Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“You,” I hear someone growl, and I know whose voice it is. Swaying to the music, I don’t look down to where I know he’s standing, instead pretending I don’t hear him or notice his presence. Which is very fucking hard to miss.
“Umm, Lena.” Julie is frozen and tapping me on the shoulder.
“Dance,” I tell her through gritted teeth.
“He’s the boss, Lena,” she tells me quietly. Of course he is. I offer another forced smile as I turn around.
“I told you already, you’re fired,” he grits out.
I put my hand to my ear. “Sorry, can’t hear you,” I say over the auctioneer’s voice as bids increase for the naked woman on stage.
With the music still going, other dancers in highlighted cages seem to notice the commotion, as their gazes turn in our direction. Some look curious, while others are sneering as if I’m receiving special treatment.
“Oh, you can’t hear me?” he says, lifting his phone and pressing a few buttons before the room falls silent. The music is cut off, and the girls are no longer dancing. The female auctioneer seems to stumble only momentarily but then continues.
“We’re currently at ten million. Do I hear eleven?”
Ten million for what? I want to look in the direction of the main stage but can’t tear my gaze from the piercing green eyes that are seriously pissed with me right now.
“Can you hear me now, sunshine?” he asks.
My teeth hurt as they grind at him calling me ‘sunshine’. So it’s not that he didn’t hear my Mr. Happy insult before. He just didn’t address it.
“I can,” I say, swallowing, and hating that he can probably hear that as well. Because this guy is intimidating.
“Get down,” he growls.
I lean down, purposely giving him a cleavage shot. “I need the money,” I tell him desperately.
“I’ll pay you double. Now, get the fuck down.” I look at the stairs that lead up to the cage. They seem slightly scarier than when I came up them. I also consider it’s easier just to jump. But I have these boots on, and I may hurt myself. The music starts again, and before I know what’s happening, Alek reaches for me and pulls me down.
I’m startled by his featherlight touch and want to cling to the bars, suddenly feeling like this man is a far worse danger than dancing in the cage. He holds me effortlessly, but I notice his uncomfortable expression, his jaw tight, his lips pressed into a straight line.
The moment my feet touch the floor, he immediately steps away from me, then turns and storms off. Without a word, I know I’m supposed to go with him, and I don’t defy him this time.
I follow him out, trying to ignore the few people staring, until we step out of the auction room and into the main hall, where it’s significantly quieter. I thought it was strange when we came to a mansion to dance. I thought it was a rich person’s party. But this shit is next-level wild. He stops, turns to me, and his jaw loosens just a little.
“How much?” he asks.
“Sorry, what?”
“How much are they paying you?”
“Two thousand,” I tell him just as the doors open and the redheaded woman walks out. Her eyes narrow as she looks at me before she looks at Alek.
“Tell me why you stopped my music. This is my auction,” she demands.
“She’s not supposed to be here, Anya,” he tells her, referring to me. Her gaze narrows on me.
“Why? Is she with the police?”
I snort a laugh. “Me?” Then I realize she’s deadly serious.
“No, she’s just a ray of fucking sunshine,” Alek mumbles under his breath.
“Who are you?” she asks, glancing between Alek and me as if there’s some burning secret she must uncover.
“Lena,” I tell her. “Lena Love.”
“Well, Lena Love, my brother here says you aren’t supposed to be here, and I would like to know why.”
“I just needed the extra money. My friends worked here, and I don’t know why I’m not allowed to. Maybe because I sing for an off-Broadway show?” Even I’m confused by that since my contract doesn’t say I can’t dance anywhere else.
“Who are your friends?” she asks.
“Julie and Cinita.”
Her eyes widen, and she looks back at Alek, who is staring at me. His jaw tics as his sister gapes at him, almost in disbelief.
“You can leave,” he says as he hands me four thousand dollars in cash from his pocket as if it’s loose change. I take it. The tension between these two could be cut with a knife, and I don’t know why he’s so fucking mad about me being here. We don’t even know each other. But I’m certainly not going to say no to four thousand dollars for less than an hours worth of work.
I think about Julie, but she says she’s done this before, so she’ll be okay, right?