger him with my sharp tone, but thankfully he has a slight lift to the corners of his mouth.
He laughs softly before he says, "Surprisingly, this little minx is rather innocent to our kind of world. Even those damn Sorrentino pricks sheltered her from what they do best. Sell products. What a shame. I am shocked though that they didn't sell this one off immediately. Imagine the money someone would pay to purchase a beauty like this." Vlad's little speech begins to nauseate me. No way did my family or the twins' family sell people.
Jerking me from my thoughts, a loud voice booms through multiple speakers set up all over the massive open floor. Vlad pulls me alongside him as he navigates in the direction of the man speaking.
"Gentlemen. Some of you are returning customers, some of you are new," the man says into a microphone as Vlad sits me down in a seat at a table on the stage before seating himself next to me. His hand quickly finds my left thigh and he begins softly squeezing it in a massaging manner. I don't dare slap his hand away, no matter how badly I want to dig my nails in and rip his disgusting paw off me. Fortunately nobody in here can see him doing this under the table. I steady my breathing as I scan the faces in the crowd to try and distract myself from the uncomfortable touching when I notice a very familiar pair of eyes staring right at me.
A soft gasp of surprise escapes me. I quickly press my lips together to keep myself from yelling out to Adrian. Vlad must take my gasp as a good thing and starts trailing his hand up higher on my thigh while moving to the inner portion. I gently squeeze my thighs together in an attempt to put him off from the continued assault but he just pushes his hand in between my legs harder. Thankfully he ceases all movement once his hand is snug between my legs, but his eyes flick from me to the crowd and back at me.
"What do you see kitten?" Vlad asks me softly, yet commanding. Fuck he is more observant than I gave him credit for.
I think of a lie quickly. "I just didn't realize all this is part of what my own family does and it is a bit overwhelming. I'm sorry." I drop my gaze to my lap. He seems to believe me and nods, his eyes scanning the growing crowd.
My thoughts bounce around as one of my more pressing questions beat my mind into a funk.
Is Adrian part of the Russian mafia?