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by Alexa Riley
“She’s a runner. I know the look.” Her tone sounds a little sad.
I hate that she ran from me. I want her to run towards me, but she barely knows me. She probably has a shit list of other men’s bullshit she’s been through. Should that be my problem? Yes. Others might think you shouldn't take out your own problems on other people, but I want her to take them out on me. I want to help her work through it. Show her I can do that for her. Would do that for her. If she would just let me in.
“I lied to her, Don. I said the things I needed to to get her to come with me. I don’t like lying to my girls, Don. I want my favor.”
I’ve never seen someone collect so many favors in my life. What she did with them all, I have no idea. I’m not even sure if she uses them or just likes having them. Being in a man’s world, I’m sure it’s nice to have something over all of them.
“Fine. Have your favor, but you’re going to do something for me.”
“Is that so?” I can hear the smile in her voice. She knows she’s won.
I’ve got a little plan of my own. There will be no more running after I get my hands on my girl. I’ll make sure there will never be a way to leave me again. Or at least I’ll make it damn near impossible.
I sit down in my chair and lean back. “This is how this is going to work.”
9
Peaches
I’m pacing backstage and trying to recall my pageant days. This is nothing like doing the Miss Teen back in high school.
Looking around the room, I see a few other girls getting dressed. I guess you could call it dressed; some of them are wearing only a pair of panties.
Clenching my fists at my sides, I try to close my eyes, breathing through the butterflies. This was totally the right decision. Right?
“First time?”
I open my eyes and see a woman getting ready in the mirror next to me turn around and raise an eyebrow.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m trying to remind myself that I don’t have a talent portion coming up.” I laugh nervously, and she winks at me.
“Thank God. I’d hate to hear some of these girls sing,” she says. Reaching out her hand, she introduces herself. “I’m Kim. The veteran Mistress, if you will.”
“I’m Peaches. You’ve done this before?” I ask, playing with tie of the sheer robe I have on.
“Oh, yes. Quite a few times. And that southern accent of yours is going to drive them wild. You need to ask for a microphone when you go on stage.” She winks at me and puts on some blood red heels, making her close to six feet tall. She’s got a body that’s looks like it belongs in a men’s magazine. And she seems completely confident as she stands in front of me in only a red thong and those heels.
“Any advice for a first timer?” I’m trying to keep my mind off what’s about to happen. Even mindless chitchat is better than thinking about what I agreed to.
She flips her dark hair over one shoulder and smiles, crossing her arms under her naked breasts and leaning against the counter.
“Just remember that you’re safe. Samantha only allows in a few men to each Auction, all of whom have passed an inspection most astronauts wouldn’t make it through. The men that you could potentially end up with are healthy, normal guys looking for companionship. They have busy lives with demanding schedules, and they desire a kept woman who is waiting for them at the end of a long day. All you have to do is have a good time with them for thirty days, and then you walk away with a stack of cash.”
“You make it sound like fishing in a stocked pond.” I try to remind myself that what she’s saying is true.
She laughs at my joke. “Well, there are at least two fish out there that won’t bid on you, if that makes you feel any better.”
I don’t know why, but I’m kind of offended thinking someone wouldn’t bid on me. I’m adorable. “How do you know?”
“One of them is mine. We do this every time the contract is up. I go back up on the auction block and he has fun bidding on me. We’ve been at it for a while now. But he likes chasing me, and I like to make him work for it.” She gives me a wicked smile, and I can see she’s excited by the idea.
I’ve seen all kinds of relationships, so who am I to judge? I guess whatever works for them. “And the other?”
Kim leans in a little, looking over her shoulder and then back at me. “The other guy is Leo Ramsey. He’s been chasing after Samantha for years. I don’t know what they have going on behind the scenes, but she keeps him at arm’s length in public. He’s shown up to a couple of Auctions and mostly just sits in the back watching her. I think he’s secretly worried she’ll go on the stage one day and he won’t be there to claim her.”
“That sounds kind of romantic in a way.”
“I think Leo would see it differently. Apparently, he’s extremely private and doesn’t get seen in public a lot. These Auctions are so discreet that nobody would mention seeing him there.” She goes back over to the mirror to fix her hair but still keeps talking. “Personally, I think it’s a matter of time before it all comes out. You can only tease a man like him so much before he snaps.”
An image of Antonio runs through my mind, but I shut it down before it can truly get going. I can’t think about him right now. I can’t let even the slightest thought of him enter my mind.
I go to the mirror and check my hair and make-up for the millionth time. I’ve done my eyes darker than normal and put on more make-up that I’m used to, but I know what I’d look like on stage under those lights and I need some extra so I won’t look washed out. My hair is pinned up just on one side, the rest of it curled and falling over one shoulder.
These are the things I can control, so these are the things I focus on. Hair and make-up.
Samantha’s assistant said she would be by before the Auction to tell me what to wear. I’ve been waiting, and it’s clear she’s not going to come around until it’s almost time for me to walk on stage.
