Chereads / Bird (The Novel) / Chapter 10 - •~10~•

Chapter 10 - •~10~•

"$200 million!" The CEO of Lostar Entertainments jubilated, while twirling and drinking a glass of red wine.

He was obviously drunk, and Karla had a feeling he got drunk often. The CEO was short, fat, and had a pot belly that could only come from alcohol. Karla had never met him, before he came running to her immediately after the auction.

"Handle her with care!" He'd ordered the men that were leading her away. "That's $200 million you have there."

The CEO went an extra mile to acquire a suite for Karla, a very far cry from the bunk beds she had used before the auction. The next morning, maids took their time to prepare her, bathing her with floral scented soaps, oiling her skin with lavender lotion, and styling her hair. Karla thought it ridiculous that she still had to dress as the Roman goddess of love, Venus, but she had no choice.

After dressing up, the maids left her alone. The car that was meant to take her to Raul Valdez's residence hadn't arrived yet, even though it was past 12 pm, so she waited in the suite. That was when the CEO of Lostar entered, all loud and jolly.

"I made $200 million on one good. That's more than I make in an entire auction! Who would have thought people are willing to pay that much for a whore! I need to start selling more women like you. Then I can make much more money, and become a billionaire in less than a year!" He blabbed.

In truth, it was generally astonishing that Karla had been bought for that amount. Karla was impressed, but not surprised. Before enrolling for the auction, Karla had went through every bit of information she could find about the Valdezian Mafia, including its finances. The Valdezian Mafia made roughly $2 billion a year. The were basically the highest supplier of cocaine and guns in the right, only topped by the C Cartel, but not by much. The money that Raul Valdez spent on her head, would be recovered in two weeks tops. Still, $200 million was a lot of cash.

"Here. Have a drink. You've earned it." The CEO extended the glass he had just been using, which was filled with wine.

Karla took one look at the spit surrounding the glass's tip and shook her head. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Aw. Really?"

The pout that had formed on the CEO's face soon faded away, as his drunken gaze fell from Karla's eyes, to the swell of her breast. He watched as it rose and fell, with every breath. They were captivating, those breasts; he had to hold them. He stretched his hand to cup them, but Karla had long caught on on his intention. She held his wrist firmly, making sure her face showed no anger.

"Remember sir, I'm the mistress of Raul Valdez, worth $200 million. How do you think the he will react when he finds out his ware was defiled before it reached him?" She said.

There were men who got excessively stubborn under the influence of alcohol. Then the were those that became so agreeable. The CEO was definitely the latter.

He pulled back his hand. "I guess you're right."

Two knocks came from the door, and a young maid entered.

"The buyers are here mam." She said.

"Alright! Goodbye Venus." The CEO drawled, then gulped down wine directly from the bottle. "Say hi to Mr Valdez for me!"

Three men rode in the SUV with Karla, one sat behind the steering wheel, while two sat at each side of her. All three were armed with guns, and didn't say a word. Karla took the hint and didn't start a conversation with them. This made the two hour drive seem much longer.

By the time the car reached the outskirts of Georgia, Karla had half passed out from anxiety. She was filled with anticipation, and definitely not the good kind. They drove into the woods, and continued driving for another thirty minutes. The road twisted and branched off so many times, Karla had lost track of the way. The tall trees all looked the same, and it was difficult telling a path from the other. If there were ever a need for her to run away, it would be a huge problem finding her way out of the woods.

At last, the car drove into a meadow, and a large silver gate came into view.  Stopping at the gate, the driver stuck his head out the car window, and a screen, which was attached to the pillar of the gate, scanned his face. The gate opened automatically, after the driver's identity had been confirmed, and the driver drove in, but had to stop almost immediately.

They were in a small metal room, barely bigger than the car itself. The walls emitted red rays that ran down the car. Karla figured the entire room was a scanner. Its job was to make sure no explosives or unregistered weapon were hidden in the car. That was very high tech, befitting of the Valdezian Mafia headquarters.

Inside the gate was a beautiful compound, decorated with colorful flowers, coconut trees, and a Cupid fountain. The Valdezian Mafia headquarters was made up of a gape-worthy white mansion, two regular apartment buildings, and a warehouse. In the compound alone, Karla counted 20 men. She wondered how many men Raul Valdez kept near him. One thing was for sure —every Valdezian Mafia member couldn't live in those apartments, their population was too large.

At the entrance of the mansion, a tall and shapely elderly woman stood. She wore her silver hair in a classy perm and was dressed in a long floral gown. Although her face was riddled with wrinkles, it was obvious she had been a stunning woman in her younger days. As the car stopped before her, and Karla stepped out, her eyebrows furrowed into a frown.

"You must be Karla Nightingale. Follow me." She said.

TEASER: CONTINUATION OF THIS CHAPTER.