The club is still as beautiful and sexy as I remember. My eyes take in the large crowd gathered in the sitting area as men have their drinks while women sit on their arms. Their greedy fingers grip the women’s thighs, some bold enough with hands underneath their skirts. Unlike last time, the debauchery is not contained to the private rooms.
It takes me only a few seconds to realize there’s a party happening tonight.
Thick desire and anticipation pulses in the room. The hungry gazes, the low hum of people talking. It causes heat to rise in my belly while curiosity burns in my veins.
When I notice a makeshift stage in the center, I look at Justin questioningly, “Will there be a performance?”
His arm circling my waist pulls me closer to answer over the music and chatter. Laughter dances in his eyes like I asked something funny. “Yes, but not the kind you’re thinking, and first there’s going to be a bidding.”
My gaze widens and I nervously ask, “Bidding for what?”
“Women.”
I shudder racks through my body, unable to believe I heard him correctly. It explains why all the men are so eager and lascivious. “Isn’t that illegal? Do the women know?”
“It’s all consensual and the women are aware they’ll be sold for the night. Women love the fantasy while the men love the chase and the competition,” he explains with a seductive grin. “The illegality of it only adds to the thrill, beautiful.”
When I look around, I notice the same excitement in the women’s gazes too, and I realize Justin isn’t lying. They want to be up on that stage and bought by men. “So the bidding will be happening on the stage?”
“No. That’s for later when the man with the highest bid fucks the girl he bought in front of everyone.”
“Oh my god!” the words spill past my lips before I can stop it. Just when I think these men can’t get any more depraved, they do. The shock slowly evaporates when another emotion takes root inside me and I go completely still as I blurt out, “Is Dash participating too?”
“He’s done it before,” replies Justin, his sharp gaze focused on my reaction. “Though I doubt he’ll be doing it tonight.”
My brow furrows at the insinuation and I laugh, “Why? Because of me?”
An unknown emotion flickers on Justin’s face before it’s gone. He pockets his hands casually and speaks in his carefree tone, “He will deny it but he wants you, Bianca.”
“I-I don’t believe you.” I shake my head and he remains quiet.
Justin has to be wrong because if he isn’t, then shouldn’t Dash have said yes to my proposal? I was handing myself on a platter to him, not that I would’ve let him have me. Then there’s also the jealousy I felt behind his threat. The madness in his eyes before he ruthlessly denied it. Could it mean that he actually wants me if I want to believe Justin?
A sudden rush of confidence bursts through me because my plan might just work. Otherwise, I’m screwed.
“Why else would he order you to stay away from me, beautiful?” he counters smugly.
“Because ever since we met again, he’s enjoyed making my life hell.”
Justin’s shoulders shake with silent laughter and the corners of his mouth tilt up while I roll my eyes. “You’re not so innocent yourself, Bianca. I’ve seen you challenge him back twice already. Once he sees you with me, you can expect another attack from him too.”
That’s what I’m counting on.
I’m lighting a fire and if I’m not careful, I’ll get burned too.
I should feel guilty for using Justin without letting him know, but I don’t know him well enough to trust he won’t out me to his friend. But where the fuck is Dash?
“When will the bidding start?” I ask instead, not wanting to look too eager to find Dash. I’m unable to ignore the slow awareness telling me he’s close and the longer I don’t see him, the faster my heart beats.
As much as I want him to agree to be my fake husband, I have this need to shatter his control that has only grown over the years. I want to feel it crack and crumble.
Mostly, I ache to prove him wrong.
To make him admit he’s a liar.
To torture him until he admits that he’s jealous at the thought of me with another man.
“It’s already begun,” Justin answers and I glance around, frowning at the crowd.
“Where?”
“I’ll show you.” He takes my hand and walks toward another door I missed last time. Each step makes my spine tingle with nerves and something else I don’t want to name. It’s one of those moments where every sense feels heightened. The rush of stepping into the forbidden and unknown.
Justin grips the doorknob and slides it open, silently waiting for me to amble in first. My breath gets stuck in my throat at the sight in front of me as I halt in the middle of a step. I forget about Justin walking close behind me while I glance at the six women standing on separate platforms.
All of them are beautiful and naked. Locked in a mirrored glass box.
Like prized dolls for the men to stare and bid on them.
I’m so consumed by them that the rest of the world blurs as a vision of myself in the same position rocks me to my core. It’s the natural curiosity to imagine, coursing through me as I wonder what it would be like.
Do they feel powerful or cheap? Hot or uncomfortable? Feel the need to run and hide?
I know I would run and as if I manifested it, I suddenly feel like turning and never returning. The room shrinks like someone sucked all the oxygen and replaced it with iciness and smoky mist.
His presence feels like a caress, the dark aura emanating from him before I see him. Every second moves in slow motion as I glance around, my eyes searching for him under the soft lights. I know that his eyes are already pinned on me, watching and relishing in my torment as he remains hidden.