“Who is he?”
I look over at Kim who is looking at me.
“Who?” I ask in confusion.
“The man that’s got you all twisted up.” She raises a dark eyebrow at me, and I see a smirk on her face. She knows she’s right.
I reach for the champagne glass sitting on the table next to us, taking a sip. Just as it hits my lips, I think back to the last time I tasted champagne and all the ways Antonio tasted it on me. The sweet bubbly turns sour at the reminder that I wasn’t special. That he’s done that with others, and I was just someone to pass the time with. Putting the glass down, I look back at Kim. “Nobody.”
Just then the curly redheaded assistant comes flying through, checking on all the girls and making sure everything is in place. I look behind her and see Sam slowly walking around the room, eyeing each girl up and down. She makes small changes as she goes, telling her assistant what she wants and how to fix any minor detail not to her liking.
When she makes her way over to us, she goes to Kim.
“Lovely Kimberly. Back again?” Sam says, brushing a stray hair out of Kim’s face.
“You know my Elliot loves the chase,” Kim says, winking.
“Seems like you love getting caught. Love the new shoes,” Sam says, nodding to her assistant that Kim is all set to go. Her assistant then takes off in another direction as Sam moves towards me.
I’m a little shocked that she’s letting Kim go on stage in only heels and a thong, and I’m praying that I get something with a little more coverage.
Sam comes over and stands directly in front of me. After a second she walks around me in a big circle, looking me up and down. Her assistant appears magically by her side, holding out a long lacy dress for me to wear.
“This might be the most material I’ve ever let a Mistress wear on stage. But it feels appropriate.” Sam takes the dress from her assistant and holds it out for me.
I take off the silk robe and stand there completely naked as the two of them help me into the dress. The bodice is fitted tightly to me, but
as the assistant zips me up, it feels like it fits perfectly. Like it was made for me. The assistant helps me into a pair of royal blue heels that I instantly fall in love with.
I turn around to face the mirror and see what I’ve got on. The long dress is an off-white halter-style with lace that hugs my neck and breasts. The design continues down to my waist, where the soft, creamy material hugs my hips and thighs, flaring just slightly at my feet. The dress is absolutely gorgeous and feels handmade. It’s the kind of dress a woman dreams of wearing on her wedding day, and I’m a little surprised that I’m going to be wearing this on stage.
“Alright, ladies. Let’s get into place.”
Sam’s words snap me out of my daze, and I turn around to see her hand outstretched towards me. I reach out and take it, and she leads me through the room.
We walk down a dark hallway before she guides me out onto a stage. The curtains are closed, but my heart starts to beat out of my chest, and panic begins to set in. What have I gotten myself into?
“Relax. I don’t want you passing out before the curtains come up. You seem like one of those southern belles who did pageants. Am I right?”
Sam’s words bring me back from the edge of panic, and I nod my head at her. I need to remember my mama’s words right now, and I take a deep breath, channeling Mary-Grace. What would she do right now?
I know what she would do. She would own this motherfucking stage.
“There you are,” Sam says, a wicked look on her face.
I straighten my shoulders and pop my hip a little, getting ready to put on the performance of a lifetime. I will be bought and paid for, but in the end, I’m the one walking away the owner of my body. I’ll be the one living with my decision for the rest of my life, and nobody—and damn sure not a man—will take that away from me.
“I want to tell you before the Auction begins that I may have said some things that weren’t entirely true.”
Looking into Sam’s eyes, I don’t see regret. Whatever it is she’s done she certainly doesn’t feel bad about it.
“But I’ve read the contract. I know what I’ve signed—”
Sam holds up her hand, cutting me off, and shakes her head slightly. “No, nothing like what you’re thinking. I just want you to remember when this is all over that I’m not the one you need to put your faith in. Just listen to your heart, Peaches. You’ll feel what’s true and what’s not.”
“I don’t understand.” I’m genuinely confused about what she’s telling me. I have no idea what she means.
“There’s a lot one will do for love. And everything I’ve done has been for that.”
With those words, she walks to the side of the stage and into the shadows. I hear the announcer's words echo through the room, and I feel a chill run up my spine.
“Let’s begin, gentlemen. The girls are ready, and we are beginning with a very sweet treat.” There’s a short pause, and then he continues. “Tonight I present to you, Peaches.”
I don’t have time to decipher what Samantha means as the curtains part and the spotlights hit me.
10
Don
I finally get to the auction house and make my way towards the room. I’ve never been here before, but security guards are everywhere. It makes me feel somewhat at ease knowing that while Georgia has been in Sam’s custody she’s at least been well protected.
I walk to the back of the room and stand in the shadows, waiting for the Auction to begin. I clench my fists as I look around at the men, thinking about who’s going to see my girl. I don’t know what she’ll be wearing, but from what I’ve heard, it could quite literally be nothing.
I threatened Samantha with bodily harm if she sent her on that stage naked, but I wouldn’t put it past her to do it just to spite me.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Don Cortez attended a Mistress Auction.”
