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Her head turned, brow creasing at the small size of the box. Her hands curled at her sides, though she didn’t move to look in the package.
“Will this not work?”
Her big eyes turned back to me, the worry in their depths as obvious as it was in her scent. I tried to hide the hunger gnawing at me and gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
“It was chosen to match the others and highlight your assets. I’ll give you five minutes to change, then I’ll be back for you.”
I stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. It was surprising that she had taken the initiative to wear something provocative, but that dress wasn’t what I wanted to see her in. As much as it exposed, the bidders would demand more.
With a few minutes to kill, I ventured into Madame’s domain. From the moment I had asked her to help backstage with the girls for this, she had taken control. She had decided what they wore, how they did their hair and makeup, and even rearranged the order I’d planned to show them, but I let her have her say. I’d gone to her for a reason, and it didn’t make sense to ignore good advice from someone I trusted.
The space where the girls were getting ready was chaos, and Madame stood in the middle of it all, the eye of the storm. Since she didn’t seem concerned I assumed everything was going fine, so I worked my way through the flying clothes, swinging limbs, and piles of shoes. By the time I made it to her, I was sure this room was far more dangerous than the one filled with the leaders of criminal organizations from all over the state.
Madame didn’t say a word to me, or even spare me a glance as she called directions to the women making their last-minute preparations. Scantily clad and half-naked girls were applying lip gloss, putting on lingerie, and curling hair. To my eye it didn’t seem like they would be ready in time, but I trusted Madame to be sure they were. The first auction was to begin in ten minutes.
Without pause, Madame pulled a wipe from a pack she had tucked in her sleeve and handed it to me, finally giving me a moment of attention.
“Bring her out of the room in fifteen minutes. She needs to see how the others handle their sale, but you don’t want her there so long she gets too lost in her head.”
I chuckled, shaking my head as I took the wipe. Thanking her, I wove my way back to the door and slipped into the silent hallway, breathing a sigh of relief that I’d escaped unscathed. Madame was a law unto herself, and the way she seemed to anticipate everything had me almost convinced she could read minds.
By the time I stopped outside the room where Cadence was waiting, her five minutes were up, and my cock twitched in anticipation of seeing her in the outfit I’d chosen for her. The thought that she may have refused to change after seeing what was in the box crossed my mind, or that I might open the door to an empty room, but I was sure she was at the point where she was too committed to back out.
I only needed to get her onstage and be patient.
Then she’d be mine.
Chapter Nine
Cadence
Istared at the slim box resting on the table. There was no way an entire outfit could be in there, and I was scared to remove the lid and see what was inside.
Trembling, my hand crept forward. I’d come this far. How bad could it be?
The pile of white lace was more fabric than I had expected to find inside, but it was clear without needing to touch it that it was lingerie. I pulled out the folded bra, a matching satin thong with lace along the trim, and the stockings resting beneath them inside the box.
Swallowing hard, I told myself it didn’t show much more than people would see if I was wearing a bikini, besides half my bottom, and it was more than what Icouldhave been walking on stage in.
It didn’t help.
The implication was there, reminding me what I was selling. Even the perfect white of the fabric was a reminder that I’d lose something before the night was over. Something I couldn’t get back.
I tried to calm my racing heart as I peeled off the yellow dress. Dropping it in a pile on the floor, I unhooked the strapless bra I had worn beneath it. At least the one Leo had provided was pretty, where all of mine were plain and functional.
Cramming my things into my purse with the clothing I had worn over the dress, I turned back to the white lace. Only knowing if I didn’t hurry, Leo could walk in and see me standing there naked, got me moving.
It wasn’t surprising that everything was a perfect fit. I didn’t know if Leo had a good eye or mysteriously got the information the same way he’d found out where I worked, but it didn’t matter either way.
There was another tap on the door as I finished pulling up the stockings. There were no shoes to go with it, and I breathed a sigh of relief since trying to walk in heels would have been a disaster. I stood, knowing my time was up, and Leo was back to lead the sacrifice to slaughter.
Maybe I was being a bit dramatic.
I couldn’t stop my eyes from trailing over him as the door swung open again. He was dressed all in white as well, his suit perfectly cut to highlight his powerful frame. My skin heated as I watched him look me over, stomach churning at the thought that he might change his mind and send me away for not being good enough.
I wasn’t comfortable with what I was being forced to do, but I didn’t want the chance taken away either. It was my last hope to protect my brother, and I’d take whatever came to do that.
Walking into the room, Leo didn’t stop until he stood so close I could almost taste the coffee and vanilla scent of him, the whiskey notes subdued, and the heat radiating from his body warmed me in ways the scraps of fabric covering my important bits didn’t. I stood frozen, trapped in his hungry gaze as he lifted a hand to my head. I didn’t realize what he was doing until I felt my hair tumble down my back, falling to brush against the curve of my waist.
