Three more women are selected—by a couple, a single man and a single woman—then the second man is selected by a fierce-looking woman at the front of the room. She immediately handcuffs him as he sits.
My focus tails off again for the next few winners, my eyes roaming the room searching for any clues as to who might havebid on me—if anyone did. Only a few glances shoot my way and they’re fleeting, making my stomach drop another inch.
My right leg starts to tremble when the woman next to Hallie makes her way to a masked man who is eating up every step she takes and licking his lips.
When Cassio turns to Hallie, I feel her entire body stiffen. Reaching out, I take hold of her hand. It goes against every instinct I have, but I force myself to do it. To be here for her.
My gaze cuts to the two men sitting to our left. Their heads are turned our way and I can feel Il Diavolo’s gaze searing into my skin. Remo is watching Hallie, a corner of his mouth twitching as Cassio reads out her name.
“The winner of the beautiful Hallie Mitchel, is…”
He turns the sheet of gold card in his hand.
“Anonymous.”
There’s a collective intake of breath across the room and I look out to see a veil of shock on multiple parted lips.
Cassio wipes a knuckle across his mouth.
“This is unprecedented,” he says, slowly. “We haven’t had an anonymous bid before.” He looks over to Il Diavolo who nods for him to continue. “Hallie will be assigned a room where she’ll meet with the winning bidder.”
She shakes like a leaf beside me, her hand growing damp with sweat. “I don’t understand,” she whispers under her breath.
Cassio’s voice cuts through. “Hallie, please see Vivienne. She’ll direct you to where you need to go.”
Hallie squeezes my hand tightly then lets go and walks toward the elevators.
Suddenly, it’s just me standing alone at the front of the room, feeling the eyes of the entire lounge sparking across my skin. Every part of me is trembling.
What have you done, Pfeiffer? What thehellhave you done?
“And finally, the beautiful…” Cassio pauses, his gaze drifting to mine beneath his mask. He swallows like he might have said something wrong.
“Pfeiffer McAllister. Your winning bidder is…”
Time stops as he turns over the gold card.
It catches the light, casting a golden glow over the bottom half of his face, illuminating a knowing, yet slightly concerned expression.
I have the horrible feeling he knows who’s bid for me and for whatever reason, he doesn’t like it.
That’s ridiculous, I tell myself. He’s never even spoken to me before. He may have been in the club, I may have served him, but I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me.
Only one man in this place is memorable to me. Il Diavolo.
The room gasps again before I can wrap my head around the word.
“Anonymous.”
He turns back to me, and I detect an air of something on the slight inward roll of his lips.
Pity, perhaps?
I offer him a timid smile when I should be the one receiving compassion. Someone has bid for me anonymously? Why would they want to remain anonymous? What have they got to hide?
“Pfeiffer, congratulations. Please see Vivienne. She will show you to your suite.”
I step into the room feeling almost flattened by the stares that follow me. Each step I take feels more numb than the last.