I look to my right and see Leo Ramsey leaning up against the wall. He’s so far from the action, he’s nearly in the dark.
“And yet here is the reclusive Ramsey making an appearance. I guess lightning struck twice today.” I extend my hand, and he shakes it. “I saw you at dinner the other night. It’s strange that the last two times I’ve seen you, Samantha has been nearby.”
I’m wondering if I’m jumping to conclusions, but when I see his eye twitch a little, I see that I’ve hit the nail on the head.
“I just enjoy watching the Auctions. Speaking of, I’ve heard there might be a nice southern girl to bid on in the first round.”
He hit his intended mark, the dig going straight to my heart. As much as I want her off that stage, I have no control over it. The one thing I do have control of, however, is how she walks out of here.
Taking a step closer to Ramsey, I feel the need to remind him of who he’s speaking to. “You so much as look in her direction—”
Leo puts his hands up, taking a step back. “Don’t worry, Don. I won’t be bidding on her. I think you and I have our eyes on very different women.”
I relax just slightly, straightening my suit coat and trying to shake off the tension. I keep reminding myself that the deal with Sam is in place. Things will go according to plan, and I will walk out of here with Georgia.
The lights brighten and then dim a little, signaling that the Auction is about to start.
“Will you be taking a table?” I ask Leo, wanting to know if he’ll be participating in the Auction.
He shakes his head slightly, sinking further back into the shadows. “I’m only watching to make sure the one I want isn’t up there.”
I nod and turn, walking away from him to the front of the room. There’s definitely more to his story, but I don’t have time to dwell on it right now. I’m here for one thing, and she’s about to walk out onto the stage.
I take a seat at the front table, the name Cortez on a place card there. Leave it to Samantha to make my presence known. I look around the room and see only a handful of men in here. It’s still too many for my liking, but I know that I’ve got the money to triple whatever their top dollar could be.
The announcer comes out and takes his place at a podium to the side of the stage.
I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I want to jump to my feet to stop this from happening. But the only thing I can do is play along until this is over. When I spoke with Sam, I agreed to bid and not to cause a scene. She said she had a bad experience at a Halloween Auction with someone bidding against himself, and she didn’t need that to happen again.
“Let’s begin, gentlemen. The girls are ready, and we’re opening with a very sweet treat.”
I want to punch the announcer in the face for calling my Georgia that. But I don’t have time as he continues and the curtains start to open.
“Tonight I present to you, Peaches.”
The curtains part, the spotlight comes on, and there she stands. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
I’ve been to Europe and seen the Sistine Chapel. I’ve watched the sun set over a volcano in Hawaii. I’ve looked at thousands of things in this world that are considered beautiful, but I can say for certain they all pale in comparison to the woman standing in front of me.
Thank God I’m not standing because my knees are weak just from seeing her like this. She looks like a bride dressed in white, waiting for her groom to come and carry her away. Lucky for Georgia, I’m just that man.
“We’ll start the bidding at twenty million dollars,” the announcer says, and I rip my eyes away from the beauty in front of me to glare at him.
Twenty million? It should be two hundred million. How can he insult her with such a low number? There’s a hush through the crowd, but then someone speaks.
“Twenty million!” I hear behind me, and my heartbeat picks up. No way am I going to let her slip through my fingers.
“Thirty million!” I shout, and the room goes quiet for a moment.
I see Georgia smile and square her shoulders, as if she’s dec
ided that this is all a game and she’s going to start playing.
“Thirty-two million!” I hear to my left, but I don’t turn to see who it is.
Georgia has started to walk around the stage, as if she’s in a pageant, working those lush hips and waving to the crowd.
What the fuck? How dare she smile at these men? Those are my smiles! I don’t care if they’re fake or not. I won’t have her throwing them around like they’re nothing.
“Forty million!” I shout, not caring that I’m nearly screaming my bid.
“Forty-five million!” someone to my right shouts, and I nearly come out of my skin.
I see Georgia walk over to the announcer and tap him on the shoulder. After an exchange of words, she takes the microphone from him and walks back to the center of the stage.
“Hey, y’all. I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Peaches, and I’m very happy to be here. I know how to make the best biscuits you’ve ever had, and I promise I got the name Sweet Cream for a reason.”
She walks up past the spotlights, looks right down at me, and fucking winks.
It’s enough to send me into a fit of rage. Nobody is going to know what her biscuits taste like, and they damn sure won’t ever know why I called her that.
“Seventy-five million!” I shout, standing up and knocking over the chair I was sitting in.
“Once, twice, sold!” the announcer says quickly, smacking a hammer down.
I see the smile fall from her face, realizing that the Auction is over and no one else is going to get a chance to bid on her. I see the moment she realizes she’s mine and that she isn’t getting away from me. She may not be happy with how this happened, but I’ll be damned if she’s going to anyone else.
Walking up to the stage, I look up to where she’s standing and adjust my suit jacket.