Page 67

“Set it up. Is there anything else I can do for you, or am I just bidding on your gift tonight?”

“I have one more request.”

“Go on.”

“I will not come to this Alliance meeting in Ireland. My identity is to remain hidden for now. You will accept Lyric Hughes as my stand-in.

“If you need anything, you will communicate with me directly, no middlemen. Lyric will only be a face. I am the voice and the hand.

“If you can agree to this, I think we’ll be even in terms of gifts tonight. I can get my own things. It was nice seeing you again though.”

He chuckles to himself as I dismiss him. “I will make sure you have all the information and details for Ireland. You can pass them along to Lyric. We can continue with the system your uncle and I used for our partnership.

“Although there are two other business associates whom your uncle dealt with face to face?—”

“No. You and only you. No one else.”

He sits silently for a moment. I keep a stern expression on my face. I don’t want to reveal myself until this alliance is pulled off. This is my one deal-breaker.

If it’s a no and I have to start a war, so be it. He won’t see me coming and he’ll regret it. That I can promise.

“Right,” he says as if answering his own thoughts. “You have a deal.”

“You have the continued support of the horsemen. See you around, LaSalle.”

“See you around, Danika. I look forward to seeing your work.”

With that, he stands and leaves my booth. Not a moment too soon either. They’re starting the bidding, and I can now give the auction my full attention.

I decide to hold out until the book I want is up. When they finally get to my item, I’m more excited than I thought I would be. That is, until someone else becomes as aggressive as I am in the bidding.

“Five hundred thousand.”

I turn to look to see who just outbid me. Not that I can’t go higher. The book just isn’t worth pushing any higher.

I can’t make out the face of the man who called out the bid. I can only see that it’s two men standing together, one a lot taller than the other. I pout and turn back around in my seat.

I really wanted that book. It would have completed my collection. I already acquired the other four volumes, but I never bid emotionally.

“Going twice, sold to the gentlemen in the back.”

Cursing and muttering under my breath, I stand and grab my things to leave. Damn, I guess I’m down real bad. Some dude just bought his boyfriend my book and I can’t even get a call back.

I’m going home to take a bath and stew in my feelings. What a waste of an outfit. This dress put a smile on my face before I left the house, now I’m mad I dressed up.

Heck, LaSalle didn’t look down at my tits once. I might be losing my touch. Maybe I should consider dating Byron so my mom can get her wish.

The way I cackle at myself as I sashay my ass out of the auction hall pulls the attention of others who look at me like I’m crazy. I just might be. Ignoring them all, I keep it moving to take my ass home.

“Ach, I expected a lot of things when I saw ya again. Laughing at me wasn’t one of them.”

I nearly stumble over my own feet as that voice washes over me while ringing in my ear. Much too close for my liking. How didn’t I feel him walk up on me?

* * *

Ronan

I’ve been watchingher since I arrived. She looks gorgeous. I wanted to sit with her, but the auction had already started before I arrived. I had something to handle and then I received a call from LaSalle telling me that Brax has the green light to do whatever he needs to Ernest Kline.