Page 18 of Highest Bidder

Dr. Connolly. The one who’d walked away so easily had just paid one hundred thousand dollars for me.

Why?

Somewhere, ladies giggled nervously as they said goodbye to one another. The auction continued. More girls came back into the room and left. I lost count.

Then Macy’s heels clicked toward me, crisp and unmistakable. I hadn’t even noticed the stage had gone quiet.

She stopped in front of me and leaned in, her voice low. “He asked for you.”

I looked up. “Now?”

Her mouth tightened. “You don’t say no. Not to him. And definitely not after that number.”

I gave a small nod. There was no avoiding it—time to deliver what I’d sold.

“He’s waiting in the main room.”

****

Jeff

Bradford moved to a table near the bar, all smugness gone. He kept glancing over his shoulder like he wanted to say something but knew better. Felix Alvarez, still in his three-piece suit to remind everyone how much he worked, leaned in to talk to Bradford. Hopefully to ask if Bradford’s balls had finally dropped out of his stomach after getting outbid that hard. Probably not, though. More than likely, it was to position himself so Bradford would feel comfortable asking for a favor someday, then he’d owe Alvarez. Which was exactly what the dude wanted.

That was the thing about this place—it wasn’t just about sex. It was politics. Leverage. Power. Favors.

A glass clinked gently on my table.

“I’ll admit,” came a voice to my left, “I didn’t see that coming.”

I turned as Grayson slid into the booth beside me. He was dressed casually tonight, same as me. Except he’d paired his Levi’s with a light-blue cashmere sweater instead of the navy button-down I had on.

He raised his drink. “A hundred grand’s a hell of a statement.”

I shrugged. “Hopefully she’s worth it.”

Grayson studied me for a beat; his relaxed smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I hope so, too. For your sake.” He took another sip of scotch before adding, “She didn’t look like she belonged up there.”

“That’s because she didn’t.”

He gave a slow nod. “She’s either going to break… or beg.”

I didn’t blink. “She’ll do both.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up in… respect?

“Have fun breaking her. Just be careful she doesn’t break you first.” He paused as he slid to the edge of the booth, then added with a heartless smile, “Though if she does, I’d be happy to take a turn. Ruining pretty things is kind of what I do.”

I didn’t respond, just stared back at him. I’d heard that Grayson could be as big a bastard as me. His words seemed to confirm the rumors.

He gave a lazy nod, then stood and disappeared into the crowd.

Now that the auction was over, the energy in the room had shifted.

Some of the auctioned women were already cozying up to their new owners—settling into laps, whispering into ears, tits pressed against arms. Others hovered nearby, laughing too loudly or gazing up like the man had cured cancer. It was all an act, but if the men noticed, they didn’t care. They played along, clinking their champagne flutes like it was the start of a decadent honeymoon.

Eyes flicked toward me now and then. Curious. No one said it, but I could feel the question hanging in the air:Why her? Why that price?

They were waiting for fireworks.

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