Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,266

take her. He’ll sell her to pay his debts.

I shouldn’t take her, I shouldn’t even be considering his offer. She would only be used as an extension. I won’t accept money that’s meant to go to her, he has no claim to her. That money doesn’t belong to him.

She’s supposed to be mine though. And whatever money he’s able to get from her from the auction, will go to me because of his control of her. The way he manipulates her.

That means she’ll be in the hands of someone else. I rise from my desk, shutting the laptop and standing alone in the dark office, the only light coming from the city nightlife beyond the large window to my back.

It doesn’t take long to me to see easily. My eyes are used to the darkness.

I shrug the jacket onto my shoulders, buttoning it as I stride to the door.

She’s been given to me, but tomorrow she goes up for auction. I should stay away, I should take the money and let him fall on his own accord, carrying on with my life and ignore the pathetic waste of life.

But those eyes call to me. My contempt for him and what he represents makes a side of me I try to keep suppressed rise to the surface.

And that’s a very dangerous thing.

Continue on for book 4, Given.

Given. Book 4

Prologue

Zander

Both of my hands tremble and the adrenaline pumping in my blood makes my muscles coil, ready to fight. I grip the edge of the dresser to keep my body upright. I only need to breathe. A long and slow exhale leaves me, lowering my tense shoulders. I crack my neck before looking over my shoulder at her. My sweetheart.

I’ve never run from anything in my life. And I’m not about to start now.

But I should have run from her. I knew I should have walked away when I first laid eyes on her.

She’s destroyed my control. Ruined my reputation. She’ll be the end of me, I know it.

Her soft moans of pain from across the bedroom call to me. She’s so beautifully broken. She needs me.

I took it too far, and I can’t take it back.

They’ll come for me; I’m certain the cops will be here soon. I’m guilty, and I have no one to blame. The evidence is all right here, and I can’t deny a damn thing.

For the first time in my life, I don’t see a way out.

There’s no one I can turn to. No one who owes me who can make this right.

But I can’t stop wanting her. She’s gotten under my skin. And I won’t stop fighting for her.

Never.

“Zander,” she says and her small voice is choked. Her brow is pinched as her head thrashes from side to side and the doctor works on the deep lashes on her back. Agony rises through my chest; it stiffens my body. My eyes burn and my throat closes as I try to breathe.

She’s stripped to the waist lying face down on the bed, her bottom half barely covered by a thin white sheet to keep the doctor’s prying eyes from seeing even more of her.

I know what he thinks. What they all think since I took her.

I don’t give a fuck. I pay him well to turn a blind eye, and that’s exactly what he’ll do. It’s what they all do. They only want the money, and they’ll do anything for it.

But not her.

My heavy footsteps are softened by the plush rug as I cross the master bedroom and walk to her. She lifts her head as I come closer, but the moment she does, she winces and sucks in a reluctant breath through clenched teeth.

I’m quick to gentle my hand on her shoulder, keeping my contact confined to the small area of soft skin without any wounds. “Don’t move,” I say and my voice is low, admonishing even. I hate myself. I’m so devoid of the ability to comfort that I can’t even speak softly to her when she’s… like this.

“I’m sorry,” Arianna says quietly, her voice muffled from the mattress.

A chill runs over every inch of my skin. She has no reason to apologize to me. She never did anything wrong. Not since the first moment this started.

I swallow thickly, and the lump forming in my throat feels as though it scratches the tender skin on the way down. “It’s alright.” I try to soften my voice and put as much warmth into it as possible. I