Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
“I am the owner and operator of The Breeding Bidders Auction House,” she continues. “Have you ever heard of it?”
“Look where I live, lady. Do you really think I’ve heard of it?”
She looks at my muddy boots and dirty jeans, and sneers. “No. I don’t. We’re an exclusive secret auction house for centimillionaires and billionaires.”
“The ranch is not for sale,” I grunt.
I turn around with my muscles flexed and anger coursing through my veins. Snoops follows me as I start to walk back to the house. The nerve of this lady thinking she can lowball me by buying my family’s ranch for only one million dollars. It’s worth ten times that at least, not to mention the sentimental value of every inch of it. This is where I was raised, where my father was raised, hell, where my grandfather was raised. My great-grandfather settled this land and it’s my birthright. And it’s going to be my children’s birthright, if my mate ever comes along.
I owe a shit ton of back taxes on it, and with business down, it’s been hard to turn a profit, let alone make enough to pay off the debt. But that doesn’t mean I’m desperate to sell. I’ll do anything to prevent that from happening.
“I’m not here to purchase your ranch,” she says. “I would like to host one of my auctions on your land and I’m willing to pay you handsomely for the pleasure.”
I stop in my tracks and slowly turn around.
She continues when she sees the interest in my eyes.
“We have a loyal following of the richest men in the world. We have been operating for thirty-five years, proudly serving the ultra-wealthy in sixty-two countries. Montana is the perfect hub. Centrally located for our American, Canadian, and Eastern clients. Beautiful natural setting. But among all, private. We can conduct our business under the cover of the large Montana mountains.”
“Hold on,” I say. “Are you doing anything illegal?”
“Not illegal, per se,” she says. “But it’s a legally gray area. However, among our clients are some of the top politicians, lawmakers, and global elite in the G7 countries. Our operation is not at risk of being raided or shut down.”
What the fuck? Something clicks in my mind. What she said earlier… The Breeding Bidders Auction House…
“What exactly are you auctioning off?”
“Young virgins,” she says confidently, as if this is not fucked up at all. “To the highest bidder. My time is very valuable, Mr…”
“Hensley.”
“Mr. Hensley. So, I need an answer. Your ranch is an ideal spot. The mountains provide camouflage for privacy, there is flat ground for a runway, and room to park a fleet of private jets. My team will arrive on the morning of the auction, which I’d like to hold in exactly three weeks. We’ll set up, hold the auction, and be gone by nightfall. The only trace that we were ever here will be a few tire tracks in your field. For that, I’ll pay you one million dollars.”
“And the women,” I say. “Are they there against their will?”
“No,” she says as she stares into my eyes. “All of the women are auctioned off to wealthy suitors voluntarily. They are paid handsomely and go on to live fairytale lives with their new husbands.”
I doubt that. But if they’re there voluntarily… I guess it’s not unethical.
“Okay,” I say as I walk back over. “For one million dollars, you can use my ranch.”
“Splendid,” she says as she snaps her fingers. “Collin, get the paperwork.”
One of her bodyguards gives me a dirty look and then hurries back into the plane to get the contract.
I’ll do the deal, but on the night of the auction, I’m going to make sure that everything is on the up and up. I’m not having any girls sold against their will on my land.
We sign the contract and she gives me a check for one million dollars. It’s dated for the day of the auction. I run my hand over all the beautiful zeroes as they walk back into their fancy jet and fly off.
I squint against the afternoon sun as I watch the plane disappear into the sky.
An auction for women? That’s pretty fucked up.
I wonder what would make a woman desperate enough to choose that…
Chapter Two
Daisy
My hand is shaking as I sign my name on the line.
I can’t believe it ended this way.
It’s hard to breathe.
I pictured all sorts of endings—a nine-figure buyout, a record-breaking IPO, a huge celebration at my retirement party—but this… This was not one of them
“Thank you, Miss Douglas,” the bank director says as he whisks away the crisp white papers and taps them on his large oak desk. “The Avaretech Corporation is officially dissolved.”
That’s a nice way of saying my life is over.
My career is finished and my friends and family all hate me. I don’t know what I’m going to do.