The Mafia's Hostage

| 8 | Auctions and Cautions.

E M E L I A N A

"2 weeks?" I whisper yell at Amethyst, raising my eyebrows in shock. Families didn't really keep people for that long if they expected to be used for trafficking. Most dealers wanted the 'merchandise', as my father used to say, as soon as possible.

"Yeah, same with Hannah. Some other girls left sooner and some girls remained to help... Satisfy... Some of the men in the house. Luckily I never had to, you know... But I couldn't say the same for Hannah." She replies. I shudder in disgust, not even wanting to imagine what had happened to the poor girl. I look over to Hannah and watch as she continues her nervous pacing. That would explain how she got the fresh bruises on her body...

"Anyway, now that our numbers are complete, they decided that now is the best time to start the auction." Amethyst continues explaining.

"Auction? You mean we are going to be bought and sold?" I feel like yelling, but I manage to keep my voice down and contain my anger.

"Don't think of it as an auction, think of it as sending you off to be somewhere better than here," Celestia says, walking back into the room with a bunch of plastic bags in her hands.

"We were perfectly fine where we were before." I snap at her. She frowns at me, her heated gaze reminding me of our first encounter, how angry she is capable of becoming.

"I'm not so sure about that Emeliana. You see, Mariano did you a favour when he took you and killed your father. Don Delassaro was a no-good crook, a lying, conniving cheap bastard and I know you deserve better than to have someone as ruthless and pathetic as a father." She seethes at me. I almost believed what she's telling me. Part of me feels like- knows that what she is telling me is true. I just had trouble accepting it...

Yeah, we've acknowledged the fact that my dad was evil, but to be frank, he was the only father-figure I had in my life. He's the one who raised me after mom died, and he wasn't always such an evil man...

I don't anything to say to Celestia... Instead, I look down and face the cream tiles in guilt.

"You'll need to eat something first." She speaks up and holds out the plastics in front of her for us. "Chicken salads." Celestia lets out and the 3 three of us glance at each other before we walk up to her and take the bags from her, muttering 'thank you's under our breaths. I take a seat on the bed and glance inside the plastic to see that there is a clear container filled with chicken salad as well as a bottle of water.

"When you are done eating you can have your showers. The bathroom is right through there and in the other room is where all the lotions and creams are. I will also leave your dresses in there, each dress has a note of who it will belong to." Celestia explains thoroughly and glances at all of us to see if we understand.

"Don't take too long." She finally says before she leaves us alone in the room.

I glance at Amethyst for a second looking back into my plastic and taking out the chicken salad and a fork, not wasting time and digging in; I'm starving.

Despite being the first to start eating, I am the last person to finish my food and therefore the last to take a shower and so after Hannah is done, I head in the bathroom and take a 10-minute shower, feeling a lot better afterward, the pain I am feeling subsiding. 

I walk off in the direction of the other room and push the door which is already open. I am met with a giant make-up room, different cosmetics and lotions laying across the white tables with massive mirrors placed in front of them. I had a lot of makeup back at the mansion but nowhere this much.

I notice that both Amethyst and Hannah are already in the room but are not in their dresses but instead white robes.

"I thought you guys would be dressed already," I say to them as I enter the room, glancing to the chair where the dresses are laid out.

"Celestia said we should wait for the hair and makeup artists first before getting dressed. She'll be back soon." Amethyst answers me and I nod in response just as I walk closer to the large mirror, staring at all the different cosmetics and lotion. I look down at the chairs and next to a black dress I find my name written on a small white card. Aside from the dress, there is also a white robe and some black lace panties but that's it. So I'll have to wear my dress without a bra. Great.

I sigh to myself before grabbing the robe and panties as well a familiar lotion from the table before walking to a different part of the room where the two of them can't see me so I can get dressed.

After a few minutes, I hear numerous footsteps and step out of the corner I am in to see that 3 women have walked into the room with large duffle bags as well as Celestia following behind them. 

"Alright ladies, we have an hour. So get started immediately. I want them to look stunning." Celestia says, glancing at me just as I walk closer to them. As soon as she says that, the makeup artists get to work immediately. One woman motions for me to sit in a char, having a short blonde buzz cut and bright green eyes, tiny freckles scattered across her nose.

"Hey, I'm Dara." She greets me and spins the chair around so that I am facing away from the mirror.

"Emeliana," I reply. 

"What colour is your dress?" She asks me as she begins getting out the makeup out of her bag.

