Benjamin's POV

New York is my fortress, and I am its king.

Its ruthless king.

From my black and gold throne high above the underground rink, I watched over the sinful scenes taking place-the half-naked, leather-clad, and rope-bound bodies lined on a stage. Nothing I haven't seen before. I don't feel any different.

This is an auction.

A place where humans are sold to pleasure-seeking members of society.

A safe space where people are bought-used to explore fantasies and kinks.

A place where closeted men buy younger men, using them for their bodies in a game of pleasure and submission.

"Our source confirmed Nikolai's presence here today." Standing tall and formidable beside me, Alexi-my second-in-command and half-brother-scanned every inch of the room.

The space was filled with elites-politicians, businessmen, and mob bosses-dressed in expensive suits, their faces hidden behind masks that showed only their eyes and lips.

I followed Alexi's gaze, locking on two unfamiliar men who'd just arrived.

Though I didn't know either by name-yet-they would've had to pay a handsome sum just to be considered for entrance, with another member vouching for them.

"They're our newest recruits," Alexi said. "They'll be the ones to transport Nikolai to the warehouse when we capture him."

Nikolai, that snake.

I trusted him. Put him in charge of my drugs and gun shipment that arrived at the port two days ago for safe transport to the warehouse.

And what did that bastard do?

He stole part of the shipment, thinking I wouldn't know. He seems to have forgotten-I have eyes everywhere. I know every damn thing that goes on in my empire.

One of my informants confirmed his name was on the invite list tonight. Hence, my presence.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The auction is about to begin." A voice announced from behind the curtain onstage.

"Hope our men are on standby," I said, glancing at Alexi.

"Yes, boss."

"Make sure he doesn't leave this place or try to escape. I want him brought to the warehouse alive. He will be an example to those who think they can steal from me and go scot-free."

My voice filled with the anger already rising inside me.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to THE VEIL. A place where we provide people to fulfill your darkest desires. Shuuuuuuu... I didn't say that." The announcer purred with a wicked laugh.

"Tonight, we've brought forward six of our finest young men-specially picked for your expensive tastes."

The stage, once dark, now shone with bright overhead lights, revealing the six young men displayed and ready to be sold to the highest bidder.

They were naked-exposed-with only a short silk cloth wrapped around their hips. The audience looked at them with hungry eyes. Some of the young men were clearly the age of their sons-or grandsons.

"To start the auction, Lot Forty-One. He is young, soft, and breakable." The announcer laughed.

"May the highest bidder win."

"$100,000."

"$200,000."

"$350,000."

"$350,000 going... going... and... sold."

As I analyzed the young men on stage, my eyes caught one in particular. The more I looked at him, the faster my heart beat.

He was different.

He looked everyone in the eye.

He looked scared-but defiant.

He looked unbroken, unlike the others.

Not a single tear streaked his face.

"Uhmmmm..." Interesting. Intriguing. I thought to myself. His body looked like he worked out every fucking day of his life. And his lips-fuck-they looked delicious. Plump. Inviting. I imagined how they'd look wrapped around my lips.

Or around my cock.

How he'd take it... like a good boy, or would I have to force him into submission?

Fuck.

I was already hard-just thinking about whether he'd fight me... or let me in.

"Alexi. Get me everything on Lot Forty-Three," I ordered.

"Yes, boss."

Alexi put in a call.

"Hack into the Veil's camera system. Boss wants info on Lot Forty-Three. Now."

"Pico's on it, boss," Alexi reported.

"Good."

Damn right, I'm the boss. I have both men and women ready for my desires at my fingertips.

But this... this was different.

I just couldn't take my eyes off him.

"Lot Forty-Three," the announcer said coolly.

"Rare acquisition," he purred. "Young. Defiant. Untouched."

"He'll fight you," he added with a chuckle. "But isn't that part of the fun?" Laughter rippled through the room.

Bidding began.

$100,000.

