Love & Affinities (18+)

2

ADRIANO ENZO CALVETI

Still in the alcohol's haze, I receive a call from Ares who reports that the girls were taken away by some other gang. Our biker, Sarah was tailing them to the next spot since it was dangerous to tail them with all of our men.

"Apparently it's some small Mexican cartel who tried to mess with their rival gang who 'used' to stay there, but not anymore since Alex took over the place. Plus, Sarah just informed me that the Mexican guys are fucked because they are setting up the girls for bidding or you can say an auction. And they're totally fucked *chuckles* because both us and that prick Alex are headed towards their hideout.'' Ares explains to me over the phone as I remove my seatbelt that's digging into my neck.

I feel too irritated to wear it while I decide to head over to where Sarah has found their hideout. I guess I'll be buying tonight. To free those girls and meet Alex as well. Of course he'd come to get his assets back. "You head with everyone to their auction and get into position, I'll be heading over in a few."

He cuts the call as I start the ignition and drive onto the crowded streets of the city. I don't know if it's the alcohol or just another day being able to take part in action, I feel energized and excited. I have the power to capture Alex and kill him, but it does not seem as satisfactory as chasing him like a cat while he hides like a mouse. Taking away his pawns and freeing them of their nightmares, messing up with his business deals. So much fun in making his life miserable before I kill him torturously slow.

As I reach the auction, I am welcomed into the big room with tables set up in every corner. I expected it to look like a rundown garage or something but it looked professional enough, like a club. As I am about to take seat, one of the waitresses comes up to me offering a mask. I realize then that all the other men have masks on, hiding their identities, probably working for the government yet sitting among law breakers themselves. Not shocking at all, however amusing because I own them all. It's not my business where their money goes but it shouldn't in these activities where people are sold for sexual needs against their will.

I put on the black and intriguing mask that covers my face perfectly with my piercing gaze lingering on the stage every now and then.

ARES: We're outside by all the exits.

ME: OK, once the bidding finishes, begin.

ARES: Sure BESTIEE.

I groan at his messages. He acts like a five year old. The tapping of the mic and the drawing of the red curtains brings my attention to the stage. ''Welcome to the Great Auction of the Finest in our Streets'', the guy with an oversized belly talks. Three glass boxes get rolled onto the stage with black curtains behind them, hiding the faces of the girls.

THIRD PERSON POV

The girls in the back room get dressed up like a vulnerable little doll before being pushed into the glass boxes. Alex's ruby is also one of them who is kept aside for the biggest and last bidding, but not tonight. Her sale would be done on a bigger platform.

THE RUBY

I couldn't sleep. I was a living corpse and every piece of my heart had been shattered by the torture I had experienced in this place. What hurt me more was the fact that no one had come to look for me. I looked at the scratches on the walls that I had made when I had been brought here for the first time. I had only tallied sixty days before I lost hope. My panic attacks were getting worse every now and then. It made me fear the fact that maybe I was becoming mentally unstable. And now, I was kidnapped by some other gang with all the others. Suddenly, I started having a panic attack when I heard the cries of a girl. The bed seemed to slam into the wall repeatedly as the pleasure-filled groans of the abuser filled the leftover space.

"No please, let me go. i-it hurts, please Alex," I cried, but all I got was a sharp pain shooting through my right cheek. Alex slapped me.

Shut up bitch. Don't you know? You have no right to call me by my name! You're nothing but my pretty ruby. You're my pretty little toy and you'll call me Master. Get that in your head!'' He slammed faster into me as blood pooled on the sheets. Tainted with my lost purity. My screams could be heard throughout the mansion, yet no one would ever help.

I whimpered, no, no, no in my hea-

Suddenly, I was snapped out of my painful memories when Anastasia, Alex's previous sub, stood shaking me. I breathed out in relief realizing he wasn't here now, but Anastasia grabbed me by my arm and pulled me towards the room where everyone was getting ready as I protested.

"What are you doing?" I pleaded.

"Shut up and stop stumbling bitch. Since you've come, Alex has been treating me like side trash and he slapped me in front of everyone today! Today I'll sell you off to one of those corrupt politicians, consider this a favor. And you know what I heard today? Here? These guys don't want to sell you tonight because you're worth much more!" she mutters.

"No, those guys will hit you, and what if he catches us? Alex is not here anymore, so why does it matter who is his favorite? We are now in someone else's place" I questioned. Instead, she ignored me and pulled me into the dressing room through the hidden hallway. "Why are we here? Please, I didn't do any-uh anything on purpose," I squealed when she tore off my top. I was too weak to fight back when she slapped me, pushing me onto the couch. The next thing pulled off was my pants.

She grabbed a syringe with some sort of drug in it but before she could reach for me, I dashed towards the door. Anastasia kicked me in my legs throwing me off balance and onto the cold floor just as I was about to touch the doorknob. Gaining control over me, she thrust the injection into my neck as a stinging pain forced its way through. And soon, I felt dizzy and fell down into a deep slumber.

---

I groaned, opening my eyes as a sting reminisced on my neck. Soon, I was realizing that I was behind some sort of black curtain and in some sort of box. A perfect cage. I tried moving my hands. Then, reality hit me. My hands were tied above my head and I was in a tight black dress that revealed too much of my cleavage and thighs. Despite that, I reached forward to move the curtain but felt something hard and cold on the other side.

Abruptly, the curtain gets drawn and I was met with glass. A glass wall. I couldn't see anything happening on the other side. It was one-sided. I panicked at the thought that someone was observing me while I continued to look for a way out of the glass box.