Black Romance Chapter 3

Glancing around the table, my eyes connected with the man on the end . Darting my eyes back into my lap, I didn't dare move . I didn't even blink because of the fear I felt when our eyes met .

It wasn't just that I had disobeyed Virgo's orders to not look at anyone, it was something else, a feeling that zipped from head to toe in that single second of eye contact .

There was something in his gaze, a depth I couldn't ignore, a power I couldn't place . He wasn't heading the conversation, he wasn't involved in planning any of the details of that meeting; and yet, it felt like he controlled all of it .

He had jet black hair and olive colored skin, with eyes as dark as night . Splaying an open palm on the table, he tapped a single finger softly as he relaxed back in his chair .

I could still feel his eyes on me, boring a hole into the top of my head . It felt like he was studying me, trying to figure out who I was and what purpose I had .

Virgo and Ethan were chatting away, their voices muffled, each word blurring together in my ears as I felt my body warm and the air grow dense from the nerves coming to life inside me .

That man made me more nervous than Virgo .

AdvertisementMachi cleared his throat, leaning forward and pointing at me . "How old are you little girl?"

I didn't answer, keeping my lips tightly sealed .

Virgo stopped speaking, his mouth hanging partially open as his jaw clicked . Glancing at me over his shoulder, he turned back to Machi . "She'll be sixteen in four months . "

My anniversary . . . He gifted me a new birthday, it was the day I came into his hands . It didn't matter that I had an actual birthday and had turned sixteen two months ago; in his eyes, I wasn't born until the very moment I became his .

"I wasn't asking you, I was asking her," Machi said sternly, puffing up his chest as he spoke . "How old are you girl?" he asked again, his voice firm, making my stomach clench with fear .

But I still didn't answer .

Virgo let out a grunt as he twisted in his chair . "Answer him . "

With my eyes on my hands, my voice was low and delicate . "Fif—fifteen . " I lied, giving him the age Virgo considered me .

"There," Virgo jumped in, his tone annoyed but polite . "Can we continue with our business now?"

Peeking up at Machi, I watched him stroke his jaw, glaring down the table . "Why is she here?"

"Because I want her to be . " Virgo veered his stare as his lips thinned . "You got a problem with that?" Any kindness in his voice had disappeared .

Machi's jaw rocked back and forth, his teeth grinding down hard . "We don't deal in children . "

"And this one isn't for sale, so there shouldn't be a problem, should there?"

Sale?

The word hung in my head for what seemed like an eternity as my mind tried to package it in a way that made sense .

What's for sale?

Women . . . Are women for sale?

"Is she yours? Daughter? Niece?"

"Neither . "

"And her parents?"

Shrugging a shoulder, Virgo shook his head . "It's none of your fucking business . " Furrowing his brows, Virgo glanced between Machi and Ethan . "Are you a cop? Did you bring a fucking cop to my home, Ethan?"

"No," he said eagerly, his mouth drawing taut . "Machi, you're prying where you shouldn't be . "

"I'm just curious . Is there something wrong with being curious?" A thin smirk rested on his lips as he seemed to take pleasure in making Virgo uncomfortable . "She just looks so sad, too sad for a teenager . "

"Did you ever think the sadness you see is really just a well disciplined child? My roll had to change drastically when she got here, neither one of us expected this . "

My skin buzzed with hate as he sat there and acted like I was some child abandoned by horrible circumstances . I wanted to jump to my feet and scream that he had destroyed me, I wanted to beg these men to save me from my captor .

But he said they're not nice men . . . They're here to talk about buying women, Jessie!

That should tell you enough .

"Is that so?" Tilting his head, his eyes threw grenades across the table at Virgo . "You're full of shit . How can we trust you if you lie to us?"

"What goes on in my life is none of your fucking business . " Cocking his head, Virgo snarled . "Ethan, what the fuck is this shit? I'll end this whole thing right now if you can't keep your dog on his leash . "

"Dog?" Machi growled, his body stiffening, muscles flexing into stone .

Chapter end