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“What is this?” She sniffled, wiping her cheek quickly with her free hand.

“Whitlock,” I whispered. “Hell.”

I turned to look at the clusters of buildings that sat in the middle of the lush, green grass. With as pretty as it all was, I was all too aware of the illusion it cast. But I couldn’t deny the lure. Especially after all the white walls and confinement. Here, we had freedom. Scenic beauty. We could be alone to shop and buy things. I’d wanted to go in the past, but my master only took me a handful of times. He didn’t trust the others any more than I did.
I was a risk
. A light in the dark for the evil ones who were looking for a new doll to play with. Coming hadn’t been worth it. It still wasn’t.

Bram’s hand went to the railing guarding the second floor and he stared off into the distance. Silence filled the space while we all came to a stop and waited.

“The shops have the best of everything. For the ones who are granted the right to live, this doesn’t have to be a bad life for you. The world is not over because you have become a slave. Listen to your masters. Obey their every want and desire. There, you may have the smallest chance at finding freedom.”

He glanced back to me before turning to continue walking. It wasn’t long before we got to a flight of black iron stairs. As I waited my turn, I couldn’t ignore the two masters approaching. My hand squeezed tighter to Julie’s and her head swung toward where I was looking. Seconds stretched out and still the whites went down the stairs.

“Don’t fight them,” I whispered.

“What do we have here?” An older balding man threw an evil grin toward a taller master. He seemed more my age, which was younger than normal. Regardless, there was no hiding the sadistic look on his face as he sized me up.

“Fuck, I don’t know, Harris, but I sure want to find out.” His finger trailed up my arm as the older man rounded around us to move closer to Julie. My eyes lowered to the field ahead and I met Bram’s intense gaze. I knew he was watching every move the men made.

“Looks like you’re in need of new master. I could use a slave like you,” he said, stepping in closer. “I bet you have all sorts of talents hidden up your sleeve. Do you like pain?” Slowly, his touch rose, moving across my chest while I tried to stay still. To fight would land me in the White Room for sure. Especially attacking the master so publicly. “How’s that mouth of yours work?”

“I say we get them and make them use their mouths on each other. Do you like the taste of pussy, Red? I do. Why don’t you spread your legs so I can taste yours?”

A whimper came from Julie and she squeezed my hand tighter as he fondled her breast.

“Why don’t you be a good girl and get on your knees for me.” The boy’s hand settled on my shoulder, pushing down, and I tried to ignore the need to strike him. “Come on. Down you go.”

Harder he pushed until I didn’t have a choice to lower. I glanced back to Bram, only to find him gone.

“Open your mouth. I want to see how wide you can stretch it. I’m not so sure my cock will fit.”

Fingers shoved into my mouth, spreading my cheeks as the widened inside of me. Tightly, I clenched my fists, trying not to bite or gag as he pushed them deeper. Julie’s cry stole my attention and she jumped as the other master trailed his hand up the back of her thigh.

“Have you paid for that?”

At Bram’s voice, my head jerked over, dislodging the master’s fingers. The knife at the man’s throat had my eyes widening.

“No, Main Master.”

“That right, because if you had, I’d have the money sitting in my account. Which I do not. Until you buy, keep your hands off of what is mine. You can look. You can speak to it. You do not touch what I own.”

“Understood, Mr. Whitlock.”

“Get up,” Bram growled out to me.

I didn’t hesitate to push to my feet and follow him to the stairs. The whites were halfway down now and Julie and I clung to each other as we took our place in the middle of the staircase.

“I was so scared,” she whispered. “I don’t want him as my master.
I want to go home
.”

“I know. I wish you could.”

Silence drifted between us as I took the steps. When I got to the grass, it was the only happiness I harbored. Memories of a time that didn’t seem real played before me. A yard, a swing set. Me swinging while a man I knew as my father pushed me. We were laughing … and joyful. The flashes were so dulled that I wasn’t even sure if they real or if I had somehow invented them in some desperate hope that my life had held something more than this. It was heartbreaking and comforting at the same time. It drove me forward almost desperately. As the cool earth connected against the bottom of my feet, it took everything I had not to bend down to touch it. The color of the grass, the unfamiliarity of it, called to me.

“I will not lie about the dangers this place holds. Some of you have already got a taste of what disobedience will get you. It’s no different than what will happen with your new master. He has every right to do what he pleases with you. He can beat you, rape you, cut you, burn you, or kill you. It will be his choice. As for out here, your safety belongs to him and yourself. I urge you to be careful. If you think to try to escape or stand up to anyone of authority, I promise you will not like what happens. You may even die because of it. Unless you have a suicide wish, don’t.”

The line began to move again and my fingers broke from Julie’s. She glanced back and I bit my bottom lip. Before I could stop myself, I scooped my hand to trail along the short blades of grass. They were so soft that I couldn’t help but smile. Footsteps pounded up behind me and I tensed, straightening myself. Within seconds the guard had me by the back of the neck.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A hand forced mine opened, searching my palm.

My eyes rose to a guard I’d never seen before. He was young, maybe thirty, with dark skin and even darker eyes.

“I wanted to feel.”

“Feel what?”

“What is going on here?”

The slaves were all staring. Bram’s massive form came swiftly in our direction and I wanted to hide at once again drawing attention.

“She …” The guard paused. “She bent down. I thought she was grabbing something from the ground.”

“Slave?” Embarrassment sent heat to my cheeks. “I asked for your side. What were you doing?”

“She said she wanted to feel.”

