She’d gone limp. Given up. Tony continued his work, making a better V than even the one gracing my chest. He was my personal tattoo artist. His shop in Mobile was the toast of the South. People came from all over the country, all over the world, just to bear his ink.

He finished up the last of the thorns, done in the same deep green as mine, when I leaned down and added a little something extra.

“I want a small spider.” I pointed to one of the inner curves of vines. “Here.”

I whispered it low enough that Stella wouldn’t hear it over the music and the buzzing. She always referred to me as a spider. Now, I would be on her body permanently.

“I like it, man.” Tony switched to a deep crimson ink and drew in the small accent. “Nice.”

One of the buzzing sounds stopped. Red’s Acquisition sat up and yanked her dress back in place over her bare breast. I almost pitied her. That little show of skin was nothing compared to what came next.

I pitied her more for the garish tattoo Red had forced on her—his name in bright red ink with blue flames licking the letters. What a fucking prick to ruin a beautiful woman that way.

I shook my head. No, Red has his head in the game. Ruination was the goal. I was over here dicking around and ensuring Stella’s brand was art, not something to mar her perfect skin. I’d told myself too many times to stop thinking of her as a person. But here I was, doing it again and letting my dick lead me around.

I’d already given in to her, promised her a reward for making it through this night. It was foolish. Still, if it worked even a little to keep her in line, it was worth it. This was spectacle, all of it. I needed the families, and especially Cal, to come away from this seeing me as the frontrunner for Sovereign.

Bob’s Acquisition didn’t fare much better than Red’s. At least the eagle on his man’s back had some artistry in it. It was nothing compared to Tony’s work, but it turned out far better than the travesty on Brianne’s chest.

“All right. She’s all done.” Tony sat back and admired his handiwork before rubbing some salve along Stella’s skin.

It was a wasted effort. Her tattoo was the least of her worries.

Stella sat up and gave me the most vicious glare I’d ever seen on her face. Not even after the day in the yard had she flashed at me with such hate.

“Here, angel, check it in the mirror. It’s not so bad.”

Tony handed Stella a mirror and held one up behind her so she could see the design. Her crimson lips fell open. “That goddamn V? And what’s the red thing. It looks like…” Her gaze shot up to my eyes. “A spider.”

“Yes, indeed.” Tony took her mirror and began packing up his tattoo gear.

“Head on out, Tony,” I said. “Money’s already in your account.”

Tony popped his head up and surveyed the room. “Sure I can’t stay and see if I can convince one of these masked freaky chicks to go home with me?”

Tony had no idea what was going on. I’d told him this was a fancy party with paid staff and entertainment, Stella and the other Acquisitions being the entertainment. He thought all this was voluntary and just a night of fun. If he stayed any longer, he would know just how non-consensual the whole thing was. I didn’t want to alienate one of the true friends I actually had, and nothing alienates like slavery and whippings.

“No, man. No offense, but you don’t have a chance with these women. Well, unless your bank account is bigger than I think.”

“Definitely not. Okay, then. I’m out. Thanks again, Sin. And it was lovely working on you.” He took Stella’s hand and kissed it. “I’d love to see you in my shop sometime. Color you in some other areas.”

She smiled at him. Actually smiled. “I’d like that.”

Something roared to life inside me. It ripped at my ribs and tried to claw through my chest. Jealousy. Petty, overbearing, jealousy. I took her hand from his.

Tony laughed and jumped down from the platform. He gave a salute and then cut through the crowd and out one of the side doors.

“Why did you smile at him?” The ridiculousness of the question hit me only after I asked it.

“Because he was nice to me and he clearly had no idea what sort of fucked up shit you all are doing out here,” She held my gaze, challenge in her bearing. “It’s not his fault you dragged him into it.”

“I didn’t drag him into anything. I paid him well to create art on your body, and that’s exactly what he did.”

She raised her eyebrows and straightened her back. “You think the taint of this place doesn’t rub off on people? You think he’s unscathed?”

