Page 48 of Shared by my Ex’s Best Friends (Twisted Desires #2)
“I have to do this. There’s no other choice.”
My weak attempt at strengthening my resolve only makes my stomach twist even tighter as I stand among the shadows of the backstage area, the auctioneer’s voice echoing in my ears.
“$10,000 from the gentleman in the back. Come on, folks. I think we can do better than that.”
Sweat threatens to dampen my forehead and palms as I close my eyes, trying to find an ounce of strength in my own mind to process the situation I’ve put myself in. Typically, when a person loses their job, they’ll have a drink, briefly wallow in despair, and then throw themselves back out there.
It’s not that simple for me, though. It never is.
“Sold for $15,000. Come claim your prize, sir. She’s a lovely one, indeed.” The auctioneer laughs into the microphone as light applause fills the dimly lit room just beyond the curtain I’m hiding behind.
I catch a glimpse of a beautiful woman dressed in a silver, sequined dress walking off the stage as she’s bathed in the white glow of a spotlight. A rich man out in the crowd is willing to pay her thousands of dollars.
Thousands.
There’s no way anyone out there will believe I’m worth anything close to that. I’ll be lucky to get enough money to cover my rent and bills for the next month. After that, I don’t know what I’ll do.
“Let me grab our next beauty up for auction,” the auctioneer announces before striding off stage, his eyes immediately landing on me as I shrink back into the shadows. “No need to be shy, sweetheart. You already got past the hardest part and showed up. What’s your name?”
“Grace,” I say as I nervously tug on the long sleeves of my black dress. Its flared bottom fans out around my lower thighs, just above my knees. “My friend told me about this auction. How men will give women money who need it.”
The auctioneer chuckles and lifts a finger, and the slight wrinkles in the outer corners of his eyes and mouth crinkle.
“In exchange for something. You have to give them a reason to bet so much money on you. The blonde before you offered the full girlfriend experience for some lonely sap out there with too much money to his name.”
What in the world can I offer? I have no job, no supermodel looks, and an apartment I’m going to be evicted from soon if I can’t pay my rent. I totally sound like a catch worth thousands of dollars.
“Any advice on what I can offer to get more interest?” I ask him with a sheepish look on my face.
I only just learned about the auction earlier today after getting kicked to the curb yesterday by the big-time marketing company I worked for.
As big of a preparer as I am, I came to this fancy lodge in the midst of a dark, chilly night with no other plan than to present myself to a room full of men and pray one of them picks me.
The auctioneer reaches out and pushes the long blonde strands of hair back from my flushed face and behind my shoulders. “Something that sets you apart from the others. Something that may be hard for them to get elsewhere.”
Well, that doesn’t help me.
“Chin up. Big smile,” the auctioneer tells me as he taps the underside of my chin, amusement glinting in his blue eyes. “Let’s get you in front of the bidders.”
Before I know it, he whisks me out on stage, pulling me into the spotlight that blinds me for a moment.
I lift my hand up to shield my eyes, trying to peer out at the round tables full of men with deep desires and even deeper pockets.
It’s too dark to make out most of their features, and I’m too nervous and embarrassed to look them in the eye, anyway.
I’m here to beg. To trade. But what do I bring to the table to get what I need?
“Let me introduce you all to Grace,” the auctioneer calls out as he gestures to me. “She’s twenty-six and a Denver local. Grace, why don’t you introduce yourself and talk a little about what you need and what you can offer these fine gentlemen in exchange for it?”
My legs feel numb as I force myself to walk closer to him, my trembling fingers barely wrapping around the base of the microphone. As I bring it to my lips, the sound of my shaky exhale echoes throughout the room, making my face burn even hotter and redder.
“Hi, I’m Grace. I…I just lost my job.” Shame burns deep in my stomach.
I can already hear the disappointed, angry voices of my ridiculously successful parents. How I’m embarrassing them with my failures. How they raised me better than this. How I’m not living up to their standards.
I swallow hard and continue. “I guess I need some financial help. I have rent and bills to pay, and I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to get another job. It’s…a mess, and I don’t know what to do. I guess that’s why I’m here. I’m desperate.”
I hate the sound of my own voice. I hate the words coming out of my mouth. My parents would disown me if they heard me begging strangers for money.
“That sounds like a tough situation. I’m sure someone here would be willing to help you out,” the auctioneer says as he gestures toward the crowd. “What are you offering?”
“Anything,” I blurt out before wincing and shaking my head.
“I mean, not anything. I’m pretty good at marketing stuff, so if you have a business, I can help with that.
I’m a pretty good cook. Since I’m out of a job right now, I have plenty of free time, so if you need company or a date for something, I’m available. ”
Silence lingers in the crowd, and the auctioneer looks at me expectedly. I have to offer more than that if I want people to start tossing money my way. If they do at all. Maybe I should’ve chosen a different dress or straightened my hair instead of adding waves to it.
It’s clear to me what direction I need to take things in. These guys aren’t here for a marketing expert or a cook. If I want something special from them, they want something special from me.
Something valuable.
I lift the microphone to my lips once more, my hand threatening to shake. Once I say the words, there is no going back, but I have to do something drastic if I want to pull myself out of this hole.
“There’s one more thing I can offer,” I state, my voice echoing throughout the room.
“And what’s that?” the auctioneer prompts me.
“My virginity.”
There is an immediate shift in the air. It’s subtle, but I hear movement throughout the room as people whisper to each other and sit up in interest. The spotlight feels brighter and hotter now.
