Chapter 3 CHAPTER 02

Dominic Santoro

“He has an excellent profile. Put him on the main auction stage tonight.”

I shift my attention to the young man beside him.

“And the other one?”

Pietro shines his flashlight on him. The boy keeps his eyes fixed on the floor, and there's dried blood on his split lips.

“He's twenty-two, sir.”

“Did he try to fight back?” I ask, noticing the injuries around his mouth.

“Yes, sir. He tried to attack the men when they put him in the truck and had to be forcibly restrained.”

I take a step forward to examine him more closely. He doesn't have the elegant demeanor the auction's elite clientele looks for, but his aggression can be broken somewhere else.

“He's not suitable for the auction floor. Send him to the lower-end brothels. He'll learn to obey pretty damn quickly there.”

“Understood, sir.”

We move on to the next cell, where three young women are huddled together. Pietro lightly taps his key against the bars, prompting them to stand. One of them slowly rises, trying to keep her head held high despite the obvious fear on her face.

“And these three?” I ask, approaching the bars.

“All around twenty years old, sir. They arrived together in the same shipment.”

My attention settles on the girl who stood up. She has dark hair, expressive eyes, and elegant features.

“Is this one a virgin?” I ask Pietro without taking my eyes off her.

“Yes, sir. Her medical records confirm it.”

“How did she behave during the trip?”

“She didn't cry once and caused no trouble whatsoever.”

She holds my gaze for two seconds before looking away and taking a deep breath. She's beautiful, and there's a pride written across her face that usually attracts outrageous bids. Wealthy buyers love paying fortunes for merchandise that seems difficult to tame.

“Put her up for auction.”

I look toward the back of the cell, where the other two girls remain huddled together, clinging to each other as they cry and tremble uncontrollably.

“And those two? Were they aggressive, or are they virgins?”

“Neither of them is a virgin, sir. And they've been completely hysterical since they arrived.”

I look away with disdain.

“They'll only disrupt the auction presentation with all that commotion. Send them both straight to the brothels in the southern district.”

“Yes, sir.”

Pietro leads me to the last cell in the corridor, where another young man, twenty years old, is sitting alone on a wooden bench.

“The last one from the shipment, sir.”

I approach the bars and look the young man up and down. He has a well-built body, an impeccable appearance, and delicate features. He's pleasing to the eye.

“What's his status? Is he a virgin?”

“Yes, sir. Untouched.”

“And how did he behave during transport? Was he aggressive?”

“No aggression whatsoever. He didn't resist at any point.”

I assess his posture and the docility written all over his face. I know exactly what kind of potential he has. Buyers pay fortunes for types like him, either for personal servitude or private companionship.

“This one goes to the auction as well,” I conclude, turning my back on the cells. “Separate all of them according to my orders and make sure those selected for the auction are properly prepared for later.”

“Yes, sir. I won't disappoint you.”

“I certainly hope not, Pietro. It would be a shame to kill you over a single mistake.”

He swallows hard but doesn't respond. I leave Pietro behind and retrace my steps through the basement. The crying and pleas for mercy grow more distant as I climb the stairs until they're completely muffled when I reach the main hall, where Heitor is already waiting for me. I walk past him without needing to say a word. As always, he follows me to the car and steps ahead to open the rear door.

I settle into the seat, pull out another cigarette, and light it. I don't even need to tell Heitor where to go. He knows my routine well enough to understand that I'm done for the day. The drive back is smooth and quick. After an exhausting day, the only thing I need right now is a delicious blowjob and an ass to fuck until I've had my fill. When we arrive at the mansion, Heitor parks in front of the entrance, and one of the security guards opens the door for me.

“Welcome home, sir.”

I get out, toss my cigarette onto the ground, and head toward the entrance. The butler opens the front door as soon as I approach, and I cross the foyer toward the staircase. I head up to the second floor and go straight to Christopher's office. I open the door and find him sitting in front of his laptop, typing something.

“Finished your duties?” he asks without looking at me.

“You don't even need to ask.”

I drop into an armchair and relax.

“Anything new while I was out?”

Christopher looks up from his laptop to meet my gaze.

“The Valentini family still hasn't paid.”

“So?”

“I sent the henchmen to deal with them in the worst possible way.”

“If I'd known about that, I would've gone to collect the debt myself.”

“You can do that next time, if they run away again.”

A wicked smile spreads across my lips.

“Then I hope they run. That way, I can have some fun.”

Christopher doesn't respond. He simply turns his attention back to his laptop, as if the matter is settled.

I can't wait to hear the news that they've run away again.

Because hunting is something I find extremely exciting.