I grabbed her by the elbow. “He’s a lot more unscathed than you’re going to be.”

“Fuck you.”

Shit. Her anger shot straight to my cock, even in the middle of this crowd of devils. Her eyes flashed at me in unbridled fury.

“In time.” I gave her the smile I knew she hated, the one that got under her skin.

She lifted a hand to strike me. I caught it and pulled it down, squeezing her wrist hard. “Do that again, and I’ll hit back much, much harder. Understand?”

I wanted her to do it again, to knock my mask off so she could see the real me, the one who wanted to make it hurt, to fuck her, to make her scream. Her fear was easier for me to deal with than her anger. Her anger made me want to push her further, to take her to the edge, to make her beg me for something, anything. Her anger spurred me on to break her. Her fear let me know I was getting close.

The music piped down, the circling vultures slowing to a stop as Cal climbed atop the central platform again. “All right folks, brandings are done. Looks like we’re ready for the big show.”

Masked servants rushed in through the side doors with various pieces of equipment and furniture. Whips, chains, clamps, dildoes, spanking benches, couches, and too many beds to count. Once everything was in place, a cavalcade of prostitutes entered through the doors. Masked and nude, there was something for everyone—thin, ample, old, and young; they stood like low-hanging fruit, ready for the taking. The ballgoers flitted out and picked this one or that one, dragging the choice morsels back to their chosen spot of depravity.

I glanced down to Stella. She stood mesmerized. She’d unconsciously stepped closer to me as the hall geared up for the main event. Now, she was frozen in her horror, perhaps unable to comprehend the well of the evil in this room. It was deep, far too deep for anyone to plumb its depths. Especially not her. Naiveté swirled around her like a priceless perfume. The vein at her neck fluttered in a distressed rhythm. It was beautiful, like the pale wings of a butterfly—and just as fragile.

The orchestra kept playing softly as the dance floor became a sea of debauchery. Only a center strip was left open. The parade route.

“Come on, Acquisitions, don’t be shy. Step on up. Time to really show us what you have to offer.” Cal was gleeful.

I took Stella’s hand and pulled her through the crowd, many of them already disrobing and setting on each other like wild animals. Fucking, biting, scratching. They left their masks on, as if it made any difference. The guest list was expertly curated. Any number of governors, wealthy socialites, business magnates, and others were congregated here tonight. The entire power structure south of the Mason Dixon was in this room, rutting like pigs and enjoying the show.

I dragged my sacrificial lamb behind me as she gasped at the spectacle all around her. Men and women clawed at her as she rushed past, their hunger bleeding over onto anyone and anything. Stella’s purity was like a beacon. I sensed it, too. I wanted to drag her down and feast on her just like they did. But that wasn’t what she was here for. Not yet.

We made it to the end of the cleared section of floor that bisected the entire hall and took our place behind Bob, Gavin, Red, and Brianne. The servants had quickly placed risers along the ground in a straight line so the walkway was elevated above the thriving mass of wickedness all around. Cries rose up and were drowned out by others. The orchestra continued playing as if nothing out of place were happening.

“Time to walk the walk, Acquisitions.” Cal was crowing atop the podium as one of the prostitutes sucked his cock.

I hated the idea of him seeing Stella, of any of them seeing her. She was mine. But I kept having to share her.

Bob pushed Gavin up the stairs. “Walk.”

Gavin obeyed, tentatively placing one foot in front of the other. Once he’d made it a little way across, he was emboldened, holding his head a bit higher, his shoulders back. It made sense. After all, walking was easy.

He picked up his pace. When he got to the end of the walk, he turned to come back. Two men grabbed him, stripped off his coat, and then ripped his shirt away. He started to fight them but stopped when one held up a cattle prod. The other one pointed back down the runway.

Stella trembled next to me as Brianne broke down into gut-wrenching sobs. Red grabbed her by the hair and shook her. She screamed, high and piercing.

Stella reached out, fast as a cat, and gripped Red’s arm, trying to wrest his grip from Brianne. Her small hands did nothing to stop him.

