Sold

A hand grabbed me roughly and pulled me off the podium almost immediately. I went numbly, along with the goon, back through the large curtain and was taken to a room.

He pushed me to a chair and positioned himself wordlessly beside me, arms crossed. No one around here knows how to treat a woman properly. It's like we're regarded as nothing more than a commodity without human feelings.

I never even knew stuff like this still happened in the twenty-first century; I thought it had only happened in the past, movies at best.

My fate now was in the hands of my so-called buyer, the rich man from the club. What a sad twist of fate; I ended up with him as his- I haven't a clue what I'm going to be to him, s*x toy?

Oh God and it had to be him, out of all men that existed. I don't even know what to expect from my life anymore.

The door opened, and a man in a black suit stepped in, walking straight toward me.

"Miss Alina, please follow me; Lord Ruslan awaits you," he said and immediately turned to go.

The goon grabbed my arm harshly, pulled me up, and marched me closely behind the man whose pace I wasn't sure my weakened feet could keep up with. He walked through some doors, up a staircase, and finally out into the open sky.

The breath of clear evening air was like water I so desperately needed, and I made sure I got enough of it. Some cars were parked a distance away, and standing beside a black S.U.V. car, I spotted my 'buyer' talking to someone.

I knew it was him cause he was the only man I saw in the hall wearing a distinct red suit; it seemed he loved the color red. When he spotted me approaching, a small smile lighted his eyes.

"I'm sure you'd enjoy her, Lord Ruslan; if she doesn't submit, we can deliver the needles to you or, better yet, pierce her now", a voice said, drawing my attention to a short, bald headed man with a pot belly.

"There would be no need for that; she'd submit; I know she would," he said, something dangerous hidden underneath his tone as his eyes devoured my frame.

A sudden sense of self-consciousness bloomed on the inside of me when I remembered I was still dressed in the short, transparent gown, so l am practically naked right now.

Quite a number of people have seen my nakedness, so I guess I shouldn't be too moved, but I still am.

"Alright then, I'll take my leave now," the short man bowed slightly and excused himself.

One of Lord Ruslan’s bodyguards opened up the door for me to enter into the car and I found myself sitting beside him.

I tried my possible best not to look at him once the car started moving, but I betrayed myself and stole a look at him. He was staring at me, so our eyes met when I faced him.

My head snapped away instinctively, and I moved a little closer to the door, causing him to

"Seems like our destinies are somehow intertwined. We meet again, though this time, under quite questionable circumstances,” he said, and I could feel his eyes fixed intently on me. He was studying me.

"Who is Stephan to you?" he suddenly asked after a pregnant pause. My breath hung up on his question: why was he asking me about Stephan out of the blue? Is he suspecting me after he saw us together that night, or is there something else?

"Are you suddenly dumb?" his annoyed voice bellowed, making me flinch a little.

"I... he, we met at the club, he was a client, you were my client that night, but somehow he got access to the room while you were yet to arrive, I don't know how or why...he's nothing to me I swear", I spluttered, keeping my gaze low.

He didn't respond; he just kept on looking at me.

"Next time you talk to me, I want you to look at me. Is that noted?" he finally said, and I replied in the positive.

A moment of silence reigned between us, and after a while, I summoned up courage to look up at him; I had a question in mind.

"Lord Ruslan, can I ask you a question... please?" I began, making my voice as sweet as I could.

"Speak."

"How long would you keep me? When do you think you'd be able to let me go?" I questioned, keeping eye contact with him as he had ordered.

He looked at me for a few fleeting seconds, and then the tip of his lips curved up slightly.

"That's more than a question, but I'll be generous and answer it regardless. You're my property now; I own your body and soul, and only I would decide what I'll do to you once I'm tired of you", he said, his voice teasing but authoritative.

His words made me feel like a whole load of stones were added to the ones I already had in my heart. I guess there's no getting out of this anytime soon- or ever.

Never would I be able to see my parents again, my aunt and cousin whom I didn't even call to say goodbye. My career and all my dreams to graduate from med school have been washed down the train.

Why? Because I fell for the stupid trap set by my so called friend had set and just when I thought I had freedom from Madame Caryn and her

games.

Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes, and I didn't want them to fall in front of him, so l looked away and moved closer to the door. I leaned my head against the headrest, wrapped my arms around myself, and let it fall.

Sleep began calling out to me a while later, and I succumbed to its call.

*******~~~~~*******

"Miss, please wake up," a foreign voice called, drawing my consciousness into reality. My eyes were heavy when I tried opening them, my head throbbing painfully, and my body, in general ached.

A tall, middle-aged man with graying tall, middle-aged man with graying temples stood in front of me, looking sharp in a tuxedo.

“Lord Zladimir requests that you prepare yourself for his arrival," he said gently.

I pulled myself up with as much strength as I could and looked behind me; my buyer was gone. I then tried getting myself out of the car, but my legs couldn't support my weight.

Thankfully, the butler was gracious enough to help me up and allowed me to hold on to him as he led me towards the house- if I could call it

that. It was a palatial building with an exquisite vintage appeal to it, unlike any l've ever seen.

Three ladies introduced themselves to me as my personal maids immediately after I stepped inside. Then, they practically grabbed me from the grasp of the butler and took me to a grand, luxurious room.

Just looking around intensified my headache.

They took my clothes off and helped wash me up. Yes, they bathed me like a baby. In my defense, I was too weak to do anything myself-plus, who doesn't like a little pampering once in a while? I think I deserve it.

When they were done dressing me up in lingerie,, they wore me a robe and took me to the dining room where I feasted on the sumptuous meal they served me. They gave me some medicine, which I was reluctant to accept at first, but the butler told me it was to help with the pain.

Afterward, they led me back to my room and told me Lord Ronov would be with me in a while. I hope he doesn't come tonight; I'm not physically, emotionally, and psychologically prepared for him.

I got myself tucked into the bed- my first in days and shut my eyes, waiting for sleep to come.

It did, but I don't know how long it lasted until I suddenly woke up. Someone had just stepped into the room, and when I raised my head to check who it was, Lord Ruslan was standing by the door.