Chapter 20

Rosella....

“One billion, one. One billion, two and one billion, three. Master Adrian Black has won tonight's most expensive treasure.”

The entire room comes alive, harsh whispering voices fill the silent spaces. Chairs scrap against the floor as everyone stands up for a toast. All of them raise their glasses and cheers to the successful evening.

No one's paying me any attention to notice that I'm failing to breath. And why would they be paying attention to me? I'm nothing more than a slave, a piece of property, a replaceable asset.

Master Black's dark and possessive words come rushing back to haunt me, clouding my head with fear and horror.

My eyes are burning with unshed tears of trepidation, my jaw is clenched tightly and my entire body is suffering from convulsive shudders. My wrists have been freed from the rope to allow me to put them down. But the strip of red silk is still twined around them, reminding me that I'm not free, not completely.

I'm still standing on the red cross, in the middle of the stage. My head is bowed, my eyes downcast. I don't have any energy or courage left after keeping my head raised to gaze up into those dark pair of electric blue eyes, intense and unyielding, bold and alive with conflicting desires. The confusing and terrifying words whispered by the owner of those scorching eyes are still revolving inside my head.

An unwelcome shudder mingled with terror runs up my spine and my eyes well up with unbidden tears. A single tear slides down my cheek as I finally take in a deep breath.

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm…. I'm SOLD!

Balthazar has sold me.

He has broken the words he had given me back in the jet.

Just like my parents, Balthazar has handed me over to someone else. The only difference is that my parents had no choice but to give me up where Balthazar has given me up for money.

“Miss. Danforth, can you believe this?” Balthazar comes to stand in front of me as he speaks to me with awe in his voice. “You have been bought in a billion dollars! Your price has broken all the records in slave bidding history of The International Auction. You must be feeling so expensive, No?”

A surge of deep fury and blinding outrage grips me, making me clench my jaw tightly. Pain flares up in my sore cheeks when I tighten the muscles, but that only adds fuel to my anger.

How dare he stand in front of me!

He has sold, after all. He has no right to talk to me like that.

“Get the fuck away from before I end up doing something stupid.” I force the words through my clenched teeth, my head still bowed but my eyes have dried.

I've finally run out of tears and unable to feel any emotion, other than pure hatred for the fucking bastard standing rihht in front of me.

“What did you say?” Balthazar grits out and I raise my head.

“Back the fuck off, Balthazar de Lucas. You just sold. I'm no longer your property.” My voice is taunting and provoking.

“I can still slice your throat and no one will be able put a finger on me. Keep that in mind, bitch.”

“I would love to see you try.”

“You —”

“Enough!” A commanding voice stops Balthazar before he can complete his empty threat.

Balthazar bows to Master Black, stiffly then steps back. After a beat, Master Black appears in front of me with an Arctic look on his face. “Did I just hear you making threats?”

“Yes.” I admit, feeling bold then I stick out my chin like a child.

“I see.” He nods his head, his eyes flickering down to my swollen cheek. I see a strange emotion cross his face before the shutters are drawn back. “Apologise to Mr. de Lucas.”

“What!?”

“You heard me. Kneel and beg for his forgiveness.”

“I'm not apologising to that asshole.”

I don't see his next move coming but I feel it deep in my cheek muscles when he slaps me across my left cheek, the sore one, deliberately. My face wipes to the side as I gasp and tears fill my eyes.

“Kneel. Beg for his forgiveness.” His cold and detached words poke my skin like icicles but I don't budge.

He waits for me to follow his instructions for exact two beats before grabbing me by my hair and forcing me down on my knees. I whine and resist but he keeps pushing. I know he can make me kneel without using even a single ounce of his strength but he wants me to kneel on my own. He will not give up till I'm on my knees so I give up with a small cry and slam down on the floor.

With his fingers still tangled in my hair, he forces my head down. “Beg for his forgiveness.”

“Please forgive me, Mr. de Lucas.” I whisper, my voice cracking at the end.

“I'm sorry. Did you say something?” Balthazar snickers.

“Please forgive me. I'm sorry for threatening to strangle you with my bare hands.” My apologetic voice is dripping with venom.

“I forgive you. Thank the lord it was me, not someone else.” With that arrogant response, Balthazar turns on his heels and walks away.

“Get up.” Master Black immediately tugs me back up on my legs and drags me off of the stage and out of the room.

I go along with him without any resistance as he takes turns after turns before finally reaching a closed door. He slips out a key from his pocket and inserts it in the lock before twisting the knob and shoving the door open.

He pulls me in with him and locks the door behind him. Just to avoid looking at him, I take in the luxurious room, decorated with the expensive looking furniture and tasteful paintings.

“Let me see your face.” He grabs my arm and pulls me towards himself. I try to twist out of his grasp but he holds fast. “Stop wasting your energy in trying to wriggle out of my hands. I'm not letting you go so easily.”

I raise my eyes up to glare in his impassive and cold ones. But my eyes pop wide when I meet his smoldering gaze. He tugs on my arm, pulling me against his chest to wrap his other arm around my waist. His long fingers dig in the flesh of my hips as he presses his hard chest against mine.

“You're mine. I have paid for you and now I own you. Fit that thing inside your head.” His warm breath whispers over my temple, the heat radiating out of his body envelopes me.

My body starts trembling in his tight hold. My arms are trapped in between our bodies. I can't even use them to push away from him and put some distance between us.

He's too close, very close, so close…. I can't handle it.

“Don't ever mistake this for a relationship. I make the calls here. The only thing you have to do is submit to me. You do as I say, you never dare to defy me. I'm telling you, you won't like the consequences otherwise. I am going to take you out of this country, back in my territory…. Where we shall start your training.” He moves his hand to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear as he continues. “You're a courageous girl, maybe not a fighter but you've got rare soul. I'm gonna love breaking down your defences and manipulating your mind. I hope you're ready to start a new phase of your life.”

His every single word is like salt on my wounds. I am speechless, I don't have anything to say to this man who is now my master. I don't know what the future holds in store for me but I know this much that he's not going to let me go so easily.

He's never going to set me free.

He's going to claim me.