Polite clapping spread through the room and Claudia was shuffled off the stage, her gemstone eyes snagging him from the front of the room for a split second. They’d bring her over to him, as he’d seen other women funneled toward their purchasers. He drew a low breath—sixty five thousand. How you gonna play this one? If her “manager” demanded upfront payment, he was screwed.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, studying the floor as he paced along the far windows. He’d get Claudia alone in his room—that had to be the first step. And from there, he’d draw up the game plan.
A fat, sweating man came up a few moments later, Claudia in his grasp. She forced a smile at him before he presented her like a trophy.
“Congratulations,” he said, excitement shining on his face. “You’re the highest bidder, and we couldn’t be more pleased.”
“Yeah,” Claudia echoed.
He pushed Claudia toward him, his smile widening. “Now will you be paying cash or bitcoin?”
Boris received Claudia, bringing an arm around her gently. Her heat seared into him. He looked down at her and their gazes met. You are so beautiful. “Cash, actually.”
“We do require payment prior to services rendered,” the man said. “You understand, surely.”
“Of course.” He smiled tightly at him, trying to fit together possible solutions on the fly. “But I do request a brief window alone with her before payment.” He paused, willing the words off his tongue. “I need to verify that the claims you made are correct.”
Realization crossed the man’s face. “Of course. Of course. Yes, I can understand you might want a glimpse to see that we are, in fact, telling the truth. How about this—you and Cait stop by her room. You’ll be more than comfortable there. And when you’re ready, we’ll meet and finish the business.”
No way he was taking her back to her own room while his suitcase of cash was hidden in his. “Excellent. Now you’ll excuse us.”
Boris smiled thinly and led Claudia through the crowd of men, tightening his grip around her shoulders. She tensed once they crossed into the hallway beyond the meeting room, which sparked a tendril of disgust. She had to be terrified. And now he could add human trafficking to his list of unsavory accomplishments in his life. Even though it was a ruse, it still stunk.
They walked in silence for a few moments, the air cooler smelling faintly of chlorine in the tiled hallways leading toward the rooms. He pushed open a metal door and held it open for her. She passed through and swung a right.
“Come this way.” He jerked his head toward the other end of the hallway.
“But we should go to my room,” she said.
“I don’t want to. Come to mine instead.” He reached for her hand and she took it. He squeezed it gently, like a friend would. “We don’t have to do everything they tell us, right?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I want to go to mine.”
Shit. He didn’t trust that suitcase of cash alone, not when he’d wagered such a high bet. “Do you need something there?”
An unknown expression crossed her face. “I want to freshen up. Before… you know.” She flicked her wrist, a demure swat. “All that.”
He nodded, starting toward her. “That sounds more than acceptable. I’ll follow you.”
The sway of her hips held him captive as they headed down the hall, but tension rolled off of her in waves. She was no pro at this, though she held her own surprisingly well. Who else could be plucked off the streets and thrown into a situation like this without breaking down?
The girl had a tenacity about her; and she’d need to keep it up for what was in store for them.
Chapter Three
Claudia cast a sugary smile at Nicolas before slipping into the bathroom, closing the door quietly. The smile fell from her face as soon as it clicked shut. Freshening up was the farthest thing from her mind; really, she wanted to snag the tiny knife she’d tucked away, a tiny weapon she always carried tucked in her backpack when traveling. It was sharp enough to hurt someone, and she wanted it in case of emergency.
Which, judging from Nicolas’s stated intentions, she had a helluva emergency coming up. Virgin? Those guys would try to sell any lie.
She ran the water and moved around, feigning activity in the small but gleaming-tiled bathroom. She flushed the toilet, then again—let him wonder, maybe I’ve got diarrhea—and let herself out a moment later, a coy smile on her face.
“All better?” His smile was disarming but she steeled herself against it.
“100%.” She kept the knife pressed close to her thigh as she headed for the bed. She sat down stiffly, forcing a smile, the tiny blade a reassuring pressure against her dress. “So where were we?”
Her mind raced as he moved in front of her, his figure imposing and masculine. She tensed, forcing herself to look up at him, to face whatever was waiting for her head-on.
“I was just about to ask if you if you’d mind giving me whatever you’re hiding in your hand.”
Panic made her freeze. Fuck fuck fuck. How did he know she’d slipped the knife out with her? She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. “What are you talking about?”
“You have something in your hand,” he repeated, his voice firm. He held out his palm. Like hell she’d relinquish her only weapon so fast.
“That’s insane.” She tried to force a little laugh, to bring this conversation back to lighthearted and unsuspicious. “Are you feeling okay?”
She tried to smile but it didn’t stick. She drew a low breath, scrambling for a path forward. How the fuck can I play this one?
She must have been quiet for too long. “Open your right hand.”