$150,000.

$275,000.

$300,000.

"Boss." Alexi murmured beside me.

"Tobias Shane. Twenty-one. Orphan. Father abandoned him and his mother when he was seven. Mother died when he was twelve. His uncle, Miguel Rodriguez-a drunkard and drug addict-took him in. Dropped out of high school. Couldn't afford it anymore. Never been in a relationship. Virgin."

Virgin.

Untouched.

Fuck.

If anything, it made me harder.

"I'm going to buy him," I informed Alexi.

"Are you sure, boss?" he asked.

"Are you fucking questioning my decision?" I growled.

"Of course not." Alexi muttered through clenched teeth.

"One million," I said without blinking. My voice cut through the room like a scalpel.

Silence.

The announcer cleared his throat.

"We... have a bid of one million dollars for Lot Forty-Three. Going once. Going twice..."

"Sold."

The crowd erupted in polite applause. A bell rang overhead.

"It's going to be fun breaking him."

I muttered to myself with a smirk.

Will he fight me?

Or break easily?

"Interesting." I purred, still smirking.

My purchase was being dragged off stage-but not without putting up a fight.

In all my years attending auctions like this, I'd never purchased anyone.

I only came to show them who was still king of New York.

I didn't support the sale of young men to those hungry, desperate-looking men.

"Make sure he's taken to the private room. I'll be with him soon-and no one is allowed to lay a finger on him. I don't want damaged goods." I ordered.

"Yes, boss."Alexi bit out, glaring at the stage as he left.

I entered the private room and shut the door behind me with a soft click. My prize was already inside.

I studied him like a puzzle I was about to solve. I could feel how tense he was from where I stood.

He stared back carefully and deliberately-fear and defiance swirling in his eyes. How he could pull that off, in this situation, amused me.

I stepped closer.

I circled him once... then twice-like a predator.

Then I stopped behind him, feeling the tension radiating off his body.

"You're smaller than I expected," I whispered against his ear. He remained quiet. Still staring.

"Pretty, though." Still nothing. I chuckled.

"Do you know who I am, Forty-Three?" "No," he replied.

I snapped my hand into his hair, jerking his head back until his eyes met mine.

"I paid one million dollars for you," I said softly.

"Speak again without permission, and I'll make you regret it."

"My name is Benjamin Shaai," I said, moving in front of him.

"But you'll call me sir. Understood?" He nodded, his jaw tightening. I smirked.

I pulled a small pocket blade from my pocket-one my mother gave me-and sliced through the rope around his wrists. It fell to the floor.

I moved closer. I squatted in front of him.

"From now on," I said in a low voice, "you don't speak unless I allow it. You don't move unless ordered by me. You don't come unless I command it. Your pleasure is mine."

His chest heaved. "You belong to me, Tobias." I could see the questions in his eyes. I smirked.

"I make it my business to know what I own."

I rose to my feet and walked toward the door.

I paused.

"One last thing," I said without turning.

"There's no escape. Try to run, and I'll make sure you beg me to kill you." I opened the door and walked out.

Alexi and my head of security, Dimitri, were waiting. "Nikolai's been captured and taken to the warehouse," Alexi informed me. "Good," I replied, adjusting my cufflinks.

Then I faced Dimitri. "Have Tobias taken to the estate. I want him in the room next to mine."

"The driver's outside," Alexi added. "The guns are ready to be shipped to Monaco after your inspection."

"Let's go," I said, walking down the dimly lit hallway. My mind wandered back to Tobias.

Will he surrender?

Or will his defiance last?

"It's been a long time since I've indulged in something like this." I smirked.

Let the fucking game begin.

Tobias' POV

Later, when I'm alone and the world is quiet-when it doesn't feel fuzzy and dark-I'll replay three days ago in my mind, trying to remember how I felt before my life was upended.

I'll recall coming home to my apartment from my shitty job, collapsing on my queen-size bed, staring at the cracks on the ceiling.

