Magnate (Acquisition 2)

“We are. Now get the fuck off my bed and mind your own goddamn business,” she hissed.

“Brianne, please, you have to listen—”

“I said go!” Her scream was crazed.

I stood and backed away. Red had already destroyed the girl I’d seen at the ball. Brianne had broken. Would I?

My legs hit one of the other beds and I sat as Brianne went back to staring out the window at the patch of blue sky. I dropped my head into my hands, resting my elbows on my knees. Despair leeched from the air around Brianne and into my skin.

The doors opened and Gavin strode in, the rude attendant giving the same spiel about staying in the room until someone came for us.

Once he was gone, Gavin hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “Can you believe that guy?”

I rose and ran a hand through my hair. “Yeah, I called him a douche.”

“He is definitely that and then some.” Gavin surveyed the room before walking over and sitting next to me. “Hey Brianne, how’s it going?”

“I’m not talking to either of you, so stop trying to get up in my head.” She lay down with her back to us.

Gavin raised an eyebrow at me.

I shook my head, the insane urge to laugh mixing with my desire to cry. “She thinks we’re competing against each other. That somehow we’re the ones who need to win the competition. I’m not sure what she thinks we’ll win, but there it is.” I dropped my voice even lower. “She’s on something. Same thing as at Cal’s party.”

Gavin pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head. “Hate to say I’m not surprised. By the time this trial is over, I may be wishing I’d brought some pharmaceuticals.”

“So you know?” It was a relief that I wouldn’t have to tell him.

“I do.” He scrubbed a hand down his clean shaven face.

“What do you think they’ll do to us? I mean other than the…” I shivered.

“I don’t know. I just know we have to get through it. And we can.” His amber eyes were kind, and I leaned into him.

“I wish it was over already.”

“Me too.”

We sat like that for a long while, Brianne silent on her bed and Gavin and I huddling for some sort of comfort. No one bothered us until night fell. Then some plates arrived with a smattering of various foods. Brianne didn’t eat a thing. Gavin and I tried, if only to keep our strength up, but the food made me queasy before I’d even had a mouthful.

The room was silent except for raucous cheers every so often from some other part of the house. They must have been stoking themselves up for the next day, for our humiliation.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway and the three of us stared at the door. It opened, and Lucius, Red, and Bob walked in. Gavin put a protective arm around me, and I shrank back against him. Not that it mattered. Not that any of us could stop what was going to happen.

Lucius narrowed his eyes and came straight to me. He took my hand and pulled me up, my cheek brushing against the softness of his black cashmere sweater, and his sandalwood scent in my nose. Maybe this was how it started—a gentle touch before the betrayal, before I was feasted on until there was nothing left but bones and sorrow.

He pulled me from the room, and the others followed.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He gripped my elbow. “To the party. Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to. Got it?”

I bristled but remained silent. I had nothing to say to these people. The wooden floorboards were sturdy under my feet, my boots barely making a sound as we meandered through the halls toward the sound of voices. We entered a sea of people drinking and talking. The smell of roasted meat and wood smoke floated through the air.

Cal was speaking over a microphone; his favorite. “—so let’s get another look at our little morsels. Ah, and here they are. Come on up!”

Lucius led me toward the raised stage in front of one of the high windows where Cal held court.

“Yes, yes.” Cal narrated. “First up, looks like the Vinemont Acquisition, Stella. And, folks, I’ll tell you a secret. I may have sampled a little taste—”

The people crowed and whistled as Lucius pushed me to stand next to Cal.

“Now, now. Just a taste is all I said. Not the whole meal. Don’t get jealous. But I can tell you that little Miss Stella here is sweet as sugar, and I can only imagine the rest of her will melt right in your mouth.”

Laughter, wolf whistles, and a few raised glasses. More movement to the bottom right of the stage caught my eye. My heart soared when I noticed Dylan standing below, waving at me to get my attention. His familiar face gave me strength and I straightened, shouldering my burden a bit more confidently just from his presence.