Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55093 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
I’d spent way too much time looking at the photo from the newspaper. Had gone so far as to hunt down the original article. I’d already got one photographer fired, but he was just an asshole. This guy didn’t write this drivel, he just happened to be in the perfect place to take what I have to admit is a very telling picture. No one seeing it could have any doubt as to what was going on there.
I’m not exactly thrilled that the rest of the world had a front row seat to my personal inner feelings, but then again only I knew what I was thinking just then.
17
Jason
The lights in the rest of the room were dimmed as the stage’s came up. I was relaxed back in my seat with the glass of cognac that had been brought over as soon as I sat down. I had no real interest in the drink, or the people around me, some of whom were giving me furtive looks and whispering behind their hands.
I’d already fielded more than a few interested looks from members of the opposite sex, but my only interest was in seeing whatever it was this Simone person wanted me to. How had she penned it? Oh yes, ‘it will be well worth your while’.
If she wasn’t who she is, I would’ve already been at Emily’s place by now. I missed her so fucking much. And strangely that longing only grew more now that I was back home, just a few miles away. I strummed my fingers against the tabletop as I waited for the show to begin, only now wondering what this whole thing could possibly have to do with Emily.
When the first young lady came out on the stage and that familiar ebony beauty took to the microphone, I was still in the dark. It was only when the auction started that I got an inking of what laid ahead. I tensed in my seat and was no longer in my lounging disinterested position.
I sat up, my eyes trained on the stage all the while telling myself no fucking way. She was the third one on the stage. The red designer dress that hugged her curves and showed way too much leg with the slit that went almost to her crotch, and the cleavage that was on display, had the men in the room in a fucking frenzy.
I don’t recall what the first two went for, but I was sure she’d already bypassed their buying price by a mile. My future wife was on a fucking stage being sold like…. I’ll have to deal with that Freudian slip later, right now my only interest was in getting her the fuck out of there.
“Ten thousand going once, twice…” Wait, what? I was almost out of my seat my eyes searching out the asshole who’d just bid ten grand on my woman. I’ll break his fucking neck. “Twenty thousand.” A hush fell over the room and all eyes turned in my direction. That’s when I realized I was on my feet.
Unlike the other participants I didn’t let my prey retreat behind the curtain, but made my way to the stage, my eyes fixed on hers. There was surprise written all over her face which was soon replaced by fear when she got a good look at my face. The room had erupted in wild applause and not a few suggestions as to what I should do with my purchase. Cameras flashed as I reached her and took her hand in mine, all but pulling her off the stage.
I acknowledged Simone with a nod of my head and from her pleased grin knew she’d gotten exactly what she’d been after. That fact was confirmed when she reached beneath the podium and retrieved Emily’s evening bag. Well played. I’ll deal with her later too, right now I had to get this one home and give her a few lessons in how Jason Storm’s woman was supposed to comport herself in public.
She followed me easily enough until we got off the stage and then as if coming to her senses tried tugging away from my hold. “If you don’t want me to embarrass you you’ll stop.” I didn’t stop moving as I offered that warning, but kept going until we were out the door. Another fucking headline I’m sure.
I shooed the driver away and put her in the car myself before going around to the other side. She was busy trying to close the gap in her slit. “Now you want to cover up?” She wasn’t looking so confident now and as mad as I was at her for putting herself on display I needed to kiss her more. I dragged her across the seat and into my arms. My mouth came down to cover hers before whatever words she might’ve uttered could form on her lips.