CHAPTER 4 - THE AUCTION NIGHT

Nico was still reeling from the confrontation he had with Kara.  After seeing her anger, he did not try to prolong their interaction because he could sense that Kara was uncomfortable around him. 

She even thought that he would hit her.  He did not know where that idea stemmed from, but it saddened him to think that she thinks that low of him to be able to conceive such a notion in her head. 

Without further delay, he signed her resignation paper and clearance. Then, she was gone. She did not even look back when she closed the door behind her. 

For a moment he felt a tinge of regret at having to see her go because he was not able to keep his mouth shut.  If he had just contented himself with watching her from afar. Maybe, things would have been different. 

But it was over.  There is nothing much he could do about it now.  Kara resigned and it may well be the last time he would catch a glimpse of her. 

He did not think that their paths would cross again in the future. If Kara had her way, he believed she would make sure of that. 

Nico sighed. 

Maybe it was for the best. 

Kara with her emerald green eyes and soft luscious lips would only be a distraction to him. And he can not be distracted right now.  He has a mission to accomplish.  A woman like Kara would only complicate things for him. 

The door to his office opened and his right-hand man, Bruno, poked his head in. 

“Is this a good time to talk, Perrochio?”  

It was his moniker and only his few close friends get the privilege to call him that. 

Nico straightened and summoned Bruno to his office. 

Bruno approached his desk, holding a peculiar looking card and offered it to him. 

Nico took the rectangular card the size of  half of a bond paper and his eyes widened.  It was the elusive golden ticket to an underground auction.  

He had been trying for months to get ahold of one, but only a few businessmen got that privilege.  The organizers were so strict. You have to be an exclusive member to be able to participate in these events. 

“How did you get these?” He excitedly asked Bruno who snickered before replying. 

“The Club Roman has finally accepted your application to be a member.”  Bruno informed him.  

Nico sighed.  Even with his money and newfound position as the head of the Castiliogne Family, it took him a while to join the exclusive club for the elite. The club accepted its members by invitation only. If no original member invited you, you can not get in. 

“How much did you pay for these?” Nico was surprised with Bruno’s cunning.  He was impressed that he was able to secure a ticket for the event this weekend. 

“A hundred million for the exclusive membership, but it would be all worth it.  The end of this week,  they are going to hold an auction of virgins.  I heard that they expect to fetch billions just for running this event. That’s why it was a very lucrative business for the Bonnacis.”  Bruno explained, mentioning the powerful Bonacci family.

In terms of wealth, the Bonacci and the Castiliogne Families are on the same level, but were not involved in the same business, so they have far less to interact with.  But they knew each other, and maintained respective distances. 

Nico shook his head.  

“And the girls that would be auctioned off this weekend, do you have any idea as to their identities.  Do you think Rebecca was with them?” He was excited and for a moment he had forgotten about the girl with emerald eyes that had bothered his thoughts earlier. 

Bruno shook his head. 

“The security was tight.  I can not get any advance information about the girls to be auctioned this weekend.”

Nico nodded. 

“It’s alright.  At least, we can penetrate the last place she turned up before she disappeared last year.”  

Bruno nodded.  

“Any news about Leo?”  He asked again. 

At the mention of his adoptive father, Nico’s eyes softened.  

“Still in his chateau in Sicily.” Bruno replied swiftly.

He nodded.  “The new environment would do him good.” He said. Then as an afterthought, he added, 

“Don’t tell him yet about our efforts to find Rebecca. I do not want to keep his hopes up and have it dashed yet again when nothing comes up this weekend.” he instructed.   

When Bruno left, Nico became preoccupied with the golden ticket. He reached out to caress the glittery surface, awed by its presence in his hand. 

“Rebecca.”  He sighed her name in the silence, with only the empty walls of his office around him. 

Rebecca was Don Leo Castiliogne’s only daughter.  According to Don Leo,  when his wife was pregnant with her, she accidentally discovered that he was the head of a MAFIA family. She did not want a life of a “gangster” as she puts it, and opted out. Because Don Leo loved his wife, he gave her what she wanted. 

For years, he never bothered them, and left them in peace.  But he never abandoned them. Every month, he would put a sizable amount of money in his former wife’s bank account which she promptly refused because she did not want anything to do with a mobster’s money.   The money remains untouched through the years. 

Don Leo contented himself in the knowledge that they were fine and doing well.  But from time to time, he would send people to check on them.  

Don Leo’s wife never remarried and has devoted her entire life with his daughter. He knew that with Rebecca missing, she was as devastated as Leo was. Maybe, even more so. 

Nico dropped the golden ticket atop his table, and walked to the glass window to his left.  He opened it and watched the busy Manhattan street below. 

He remembered the day Don Leo found him on the streets begging for food. That time, Don Leo was a very lonely man.  He was the head of his own MAFIA family.  He is rich and powerful, but he felt empty. 

Don Leo took him in, a street urchin, clothed him, fed him and sent him to the best schools. 

When Don Leo stepped down a few months ago, it was not so hard to guess that he would pass on the reins of the Castiliogne Family in Nico’s care. 

He rose from underboss to mob boss overnight. 

He turned around and surveyed his office.  The expensive wood desk where his laptop and phone rests together with his car keys. All of these things he accomplished because of Leo Castiliogne. He owes the man so much and the least he could do is to find his missing daughter. 