Claudia steeled herself. “I don’t want to.”
Nicolas made a move and fear cinched tight inside her gut. She brandished the knife, mind ablaze, sensing danger though she had no idea how to get away from it other than this weak attempt to flash a blade.
She lunged forward, intending to slash his leg, scare him a little, anything to prevent him from pinning her to the bed and taking something from her that she didn’t want to give. He caught her wrist before the blade touched him, yanked her arm down, and flipped her. She gasped, belly hitting the side of the bed, and before she knew it his knee was on her back and his mouth at her ear.
“You don’t need to do that,” he said, his voice forceful but not scary. She lay rigid beneath him, heart hammering in her ears, unable to twist around to see him. His knee ground into the bony knobs of her spine.
“You were a bit quicker than I expected,” she said, letting a small laugh. Fear pulsed through her. This was the less-than-ideal perfect entry point if he wanted to have his way with her. Please don’t touch me, please just let me be in peace.
“I’m a trained professional, Claudia.”
Her real name reverberated through her, rendering her mute for a moment. Questions sprang to life inside her, shock making a slow pulse through her limbs. She could barely draw a breath. “H-How do you know my real name?”
Nicolas loosened his grip on her and she flipped around, scooting away from him, looking him up and down. There was no way he knew who she was—no way in hell. The pieces refused to fit together in her brain.
The smile on Nicolas’s face consoled her, but only slightly. “Because I know you’re not hanging around on this cruise for shits and giggles.” He straightened his jacket, dusting off a few pieces of invisible lint.
She furrowed her brow, head clearing slightly from the shock. “So you… You know I was kidnapped.”
“I do.” He smiled wanly, as though his mind were really on something else. “I’m going to get you off this ship. I promise.”
Emotion stormed her, left a jagged trail in its wake. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she let her face drop into her hands. “Oh, thank God. My father sent you, didn’t he? He sent you to come get me.”
Nicolas stood politely off to the side as she cried, avoiding her gaze as she dabbed at her eyes. After a few moments,
he said, “I’ll keep you safe. But we’ll need to keep up pretenses, as much as possible.” He cleared his throat, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I was going to tell you all this, without you needing to pull a knife on me.”
She laughed through her tears, which made her hiccup. “I was worried.”
“I would have been too.” He strolled to the door and peeked outside, then shut it again. “I’m going to my room, and I’ll be back. I need to get something, before they come to check on us for the results of this ‘test’.”
She nodded, sniffling, straightening. “Okay. Yes. I’ll wait here.”
Nicolas forced a smile and let himself out of the room.
Silence crashed around her, the lucky turn of events churning in her mind like the ocean waves against the ship. On the one hand, she wanted to throw herself at Nicolas, now that she knew he was a Good Guy. Wrap her arms around him and sob into his chest until she was on dry land. And on the other, there was too much left standing in her way to let her guard down that much. Who knew what else this ship had in store for her?
Just because Nicolas was on her side didn’t mean the rest of the pieces would fall into place so easily.
She drew steady breaths, elation mingling with anxiety. I can’t believe my dad pulled off this rescue so quickly! She crafted imaginary messages to her father, each one more excited and relieved than the last—How did you know I was kidnapped? You couldn’t have known where they took me. But you sent the perfect man for the job. The one I gravitated toward in the hall, as though I knew you’d sent him to find me and keep me safe.
When the doorknob turned, she jumped. She watched with bated breath, relieved when Nicolas’s light brown hair—stylishly tousled and closely cropped at the sides—poked through the door.
“It’s just me.” He came inside, setting a small suitcase on the bed. “Now we’re going to have to get ready.”
“For what?” Her eyes lingered on the suitcase, wondering what he could have needed so urgently.
“When they come to check.” He undid the buttons of his jacket, his brown eyes deep, commanding. He tossed the suit coat onto the bed, and got to work rolling up his sleeves. His fingers moved with methodical precision. He sure was a professional—at what, exactly, she wasn’t sure.
It clicked for her, then, and she nodded. “Right.” She cleared her throat, coming to her feet, hoisting her dress so she could shimmy out of her panties. Nicolas stiffened at her side.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking my panties off.” She said it with a bit of a duh tone, pleased by the perplexed look on his face when she tossed the scrap of fabric toward the side of the room.
He nodded, his gaze raking over her. “Good idea.”
A tense silence followed, in which he loosened his belt, leaving it hanging open.
“Should I mess up my hair?” She sat on the bed again, feeling vulnerable without her underwear on. Not that it offered any protection—simply that Nicolas’s pheromones were in overdrive, or something, and she couldn’t stop admiring him. Wondering what it might be like to feel his weight against her again. In a more suggestive position this time.
“A little. Maybe loosen it.”
