“I heard she’s got magic down there. She started working as an escort in college. Men fought over her like crazy.”

“After years of training by Mr. Thornton, she must’ve only gotten better.”

“God, look at her now. So fragile you just wanna ruin her in bed!”

The filth kept pouring in like a tide. I snapped my head toward Marcella.

Of course. It had to be her.

Back in my sophomore year, overnight, every windshield on campus had a “service card” tucked under the wiper-my face photoshopped onto some random naked body.

It called me a real pleasure-giver and even printed my phone number on it.

From that moment, I was labeled a sex tool, not the celebrated beauty I once was on campus.

My phone never stopped ringing. Everyone’s eyes changed.

Some asked how much per night. Some asked if I was really like what the posts described-so good it made men lose their minds.

I explained. I went to the police. The school made a statement and caught a punk who handed out the cards. But it didn’t matter.

I was nailed to the shame wall of the club scene. No one cared about the truth. They just kept spreading filth about me.

Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I dropped out.

A man carrying whiskey walked up to Jacob.

“Mr. Thornton, are you really willing to sell a gem like that?”

Jacob leaned back against the leather couch, flipping a Zippo open and closed.

He stared at me, then let out a low laugh.

“Got tired of her. Still tastes good, though.”

Laughter rippled around him, dark and vile.

The spotlight snapped to me. The auctioneer’s voice rang out through the mic.

Fold Up

“And now, our final item-the famous Mrs. Thornton, Isabelle Zimmer, whose legendarv anatomy guarantees unparalleled pleasure! Starting price, 800,000 dollars! Minimu 80,000 dollars!”

“Nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars! You gotta try a woman like this at least once in your

life!”

“Nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Dream on! I’ll go 1.3 million dollars!”

“One and a half million dollars! I need to find out if she’s really that good!”

The bids climbed higher.

I closed my eyes.

lan said he’d come. And if he said it, he meant it. I just had to wait.

Suddenly, the auctioneer’s voice cracked with excitement. Suddenly, the auctioneer’s voice c

“An unlimited bid! Mr. Alden of Nightfall just placed an unlimited bid!”

Unlimited bidding was the auction house’s power move.

No matter what others offered, the unlimited bidder would double it-until everyone else gave

As for Jowie Alden, he ran “Nightfall,” the biggest money pit in Boston. Business or pleasure, it made sense for him to buy me.

What didn’t make sense was Jacob.

The second he heard, “Mr. Alden placed an unlimited bid,” he crushed his glass with a loud

crack.

Shards cut his hand. Whiskey mixed with blood splattered the tablecloth.

Jowie leaned out from a second-floor box seat. He took off his sunglasses, revealing a scar at

the corner of his eye.

“Regretting it already, Mr. Thornton? Looks like she tastes even better than the rumors say!”

The room burst out laughing.

Someone whistled.

“If you can’t let her go, then outbid him! Name a price even Mr. Alden won’t double!”

Jowie puffed on his cigar, walking down the stairs, laughing and cursing.

“You bastards just want to watch the show!

“Look around-everyone buying tonight is keeping their goods private. Me? I’ll enjoy her first. Then whoever pays the most, I’ll send her straight to your bed.

“Every position, however you want.”

He reached Jacob’s table and blew a cloud of smoke in his face.

Fold Up

He had the clout to say it. Twenty years ago, he was king of Boston’s underworld.

A Thousand Needles for Love

“Bid all you want.

“But Isabelle? She’s mine.

“If you still want her, just wait till I’m done, Mr. Thornton. Come spend a night at Nightfall; you won’t even need 150,000 dollars to get a night with her.”

Jacob clenched his fists, eyes locked on Jowie, dark and dangerous.

He had money, but Jowie had money and men. Both sides of the law worked for him.

Jowie blew another puff of smoke into Jacob’s face, then patted his cheek.

“Keep that look. I love it when you can’t stand me but can’t touch me either.”

Jacob’s teeth were grinding, nearly cracking from rage. But there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t afford to offend Jowie.

Jowie swaggered up to the stage, cigar in hand. He stared at me like a hawk, Adam’s apple bobbing.

“You really are something. Back then, I held back because you were Jacob’s wife. Now? I can’t wait.”

He licked his lips, yanked off his belt with a snap, and shouted, “I’m inspecting the goods-right here, right now.”

The room exploded.

I shrank back into the corner of the box, terrified, staring at the hungry looks in their eyes.

Where was lan?

The auction staff was just as thrilled.

They opened the acrylic box and pulled out a knife, ready to cut the ropes-

Then a voice rang out. Cold. Commanding. Furious.

“No one’s leaving. Everyone involved will pay.”

The chandeliers went dark. Windows shattered. Boots slammed against the floor like drums of death.

A gun barrel pressed against Jowie’s temple.

One by one, they were dragged down. Jacob. The auctioneer. Every man who bid.

Silence fell.

The man leading the charge was tall, dressed in a camo jacket, with boots heavy on the floor.

He undid his buttons as he strode toward me.

Fold Up

When his warm jacket wrapped around my shaking body, I realized my face was soaked with

tears.

“lan, you’re finally here!” I sobbed out.

“Sorry. I’m late.”

It was lan.

We hadn’t seen each other in four years. His skin was darker now, his features sharper, and his eyes cold as ice.

He knelt in front of me, pressed his forehead gently to mine, and carefully untied the velvet ropes around me.

When he saw my ruined hand, the one holding the gun began to tremble.

The ice in his eyes lit up into fury.

“Who did this?” His voice was low, but every word roared. “Jowie? Or Jacob?”

The lights in the hall snapped on.

The same men who’d ogled and cursed me earlier were now kneeling or squatting, humiliated.

Jowie, once smug, now crawled over on his knees.

“Mr… Mr. Zimmer, it… it wasn’t me!

“It was Jacob! He broke her, then tried to sell her!

“I was trying to save her, I swear! Let her recover in peace! I’m a good guy! I hate men who hurt

women!”

lan’s eyes swept past him, cold and sharp, like nails. Then locked onto Jacob.

Jacob was pinned to the ground by one of lan’s men.

He looked up, face twisted with rage, and yelled, “Isabelle, who is he? When did you start messing around with him?!”

“Since she was a baby,” lan replied flatly.

Then he looked at Jacob as if he were already dead.

“She’s my sister!”

He picked me up gently and walked slowly to Jacob.

“I’ll settle this debt with you piece by piece, my dear… brother-in-law!”

Jacob stared at him, stunned.

Fold Up

“You’re… lan Zimmer? You’re the head of Dark Night?!”

Dark Night was the name of a legendary organization. It was said to be the world’s top mercenary force. I’d only heard rumors.

lan’s eyes slid toward Marcella.

He chuckled. “You fell for her? Great taste. You two are locked in for life.”

Just then, the auction hall doors flew open.