The same apartment I shared with my uncle-since we were evicted from the last one for unpaid rent.

The car ride is silent. My questions hang in the air, unanswered, ignored by the two men who had dragged me out of that room and shoved me into this car.

I sit frozen. My wrists still ache, tingling from where the rough rope once bit into my skin. The silence is deafening, broken only by the ragged sound of my own breathing.

My mind races like a frantic animal trapped in a cage. My heart pounds against my ribcage, too fast, too loud.

Benjamin Shaai.

The name alone feels like a heavy stone on my chest. A ruthless mafia boss. The king of New York's ugly underbelly. And now... my owner.

Everyone in New York knows the name Benjamin Shaai. Rumors say no one has seen his real face. The only people who have are his men and close associates. He rules with an iron fist, kills for the slightest mistake.

That's why they call him The Devil.

And here I am... bought by the devil himself.

The man who paid a million dollars for my body.

For my supposed "untouched" soul.

His words echo in my ears-cold and possessive.

"You belong to me, Tobias."

The name sounded alien on his tongue. It hadn't been spoken with such menace since my mother died.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the car had stopped. I only noticed when the door opened and a voice snapped:

"Out."

I looked up.

"What the fuck are you looking at? Get out. Or do you want me to drag you out again?" one of the men growled, voice sharp with warning.

I climbed out slowly, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

The devil has a castle.

The estate is a fortress-five stories of glass, stone, and steel, set against pine trees and cliffs. Security cameras blink like unblinking eyes. Floodlights sweep the grounds. Armed guards patrol like soldiers.

Everyone here carries a gun. Escape is a fantasy. If I run, I'll be gunned down-or ripped apart by those patrol dogs. Reality crashes down.

This is my life now. Thanks a lot, Uncle.

"Follow," the man snaps.

Inside, the house smells like leather and power. Every piece of furniture screams money. The art is bold and dangerous.

"This isn't a museum. Move. I don't have all day," the man barks again. I quicken my pace. We stop at a large door, guarded by a faceless man.

I'm shoved inside. The door locks behind me.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" I bang on the door. "Why did you lock me in?! I'm not a fucking animal! Open the damn door!"

Silence.

No one responds.

I slump against the door and slide down to the floor.

"Fuck," I whisper.

The room is large. A king-size bed, a dresser. No windows-only two doors. I try the first: a bathroom with a navy-blue interior. The second? Locked.

Some time passes. Then a knock. The door opens. An older woman in a navy-blue gown enters, carrying folded clothes. She sets them on the bed.

"These are for you. The boss said you should freshen up and change. He wants you ready for him when he returns," she says softly, her eyes almost kind. Then she leaves.

She reminds me of my mother.

But her memory is fading. The details blur, and what scares me the most... is waking up one day and not remembering her face at all.

I look at the clothes with a flare of anger. That bastard wants to sample what he bought. Like I'm a fucking product. I snatch the clothes and walk into the bathroom. I'm not doing this for him. I stink. We weren't even given soap or water at the auction house.

The hot water hits my skin like fire and I breathe again. I scrub until I feel raw. I don't stop until the water turns cold. Then I dress in the fresh clothes.

For the first time in days, I feel like myself again. But when I walk out, I'm not alone.

Benjamin.

He's sitting on the bed, legs crossed. His presence shifts the air-heavy with control, laced with something darker.

He studies me. His eyes roam from my face to my bare feet. My muscles tighten.

"Hmm... You cleaned up nicely," he purrs. "Good boy." A surge of desire rushed through me as he called me a good boy.

"I didn't clean up for you," I bite. "I did it for myself."

I held his gaze, my jaw clenched. I know I'm playing with fire. But I won't submit. Not to him.

He stands and walks toward me. I take a step back, but not in fear-in defiance.

We play this game of power until my back hits the wall. He's inches away. I can feel his breath.