She tousled her hair, tugging at the bun at the back of her head. When she looked up at him, Nicolas’s eyes flashed.
“Good.” He yanked his gaze away, clearing his throat. “Now we wait.”
He sat at the edge of the bed, facing away from her. She examined her nails, a million questions springing to life.
“How did my dad know where I was?”
Nicolas paused. “He didn’t. I scouted you.”
“And how did you do that?”
“It’s complicated,” he said, sighing. “But let’s just say that I found out from a friend.”
That only prompted more questions. She was dying to know everything—why had they taken her? Was there a ransom? Did her father know she’d been rescued yet? Was Nicolas one of her father’s personal guards? And lastly—maybe more importantly for now—why was Nicolas so goddamned sexy?
“How much longer do we—”
“Quiet.” Nicolas raised a hand, his eyes focused on the door. “I think someone is coming.”
Sure enough, footsteps echoed down the hall. A moment later, a curt rap-rap-rap sounded at the door. Nicolas put a finger to his lips as he came to his feet, guiding her to lay back on the bed.
“Follow my lead.” His whisper was hot in her ear. She jerked her head into a nod.
“Who is it?” He called toward the door, nudging himself in between her legs, leaning over top of her. The faint scent of cologne reached her, sent her mind catapulting into the stratosphere. How could a man go from scary to sexy in so little time? There was something undeniably hot about being rescued. Especially by someone with a facial structure like Nicolas’s.
“Cresimir,” came the response.
“Come in.” Nicolas stood just as Cresimir pushed the door open, reaching down to fiddle with his zipper, feigning being out of breath. As if on auto-pilot, she started breathing heavily, looking toward Cresimir with wide doe eyes.
A grin spread across Cresimir’s face once he entered. “Excellent. I see you’ve both been hard at work.”
Nicolas took a deep breath. “Thanks for letting me check her out. She’s a keeper.”
Cresimir’s grin widened. “I promised you the best.”
“But she’s no virgin.”
Tension bloated in the room. Claudia brought her knees to her chest, scooting to the far edge of the bed. Nicolas had to have a game plan with this turn of events. Best to let him run the course how he saw fit.
“Excuse me?” Cresimir stuttered. “Are you trying to sugg-”
“She’s no virgin. And trust me, I have enough experience to notice when I’ve been duped.” Nicolas finished buckling his belt, the line of his jaw stern as he appraised Cresimir. “You think you could get this past me?”
Color stained Cresimir’s neck. “If there’s been a mistake, I assure you, we can rectify this.”
“Can you?” Nicolas’s eyes narrowed and he stepped closer to Cresimir, who took a step backward. “I bid $65,000 on a lie. How are you going to rectify that?”
Cresimir raised a hand in defense. “I promise you, we can find a resolution to this. I wasn’t aware the girl was a liar—” He cast a dirty look over her way—“when she contracted with us. But we’ll work this out. What do you suggest?”
“I want a price reduction.” Nicolas’s fists clenched. “Fifty thousand. Final offer.”
Cresimir jerked his head into a nod. “Fine. Yes. That sounds adequate.”
Nicolas reached for the suitcase and handed it to Cresimir. “Here’s your payment in full.”
Cresimir received the suitcase with a worried smile and reached for the doorknob, his gut jiggling over the belt of his pants. “It was a pleasure doing business. Enjoy your night.”
Cresimir scurried from the room and when the door shut behind him, there was a tense silence.
“Um,” Claudia began, “what the fuck just happened here?”
Nicolas turned to her, veins bulging in his forearms as he clenched and unclenched his fists. “Payment. Why?”
“No, I mean…” She gestured at the air in front of them. “Why did you have to stain my purity along the way?” She cracked a grin to let him know she was kidding. He might be a rescuer, but he had to loosen up a bit. That would be the only way to survive this whole ordeal.
The corner of his mouth lifted, but his gaze remained intense on her. “Trust me, it was the only way out of that situation.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t have the cash that I originally bid on you.” He sank onto the bed beside her, reaching into his pocket. He revealed two folded stacks of $100 bills. “I had to talk him down to pay, and leave a little extra for us.”
He tossed the stacks onto the bedspread. The tightly bundled bills bounced slightly against the slee
k navy comforter.
“Well that makes sense,” she said, eyes on the cash. “But what do you plan on doing once we’re off this ship? Renting a yacht?”
He cracked a grin, a precious dimple revealing itself in his left cheek. “We need the cash for emergencies. There’s no telling what can happen between here and there.”
His words echoed in her head, prompting both relief and excitement. Or something like it.
Because despite all the uncertainty, anxiety, and fear of the last few days, she was a little thrilled to have such a dashing rescuer.
Vicious: Steel Jockeys MC Page 30
