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Chapter One
Tiana
I can’t believe this is happening to me!
I’m standing on a cold, bare stage in the center of the room, bathed in mercilessly bright lights that blind me. It’s a place designed for vulnerability. Designed to make its occupants feel like livestock…
And I can’t escape it.
I already tried twice when I got here. I was tasered for my efforts. There’s no way out. The only choice I have is to wait up here to see what Fate has in store for me. Easier said than done, though. My entire body is shaking. I am mortified and ashamed. And I’m almost certain the worst is yet to come.
There’s a murmur of voices around me. I spin my head to try to take them in, try to see who’s there, but it’s pointless. The seating surrounding the stage is shrouded in darkness, hiding the identities of those who sit there, watching me like I’m some kind of prey.
That’s what you are to them, Tiana.
Prey.
A piece of flesh, nothing more.
I stare into the blinding lights, feeling the heat on my skin as they strip away any semblance of privacy I thought I had. The clinging white dress I’d been told to wear leaves little to imagination, and the lights have made it transparent, revealing my white lace underwear.
I silently curse myself for not questioning my father when he told me to put on this stupidly sexy outfit, for not asking him where we were going or why.
Why didn’t you run, you idiot?
If only I hadn’t put the dress on. If only I hadn’t met my father in the hallway. If only I hadn’t climbed into the car…
If only…
If I hadn’t trusted my own father, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am right now. But how could I have known that he would do this? How could I have predicted that he would betray me in the most humiliating way possible? My own father!
There’s a crackle of noise over a sound system, and I give a little jump. The skirt of the dress rides up my thighs, and I sneak a glance down.
Shit!
The shape of my nipples is visible, and the dark triangle over my mound shimmers through the sheer fabric and the lace of my panties. My first instinct is to try to tug the hem of the dress down, but it doesn’t help much. Every inch of me is illuminated, exposed for all to see, while the people beyond the lights remain safely hidden in shadows. I’m on display, like a piece of art or an object to be admired – and ultimately, taken.
“Lot number 12,” a disembodied voice announces. It sends a chill down my spine because it means that eleven other women have been through this same ordeal before me. And no one has stopped it. Everyone in this room thinks that it’s perfectly acceptable to buy and sell women like cattle.
“There’s been a lot of interest in this pretty little thing. Just 21 years old and ripe for the plucking.” My stomach twists with disgust and fear as the auctioneer continues. His words cut through me like a knife, as he lists off details about my life and body that no stranger should ever know. How much I weigh, my bra size, and even the time I had my last period. All are being announced for these strangers to bid on.
The thought makes me want to vomit.
“And if that wasn’t enough, gents,” the voice over the speaker continues, “our little gem is untouched.” The murmur from the group swells a little in volume. “That’s right, gentlemen. This pretty morsel is still a virgin. A fresh new furrow for you to plow. That’s worth top dollar by itself.”
Fuck.
Now I really do feel myself gag. The only thing holding me back from throwing up all over the podium is the growing lump in my throat. All those years my father kept me away from other kids. The all-girls school. Chaperoned whenever there were men around. I’ve never even had a boyfriend. There was a purpose behind it. It all makes sense now.
He was keeping my price up!
My father had no interest in protecting me. All he wanted was to ensure that he’d have a more valuable asset to sell when the time came. And the experiences he withheld from me will never be mine now. It’s all about to be snatched from me. The life I could have lived is all gone.
The bastard!
What father would do that to her own daughter?
I look around anxiously, trying to spot a face in the crowd I can turn to for help. At this point, even my father might feel like a safe harbor. Though that’s clearly bullshit. He’s the one who put me here in the first place. He was preparing me for this for years. Why would he change his mind now?
