The strange man similar to Alrigo

**Ivery Clark POV** 

“Sold,” the auctioneer declared, the slam of the gavel echoed in my ears, louder than my heartbeat, louder than the whispers of the onlookers. 

My chest heaved as panic clawed its way to my throat, every nerve in my body alive with fear.

I stared at the tall figure stepping forward through my tears, his shadow cutting through the golden light of the stage. 

His dark eyes glinted with something I couldn’t read—a quiet kind of danger wrapped in a strange calmness.

*No..! No, please..!*

My limbs froze, refusing to obey the desperate urge to run. The man looked quite younger than Alrigo but his presence carried the same weight, the same cold authority that made the air feel heavier. 

He came to a stop at the edge of the stage, tilting his head slightly as his lips curled into a faint smile. 

It wasn’t cruel, but it wasn’t comforting either. It was calculated, like he already knew how to play the game and exactly how it would end.

“Come down.” He commanded, his voice like liquid velvet as he motioned toward me. 

I clutched the fabric of my dress, every muscle in my body locked tight. My instincts screamed at me to flee, but my legs refused to move.

“There's been a mistake. I—” Before I could finish my sentence he lifted me up in the air and pulled me off the stage, rattling me.

“Excuse me…! Put me down!” I freaked out, pushing against his chest, but it was like trying to move a brick wall.

“Hush, now,” he whispered, leaning in close enough that I felt his breath against my ear. “Fighting only makes this harder for you. But i’m far more forgiving… if you *behave*.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and my fists clenched as I fought back the wave of panic threatening to overwhelm me.

“Please….put me down.” I whispered and his grip was firm but not rough, and there was an unnerving gentleness in the way he handled me.

Once he set me on my feet, he kept his hands on my waist, steadying me as though he were doing me a favor.

“You’re shaking,” His hand grew tight on my waist now, “You’re scared. Calm your breaths, little one, or they’ll eat you alive.”

“I’m not scared,” I lied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled softly, the sound low and dark, “Really? You’re brave to say that while your whole body betrays you. You're on a stage, surrounded by men who see you as a prize, a pretty thing to keep for a single night. I’ve already paid the price to protect you from them. Now, will you let me take you from this, or do you want to be at their mercy? 

His tone was calm, almost tender, but it carried a dangerous weight, as if those words were a promise and a threat all at once.

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. My body stiffened as his hand brushed against my arm, his touch deceptively gentle.

“They get eaten alive,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. “You don’t want that, do you?”

My heart raced as his presence loomed larger than life, his words wrapping around me like a vice.

His sharp, angular features were like a blade, precise and lethal. Dark eyes glinted beneath thick lashes, their depths calm and unfeeling, like a predator calculating its prey’s every move. 

“Why are you doing this?” I asked shakily, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Doing what?” he asked, his tone so smooth it felt like a caress. “Saving you from that dreadful spotlight?” 

Saving me? The words made my stomach twist. The way he said it didn’t feel like salvation—it felt like I was stepping into a different kind of trap.

“This isn’t right,” I said. “I don’t belong here. I was told—”

“Let me make something clear, little dove,” He  interrupted, his voice lowering to a dangerous timbre. “You can play the scared act all you like, but don’t lie to me. You wouldn’t have walked into this room if you didn’t want to play the game—even a little.”

“That’s not true,” I snapped, my fear flaring into defiance for the briefest moment.

He leaned closer, his dark eyes alight with something dangerous. “Isn’t it?”

“I didn’t ask for this! I was tricked.” I said, my voice cracking as I tried to summon the strength to argue.

“But here you are,” he replied smoothly, his expression unreadable. “Now, you have two choices: crumble or play the game.”

“I don’t know you,” I whispered shakily, trying to steady my breath.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You don’t need to know me. But perhaps you should start listening.” His voice softened then, dark and coaxing. “Trust me when I say that I’m the least dangerous option you have right now.”

My chest heaved, his words sinking in like ice. His calm demeanor made it worse. Alrigo’s danger was always explosive, a fire that burned too bright to ignore, but this man? He was a cold shadow, creeping in without warning.

“Let's start with getting out here first, little dove.” 

My heart pounded hard against my ribcage. Was he really the least dangerous option I had right now? 

But then I felt another presence loomed from behind right behind me.

“She’s going nowhere.”

A deep, unmistakable voice sent chills racing down my spine. I froze. *That voice…* My heart leapt as I turned my head ever so slightly, catching a glimpse of the man I thought wasn’t even in the building.

Alrigo Valerie King.

He looked beyond lethal, beyong angry and I felt like I was going to die right here. His cold 

gaze sliced past me, settling on the guy behind me, with an intensity that could have frozen fire. 

Shit. Shit. Wasn't he supposed to be not here? 

Yet here he was, standing like the devil incarnate, exuding danger and authority that sent a chill crawling down my spine.

But before I could fully process it, Alrigo stepped between us, his arm looping around my waist with a claim that left no room for misinterpretation. 

He pulled me into his chest, the tension of his grip barely containing the silent storm beneath the surface.

The man in front of me raised an eyebrow, a smirk curving his lips, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement.