Fallen Ashes |✔️

Intoxicated

Zoe

"You're going to fucking pay for what you did to me." Vero growled. 

I didn't give a fuck about what he spat at me, despite the fact that I was shaking and holding back tears as I stared at the blackness enveloping me. I heard him kill the engine as the boot of his vehicle opened, revealing my curled up body. A pair of strong hands carried me away as I heard the sounds of more of his vehicles stopping behind us. 

I knew I'd betray him to save Venus again if I had the chance- and I wish I'd be able to see the hell Venus unleashed upon all of them, though I wanted her to keep away. 

I smirked at how my best friend- the red devil- had become an internationally wanted mafia agent. Vero the fucker would probably wipe his ass with diamonds if he ever attained the true worth of Venus Castellanos, which he never would. 

I was tired of being weak, being a liability to others as someone who didn't belong to any mafia- an ordinary. But I wasn't ordinary to Venus, or Domino or Pax. And that was what scared the shit out of me. 

I could sense it the moment I felt myself get dragged into the backside of what sounded like a casino, with mafia men undoubtedly drunk and gambling away ridiculous amounts of cash. I wondered if they gambled on Venus Castellanos, what price they'd put on her head. How far any of them had gone for the chance to seize her. I hated their guts, and most of all the man who'd brought me here to fuck with me. 

My eyes adjusted to the harsh light of the room as I met the eyes of a grim-looking woman with more colours in her hair than she had teeth. Her tangles of wild hair almost concealed the observant eyes beneath as they watched my pitiful figure, diverting my attention to the running water and cosmetic supplies that lay in an ugly pile across cheap-looking tables. 

"Make the bitch sparkle, he said." The woman grinned, making a move to dunk my head into the basin of water and proceeding to scrub my face harshly enough to make my skin peel off. 

"Shut. up. whore." I almost spluttered after almost choking on mouthfuls of water.

My elbow almost knocked into her jaw as she forcefully combed through my hair, smearing make-up and glitter on my heated face to make me look 'presentable'. 

I hated this bitch. And even more the assholes who were doing this. 

I slipped behind what looked like a crappy shower curtain to slip into the revealing navy dress that had been set out for me before miss fake nails came back to force me into it.

 Shit. Part of me wanted to admit I loved the dress, and reluctantly found the mirror refreshing as I looked at my glowing skin and the fake lashes I'd covertly made an attempt to peel off. It looked like something Venus would have worn whilst snapping Vero's wrist at a ball or sending her enemies to the ground before they lay a finger on her. 

And here I was, miserable and defenceless as a couple of Vero's men half-dragged me down the creaking stairs to the front of what I'd correctly assumed to be a casino. I didn't give a shit what the place was, whether men were gambling or clubbing or drunk out of their minds. 

"Showtime." Vero purred into my ear, turning my body rigid with chills as he pushed me towards the platform- a spectacle for the men to ogle at. My breasts had never felt so uncomfortable in this dress with my face heating even more as I met the stares of men who ended their squabbling. 

Flashing hues of purples and greens made me squint, making an attempt to imitate Venus' cool arrogance, her effortless confidence. 

"Here we have the side bitch of Venus Castellanos." Vero announced from beside me, his echoing voice booming across the casino. 

The crowd gasped and cheered, with men almost falling over each other for a better look at me. 

"Nice tits." An agent called out from the crowd only to be met by more cheers and men commenting on my body. I'd never wanted to carve their dicks off so badly, showing them my muddle finger only to be met by more mockery. I fucking hated their guts for it- but noone was coming to save me.

And some way or another, I hoped the night was over quickly when it came, only so I could find some way of getting out and ideally finding a loaded gun to empty Vero's thick head. 

"Offers for a night with this prize- and soon the lead bitch herself will come crawling after her." Vero chuckled, my heart thundering through my chest as I turned red from rage and wanting to disappear. 

The bastard was trying to sell me. He'd let me suffer whilst he capitalised off me, off my body whilst he left Venus desperate to find me. I hated whatever twisted revenge he wanted from me and couldn't stand a second longer in their presence, my stomach taking awkward somersaults at every mention of my name. 

I won't be weak I promised myself. 

"Ten thousand." A voice called out, turning my blood to ice. 

"Twenty thousand." 

"Fifty thousand." 

"One hundred thousand." 

The offers kept coming, one sick person after another. Their sighs and cheers made me sick as they competed for me. Perhaps to fuck me in ways I'd never let anyone else even think of. 

I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift back to Domino, the unspoken words that remained between us. If there was anything left of me after this was over, I prayed enough of the girl they'd taken remained so she could fall into his arms. 

"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars" 

"I fucking hate you." I spat at Vero as he took no notice, thrumming with delight at the cash offers that kept rolling in. 

"Half a million dollars." A voice cut through the others, making Vero almost collapse with glee as a distant part of me heard the disappointed groans of the other men- as the top bidder made his way to claim his prize. 

"Stop." I couldn't breathe as Vero continued, my body threatening to fall apart from trepidation. 

The well-dressed man sauntered his way through the crowd, grinning at me with ravenous delight. The man reeked of cash he clearly had to throw around, his tan skin gleaming in the flashing lights. He must have been in his mid-thirties- I wanted to throw up as he flashed the chains across his wrists and neck, the signs of wealth he carried so confidently. 

"Who the fuck are you?" I hissed at him. 

"You're mine for the night- and I'm getting my moneys worth out of you." He grinned, avoiding the question though his accent and surrounding guards told me enough. 

Vero had just sold me to the crime lord of the Spanish mafia.