Heartless Prince by Brook Wilder
Chapter 3
Leda
A woman hurried toward me across the stage. “What are you waiting for?” she hissed. “Let’s go.”
There would be no escape today.
My feet moved of their own volition, and the lights blinded me as I moved from behind the curtain, the room growing quiet.
“Our next lot!” The woman announced. “Leda D’Agostino, daughter of Carmine and sister of Nico!”
There was a rumble through the crowd, and I felt goose bumps break out all over my body as I realized who I was standing before.
A crowd of Dons.
Most of them I recognized. Former friends and allies of my father. They had dined at our table, laughing and making conversation with me as I took over the hostess duties many times.
Now they leered at me like starving men staring at their first meal. Some even licked their lips in anticipation of what was about to happen next.
Dear God, what was their plan?
Frantically, I looked around the room as the woman clapped her hands. “Now, I know you all have been waiting for the moment that you can have her, but this is still an auction, after all.” She looked at me, her lips pursing. “We have rules.”
Despite my fear, I wanted to rip her hair out by its fake blonde roots.
She turned back to the crowd. “Remember the promises he’s failed to keep and the price you paid. This is your chance to get back just a fraction of what he’s taken from you.”
No. No. No. No. NO!
My knees weakened as she spoke. Somewhere along the way, my father’s plan had completely fallen apart.
I was never being taken to my husband. I was never being taken to a marriage.
I was being auctioned off.
This was all about revenge on my father. They couldn’t take it out on him, so they’ll do it to me.
The woman continued and listed the rules of bidding. I stood there in numb silence. It was as if I were a fly on the wall, watching some other girl get sold before a crowd.
Tears swam in my eyes and I blinked them away, thinking about my fate. These men weren’t going to take me under their wing, to make sure that I would be taken care of.
They were going to throw me down on a bed and use me until I’m bloody. Until I begged them to stop.
Well, I wasn’t going to show them that weakness. I was a D’Agostino, for God’s sake. I was made of sterner stuff than that.
I lifted my chin and gazed about the room again as the woman droned on around me, meeting the eyes of any that dared look at me.
Think I’m weak? That I’ll just curl up and die? Think again.
As I looked out into the sea of eyes, one particular pair caught my attention. They belonged to a man who stood in the back of the room, his arms crossed over his chest.
He was younger than the rest of the room, his dark hair raked off his forehead, matching the dark suit he was wearing. While I couldn’t make out his features, I knew he wasn’t here to help me.
No one was.
