Page 2 of Love Me Not

I’m doing this.No going back.I was meant to be here tonight.

I would walk home if I needed to.This was going to be a good night.Mynight.

“Wait until you see the private rooms.Name?”she asked, then tacked on.“Alias.Not your real name.”

I flushed.She already knew how unprepared I was.Maybe she saw me waiting outside.

“Julie H.”It was the only name I could think of when filling out the form and it was similar to mine.I assumed it would be easy to get used to it, but even hearing me say it out loud made me feel weird.

“No matches,” she said as she used a stylus to type in my name.She looked me up and down, and I could see the moment of realization on her face.“Oh!You’re here for the auction!”

My fingers grasped at the lace, suddenly nervous.Not too sexy for an auction, but I guess fitting for something more… elegant?

“Am I… dressed okay for it?”I asked.

She gave me a warm smile.“You’re perfect.”

I floundered for a response.

“And… You’re sure I’ll get the money?Like, this is not some type of trafficking scheme?”I don’t know why it came out as a whisper, but it had the hostess giggling.

“Yes.We get a cut, of course, but most will be yours.Don’t be so nervous,” she said.“It’s a single night with you.You fill out your preferences and hard noes and then you get bid on.Super easy.”

Something akin to hope had its claws around my heart.I needed money more than I needed food at the moment.Between the debt from my parents’ accident and my brother’s tuition money, I was drowning.I had yet to be assigned a new family to nanny, but I knew it wouldn’t pay much.

I just need enough to get by until then and maybe a bit extra to cover the hospital bills.

“How much do you think I can get?”

A part of me still wanted to run.Turn back and forget I ever came.But I needed this.And the thought of someone worshipping me and me alone tonight had my skin tingling.

She shrugged.

“Up to them, but bidding starts at a hundred thousand.”

I almost fainted right there on the spot.

I came here for a reason and was secretly hoping to meet someone to have a good night with.In other words, I came to get fucked.Thoroughly.But getting some money on top of that?It was almost too good to be true.

“Please show me the way.”

* * *

I looked up at the empty stage and a nervous shudder went up my back.

It was empty, but I could hear the buzz of excitement working its way through the people behind the thick velvet curtain.

The room hadn’t filled up with patrons yet, so they were giving us time to look around and get a feel of the place before just putting us in the spotlight.The girls who had signed up were sitting in the seats and rows next to me.Less than ten, most of them looking just as nervous as I felt, but I tried not to let it show.

I forced the well-worn smile on my face, no matter how I felt inside.

“Is this your first time here?”I asked the brunette girl beside me.She was wearing a pink mask, her bangs popping out above it.

She jumped slightly, as if she wasn’t prepared for me to talk to her.

“Oh, um… Yeah, is it that obvious?”I could hear the anxiety weaved into her voice and immediately regretted it.

“Me too,” I said quickly, shooting her another smile.“Juliette.”I extended my hand but flinched when I realized I’d given her my real name.

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