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Although I tried to keep myself from it, I glanced at the girl, then leaned over the desk to look more closely at her. Her full lips were moving slowly, methodically, and I felt my own tug up in response.
It took a few seconds before I understood, and then a low laugh built in my chest. “Are you singing during a bidding war?” I whispered to myself. “You are brave.”
As if being compelled by some force I refused to acknowledge, my fingers flew over the desk screen, and my blood pounded through my veins when I pressed the submit button. No one attempted to outbid me; I hadn’t thought they would. I’d offered double the last bid to shut the other bidders down before they could decide to start up again.
Looking at the brave girl in the viewing room, my face slid back into that practiced mask of indifference as I thought of how she would soon be broken.
Chapter 4
Day 1 with Girl
Lucas
I pulled on the cufflink at my left wrist as my mentor droned on over the phone ten minutes later. “Because there wasn’t a point in staying, like I told you before.” I let out a slow breath through my nose to calm myself when he scoffed, as if I was a kid who didn’t know any better. Before he could inform me of all the reasons to stay, I reminded him, “After everything I had to fix for you last night, I’m exhausted and ready to go home. I got what I came for; I’m leaving with a girl. There isn’t a reason to buy another.”
“You will grow bored with one.”
My jaw tensed in frustration. I doubted that. “There will be another group in six months. If you’re right, and that’s the case, then I’ll buy my second at that auction.”
Another scoff. “I wonder about you, Lucas, I do. I wonder about your ability to do what you’re supposed to. I think I put too much faith in you . . . I’m not sure you can do this.”
I narrowed my eyes at the fogged privacy glass in front of me. “Only an idiot would question the man he’s trained to pass as his shadow. Only a man with a death wish would question me.”
There were a few beats of silence before he said, “I will need to come inspect her.”
“Like hell you will,” I said with a surprised laugh. “That is not how any of us do this, don’t even attempt to deny that.”
“How dare you tell me what I will and will not—”
“Did your mentor ever once come to inspect any of your women?” I asked quietly. Dangerously. There was warning in my tone of what would happen if he went against the rules.
“This is different, things are expected of you. You are my protégé,” he yelled, and I laughed bitterly.
“Don’t deceive your old mind into believing that you’re someone greater than you are, with more power and holding than you have,” I sneered. “No. This is no different, and you are no different than the rest. You are a mentor—nothing more—and mentors do not visit or inspect. I will visit you with her when she is ready.”
“Lucas—”
“Trust that you trained me well, William, and remember that it was you who trained me. Mentor or not, do not cross me. You already know the consequences, since they came from your own mind.” I ended the call before he could say anything else and dropped my phone onto the seat next to me.
I’d just rested my head on the back of the seat when there was a light tap on the back window of the car.
My eyes shot open, and I raised my arm to glance at my watch before leaning over to roll down the window. It hadn’t been fifteen minutes since I’d finished buying the girl; she shouldn’t have been ready yet.
“Sir?”
“What?” I growled, and narrowed my eyes at the seller trying to get a glimpse into the car.
His eyes darted back to me, and he scrambled to grab something out of his pocket. “You purchased 48-1, yes?”
I only continued to glare at him. Considering we had talked just minutes after the purchase had been finalized, he and I both knew I had.
“Yes. Here. As requested.” He shoved an old, crumpled piece of paper into the car and jerked his arm away as soon as it was in my grasp.
I didn’t offer my thanks. I looked away in dismissal and waited until the window was back up before I allowed myself to read the scrawled notes about the girl.
Atlanta, Georgia.
Loner.
