Page 54 of Sugar

And then I snatched my phone back.

What the hell am I talking about? Of course she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. That’s the damn problem!

Me: Did she fill out a form?

Cohen: Picture

I skimmed the picture of her form. It didn’t take long since there wasn’t much there.

Fuck no.

Chapter 11

Going Once

MADDIE

Tugging at the hem ofmy dress to release non-existent wrinkles, I scanned the room from my spot at the very back.

It was packed.

Not an empty chair in the place—and that was saying something because they’d added alotof them to accommodate the influential crowd. Actors—including Easton’s possible friend Tripp Carter. Politicians. Directors. Musicians.

And me.

My chest squeezed, and my breaths turned shallow and quick as the auctioneer finished the sale of a shirtless man holding a crop. His Dom services for a night had gone for more than a thousand dollars—one of the highest of the evening.

I wasn’t concerned with the low bidding. Actually, I was relieved, and it was likely the only reason I hadn’t fled from the building so fast that all I would leave behind was a smoke outline of my body.

If someone paid a few hundred bucks for me, and I chickened out with whatever they had in mind, I wouldn’t feel bad. Well, notasbad.

Because it wasn’t about the money. Not really.

Unless I stood up there and crickets sounded. That would also suck. Just the thought of it had my legs tingling with the demand I run.

Like he sensed my panic, Cohen suddenly appeared next to me and offered a water bottle.

I shook my head. My stomach was doing so many flips and twists, the addition of any liquid would cause an internal tsunami.

“You doing okay?” His tone and expression were both soft and casual, but there was a sharpness in his hazel eyes.

No.

I should leave.

I don’t belong here.

That last part might’ve been true, but it also wasn’t the whole truth. Because even if I didn’t belong in the room of experienced and confident people, I wanted to be there.

No.

Ineededto be there.

A tiny fraction of my anxiety lessened, and my smile grew less forced. “I’m good.” I gestured outward. “It looks incredible in here.”

After I’d submitted my info form for the auction, I’d received a response from Cohen with an attached invitation that looked as elegant and tasteful as the paper one on the table. He had also added details that were specifically for me, like directions from Coastal to the back lot and the passcode for that entrance.

And specific instructions tonotsneak my way through Golden since that access point was disabled as they made some security enhancements.