Unbroken (The Protectors 12)

“Aleks,” Con said, and I made myself look at him. “The picture with Luca just has to have a certain essence to it… you guys will be acting and nothing more. He won’t be touching you in it and you can be fully dressed… it’s about portraying a certain dynamic.”

I didn’t really understand the last word, but I got the gist of what he was saying. I looked at Vaughn. He was still holding my face. “So it can be like when Father had me sit on the floor next to him?”

Vaughn swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes,” he said, though it sounded like the word was hard for him to get out.

“Okay,” I said. A picture like that wouldn’t be so bad. Father hadn’t always made me undress when I’d knelt next to him after I’d pleasured him. I’d just have to pretend Luca was like Father.

I glanced at Luca and felt a little better when he dropped his eyes. He clearly wasn’t happy about needing to do this either.

“Okay,” I repeated and Vaughn released his hold on me but picked up my hand again.

“Do we stay here or in Chicago?” King asked. “I need to plan for logistical support.”

“Here,” Vaughn said.

“Isn’t Chicago where that man is?” I asked. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how to make my tongue pronounce his name. “I heard his men say that was where they were taking me in the van the night they took me,” I added.

“In all likelihood, yes, Stylianos is in Chicago. But Luca going there with you so soon after acquiring you would set off red flags.”

“If we’re lucky, we can draw him here on our turf,” Luca said to me. “The goal is to play it like Marcus did… that I have no interest in selling you but if the price were right…”

This time I actually had to swallow the bile down and the burn made my throat hurt.

King cleared his throat. Everybody looked at him but me. I was still trying to keep from throwing up.

“My people found chatter online about a viewing party that’s happening weekend after next. If Luca takes Aleks to that, it’ll get back to Stylianos faster. He may even show up there if we mention the party in a post. He’ll be worried about losing out to another potential buyer, especially if we hint that Luca’s not entirely satisfied with his new acquisition… that he was hoping for someone a few years younger and with lighter features.”

“No, absolutely not,” Vaughn said, shaking his head. “We don’t have enough control in that kind of environment.”

King put his hands up in supplication as Vaughn’s anger grew with every word. The idea of going to one of the very events I’d so often been forced to attend, sometimes as someone’s property and sometimes as merchandise, made my stomach turn violently and part of me was glad Vaughn was so adamant about the whole thing.

But then I remembered none of this was about me.

“Will it work better if we do that?” I asked. “Will it help us find Gio faster?”

“Aleks—” Vaughn began, but he quieted when I squeezed his hand and then did to him what he was always doing to me to comfort me – I began running my thumb back and forth over his.

“There’s no guarantee,” King began.

I sighed and looked at Vaughn briefly, then back at King. “But you wouldn’t have mentioned it if you didn’t think it would help.”

King didn’t respond.

It was answer enough.

“I think we should do it,” I said, even as my mind screamed at me to keep my mouth shut, or to at least say no.

“No,” Vaughn said. “Out of the question.” He released my hand and jumped to his feet.

“Vaughn—” Con began, but Vaughn cut him off.

“No! We’re not risking it. It’s not up for discussion!”

With that, Vaughn suddenly left the room. I watched him go. No one in the room moved or spoke. I knew there was a lot left to discuss, but it would have to wait. But there was one thing I could take care of before I went to find Vaughn.

“King,” I murmured.

“Yeah, Aleks,” King said. I could hear in his voice that he knew what I was going to say. It appeared that Vaughn was the only one trying to deny the inevitable.

“Get us into that party,” I said softly, then climbed unsteadily to my feet.

It was Luca who said, “He’ll be by the water… east side of the house.” He pointed in the direction for me.

I nodded my thanks and then left the room. It wasn’t hard to find him. He was by the water, but when I got closer and saw the white wooden bench he was sitting on, I knew it might not have been the beautiful view that he’d been seeking out.