His gaze feels enraged.
Foreboding.
Salivating.
And I can’t decide which scares me more.
Small movements from my right side cause me to look there just as Justin’s hand presses into my back. Time ceases when wild and stormy green eyes clash with my brown ones. They darken to frightening degrees when they land on his best friend’s fingers circling my waist and pulling me into him. I swallow when I realize I bit more than I bargained for. A mistake I’ll pay for dearly.
Dash lurks in the shadows like a predator.
His black Armani suit hugging his tense, muscular shoulders as he straightens to his full height. A glass of whiskey held between his long fingers while his thumb circles the rim back and forth. His expressive eyes—constantly taunting me—assess us while the rest of his face is hidden.
I don’t need to look to know his lips are flattened into a thin line as he plots his attack.
Because it will come.
One thing I haven’t forgotten is that Dash hates being defied. And I have defied him.
Openly.
Daringly.
Fearlessly.
It brings a heady bolt of power in me while pissing him off immensely. It’s screaming from his wide stance and the slow rising of his chest. Except even angry, he’s controlled and calm, and his outwardly cool reaction ignites the opposite in me.
When he takes a small step, the soft lamp in the corner brings his handsome face to focus. He makes a deliberate show of sipping his drink while his lazy gaze travels over every surface of my body. I try to ignore it, but my skin reacts to his perusal and my lips part like he’s stolen all my air with only a single glance.
His lips tilt the longer I—strain to—stay still, locked in a battle of wills with him.
Each second that passes, the more confident he becomes.
Our gazes are in a silent challenge to see who breaks first.
Instead of backing down, I decide to poke—no, attack—the beast by leaning against Justin’s shoulder until no inch separates us. His arrogant smile falters when I bring Justin’s hand to the top of my naked thigh and rest it there. I smile victoriously when his eyes drift lower, breaking our stare-off.
I don’t scare easily, Dash, my eyes say with a lift of my chin when he looks up.
“Game time, beautiful,” Justin whispers in my ear right before Dash crosses the room to us in a flash.
I forgot momentarily how scary and intimidating he looks up close. His size always makes me feel small even though I’m not compared to other girls. His expression hardens into steel as he stares unflinchingly at his friend while completely ignoring me.
“What the fuck is she doing here?”
“I invited her,” replies Justin smoothly, unafraid.
A muscle clenches in Dash’s jaw and I’m offended at the blatant way he disregards me. Like I’m not standing right here.
“He doesn’t speak for me.” His face whips to mine and there’s no masking his emotions. The calm now wholly swallowed by the storm, while Justin’s arm is the only anchor keeping me steady.
“I’m going to deal with you in a minute,” he grits out in a hard voice. “Alone.”
My pussy clenches at the lowly spoken promise and threat, all rolled into one. I blame the betrayal of my body on the sensual and salacious vibe in the room and not because of the hulking man glaring down at me.
“You’re not my keeper, Dash.”
“Be glad. Because if I was, you’d be chained to my bed twenty-four seven. It’s the only thing stopping me from throwing you over my shoulder and stealing you away.”
I gulp when he says that loud enough for Justin to hear. He can’t mean it, right?
“Bianca isn’t going anywhere, Dash,” Justin warns, and I snap out of the trance Dash’s words put me in. “She’s my date, not yours.”
“She’s not even your type, you asshole.”
Ouch. I hide my wince by holding my chin high and step closer to Dash. I don’t shrink away from the full intensity of his undivided attention, and taunt, “I thought you never get jealous? Does this mean you lied?”
I smirk when he goes still and see Justin’s proud smile from the corner of my eye.
A cruel smile graces Dash’s mouth as he retorts, “Don’t assume I don’t know the game you’re playing, kitten. Throwing yourself at Justin won’t change my decision.”
“Let me help you see past your big ego since you’re obviously blind. I don’t need you,” I lie boldly. “And if I want to throw myself at Justin, there’s nothing you can do about it. News flash… You’re not the only man.”
Dash’s nostrils flare but he remains quiet while Justin steps in his path and demands challengingly, “Do you want her, Stern?”
I feel other people’s curious eyes lingering on the three of us, especially on the two men. They both have equal height. Justin is slightly leaner, but no less intimidating in this second. He and Dash stand in a heated stare-off while a silent conversation takes place between them.
I yearn to question them because it’s obvious that it’s about me.
Dash looks like he’s seconds away from punching his best friend but decides against it. Instead, he points all this aggression toward me and without looking away, sneers in a low tone, “No. You can have her.”
With one scathing look at us, he turns and walks out of the room. And so goes my hope of convincing him. I underestimated the control he has over his emotions.
They are sealed way more tightly than I fathomed.
As impenetrable as a steel vault.