Finding Rebecca would also keep his heart at rest.  

_____

Club Roman

The valet opened the passenger door of a silver Rolls-Royce. Nico Bernardi, dressed in an elegant three-piece ensemble, got out followed by Bruno and Evan Peters, another one of his friends. If Bruno is his right-hand-man, Evan is his left-hand-man. 

He never leaves without the two. 

An executive from the club met them before they were ushered into a narrow hallway.  

“The place looks deserted.”  Bruno commented and their guide, a tall, blond girl of about 18-years old, nervously glanced at Nico’s profile before explaining. 

“The whole place is like a maze, and each hallway will let you arrive in your designated box. This is Club Roman’s way to protect the identities of our guests. You won’t accidentally meet anyone here.  The Club Roman operates with utmost confidentiality.  We take care of our guests' well-being seriously.” There was so much pride in her voice. 

. 

Nico, though he appeared to be uninterested, kept his ears strained. It appeared to him that she was absolutely clueless as to Club Roman’s shady deals or she would not be talking like this in their presence. 

That or she was a good actress. 

But then, her words sank in.  It only confirmed his suspicion. The security in this place is very tight. Then, his eyes roamed around until he spotted CCTV cameras all around them. 

He looked over his shoulder for Evan and he nodded.  His man knew what to do in instances like this. 

After a few minutes, they reached their destination.  The box designated for him and his entourage was large enough to accommodate twenty people.  It has a large buffet table on the far side and its own restroom. 

Nico’s eyes gravitated toward the large glass wall which had a full view of the stage. It was still empty, but the lights were on.  

He tried to see the occupants of the other boxes, but the glass was heavily tinted.  It only meant that no one could guess the identity of the people inside the boxes around the stage.

“When will the bidding start?” He asked their facilitator. 

He could not wait to check out the selection, see if the person he was looking for was among them. 

His heart beat fast when a bell sounded. Then a voice over permeated the speakers in the room. 

“Good evening, distinguished guests.  Our show will start in fifteen minutes. For speedy transactions, we assigned a facilitator to address your concerns and to help you process a smooth experience with us. Happy bidding.”

Then a smoke bomb exploded, obscuring his view of the stage.  A fast music filtered in the air. The show has begun. 

Nico Bernardi gripped the edge of his seat as the first woman to be auctioned that night appeared. She was dressed in very seductive lingerie. She looked confident while strutting around the stage like she very well owned it.

The buzzer sounded and bidders started to key in their tender. 

“For one million dollars, going once, going twice and sold!”  A horn sounded and the woman hopped happily off the stage. 

Another woman came in. This time, she was dressed in a two-piece bikini.  Her skin glowed every time she turned and it hit the light. She had feral eyes, but his eyes roamed around her body dispassionately. 

“Are you interested in making an offer for her?” Their guide asked. 

“Are you interested in making an an offer, Mr. Bernardi?” The facilitator asked. 

Nico sipped Campari from the stemless glass Bruno dispensed with earlier and tasted the bitter liquor infused with herbs and fruits.

He looked at his right-hand-man and asked?

“Should I make an offer for her?” 

Bruno looked at the woman on display and shook his head. 

“She is not your type.” Bruno quipped, dashing their facilitator’s expectant face. 

“Let me check the others first.”  He said rather evasively.  If Rebecca was not here, he would of course, make an effort later to make a bid to negate suspicion.  

“My boss prefers dark-haired beauties.  Do you have such a lady on your roster tonight?” Bruno added. 

Their facilitator’s eyes lit up.  “Oh yes, we do.”  

Nico’s interest was piqued.  

“We also have someone with green eyes and luscious cupid-bow lips.”  She shared. 

When he heard this, something inside Nico Bernardi flipped.  

Was it Rebecca?  He thought to himself. 

The night came by so fast with Nico not making a bid throughout. He was waiting for someone that closely resembled Rebecca’s description. He was interested in only her. 

Then the last woman to be auctioned that night was carted on stage. Unlike the rest of the girls, this one was inside a cage. She looked furious and her green eyes flashed before him. 

Nico felt his heart stop. 

He could not believe it. 

Without waiting for their facilitator to ask him again, he immediately punched an offer. Ten million dollars. 

The facilitator’s eyes widened. 

Unlike the other girls, the last one got a very high starting bid.  Comparatively, the previous girls ended up being bought at one million dollars or a little over it. Nico tendering ten times higher meant that he did not want anyone to compete with him on this one. 

Unfortunately, he does not have a say on it.  As another bidder made an offer doubling his initial bid.  

“Twenty million dollars!” The auctioneer shouted in surprise. 

Nico would not be outdone. He needed to have her - by hook or by crook.  He does not care about the money. 

He punched a counter offer of thirty million.  Their facilitator gasped.  

Bruno tapped his shoulder, but he ignored the silent reminder.  For a while, he and the other bidder go back and forth, topping up the other’s bid. Until finally, Nico won by shedding out a hundred million for this one particular girl. 

“Oh my!” Their facilitator looked at him with awe. But he did not care about that.  He rose to his feet. Bruno will take care of things for him.  

He tried too hard to mask his smile, but when he reached the confines of his car, he let out a long drawn breath. 

He got her.