KILLING SARAI(79)

“I am willing to hear the offer, at least,” I say.

His eyes light up. He turns to the man in the suit beside him, whispers something in his ear and turns back to us as the man takes the glass elevator up to the top floor.

“Walk with me,” Hamburg says and the two of us follow him toward the elevator.

Hamburg tells us about the construction of his mansion while we wait for the glass elevator to make its way back down empty. And he rambles on about how much money he has put into it as if to covertly explain to me that he can spare whatever my price. I can sense Sarai getting more nervous as we rise toward the top floor. At one point, she clutches my hand and I glance down to see her delicate fingers tangled in mine. I squeeze her hand gently, letting her know that I’m here and that I’m going to do everything in my power to keep her safe. I glance over to see her eyes and right now all I see is Sarai looking back at me, the brave but anxious and complicated girl that I’ve grown very protective of.

We walk down one massive hallway where out ahead is the entrance to his room, intricate and overdone like the rest of the house. Two men in suits stand guard outside of it. Each of them, like the ones downstairs, carry guns hidden beneath their clothes. But I don’t. Not this time. Because I know Sarai and I will be checked before we’re let inside and to find one on either of us, two wealthy but otherwise simplistic individuals that have no reason to be carrying firearms, would change Hamburg’s initial assumptions about us. He might feel threatened and change his mind about letting us inside.

We stop at the entrance and I raise my arms out at my sides to let one guard pat me down.

Sarai does the same, but isn’t so quiet this time.

“Is this really necessary?” she hisses while the other guard pats her down.

“Sorry, my dear,” Hamburg says as he pushes open his suite doors, “but yes. Can’t be too careful.”

When the guards find nothing, they step aside and just before Hamburg closes the three of us off inside his room he says to the guards, “You may go. I’ll need a bit of privacy for the next hour or so.”

The two guards nod their acknowledgment and leave their post outside his room.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX





Sarai





The second the large double-doors lock behind us, I feel my heart sink into the pit of my stomach. But I shake it off and do my best to retain my Izabel Seyfried fa?ade.

As I’m letting my gaze sweep the vast room I’m surprised at how fast Arthur Hamburg gets right to the point.

“I will tell you what I’d like and give you the opportunity to name your price.” He gestures for Victor to sit down in the nearby leather chair.

Victor sits and I find myself being left to stand here alone.

The masks have come off now that the two of them are alone together in the privacy of this room. Arthur Hamburg is no longer the disgustingly charming man he pretended to be out there in front of everyone. No, he’s the evil, sick bastard that Victor was sent here to kill. He’s no longer looking upon me as a guest of his mansion who deserves a glass of champagne and respect; I’m merely a pawn in his sexual game who isn’t worthy of his eyes or his conversation anymore. Only Victor is worthy of such luxuries. Victor is the one he wants. I see that now. But there’s so much more to it than I know. And it takes no time at all for the rest of it to unfold.

“What is it that you want?” Victor asks calmly, cunningly.

He rests his back against the chair and props his left ankle on the top of his right knee.

Arthur Hamburg takes the matching chair across from Victor, a devilish smile slides across his harsh features.

“I like to watch,” he says. “But none of that missionary position bullshit.” He pauses and adds, “You f*ck the girl, every now and then do what I ask you to do to her and then afterwards, if you’re up to it—and for extra money—I’ll get on my knees in front of you.”

He grins and for the first time since I walked in here, his eyes skirt me.

While I’m secretly having an anxiety attack, Victor ponders it for a moment, making it seem as though he’s taking the offer into consideration.

Victor glances at me.

“No way,” I say right on cue. “He’s disgusting, Victor. I don’t agree to this.”

Victor stands up and casually takes me by the elbow.

“You’ll do what I tell you to do,” he says.

I shake my head back and forth, looking between them, trying not to break character, but finding it more and more difficult to achieve.

I can do this, I tell myself as the loud pounding of my heart rises over my voice in my head. Victor won’t hurt me. In any way. I have to believe that.

Why doesn’t he just kill the pig now? I don’t understand…

With my elbow still clenched in his hand, Victor turns to Arthur Hamburg and says, “Fifteen thousand,” and Hamburg’s face lights up. “And it’ll be another fifteen if I let you go down on me.”

I feel my eyes widening in my skull.

“It’s a deal.”

“No,” I say and try to wrench my arm free, but then Victor narrows his eyes at me and I give in.

“Bend over the table,” Victor says.

What?...

He looks at the heavy square marble table to my right, moving nothing but his eyes.