"Black," I answer and she doesn't say anymore more, instead she proceeds to prep my face for the makeup.

.  .  .  .  .

17:57.

After we did makeup, we went straight into hair. Everything lasted roughly an hour, exactly as Celestia had said and at the end of it all, we looked absolutely breathtaking. My dress is a long-sleeved mermaid dress that has a very plunging v-neckline, the dress being snug around my butt and bust, shaping them nicely and complimenting my figure, the neckline stopping just below my boobs making my cleavage very eye-catching while I had my dark hair styled into large waves. And to tie the whole look together, I had on black 6-inch pumps. 

Amethyst is wearing a short fitted green dress that stops just above her knees, beautiful embroidery going around the whole dress, matching it with a pair of gold stiletto heels. Her ginger afro had been combed out and straightened, being tied up into a high and long ponty tail. As for Hanna, she is wearing a long cream dress that is fitted around her waist and hips, having a wide back and a turtleneck with gold chains that hold the dress together, her honey blonde hair straightened and falling on her back.

"By the way, you look awesome. You're surely going to impress." Amethyst compliments me as we all stand next to each other in front of the large mirror.

"Thank you. So do you, green is really your colour." I reply her with a smile, watching as Celestia stops her pacing and looks at all of us.

"Remember, don't look so scared, there are going to be a lot of men in the room and most of them are going to be charmed by your beauty. Just try to keep your head up, walk straight, don't sway your hips too much, don't fall, when your name is called you step forward and most importantly, only speak when you're spoken too." Celestia tells us as we leave the room to meet up with the other 9 girls.

"Am I clear?"

"Yes." We all reply her.

Then it all hits...

We are about to be sold off...

I feel lightheaded out of nowhere, all the blood rushing to my head and making me close my eyes. Here I was a few minutes ago pretending as if everything is okay but it is far from it. This is a complete nightmare...

"Good," Celestia says making me open my eyes and face forward to see that al the other girls had joined us in the upstairs living room.

"Emeliana, are you okay?" I hear Amethyst call, looking at me worriedly. I swallow inaudibly before nodding my head at her, forcing a smile.

"I'm fine, just kind of nervous..." I tell her sincerely, glancing in front of her to see that Celestia is making all the girls form a single file, me being the last person in the line.

"You and me both..." She answers.

"What about you? How's your leg?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry." She reassures me and turns back, facing forward.

Once we do a roll call to make sure that everyone is present, we walk through the hallway in a straight line, just as we did before. Upon reaching the staircase, I look down to see over 30 men stationed all across the large living room, all dressed in expensive suits, most of them holding onto glasses of what I presumed to be wine.

I suck in a long breath and decide to just strut my stuff and follow what Celestia told us. As we descend the steps, I try my best to look seductive and sway my hips to the side earning a few whistles and hoots from the men below us. Once we reach the bottom I feel myself shrink in my own skin. I kn0w most of these men from when they visited the house and some of them were friends with my father.

At the corner of my eye, I notice Luca and Adriano standing together, as well as Luca's friend Monté. Unlike everyone else, Luca and Adriano are dressed in casual attire, Luca in all black as usual and Adriano wearing a grey t-shirt and black pants. He didn't have any other bandages apart from the one on his arm which made me think he is almost healed. Luca stares at me with surprise, his eyebrows raised as he gapes at me, the same with Adriano.

I shift my gaze from them and face forward. As Celestia comes to a stop in the middle of the room, people begin to hoot and cheer at her as well. She did look amazing, dressed in a red jumpsuit that had a similar plunging neckline to my dress.

Calvino joins her and gives her a kiss on the cheek before he turns to the group of people in front her him. "May I have everyone's attention." He says and everyone focuses their attention towards him.

"Good day to you all. As you already know, my name is Don Enriqué Calvino and I'm pleased to have you as my honored guests." He says. Everyone around the room begins to clap but I notice that Luca and Adriano aren't clapping, even Monté.

"Moving swiftly to the main event of the evening... What we have here is a group of 12 beautiful ladies, that could be of use to many of you gentlemen. The auction will be run by the lovely lady on my right, Miss Celestia Barrera. All prices start at $10000." He continues and with that, the auction had begun.

The girls were being sold quickly, most of the prices stopping at $16000 to $18000. Hannah had already been bought for $17000 to a Capo, and I felt bad for her because the man had a really intimidating glare. But who knows maybe he won't mistreat her as much.

