Page 36 of #Bossholes

As soon as that elevator door opens on our floor, I’m pushing past them, power walking my ass down the hall to my office. I need to see if I can dry out these documents for Brantley and check the auction site. While I have no idea who’s actually bidding, I can see how much, and the last time I looked, myvirginity was already up to ninety three thousand dollars. That amount guarantees my brother’s surgery and will help pay for his therapy after.

I turn into my office with a quick glance behind me. No Wyatt or Maverick. I blow out a breath and run straight into a broad chest.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Ellis.” Several strands of wet hair whip across my face, and I brush them back. “I wasn’t paying the best attention.”

“I see that.” He looks down at his suit, his fingers casually brushing at the fabric. “I hope the court documents are in better shape than you.”

With a grimace, I reach into my bag, pull out a stack of papers, and hand him the dripping mess. Or I would have, had he not backed up, looking at me like I’m trying to hand him an animal carcass.

“You can see if the clerk will print you a new set first thing Monday morning.”

He doesn’t wait for me to answer, just gives me one last disapproving look and heads into his office, closing the door behind him. When I said this day couldn’t get worse, it wasn’t supposed to be a challenge. Although Brantley has been extra cranky all week. Not sure what crawled up his ass, but I’m not going to ask.

Instead of heading into my office, I sprint to the bathroom to try to dry off. There’s no way I can sit in that leather computer chair and pretend I’m not soaked.

I spend the next fifteen minutes wringing out my hair and clothes in the sink, patting myself down with paper towels, and nearly blow off my skirt when I step under the power hand dryer. I’m so distracted, time slips away, and it’s not until my phone chirps with a notification that I pull it from the corner of my purse.

The auction ends in fifteen minutes.

When the butterflies take flight inside me, it has nothing to do with my bosses. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’ve always been the good girl, always taking care of everyone else. I’ve never stepped out of line or even cheated on a test. This is so unlike me in so many ways, and I… I’m up to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

My jaw is on the floor.

And that number keeps climbing.

And climbing.

Two hundred and eighty five thousand dollars. That’s how much my virginity is worth.

Holy shit.

That’ll pay for all of Colin’s surgery and therapy with the rest going into a college fund. I can’t believe it. All of that for one night, a couple hours of my time.

And I already have a message from Cherry Bid.

Be at the Hermitage Hotel Saturday by five pm. You’ll check in under the name Kinsley Virginia. Further instruction will be given to you once you enter the suite.

There’s no turning back now.

At least, whoever it is has a sense of humor.

TWENTY

Kinsley

No turning back,but once reality sets in, it can be a bitch. Every heavy step back to my office feels like an eternity as the full weight of my decision presses down on me.

I’m going to meet a random stranger—no. I’m getting paid over two hundred thousand dollars to open my legs for a stranger. A person who could murder me, kidnap me, torture me just because they get some kind of sick pleasure from it.

It could be totally harmless.

Keyword—could.

It could also be very dangerous.

My chest tightens, and it takes all the energy I have to put one foot in front of the other and keep walking. And breathe. I need to tell someone what I’m doing.

“Miss Rhodes.” Maverick’s voice sounds muted as it breaks through the fog surrounding me. It’s not until he repeats himself that I can give myself a mental slap and stop outside his office. “Please, come in.”

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