The Highest Bidder

❊ Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Fᴏʀᴛʏ﹣Tʜʀᴇᴇ ❊

The gun in my hand clattered to the cement floor and I fell to my knees. The videos didn't truly catch the horror of the situation. It didn't show how deep the hollows were under her cheeks, nor did it show the way her ribcage and hip bones jutted out in a way that seemed like it would break the skin. It didn't show the scars and the scabs covering her bruised and battered body.

Her eyes were closed and she looked dead to the world. The only thing that told me that she was alive was the way her bare chest rose and fell with shallow breaths.

Maverick buttoned his pants back and glanced at me, seemingly unperturbed to see me in the doorway. He sighed and looked down at Eva, naked and covered in his release. And by the look of it, there were weeks of it on her skin.

"She was more fun when she fought against me." He waved his hand back and forth in the air, as if he hadn't just been caught raping her. "You do remember my promise, don't you?"

I couldn't breathe.

"I was going to return her when I knew she was broken." He smiled slightly. "And I know she's thoroughly broken now. I just wanted to get one last fuck in before I sent her back to you."

I was sure that Ron would have killed him then and there if it weren't for my order. Hell, I would have killed him if I could have moved. But my body never left the floor.

Maverick sat down in a wooden stool and crossed his left ankle over his right knee. He regarded Eva with a tilt of the head and a smirk. It seemed like an eternity before he finally looked back at me, his smirk widening into a feral grin.

"She's not quite dead yet, Enzo," he taunted. "Close, I'd say. But look at you. Just sitting there. I can finish her off, if you'd like? It'd end her misery."

I gritted my teeth and forced my hand to move to the gun at my side. "What have you done?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "Well, I starved her out. I beat her into unconsciousness over fifty times. And I've fucked her about thirteen times. She hasn't been awake for about twenty-four hours, but like I said...I wanted to get one last time in before I sent her back to you."

I stood slowly, trying to tamp down the sudden urge to vomit as I got a handle on my gun. All of the things Eva went through was going to end up coming back on me. Sophia blamed me, I already knew that much. But I didn't know what I'd do if Eva ended up blaming me too, even though she had the right.

My hand tightened around the gun and I took a few steps into the cold room. Maverick didn't move, even when I stepped in front of him and shot my hand out. I wrapped my fingers around his throat and pushed him against the wall. The closer I was to Eva, the angrier I was at the man who hurt her so badly.

I pushed harder, watching Maverick's normally pale face turn pink. "If I get the chance, I will torture you to death. I will make you pay for what you have done to Eva and God knows how many other women."

His eyes narrowed.

"Cuff him." I pulled him forward and slammed his head back against the wall. While he was disoriented, Ron improvised handcuffs with a zip tie. When my eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he only shrugged.

I turned and stared down at Eva, whose eyes were slightly opened but I knew she wasn't seeing anything. She whimpered and her fingers twitched as she attempted to move her legs up to her chest. But it seemed that hurt her too much.

I knelt down, shrugging off my outer shirt. A cry escaped her dry lips as I moved it over her, pulling it over her head and moving her so that it covered her bare body.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, running my thumb over her cheek. "I'm going to get you out of here, Eva."

I flinched when I picked her up and she shook with her tears. She needed to get home as quickly as possible and the trek back to the waiting cars would be too difficult. She weighed next to nothing, but I would have to move her through the woods and I didn't want to jostle her.

When Ron finished cuffing Maverick, I only had to give him a look. His eyes landed on Eva, who was limp once again, before he pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and dialed the one number I didn't want to have to call. I didn't want to get the higher-ups involved, but I needed to get her home. Which meant I needed one of their helicopters.

He spoke with someone on the phone for a few minutes, but made sure to keep a hand around Maverick's wrists. I couldn't do anything to him with Eva in my arms, but Ron could do a lot of damage. I have seen him in action time and time again and I knew he could kill someone with just his hands.

"They're sending a helicopter." Ron slid the phone back into his pocket. "They'll bring you and Eva back to your house as long as you have a doctor ready for her. They also said that it's coming out of your budget."

I let out a dry laugh. That didn't surprise me. Saving Eva wasn't a direct order from them and they weren't going to pay me for it. Instead, I had to pay my employees and apparently the people picking us up for the help. But I didn't mind. I figured that my employees would want to be paid for this mission and I knew my boss would want money from me for using them.

"How long?" I spoke low, as if it mattered. Eva passed out. She probably wouldn't wake up for a while.

He looked away, seeming to think through what it was he was going to say next. By the look on his face, I knew I wouldn't like either the time or the person coming to get us.

"Let me guess." I sighed. "My father?"

Ron gave a sharp nod and I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see him, even though he was the closest person with a helicopter license. Knowing it was my father that they were calling, it would only be about five minutes before he got to Maverick's home. That is, if he didn't take his sweet time in helping.

"Let the others know that I'll be leaving in the helicopter with Eva." I glanced at Maverick.

"Someone will be here to pick him and Vince up as well." Ron smiled. "If he gets too rowdy, I'll knock him out."

Maverick glared up at him. "Sorry to interrupt, but where exactly am I going?"

"Hopefully six feet under the ground," Ron spat. "But for now, you're being taken in for questioning."

Maverick chuckled and leaned his head up against the wall, eyeing Eva. I wanted to kill him for the look he gave her. She was lifeless in my arms and he was looking at her like he wanted to pull his dick out and rape her again.

Before I went against orders and killed him, I turned and left the room. Eva needed help more than I needed to kill Maverick. I kept telling myself that as I climbed up the stairs, walked past Vince, and out the doors to wait for my father.