Marcus and I left the office around 5:30 in the evening and found a restaurant in town not far from the location of The Auction House. We got a private booth and ordered our meal before beginning our planning process.

"I got there late the night that Bernard took me to The Auction House," I told Marcus. "It was close to 11:00 that night, but they had already started, so they probably start around ten."

"That sounds pretty typical," Marcus said after taking a sip of his Diet soda. "We’ll show up a little after ten and just act like patrons. Throw out a few false bids for some of the women."

"You want to actually bid?" I asked him.

"Sure," Marcus said between bites of his pasta. "Nothing serious, just give a few bids in the beginning when you know they’re interested in one of the women."

My appetite was gone as we talked about bidding at The Auction House. I poked the chicken on my plate trying to mentally prepare myself for what Marcus was suggesting. "What about the women waiting in the back, or what about finding Fitzgerald?" I asked Marcus.

He shrugged. "We’re just doing a general recon," Marcus said. "There’s no need to have all the details about the place. The fact that we can see the patrons actively making bids on those women will be enough for us to start planning the raid."

We finished our dinner and I made a phone call to one of the men that I remembered from the club to get me and Marcus on the list at The Auction House. After that was accomplished, I sent Hannah a quick text to check in and see how she was doing. She said that she missed me and she hoped that I didn’t have many days where I would need to work late. Feeling like a jerk for lying to my wife, I distracted myself by reviewing accounts at the office where Marcus and I had returned once the building was empty.

When 10:00 pm arrived, Marcus and I made our way to The Auction House. We walked down the alley where guards waited and once we were cleared they let us inside. I paused in the entryway feeling as if I had a hard time breathing. The first time that I had been here I had no idea what I was walking into. Now, I knew exactly what I was about to do and it gave me a sickening feeling. Marcus gave me the moment I needed before I led him into the patron space of The Auction House.

"Let’s get some drinks," I told him, needing the alcohol to calm my nervous tension. We strolled through the group of men gathered around chatting and I greeted them by name so that Marcus would have the benefit of being familiar with some of the scumbags there for the auction. I introduced Marcus as a business partner that I wanted to impress with a fun night out. Marcus was a good actor. He smiled, made eye contact, and talked about looking forward to the bidding. We ordered our drinks at the bar and found a table near the front, close to the stage. I drained my whiskey before the first girl walked out onto the stage. She was young, a teenager like Hannah had explained. I couldn’t look at the girl as the men around me started bidding. Marcus was leaning forward listening and absorbed as the auction took place.

"250,000," Marcus called out suddenly, but he was immediately outbid. I didn’t know if I could bring myself to even pretend to bid on anyone. The young girl was purchased for 450,000 dollars and she walked off stage. I was beyond ready to leave and it had only been 20 minutes. The next woman stepped out on stage and the bidding began. I couldn’t understand how Marcus was so calm and attentive when all I wanted to do was jump up and scream about how disgusting this was as a hobby and an illegal business. I needed more alcohol. After letting Marcus know, who barely gave me a nod, I went to the bar and sat a moment with my fresh glass of whiskey so that I wouldn’t have to face the stage. Another woman entered the stage and was sold off followed by another woman before I was able to rejoin Marcus again at the table. Bidding started at 50,000 dollars for the next girl.

"100,000," I said, finally joining in and I was relieved when I was quickly outbid. Marcus glanced at me with a nearly imperceptible nod to let me know that I had done well. I resisted the urge to ask him when we were going to leave. It was after 11:00 now and I just wanted to go home. I didn’t feel like I was helping at all, in fact, I felt like I was adding to the problem as women and girls were being bought right in front of me. Another young woman walked out on stage and bidding began. I wasn’t paying attention at this point until Marcus suddenly leaned back in his chair and grunted.

"S**t," Marcus muttered.

"What?" I asked him, confused.

"100,000," a man in the crowd began the bidding.

"Son of a b***h," Marcus cursed again before he leaned over to me. "I need you to bid on her and buy her."

"No," I whispered to him immediately. "Why the hell would I buy her?"

"200,000," a man in the audience offered a counter bid.

"Listen, I’m being serious," Marcus said, "just buy her, I’ll explain, and I will make sure you get reimbursed."

"300,000," another man offered for the pale, slender girl on stage. Her expression was set and resolute as if she had a purpose there.

I gritted my teeth. "450,000," I shouted my offer.

"550,000," someone countered. Whoever that girl was she seemed to be popular.

"700,000," I tried again, feeling the pressure as I had felt before when bidding to save Hannah.

"800,000," someone countered.

"950,000," I shouted the offer, my heart pounded as I waited for the next bid. When none came, the auctioneer repeated my offer of 950,000 and when no one countered, I was told that I had won the bidding. The girl walked off stage and I stared at Marcus who nodded toward the approaching guard.

"Follow me, sir," the guard said. Marcus and I stood and followed the guard right in front of the crowd since the backstage area for patrons was located on that side. I was about to ask Marcus who the girl is when someone called out to me.

"Roman, you bored with your wife already?" I turned around to see an angry Bernard Sullivan approaching me. What the hell was I going to tell him? "I’m getting sick of you throwing your money around and taking what I want. If you’re tired of your wife, you can always bring her back here for me."

"Shut up, Bernard," I said. "This is none of your business."

"It is my business when you continue to screw me over and think it’s OK," Bernard said to me. I didn’t have time for this and I was really tired of confrontations with Bernard.

"I had no idea that you were here, Bernard," I said. "I didn’t know you wanted her, but I’m not sorry that I won the bid. Go try again."

Bernard pointed his finger in my face. "No, f**k you Roman," Bernard said. "You can’t marry this one, you already have a wife, and I doubt you’re man enough to break your new purchase."

I frowned. "Break her?" I asked Bernard.

Bernard scoffed. "You don’t even know who you just bought," Bernard said, offended. "I’m not surprised though. You’ll send her back. She’s not docile like your little wife. I know for a fact that Kristin is one of the best girls here and she hasn’t been broken yet. You’re either going to have fun with her or you’re going to realize that you’re not man enough for her."

I grimaced at Bernard. "I don’t have time for this," I said, disgusted at the way Bernard was talking about breaking a woman. I turned away from him to see that Marcus was waiting further up the hallway with the guard and the sleazy Jared Fitzgerald.

"I hope your wife finds out and divorces your ass, Roman," Bernard called behind me. "The Auction House can get its property back and I can have my turn with Hannah." I paused in the hallway, clenching my fist, wanting to drive it straight into Bernard’s face, but I didn’t. No matter what Bernard said about Hannah I knew she was safe and I hoped that I was doing the right thing by winning the bid for this woman, Kristin, at Marcus’s request. What did Marcus want with a woman that Bernard had called "one of the best girls here?" I continued forward, ignoring Bernard who was still calling after me. Now I had to prepare myself to meet with Fitzgerald again, the proprietor of The Auction House.