"It seems you've forgotten my rules," he whispers. "You need a reminder of what I'm capable of."

His hand slams against my throat. Tightens.

I choke, struggling, gasping-tapping his wrist-until he finally lets go. I fall to my knees, coughing.

He returns to the bed. Calm. As if nothing just happened. Then he starts to undress. First his suit. Then his tie.

"What are you doing?" I ask, panic rising.

No answer.

He begins unbuttoning his shirt. "What are you trying to do?" I asked again "What does it look like?" he finally says, his eyes dark.

"To the bed. All fours. Face down. Ass up."

"No." I spit it out, shaking. "If you think I'm going to let you touch me, you're dead wrong."

"No?" he repeats, like a challenge.

He walks toward me again. My heart pounds.

Too fast. Too loud.

"Stop," I say, wanting to put space between us.

Then a stupid idea hit me. I blurted it out before I could stop myself. "Let me go," I said, voice shaking. "I promise, I'll pay you back."

"Pay me back?" he mocks. "A million dollars? How?"

"I have a job. If you let me go, I'll pay you in installments."

"That shitty job of yours?" he scoffs. "You don't even make rent. You think you'll pay off a million?"

"Fine. You'll work for me."

"What's the job?" I said

He meets my eyes. "You'll be my personal whore."

A pause. Then that cold, satisfied smile.

I stood there frozen, the air around me thick with humiliation and rage.

My fists clenched. My throat burned.

Benjamin's POV

"You'll be my personal whore," I said, meeting his eyes with a satisfying smile.

Tobias stood there with clenched fists and a tightened jaw. His face burned with rage."What the heck do you take me for?" he shouted, pointing a finger in my direction.

"I'm not a whore-or anybody's whore," he continued, his voice raw with fury. "I will never allow someone like you to touch me."

How dare he speak to me like that.

He seems to have forgotten-I'm the King of New York.

I kill for less.

I don't fucking care that I bought him for a million dollars.

But for some reason, I haven't put a bullet through his damn skull yet.

"You will not speak to me like that in my house," I growled, my voice rising with anger. Though I might love his defiance, I don't tolerate disobedience. My men might begin to think I'm going soft.

I pulled my gun from my pocket, cocking it in his direction.

"It seems you've forgotten I bought you."

"You don't own me." Tobias muttered in a low voice.

I could see the fear in his eyes-but that damn defiance was still there.

He took a step back.

I stepped forward. His body swayed away instinctively.

"I own you," I said coldly. "And you owe me everything-starting with obedience." He swallowed hard and repeated, quieter this time, "You don't own me."

I put my gun away and moved closer, my fingers brushing the back of his neck-softly.

His body trembled under my touch. Interesting.I smirked. He's so damn responsive. He says he doesn't want to be touched, but his body tells a different story.

"Yes, I do," I muttered against his ear, the anger dissolving into waves of desire crashing through me.

That seemed to break him. He spun around and snapped, "Go to hell."

A slow, dark smile curved my lips. "Already there. And you, Tobias... you're my favorite sin."

He hated how his body reacted to me.

I could see it in the flush on his cheeks.

"What do you want from me?" he spat.

"Everything. Your fear. Your fire. Your surrender. And your body."

His breath hitched.

That damn body-always betraying him. I leaned in, brushing my lips against his ear.

"And you're going to give it to me, Tobias. Not because I force you... But because you'll crave it. Hate yourself for it. But still come back for more."

"Never," he whispered, though his body leaned in instead of away.

My hand trailed lower-slow, taunting, calculated-dragging down his chest. I watched the tremble in his muscles. His denial didn't match the fire in his eyes.

He hated this.

And yet... he stayed.

I tilted his chin, his mouth dangerously close to mine.

"You can pretend, Tobias. Keep that little lie on your tongue all night. But I see the truth in your eyes. You want this."

He didn't answer.

But he didn't stop me either.