“Feel what?”

The growl had me wiggling out of the guard’s loosened grasp. “The grass. I …”

“You’ve never felt grass before?”

“Of course I have. Just not since I’ve been here.”

Bram’s stare darted to the guard and he waved him away before his attention came back to me.

“Dammit. Make it quick.”

He meant to sound angry, but I heard the softening of his words. His hand flicked at me and I bent my knees, lowering to run my fingers back through the soft blades. I quickly stood.

“Thank you.”

“Fucking grass.”

His head shook as he yelled to the slaves to turn back around. We started to walk again and the redhead, Julie’s, hand reached back to me. She seemed so in need of contact.

I slid the tips of my fingers along hers and she bent them toward her, holding to me as we moved along. The buildings grew closer, as did the crowd. The number of people left me nervous. There were slaves and few masters present. Most of the slaves wore long, loose dresses with matching veils covering the majority of their face. Others wore scarves like ours. There were even a few who had nothing on at all to hide who they were.

I swallowed hard, stepping into Julie as we got even closer. A group of men laughed in the distance and I looked only long enough to count how many.
Five.
Some were strangers, but I didn’t miss Master Pollock at the end. He bought more slaves than any of them. At least a good seven to last him the six weeks before the next auction. Most didn’t live but a few days. It was a blessing. Only a few months back he’d tortured a slave for almost three weeks before he finally killed her. My old master said he’d heard the body was unrecognizable by the time he had dumped it outside of his door for the guards to collect. I wasn’t supposed to go around him
. Ever.
Not even open the door if he showed up. My master didn’t have to tell me twice. The man terrified me.

“Clothing, collectibles, home décor, food. Whatever you need, you will find here. At the end there’s a movie theater. I suggest you not attend without your master. Veteran slaves are allowed to work there or in the shops, but again, only if their master allows it. For those who live long enough, remember that.”

I leaned toward Julie, whispering in her ear. “Have you ever been to one?”

“To a movie theater? You’re joking, right?”

“No. I think I went a few times as a kid, but I don’t remember. I was pretty young. My parents were gone a lot.”

“I went a few weeks ago. The movie sucked. The popcorn was good, though.”

“I like popcorn.”

She glanced back smiling. “Me too.”

“Slave!”

Bram’s voice had me jumping.

“Are you socializing in the middle of my tour?”

My head quickly shook.

“Are you lying to me? I clearly saw you talking and smiling. What is so funny that you feel the need to laugh while I’m talking about your safety?”

I glanced at Julie, pausing as I looked back at Bram.

“I like popcorn.”

All he could do was stare at me. One minute he was slightly shaking his head, the next he had my bicep in his grasp and he was pulling me out of the line.

“Radio for Mr. Harper and tell him to come down to City Center.”

Further, I was pulled away from the others. Bram spun me to him, grabbing my throat as he jerked me close. Where the others may have thought he was hurting me, he added no pressure. If anything, it was a comfort. How many times had he held to my throat when he kissed me? So many. Was he going to now? I only hoped. So much so that I had to ask.

I licked my lips, tilting my head back even more to look into his eyes.

“Will you kiss me in front of everyone?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. What I should be doing is beating you to prove a point.”

“What would you beat me with? Your fist? Something else?”

Bram’s eyes flickered and his lids closed for a few seconds.

“I would beat you so hard with my cock right now. I’d much rather shove it down your throat so you stop talking back with your smart ass mouth.”

“Can you still feel my tongue licking around you? Can you feel me sucking you deeper?”

Fingers tightened and his face grew closer. “Watch it, slave. You don’t know what kind of fire you’re playing with. You’d be smart to stay hating me. You’re safe there.” He swallowed hard, moving in even more. “You’re wearing what I got you. I can smell it everywhere I go. Did you do it intentionally? Are you trying to make me lose my fucking mind?”

“I like it. It smells good on me.”

“Liar.”

“So are you. You’re doing this. There’s still time. Put an end to this stupid auction of me. You don’t want me going to West Harper.
You can’t
.”

My voice crack and Bram’s eyebrows drew in. Something swept over his face and I couldn’t read what it was.

“He hasn’t given me a reason to deny the request, yet. You will go to him. I’m a man of my word. I already told him yes.”

“But you don’t want him to have me. Tell me you don’t want that.”

“
I want you alive
. Happy. You won’t have that with me. Especially if I… You won’t be safe. Leave it at that.”

Motion blurred in the far background from my peripheral and I knew time was running out.

“I
would
be happy with you. I would be a good slave. I wouldn’t give you reason to be angry. Tell him no. Tell him you want me.”

The grip loosened and Bram dropped his hand to step back. “I can’t.”

Tears burned my eyes, blurring his saddened face. Within seconds, West was jogging up.

“What happened? What’s wrong.”

Bram wouldn’t look at me as he focused on his best friend. “Take her back to Slave Row before I have her whipped in front of everyone. She keeps interrupting my damn tour.”

West took a deep breath and slid his palm under my arm. Bram was already walking back to the front of the line. West locked on my bicep, turning me, despite that I suddenly didn’t want to go. The grip was light. Barely existent compared to Bram’s touch. I hated it. I was beginning to become very familiar with that emotion.

“Come, slave. You don’t want to anger him anymore.”

“
He angers me
.”

“What happened?”

We passed the guard and West took his time as he led me to the stairs.

“I haven’t touched grass since I was little. I bent down to feel and the guard thought I was picking something up from the ground. It caused a big scene.”

“What else?”