Page 2 of Sold to the Titan

I nod and follow her out the door that leads to the back of the building. She stops by a black car parked on the edge of the street and raps her knuckles three times on the driver’s side window. The window slides down halfway, revealing a pudgy-faced man in dark clothes and shades that cover half his face.

Vivian gestures for me to stay while she leans through the window to talk to the man. I watch them exchange hushed whispers, my resolve crumbling with every passing second. Justwhen I’m starting to consider what a bad idea this whole thing is, Vivian straightens and flashes me a bright smile.

“Go on in, Ary,” she says, pulling open the passenger door. “He’ll take you to the venue and bring you back right after.”

I look at the man in the driver’s seat. He’s staring straight ahead, his expression set in stone. He looks downright scary, like a hitman from one of those action movies my dad used to love.

“Vivian…are you sure about this?” I ask, nervously biting down on my lip.

She looks hesitant for a moment, but then she smiles and I think I must have imagined it. “I’m sure. I think this will be a great gig for you. But if you want to back out, do it now.”

I shake my head. “No, I’ll do it.”

Not like I have a choice. I need to survive and would be a fool not to take this chance. Taking a deep breath, I slide into the passenger seat of the car, immediately fixing my seat belt. Vivian flashes me another quick smile before pushing the door closed. She waves at me as the car starts to pull away and I return the gesture.

Soon, the car is driving down the busy streets of Seattle. Again, I wonder how people are out so late at night, drinking and partying, but what’s Seattle without its nightlife?

I lean back against the headrest with a soft sigh. I trust Vivian, but I’m still not sure about this. I don’t even know where the driver is taking me. I try to pay attention to each turn, each landmark we pass, but I quickly get turned around. The next thing I know, the car is pulling up in front of a huge building in the middle of nowhere. The buildings on either side are dark, maybe abandoned, and I can’t see any street signs.

“Where are we?” I ask quietly, trying not to sound panicked.

The driver doesn’t respond as he gets out of the car, walks over to my side and pulls open the door, gesturing for me to get out. I oblige, ignoring the anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. Another man joins us by the car, adding to my growing fear. He seemed to have materialized from the shadows. He’s tall, with fierce features and a thin scar that runs from beneath his left eye to his chin.

“She’s all yours,” the driver says quietly. His voice is shockingly high-pitched for a man with his build.

Maybe that’s why he didn’t say a word the whole way.

“Did you confirm she’s a virgin?” Scarface asks. He has a deep, cold voice, perfectly appropriate for his scary visage.

“Yes,” the driver replies curtly.

“Great.” Scarface turns to face me. “Come with me.”

He starts to walk away, toward the ominous-looking building. A steeple casts a shadow over us, and I realize the building is an old stone chapel.

A church? I guess that fits with the “innocent look” Vivian said they wanted. What kind of photo shoot is this?

I follow after him, half running to match his long strides, my feet crunching in the gravel. I glance back in time to see the black SUV driving away.

Didn’t Vivian promise he was going to take me back?

Inside the building, Scarface ignores the main sanctuary in front of us and turns to the right, into a dimly lit corridor that leads to a flight of stairs that seems to go down endlessly. Before we getto the stairs, a door is suddenly pushed open and I almost run into a tall, suited figure.

He pauses abruptly, like he wasn’t expecting anyone to be in the corridors. The stranger’s vivid blue eyes search mine with a hint of curiosity—and something else. Everything about him, from his neatly groomed dark hair to his tailored suit and shiny shoes, speaks of his authority. Somehow, even in this scary situation, his presence makes me feel calm and safe. Like it wasn’t a mistake for me to come here.

I blush when I realize my eyes have been trailing up and down his body, and I return my gaze to his face, where I see something like…is that pity?

“Keep up,” Scarface snaps, pausing at the top of the stairs to give me a death stare. “We don’t have all night.

The stranger’s blue eyes flare, a dangerous glint that disappears quickly, replaced by a shutter of indifference. He turns around and walks away toward the door of the chapel, as if he’s leaving.

My heart sinks to my stomach, disappointment clawing at my chest.Why do I suddenly feel…bereft?

“Walk faster!” Scarface snaps again, and I increase my pace to catch up with him, trying to put the handsome blue-eyed stranger out of my mind.

By the time we get to the bottom of the stairs, my legs feel like they’re about to give way beneath me. It doesn’t help that I’m still wearing the killer heels and tight skirt from work. We’re deep underground by now, and I tell myself it’s the chill that causes goose bumps to break out along my arms, rather than fear.

Scarface turns to look at me, his eyes roaming my face and body for a blood-chilling moment. “What you have on will do,” he says, more to himself than me. “You’re up next. We don’t have time to get you changed.” He hands me a tag with the number six. “Pin that on your chest and go in through that door when you hear your number.”

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