“Hmm, it’s a shame you didn’t bring her to me as a means ofpayment. I would have gladly taken her in exchange for wiping your debt,”Diaz said, handing the photo back to Freddy, who looked like Christmas had come early.
My hands fisted in my lap, the sudden need to knock his teeth outagain roared to life. In fact, knocking his teeth out wouldn’t have been enough.
I wanted to gut him.
“When is the auction?”
“In two days,”Freddy replied eagerly.
“Verywell,”Diaz said after a short pause.“I’ll grant you two days, butI warn you, Freddy, if you disappear or she doesn’t make enough to clear your debt, there will be hell to pay. Do I make myself clear?”The threat in his voice was unmistakable, there was no way Freddy couldn’t have heard it.
“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Mr. Diaz, thank you so much.”Herushed toward Diaz, relief at his temporary reprieval written over his face as he held his dirty hand out for Diaz to shake.
“Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind,”Diaz snapped,refusing to take Freddy’s hand and eyeing him with disgust.
I didn’t blame Diaz, I wouldn’t want the fucker touching me either. How he’dproduced such a stunning daughter was anyone’s guess.
Almost tripping over his feet, Freddy backed up toward the door,bowing as he went like a little prick bowing to a king. It was no wonder Diaz believed he was the king of Vegas when he had peasants like Freddy kissing his ass.
When the door slammed behind him, Diaz snorted.“What a fuckingidiotthatman is. He might make enough to pay his debt off this time, but I guarantee, it won’t be long until he racks it up again, hejustcan’t help himself, and I doubt he’ll be able to sell his daughter twice.”
“Out of interest, how much does he owe?”I asked, trying to soundcasual, and not let onthatin my head, I was already putting plans into place.
“Half a mil.”
Christ.
Freddy really couldn’t help himself.
“You know, I’m tempted to go to the auction and buy little Cora formyself,”Diaz muttered almost to himself, making my blood heat to boiling point.“I’d have a lot of fun breaking her in if she’s as innocent as he says.”
I managed to stop the rumble of anger from breaking free of my chest,and giving awayjusthow much I wanted to end Diaz so he wouldneverget the chance to put his hands on Cora.
On what was mine.
Because little did he know, there wasn’t going to be an auction in twodays.
Cora Annabell Clarke would already be mine bythen.
Chapter 2
Cora
Terrified didn’t come close to what I was feeling. For the past threedays, I’d been locked up in a dingy cell with only a small window letting light in to tell me how many days had passed.I didn’t know how much longer I was going to be here though, and as much as Ihated being confined in the dark, tiny space, it was better than what awaited me.
I’d only seen one person since I was thrown in the cell, and hescared the living hell out of me. Twice a day he would come to me, once in the morning to bring me breakfast, and again in the evening to bring me dinner. Every time, his lecherous eyes would roam over my body as if he could imagine what I tasted like.
If it wasn’t for the factthathe told me he wasn’t allowed to touchme, I was certain he would have raped me by now.
Thatsaid, it was only a matter of time before I would be raped.Dwayne, as he’d introduced himself, enjoyed taunting me, telling me what my future held.
An auction.
Men who wanted to do unimaginable things to me, bidding towin me.
I was to become someone’s sex slave.
Dwayne had taken great pleasure in telling methatbecause I wassoinnocent, his boss was going to make a fortune out of selling me. I’d cried solidly the first night I was here, despair and disbelief consuming methatthis was to become my fate, all because of my dad.