“Get your bitch under control, Vinemont, before I do it for you.”

I wrapped my arm around Stella’s waist and pulled her back. “Stop, Stella. You’re making it worse.”

She lunged at Red again as Brianne still suffered in his grasp. I held her back and away from him.

“What, you don’t like this?” Red asked and shook Brianne again. He used his other hand and ripped down the back of her dress, leaving her top fully exposed. “What about this? Stella, is it? Do you like this?” Red ripped her dress again until the fabric fell to the floor.

“You, son of a bitch!” Stella cried.

“Oh, look over here. We have a wild one.” Cal’s voice grated on my ears as it boomed around the room.

I put my hand around Stella’s throat and squeezed until she fell back against me gasping for air.

“Stop fighting,” I hissed in her ear.

“Motherfucker. You, motherfuckers,” was all she managed to get out.

Red sneered and stepped toward us.

“Back the fuck up, Red.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll stomp another mud hole in your ass, same as I did at your sister’s wedding last year. Remember that?”

“Fuck you, Sin.”

“Right back at you, Red.”

He returned to his toy, palming her ass so hard it had to hurt as she waited her turn. He leered at Stella as he did it, but she didn’t make another move.

“You’re all best friends, aren’t you?” Stella’s voice was quiet. “You’re all the same. Let me go. I’ll be good.” She put an acid inflection on the last word.

Her comment should have stung me, but it was true. Red and I were the same breed. He was just playing the game better than I was at the moment. That would be remedied before the night ended.

I released Stella, but stayed ready to hold her again. I didn’t know what Red would do if she actually managed to hurt him. It wouldn’t be pretty. Not that I’d let him hurt her. That wasn’t his right.

She stood in front of me, careful not to touch me. The back of her dress was open so I could see her smooth skin. She was so pale against the deep green of the dress. Flawless, radiant skin. I stared, knowing that it would never look this way again, not after tonight.

Gavin was on his final run, fully nude and halfway across the walkway back to us. Men and women rose from below to touch him. I froze at the thought of one of them touching Stella. But they would. There was nothing I could do to stop them.

“Go on, whore.” Red pushed the shivering Brianne up onto the walkway. She wore only heels as she made her way between the revelers.

Many rushed to her, their fingers reaching to touch her pussy, her ass, her tits. Towards the middle, one man actually pulled her down and threw her on the nearest bed before trying to force her legs apart. Her scream blended with the others. Two servants approached and pulled the man off before setting her back on the platform. Now her shoes were missing and she was sobbing as she walked.

She made it to the other end and tried to stay there. It took a near miss with the cattle prod to get her moving again. By the time she made it back to us, her makeup was streaked from tears and her body shook with sobs.

“Again,” Red demanded.

She shook her head. Red advanced on her with a menacing step.

“Go, just go. Get it over with.” Stella urged the girl to pass through hell one more time. “You can do it. You have to.”

Brianne focused on Stella who was nodding at her, encouraging her.

“I’ll be here when you get back, okay? The faster you go, the faster it’ll be done. And then it’ll be my turn.”

Red turned and put two fingers to his mouth in a ‘V’ before sticking out his tongue at Stella. “I can’t wait.”

I wanted to take out his knees, pound him into the ground, and then piss on his fucking corpse. Stella ignored him.

Brianne took the steps back up and made her final pass, far more quickly this time without heels. When she got back, Stella moved to embrace her but Red cut her off.

“Excellent work, whore. Maybe I’ll only beat you once tonight.” He turned to Stella. “Strip, bitch.”

I hit him. I dropped him. I didn’t even think. I just acted. Mistakes always seem to happen that way.

He rolled on the ground, hands to his face. He pushed his mask off and felt around his eye. “The fuck, Sin?”

Shit. This was not the plan. Getting angry and decking one of our number was definitely not part of a winning Acquisition.

Cal’s laughing voice boomed over the sound system. “Now that’s a show, ladies and gents!”