Page 100 of Wicked and Claimed

The bidding moved quickly. Women sold for obscene amounts to faceless buyers with usernames like ShadowMarket42 and ChaosMaker.

Then a familiar face appeared onstage. Kaylee Wright. The girl whose disappearance sparked the investigation at the Oakfield Mall. She looked scared out of her mind but thankfully alive.

The auctioneer’s voice grew silky as he presented her. “A rare offering. Barely legal. Certified virgin. Completely untouched. Buy her, break her in…and train her to be whatever you want.”

“That’s my cue,” Ethan said quietly, fingers flying over his keyboard. Their plan required him to secure Kaylee while Nash focused on Haisley. Two rescues. Two chances to right these wrongs.

He wished like hell they could save every one of these women stolen and enslaved against their will, but he would do his fucking best to break this ring up and free all these women.

The bidding for Kaylee was fierce. Nash’s throat closed up watching Ethan compete for her life with these monsters. But finally, StrikeForce—Ethan’s online cover identity—won for a price just north of two million dollars.

The moment she disappeared offstage, Ethan sagged with relief. “Now we wait for instructions from these fuckers. In the meantime, I’ll contact Kaylee’s mother and fill her in on this development.”

“Make sure she understands this is just the first step in her daughter’s rescue,” Hunter said grimly. “We’ll do everything in our power, but until Kaylee is off that island and safely at home, nothing is guaranteed.”

Ethan acknowledged the boss with a nod, then grabbed his cell phone before ducking out of the conference room.

Three more women sold. Nash’s rage built with each transaction, each dehumanizing description, each moment these bastards treated people like products.

Ethan returned as the auctioneer’s voice changed, becoming almost reverent. “And now, gentlemen…the moment you’ve been waiting for. Our premium offerings. Our breeding stock.”

Nash gripped his laptop so tightly, he feared it might break.

“Easy,” Kane whispered. “Keep calm. We’re almost there.”

The auctioneer held up a finger. “And as usual, house rules for acquiring breeders apply, so do bear that in mind.”

House rules?“What the fuck does that mean?”

Across the table, Kane cursed and pounced on his keyboard. The collective mood in the conference room grew increasingly tense as he scanned his screen. “We just got access to this part of the site. I’m reading as fast as I can, but…”

“But?” Logan demanded.

Kane shook his head, clearly disturbed by whatever he was seeing.

The bidding commenced. The first breeder sold for a few million—nearly triple the previous prices. The second for even more. The buyers wanted youth, beauty, and fertility. Women who could be forced to bear children for fun, for profit, for bragging rights.

“Found anything yet?” Nash demanded of Kane.

His fellow operative never raised his head, just kept sweeping his stare across the screen. “There are nearly a hundred fucking pages of policies, rules, and bullshit. I’m reading as fast as I can.”

“Lot twenty-three,” the auctioneer announced. “Our final lot. A special acquisition.”

Haisley stumbled onto the stage, clearly pushed by someone behind the curtain.

Nash stopped breathing.

She wore a slip of silk that left little to the imagination, but it was her eyes that gutted him. Fierce. Defiant. Terrified. She held herself rigid as the auctioneer forced her to turn, to demonstrate her “attributes.”

“Read faster,” Nash growled. They couldn’t afford to fuck themselves out of ignorance.

“The bidding for this one will be fierce, gentlemen. Twenty-eight years old. Absolutely stunning—and a natural redhead. Excellent health. One previous pregnancy, so she’s proven fertile.”

The words were a blow to Nash’s solar plexus. His world tilted sideways. Haisley had been pregnant at one point? When? During her wild teenage years? During their two years apart? How had he not known? His mind raced. Haisley pregnant? Carrying a baby she’d never mentioned? Something that monumental, that life-changing… His chest constricted with a mixture of shock and an emotion he couldn’t name. What had happened? Where was that child? And why hadn’t she told him anything?

Now wasn’t the time to speculate. As soon as he got her back, he’d get answers.

For now, Nash tried to calm his trembling hands as he swiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. Matt shot Trees a worried look across the table. His brother gave a subtle nod in return.

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