Page 25 of The Auction

“You know, even if I left him, or even if he died and I was free…” she paused and seemed to steel herself. “Daniel, I never would have had your children.”

His eyes flew open wide. “Elle—”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to get married, and I don’t want to have kids.”

“I don’t believe that. Not for one second.”

“Why? Because that’s what you want, and you can’t imagine someone wanting something different? If I did want to get married and have kids, it would be with him. Not you.”

“Why are you—”

“Saying this? Because it’s true, and you need to know it. What you and I had was perfect. But it’s easy for something to be perfect when it only has to be perfect for seven days. What you and Maggie had was a marriage. What he and I have is also a kind of marriage. But you and me? That was just a honeymoon.”

Her words sank into him like the blade of a heavy knife.

“You’re as much of a sadist as he is, you know.” Daniel hoped she couldn’t hear the agony behind the joke.

“I’ve picked up a few tips from Blondie on that front.” She exhaled and smiled. “But I’m really not trying to hurt you. I want to help you. You have to let me go. You know I’m not what you really want. You loved being a husband. You want kids. You’re not going to get that with me.”

He said nothing, only stared past her. The bed shifted and out of the corner of his eye he watched her get dressed. She dragged her skirt over her hips, slipped into low heels, and buttoned up her blouse without once wincing or flinching from the welts he’d inflicted on her. Twenty-five years old and the girl was already an old pro.

“You know you’d make an incredible dominatrix,” Daniel said as Eleanor came back to the bed.

She crossed her arms over her ample chest and raised one eyebrow. “You think so?”

“Definitely.”

“Last time you told me I should be a writer.”

Daniel shrugged. “You could always do both.”

Tilting her head to the side she hummed a moment and tapped her chin.

“I’ve heard worse ideas. But forget about what I should do. What are you going to do?”

“Let you go…if that’s what you want me to do.”

“What I want is for you to be happy. You won’t be happy with me.” She ran a hand through his hair again and he felt the affection in her touch, the respect. But no love. Not the kind of love he wanted or needed. “So the question is…what do you want to do?”

Daniel released a mirthless laugh. “Your owner asked me the very same thing the day I buried Maggie.”

“I hope you have a different answer.”

He paused before answering.

“You’re right,” he said, finally. “I do want to get married again. I want somebody to have kids with. God, I don’t even care if they’re mine or hers or adopted or foster kids. I just want a houseful of children. Always have.”

“You’re only thirty-eight.” She touched his cheek. “And rich. And you’re about as sexy as it gets. There are women in this world who’d let you knock them up just to have yourDNAinside them for nine months.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I’m going to miss you. And when I stop missing you, I’m going to miss missing you,” Daniel said and prayed that made sense to her.

“I don’t love you. But I sort of wish I did. I hope that helps.”

“It does a little. But just a little.”

“I have to go now. Slumber party with the King.”

Daniel nearly groaned aloud at the surge of envy that rushed through him. “Doesn’t Kingsley have enough subs to keep him company?”

---