Page 21 of King of Shadows


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-Yessss!!

Everyone shouts and I lock myself in my own bubble paying attention to minimal parts of the auction. Leone and Domenico are masters of the market and sales, they tell jokes, hot words and they taste each name on their tongue until the offers are raised.

Ten million.

Forty millions.

One hundred and twenty million.

One thousand euros, that makes everyone laugh.

Two hundred million.

This is how the minutes go by, my body becomes more tense as I see that the girls make them get off, they receive the money that is added up on the smart screen and the girls look for their buyer.

Salvatore's hand falls on my thigh, the caress is gentle, it brings me out of my thoughts and when I see him I realize that he has taken off his jacket. He is wearing a basic black t-shirt combined with dress pants of the same tone. I can finally see his arms, black ink decorating them.

It has runes, doodles, dark mandalas, and roses everywhere that vary in size.

—Do you admire them?

—Yes, I like to draw too, the little ones love it.

"This is not the place to talk about children," he says. Has tattoos?

—No, but I would like to, my job doesn't allow it.

He analyzes my legs that are crossed, even I'm surprised that he doesn't take his hand off my thigh, and it's because right now my head is trying to process everything because it's great fun selling women here.

"This is and will be your new life, I don't know how long it will be," he says, "what I know is that you must leave the limits that you had placed on yourself." All this is new, it will be your life and you must stick to it.

—Are you suggesting I have Stockholm syndrome? —I snort—. There are things that have always tormented me, but I assure you that I am not going to fall in love with my kidnapper.

—In fact, it wouldn't be a kidnapping because I'm not stopping you from leaving, I told you that you could tell me if you wanted to leave and I would hand you over myself because you already know how your life will end, you just have to say it because the other threats are just part of my reminder of what can happen to you.

-I can `t go.

Although I want to leave, it is just what is missing within my prayer. It is no lie that the battle between Rinaldi and Marino has been in a crescendo, which means that it could endanger all the children I am with in my classroom and I cannot allow that.

—What is it that torments you, Emily?

"Giving a lot and still not being enough," I intertwine my fingers when I turn around again, one more girl was sold. Everyone at first thinks that I have a bad face, I have a bad mood and when they get to know me they realize that there is only a little of that inside me. I am sweet, I like children, I like dinners and I like to eat with good company.

—I thought you were boring and I wasn't wrong.

—Bored and I am the prey that entertains you, Salvatore.

He remains silent as if the truth had given him a direct slap in the face without anesthesia.

—Do you want to play, darling?

-What you got for me?

He closes the distance, for a moment he stops listening to the clients with the cold need to have tits and asses in his hands as soon as possible. He brushes a strand of hair away from my ear, lowers his hand to cup my cheek, and runs his thumb over my lips again.

—I want you to get high with me.

—I already told you that I don't consume.

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