The auctioneer laughs in surprise. “Woah, okay. You heard her, gentlemen. Let’s start the bidding at $5,000.”
“$5,000 right here,” a deep voice sounds from the back.
My eyes widen in shock. Someone has actually placed a bid on me. $5,000 can get me through two or three months.
“Yes, sir. $5,000. Anyone want to go higher?”
“$7,500.”
My heart pounds rapidly as my eyes sweep over the room, only able to make out the men’s silhouettes and some faint features. Expensive clothes. Shiny watches and rings. Eager grins.
I feel like a juicy steak tossed in a lion’s den, on the verge of being devoured by the man who has the most money. On one hand, the thought of being so desired makes my adrenaline rush, a flicker of heat burning low in my stomach.
But on the other hand, I have to sell my virginity so that I don’t get evicted from my apartment and so that I don’t eventually starve because my parents definitely won’t help me. It’s a sucky situation all around.
“$10,000,” a man’s voice says from the back right of the room. His tone is rough and gravelly, making my heart briefly skip. I never really thought that a voice could be attractive before, but now, I’m second guessing that point.
“$15,000.” another man calls out from the other side of the room.
There’s no way it can get any higher. That would be insane. Is my virginity really worth that much?
$20,000,” the gruff-sounding man says.
“Woah. $20,000. Can anyone beat that?” The auctioneer laughs as his eyes widen.
My jaw drops. $20,000 would help me so much. So much. It wouldn’t make my parents any less disappointed in me, but it would keep me from living on the street.
“Going once…going twice…sold. Come on up and claim your prize.”
If I wasn’t stuck in this situation, I would roll my eyes at the auctioneer’s cheesiness, but all I can do is stare beyond the stage, waiting for the mystery man to emerge from the shadows and sweep me away to claim me.
Will he be gentle? Will he even look me in the eyes when he lays me down? Will he bother to kiss me or ask me if I’m okay?
My stomach twists in knots as I hear someone approaching the stairs on the left side of the stage. My eyes then narrow in confusion when I hear multiple sets of footsteps.
Instead of one man, three men step into view to wait for me at the bottom of the stairs. They don’t look like typical, slick businessmen in fancy suits. They’re all big and burly, dressed in nice jeans and khakis with flannel button-downs and outdoor jackets.
These guys bet $20,000 on me?
“Looks like you got a package deal, sweetheart,” the auctioneer murmurs to me. “Enjoy.”
Shouldn’t he be saying that to them?
I stiffly walk off stage to join the large men at the bottom of the stairs. My heart races a million beats per minute, and the closer I get to them, the more features I can make out.
And, my goodness , they are so handsome.
The tallest one with very short, dark hair gazes down at me with equally dark eyes.
His gaze feels as though it can pierce through any facade I can muster.
He’s both assessing and unreadable—a hint of mystery wrapped up in that brooding expression of his.
His skin is weathered, hinting at days spent in unforgiving landscapes, and his tall, lean form holds a restrained strength that leaves me both intimidated and inexplicably intrigued.
He’s the kind of man whose silence speaks volumes.
“I’m sure we weren’t what you expected. If you’re not comfortable leaving with me and my brothers, we’ll call off the bid. ”
My eyes grow into wide circles. “Brothers?”
I take another look at them and realize that they share some similar features, like varying shades of brown hair. Judging from their slightly different heights and muscular builds, they can’t be too far away in age from each other, but they’re definitely related.
“We don’t just want the main thing you offered,” the brother with slightly longer and lighter brown hair tells me.
He must be the middle child. He’s more muscular than the others, but he isn’t taller than the first brother who spoke.
“We’re also looking for someone to help out around our cabin for the rest of the winter. Is that something you can do?”
They put up $20,000 for me. I don’t think I’m worth half that much, and they’re also offering me a place to stay for the rest of January and February. Compared to my other options, I don’t think I can say no.
“I can do that,” I tell them with a nod, curling and uncurling my fingers nervously. “But I’ll lose my apartment if I don’t pay my rent while I’m gone.”
“We’ll handle your rent and bills for the winter upfront,” the youngest brother assures me. “At the end, you’ll get the rest of the money.”
I can’t argue with that. At least I’ll still have a place to stay after winter ends.
“I’m Grace. Well, you already know that…”
“I’m Lucas,” the oldest brother introduces himself, his straight face not wavering in the slightest. He gestures to the second oldest, then the youngest. “This is Owen. And that’s Bryce.”
My eyes sweep over the three of them, a barrage of conflicting emotions hitting me all at once. They’re ridiculously handsome and seem to be polite enough, which helps me relax a tad, but I’m also somewhat panicking.
I’m agreeing to live with three brothers I don’t know, and I’m also giving them a piece of me that I’ve never given anyone else. None of my past boyfriends I thought I loved. No one at all.
I’ve been way too sucked into my career to date for a while now, and I don’t see that changing. I might as well get this done with, get the money I need, and try to start over.
What other choice do I have?
My friends live in small studios with no extra room, and most are living paycheck to paycheck with nothing extra to give without putting themselves in the hole.
I would never ask that of them, anyway, and I can’t turn to my own family.
They have more than enough to sustain themselves, but they won’t give me anything.
This option is the only one I have. The only thing I can do myself .
“What now?” I ask them and lift my chin, trying not to come off as nervous as I actually feel.
Lucas glances at his brothers, who nod to him, before turning back to me. “We take you home with us.”
And I know what comes after.
The question is, have I made a smart decision, or have I just made the worst mistake of my life?