"I'll pay you a thousand dollars for every time you satisfy me."

He hesitated... then nodded.

I stepped back slightly, my gaze burning into him.

"Get on your knees."

He flinched-like a man at war with himself.

And then...

He sank. Slowly. Reluctantly. Knees hitting the floor. Fists clenched at his sides. Still defiant. But submitting.

That was the beauty of it. I smiled, dark and victorious.

"That's more like it."

"Unbuckle my belt and take my cock out," I commanded.

He met my gaze, then dropped his eyes to my trousers.

His trembling hands moved to the buckle.

He unfastened it and pulled my trousers down slightly.

My cock, semi-hard, strained against my boxers.

He peeled them back, and it sprang free.

His eyes rose again, locking with mine.

Then he dragged his tongue across his lips.

Fuck.

Those lips...

My desire surged. My cock hardened, fully erect.

I gripped his jaw.

"Hold it out," I said slowly. "And wrap those pretty lips around it."

He swallowed-his Adam's apple bobbing.

His fingers wrapped around my shaft, stroking slowly.

Up... then down.

I gasped.

Fuck.

He was driving me mad.

And then-finally-his lips closed around the head of my cock.

He sucked, slow and maddening.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I fisted his hair and buried myself deeper into his throat.

I fucked his mouth with punishing thrusts-fast, raw-then slowed just to feel him gasp, to watch him struggle.

He choked softly, throat tight around me.

"Relax," I whispered. "Breathe through your nose." He obeyed. Good.

"Good boy."

The light that flickered in his eyes... fuck, it did something to me. I threw my head back, hips rolling into his face.

"Uhm... uhm... uhm..."

The sounds tore from my throat-desperate, primal. Pleasure surged like a tidal wave. I was close.

So fucking close.

And then-

My climax hit, hard and fast.

I emptied inside him, every nerve on fire, my grip tightening in his hair as I rode it out.

When the pleasure faded, I slowly pulled my softening cock from his mouth.

"Swallow every drop," I said firmly.

He stared up at me-eyes wide, cheeks flushed, lips parted.

Regret.

Humiliation.

Something darker.

His fists were clenched on his lap.

I stepped closer, brushing his chin, forcing his gaze to meet mine.

"Look at you," I murmured.

"Kneeling at my feet, my cum still on your tongue... and you're still pretending you're not mine?"

His breath hitched. His silence spoke volumes.

God, I loved that defiance.

Not because it challenged me.

But because it made breaking him so much sweeter.

I knelt, leveling with him.

My thumb dragged across his swollen lower lip, catching the wetness still clinging there.

"Does it hurt?" I asked quietly.

He blinked, startled. "What?" "To want me this badly," I whispered. "To hate yourself for it. To need more." He swallowed hard, fists still clenched like he was holding on to the last piece of himself.

"You can say it," I murmured. "I already see it-in your eyes. In your body. In every tremble." Still, he said nothing. I rose slowly, letting him watch me adjust my cock-but I didn't cover up.

Let him see.

Let him burn.

I pulled a hundred-dollar bill from my pocket and tossed it onto the bed.

"That's what you get for now. Satisfy me more next time, and maybe you'll earn the full thousand." Anger flared in his eyes.

"We had a deal," he hissed. "You promised me a thousand." I smirked.

"I never said I was satisfied. This is what you've earned-for now. Do better, and maybe you'll get more."

I turned toward the door. Paused.

"The maid will bring you something to eat." I glanced back coldly.

"Enjoy your first night in the Devil's Cave, Tobias."

I stepped out, closing the door behind me with a sharp click.

I turned to the guard standing post. "Make sure he doesn't escape." "Yes, boss," the guard replied. I lingered a moment.

He hated me right now.

But even in hate, he trembled for me.

He could resist.

Fight.

Spit fire.

But he was already mine.

And whether it took days, weeks, or months-I'd make sure he knew it.