Page 117 of Coal Hearts

I stiffened as his fingers stretched out—icy with dew from his ice-cube stuffed drink—and cupped my bare breast.

My eyes snapped closed.

The coldness of his touch felt like fire.

Leave.

Go.

Forget.

He fisted me, keeping me far too present.

Biting my bottom lip, I fought the urge to cry out as he crushed delicate tissues and wrenched my nipple with malicious glee.

I didn’t look at Henri.

I didn’t seek salvation in his stare.

He couldn’t stop this.

And I couldn’t ask him to.

“Nine hundred!” Roland offered, making my insides slither to my feet.

Bending into me, Victor suddenly pressed his ear to my mouth as if I whispered to him. He nodded dramatically before laughing like a deranged courtier.

My eyes flew open at his weirdness.

What the hell—?

The crowd shifted with frowns on their faces, most likely thinking the same thing.

“You know what, Ily? I quite agree.” Victor let my breast go and tipped his chin at the men. “Ily just said it’s only fair to show her yours while you stare at hers.” Taking a large swallow of his drink, he commanded, “Those bidding on my jewel, put your hands where your money is. Show my pretty gem what she’ll be getting.”

A fresh wave of horror shot down my spine as the five men currently bidding all stepped forward and formed a line ringing the moat separating the dais.

One by one, they stripped.

Buttons undone, shirts off, shoes kicked, trousers and shorts unzipped, and boxers...

I gulped as five men tore off their underwear and tossed them onto the grass.

Not a single man was soft.

Five cocks hung stiff and angry between hairy thighs. Some short and fat, some long and narrow, all of them disgusting because they belonged to rapists.

The chain jangled above my head as I lost control and fought.

Rage crested through me.

Impotent rage.

Helpless rage.

I wanted to wrench off every single offending appendage and run.

Run!