Page 79 of Bought By Santa

“I’ll go find you two some food,” Carolina calls out, and when I turn to look at her, she blows me a kiss before sashaying her fine ass out of here.

Jack groans, reminding me I’m still touching his shoulder. Not the injured one, luckily. “Hey,” he says, lowering his voice. “What the hell is Dad up to?”

Well fuck, if he’s noticed something is up while being barely awake, it’s worse than I first thought. “What do you mean?” I ask.

“He called me as Sergei and I were on our way to the warehouse. He…” Jack trails off, his brows furrowing like he’s deep in thought. “He wanted our ETA. And… he asked if you were with us. It’s… it makes no sense.”

No… that makes no sense at all since Dad has officially passed the reins on to me, so he shouldn’t be involved at all. But… what if he’s unofficially still knee-deep in our empire? Could he have… no, that’s a leap.

Dad might not… I mean… sure, he’s cold toward Jack, indifferent at times. But he’s still his son. So surely he wouldn’t… would he?

Whatever is going on, it only solidifies the need to make Carolina mine in every way that counts, and that means it’s time.

Time for her test.

I quickly send a text to Arthur, telling him I’m ready. I’m not, and I don’t think I’ll ever be. Not because of what it could cost me, but because of what I know it’ll do to my hellcat.

Despite the hour, the King answers within minutes, telling me everything is already waiting for us, and that he’ll be there right away.

Chapter 27

The Breeder

We leave the hospital, the sterile scent and the distant beeping of machines still clinging to my senses. Jack is stable, but the tight knot in my chest doesn’t loosen. I think we’re heading home—back to the familiar safety of our apartment, where I can collapse and finally let the worry and fear drain away. But Nick stops me just before we reach the car, his hand firm around mine.

“We’re not going home yet,” he says, his voice low, almost too calm. My heart skips a beat, anxiety curling in my stomach.

Before I can ask where we’re going, he pulls me close, his hand cupping the back of my neck as he kisses me. It’s not a soft kiss. It’s fierce, consuming, as if he’s pouring everything he can’t say into that single moment. My heart pounds, not just from the kiss but from the unsettling sense that something is coming, something I’m not ready for.

When he pulls away, I’m left breathless, my lips tingling. “Nick, what—”

“It’s time for your test,” he interrupts, and before I can react, he pulls a blindfold from his pocket. The sight of it sends a jolt of fear through me. I don’t want to be in the dark, not now, not when everything feels so precarious.

His hands are gentle as he slips the blindfold over my eyes, but it doesn’t soothe the panic rising in my chest. The world goes black, the comforting sight of Nick’s face disappearing, leaving me adrift in uncertainty. I hear the car door open, and he guides me inside, his hand never leaving mine. The door closes, sealing me in darkness and silence.

The car starts moving, and I try to focus on the familiar sound of the engine, the subtle vibrations beneath me, anything to anchor myself. But the blindfold makes everything feel distant, detached. I can’t see Nick, can’t read his expression or feel his presence the way I usually do. My mind races with questions; Why now? Why this secrecy?

I force myself to take deep breaths, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. I have to trust him. I’ve trusted Nick with my life before, but this feels different, more personal, more dangerous. The stakes are higher because they’re not just about me—they’re about us, about our future.

The car finally stops, and I hear the doors open, the sounds of people moving around outside. The air that rushes in is cold,biting, and I shiver involuntarily. Nick’s hand releases mine, and I feel a pang of loss, of fear, as I wait for him to guide me out.

But the hand that takes mine isn’t his. It’s rougher, the grip firm but unfamiliar. My heart leaps into my throat, and I have to force myself not to pull away. I don’t know who this person is, but I follow him, my steps hesitant as he leads me out of the car. The ground beneath my feet is uneven, gravel crunching with each step. The air smells damp, a mix of oil and concrete that tells me we’re in some kind of industrial area.

Panic flutters in my chest as we walk. I can hear the faint echo of our footsteps bouncing off walls, the surrounding space feeling vast and empty. My senses are heightened by the blindfold, every sound sharper, every scent more potent. I focus on the rough hand guiding me, the only thing tethering me to reality in this suffocating darkness.

Finally, we stop. The blindfold is removed, and I blink against the harsh light that floods my vision. My eyes adjust, revealing a large, dimly lit warehouse, the kind of place where shadows hide secrets and danger. The space is cold, the chill in the air gnawing at my skin, making it hard to shake off the unease that’s settled deep in my bones.

In front of me stands Arthur Hatt, the King. His presence is commanding, his eyes cold and assessing as they lock onto mine. Beside him, with an expression as hard as stone, is Nick’s dad, Caspian. The sight of him sends a fresh wave of fear crashing over me. Caspian doesn’t need words to be intimidating, he just is.

The diary entries from Sienna’s diary makes coldness run down my spine, and I shiver.

Arthur steps forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Welcome, Carolina,” he says, his tone smooth but devoid of warmth. “Nicklas has chosen you, but now you must prove yourself.”

My stomach drops. This is it. The test Nick mentioned—the test of loyalty, strength, and resolve. The words I want to say die on my tongue as I glance around, but I don’t see my twisted Santa anywhere.

Arthur continues, his eyes never leaving mine. “The test is simple. Three men, all hooded. You must shoot two, leaving one standing. The challenge is identifying which one is Nicklas.”

What? No way. He can’t… the longer I look at his impassive face, the clearer it becomes that he’s dead serious.

---