Page 4 of His Public Claim
I have a bad feeling that I know what’s under that ten-foot round, two-foot high dais: a bed. Right here, with three dozen mafia kingpins and a few queen-pins watching, if one of them outbids me, they’ll break my angel’s hymen.
We’re competing for Nicole’s first time, and there will be some of these bastards who expect a show. The buy-in was ten thousand pounds, after all, just to attend.
That won’t be happening. My single purpose in life is to protect Nicole. I didn’t protect my mother from my father soon enough, and though that was a decade ago, I haven’t forgotten what can happen to women mixed up with the unsavoury parts of the mafia.
I’m only glad I managed to find out about Nicole’s act of self-sacrifice in time. Highbury has been keeping his dealings quiet because Westminster would destroy him if he knew he was trading outside of London. But I’ve made it my business to know about Nicole.
Some would call it stalking. I think of it more as being her unofficial bodyguard. Highbury might be a posh andinfluential London mafia, and her father is a kind man. But he’s stuck in the mafia ways of the past, where women were merely ornaments. Not the way I’d deal with my family, if I had any left. David has been my best friend since we met on the school playground and realised we were neighbours, so I consider Highbury my family. I’ve been protecting them for years. David from when we were kids and Nicole kicked in my protective instincts when she was a baby.
After I had to permanently dispose of my father to protect my mother, I was flat-out running Dalston. I didn’t have leisure to spend with David or Highbury and didn’t see the family much during Nicole’s teenage years. David and I still ran together every week, but I rarely glimpsed Nicole.
Two years ago, I went around to Highbury house for dinner, the first time in a while. And that was when I discovered my obsession with the most beautiful girl in the world. The one woman I can never have: my best friend’s much younger little sister.
It swiftly developed into obsession. The more I saw of Nicole, even from afar, the more I needed to see.
But keeping tabs on Nicole meant that when she didn’t go out for her usual afternoon walk with her camera in hand, I knew something was wrong. A casual call to David revealed him to be a mess. One question and he broke down and begged me to help. He didn’t have the cash to attend the auction, never mind bid.
And I promised him I’d bring Nicole back, untouched.
Which I’m still determined to do. I don’t think he realised that the buy-in for the entertainment wasn’t just for the auction. Nope. It’s for what comes afterwards, too.
“Two million!” The auctioneer is far too excited by this. He keeps casting glances at Nicole like he can’t believe it.
Neither can I.
She’s all grown up.
I knew Nicole was twenty-three, and a young woman, not a teenager. I did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been following her the way I have for the last two years. I wouldn’t have been fisting my cock as I lay in my bed—alone, always alone, I’d rarely felt the need for company until seeing Nichole as an adult and I only want her—and making myself spill with her name silently on my lips and her face in my imagination.
Stolen glimpses have had to be enough, and it’s crazy, but even in these bad circumstances, I’m enjoying having every reason to look my fill at her. I’ve only had short bursts of watching Nicole, always telling myself I’m merely keeping her safe.
That’s not it though. Not entirely.
I’m jealous of the fact all these other men are looking at my girl.
There’s a possessive burn under my ribcage. It’s torture, because as much as I want to see more of her, I hate that everyone else is looking too.
“Next bid is three million. What do you say, falcon?”
The pause in the bidding brings me back to the present with a snap.
An overweight man in a bird mask that doesn’t suit him shakes his head.
“Anyone—”
“Three million.” The words are out before I can stop them. Enough patience. Enough playing it cool. I’m winning Nicole and getting out of here.
“Four,” drawls the cobra from across the room.
There’s a rumble of gossip and some barks of amazed laughter. I barely hear. Blood rushes in my ears. I watchNicole, whose mouth has dropped open into a perfect little “o”.
“Five.”
I want her. I’m not giving up, however much it costs. Five million pounds is an enormous amount of money. It’s settling her family’s debts twice over, but I’ll pay whatever it takes.
The cobra stands and turns, looking through the crowd. They part, exposing me, and confirming my suspicion that the cobra is one of the cartel leaders, a spotlight falls on me. Blinding. Only by sheer force of will do I not put up my hand to protect my eyes.
“Oh, you’re desperate for her, aren’t you?” The cobra’s mouth tugs into a sneer, and he looks me up and down slowly and obviously. “Very well. I’ll concede and enjoy the spectacle. Make it good, wolf.”