"Number 11. Amethyst Mercia, niece of Don Reno Mercia." Celestia says. I watch as Amethyst reluctantly steps forward.

"As usual bidding starts at $10000."

"$13000." Someone says, being a blonde-haired man who looks like he's in his early forties and he isn't as scary looking as all the other men. Someone calls for a higher price but the same man continues to raise the bidding price.

"$20000 going once, going twice. Sold to Don Fernando Liacari." She says. The blonde-haired man advances towards her and put his hand out with a smile. I have heard of Don Liacari before, according to my Father, he is a well-respected man in the Mafia community but is also said to have a very ugly bad side so it is best to make him an ally rather than an enemy.

"Let's go, my dear." He says in a kind voice, smiling at Amethyst while holding his hand out to her. She looks at me warily and then back at the man before she takes a couple of steps forward and places her hand in the man's, walking off together.

"And last but not least... Emeliana Delassaro. Daughter of the late Don Santiago Delassaro." Celestia says and looks at me. The crowd begins to murmur silently as they stare at me with curiosity. I swallow and step forward, keeping my head up and looking straight forward.

"She's a special one. So let's start the bidding off at $15000." Calvino interrupts Celestia before she could say anything.

"$17000." Someone in the crowd says; a brown-haired man who stared at me with a look of intrigue.

"$17000, going once. Can I get an 8000?" Celestia begins to saying as the crowd replies her, the prices going higher and higher.

"$24000." One man says and stares at me with all but lust in his eyes. I cringe a bit but my expression drops quickly when I realise the number of eyes I had on me.

"$24000 going once. Going twice..." Celestia says as no one offers a higher price. I start to feel uneasy and hope that someone... Better would possibly state a higher price. Anyone but the hungry predator standing in front of me.

"$50000." Someone finally says. The entire crowd looks over to the source of the voice. I follow the sound of the voice and take in a breath of relief once I see who it is.

"$50000 going once. Going twice. Sold to Mr. Luca Genovese." Celestia says. I stare at Luca for a second as I try to make my self understand what he had just done.

"Now wait a minute," Calvino says stopping me from taking another step.

"I never said you could buy anyone, and what makes you think I'll let you take her?" He grumbles, grabbing my arm making me wince.

Luca hands his glass of wine to Adriano and walks towards us.

"You never said I couldn't either. Besides, she'd be much less of a burden if I took her off your hands." Luca lets out. He glances to me for a moment before turning back to Calvino.

"Listen here, I call the shots here, my word is law. And I say you can't have her. Understood?" Calvino retorts a little louder. The atmosphere becomes tense as the two men stare each other down, the group of men and girls behind Luca also becoming physically tensed.

Luca stares at Calvino for a while, blank-faced with a bit of an eyebrow raise.

"Come on Emeliana," Luca says and reaches out for my hand.

"Are you f*****g deaf, Genovese?! I said you can't take her!" Calvino booms he yanks my arm to the side, almost making me stumble in my heels.

"Emeliana." He looks at me with his hand out.

"L-Luca-." I'm about to say but felt a stinging pain in my abdomen. He just punched me, again, and I immediately fall to the floor landing on my knees and grasping my stomach in pain. Why do they always go for the stomach?

"Do not speak to her!" He yells, causing every single person in the room to tense as they all stare at me. In a split second, Calvino pulls out a gun and points it at Luca, but not without Adriano pointing his gun at Calvino and thus resulting in everyone in the room taking out their guns as well, making the girls shriek and gasp, trying to hide behind the men who had bought them.

"You're not going to kill me," Luca says boldly despite Calvino's gun being pointed straight at his forehead. My heart begins to pump rhythmically, the fear I knew all too well inviting itself into my mind.

"Don't get too cocky now," Calvino growls. His hand is a bit shaky, possibly due to his old age. He then hauls me to my feet and holds onto my arm tightly, making me wince.

"You're not going to kill me. You know why? Because I'm one of two last surviving members of the Genovese family. You need me alive. Besides, are you really going to do so in front of all these witnesses? That's pretty stupid, Calvino." Luca mocks, motioning to all the people around us. I turn to Celestia to find her staring at me with a frightened expression, but she has also pulled a gun out and is pointing it at Calvino.

"You underestimate me, Genovese." With that Calvino points the gun at Luca's head and pulls the trigger. Everything goes in slow motion. I scream at the loud gunshot and fear the sight of Luca on the ground, surrounded by a pool of his own blood and so I have no choice but to look away.