CHAPTER ONE

KATIE’S POV.

My dried tears clung to my cheeks so keenly as though they were my last hope as I stood in front of the unfamiliar faces, my fingers clutching onto my tattered gown tightly with my nails digging into my skin. I haven’t showered in five days, but that was the least of my concerns right now.

“The brown-haired goes for 50 bucks.” I heard the man roar as he continued to chew on a stick, causing me to lift my head slightly to look his way.

He had a deep cut right on his jaw of about three inches. My eyes trailed to meet his eyes, and it immediately sent fear running down my spine as I behold the emptiness it held. I snatched my eyes back to stare at my unpainted nails, the inner part of me missing the good old days.

Days before my Father’s death. Beautiful days before, my stepmother sold me off to these strangers and hurried off with a wicked grin on her face after she was handed the big wand of cash. One would think that she had awaited his death.

Tears stung the back of my eyes, causing me to bite hard on my lower lip because I knew better than to cry. I wasn’t a weakling, and I refused to be seen as one.

I watched them battle on prices to be paid on the little boy of about Sixteen who did nothing but stare at the space with no will to survive. My heart clenched in fear at the thought of how this would soon be my fate.

“Sold!” The man yelled before pushing the innocent boy forward, urging him to meet her in the crowd while she sat there with a mischievous grin on, the same one my stepmother had on the day she had tricked me into coming here, claiming she was taking me to pay a last visit to my Father’s grave before my return to school.

Too bad I never knew it was a lie.

I watched the boy keenly as he staggered forward, his teeth digging into his lip as one of the guards took off his chain. Within the blink of an eye, he launched forward in a race, life returning to his Grey eyes as he did, running past his new master and heading out.

My breath hitched in my throat, and hope-filled me, a part of me praying that he escaped so I might do the same.

Run!!!

I urged in my head while I watched his little legs take him as fast as they could. Until he stopped, falling to the ground with blood oozing from his head.

The sound of the gun echoed in my ear, causing me to gasp while my body trembled. The guard who had shot him had a smile on before walking forward to drag his corpse with one hand, his blood leaving a trail on the ground as though it urged the others to see what had become of him.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let the tears roll down my dirty cheeks as everything dwelled on me. I could tell that I was stuck, and there was no turning back now.

I felt a sharp pain run through my shoulder the second someone hit me, causing me to drift my eyes apart to stare at his frown face.

“You’re next!” He said as though he was without will, too. As though he was nothing less than a prisoner himself.

I trembled vigorously as my wobbly legs took me farther towards the mean man.

His eyes lingered on me for a long time, and I could tell that he was deciding on the best price to sell me.

“She will go for 200 bucks.” He eventually said while my heart continued to thump so fast against my fragile chest.

I felt something unsettling deep in my stomach, and I could tell that it was fear.

“I will take her.” I heard a familiar voice say and I could tell that it was that same woman who had bought the dead boy.

From the look of things, I could tell that she wasn’t a good person, and I definitely didn’t want her to be my new owner.

Owner!

That word spread bitterness from my throat to the tip of my tongue, getting mixed with the burning flame in me because, more than anything, I wanted my freedom.

“I will pay 300 for her.” I heard an unfamiliar male voice say, causing me to raise my head upward to see the man who spoke, only for a knock to land on my head.

“You don’t look until when asked.” The man cautioned, and I bit on my lip again.

After what seemed like an eternity, he eventually spoke again.

“Sold!” He announced, and I felt my heart skin deep to the bottom of my belly as more tears rolled down my cheek because now I knew this was my fate.

I watched as the emotionless guard freed me from my chains before dragging me forward to where my new owner sat, but I did not attempt to look at him because I feared that he might see how scared and vulnerable I was right now.

“Follow me.” He ordered in a raspy, deep voice before standing up and leading the way. My eyes clinging to my steps and the blood of the innocent boy.

Soon, we were sitting in his car, my right finger tangling with the left finger out of sheer nervousness as I tried to stop more tears from coming out. I knew I had to be strong, so I sniffed back the catarrh and finally looked his way.

My eyes trailed over his stunning face for a while before I looked away, seeing that he was about to look my way.

The drive to his place was a long one as different questions reeled through my mind. The car was parked, and we stepped out. I followed him closely behind while he led the way. He paused to look at the staff lined up dressed in the same Brown outfit.

“Get her cleaned up and bring her down for dinner.” He ordered to no one in particular, then walked away from sight while two of the maids closed the distance between us.

“Please come with us.” The Brown-haired, older woman said. I nodded and then did as told, my eyes taking in all the details of the magnificent building.

****

I didn’t expect it to be easy, and it wasn’t because soon I was dressed up in a clean, short Blue gown that clung to my body like my newly found problem. My eyes ran over the transformation they had managed to give me in mere minutes, and it baffled me because no one would ever be able to tell that today was my first bath in five days.

We headed downstairs just like my new master had ordered, and different thoughts ran through my head. I desperately couldn’t wait to know why I was here. I grew up reading tales like this, and never did I think I would fall into one myself, and most times, they ended up being substitute brides or pets and maltreated. Both thoughts made me quiver a little because I never dreamed of a loveless marriage.

“I will leave now, Ma. You can go in.” Dorris informed. That was what she called her name.

I nodded and thanked her, then watched her retreating for a while till she went out of sight. My heart was thudding twice as much as it did some seconds ago.

The giant doors were pushed open by the two guards standing in front of them to reveal the big space, and I continued my steps forward.

“Welcome!” I heard the familiar voice say, causing me to stop in my tracks as I dragged my eyes to land on them.

Them!

The unfamiliar faces.

My breath hitched while I clutched tightly to the sides of my dress, just like I always did whenever I felt nervous.

“Come sit!” He added, a smile plastered on his face.

I squeezed in a breath before stepping forward to settle on the chair that stood right between him and the other male who looked old enough to be his Father. Maybe an uncle.

The other male looked younger than both of them, way younger, and he looked innocent, too. But weirdly, he had an aura around him that seemed unexplainable. By the time our eyes met, I could see how much emptiness it held. His Greg's eyes reminded him of the innocent boy who had no will. Reminded me of the prisoner and the…

Swallowing the lump of saliva in my mouth, I pinched my lap a little to snap myself out of everything, including this.

“I didn’t get your name.” My new owner said, and I almost scoffed out a rude response, but I didn’t.

“You never asked,” I said as politely as I could and heard the older male laugh briefly.

“I like her already.” The older male said, but I ignored his intense stare at me.

“My bad. I’m Axel. This is Hunter, my little brother.” He introduced, pointing to him as he did. “And lastly, this is our Father, Maverick, the man you are getting married to.” He added calmly as though he had just told me I had won myself the lottery.

I swallowed hard as I digested his words carefully, like a year-old child learning the alphabet for the first time.

Each word echoes again and again in my head until it melts into my subconscious.