Highest Bidder

I didn’t lose the girl—I bought her.

She turned me down at a masquerade party, then gave herself to someone else.
So when she put herself up for auction, I made sure I was the highest bidder.
I didn’t do it to protect her, I wanted to own her.
To punish her; remind her who she rejected.
I told myself it was a transaction. Nothing more.
But Vivian didn’t respond the way she was supposed to.
She obeyed. She submitted. She smiled like she wasn’t afraid of me—and I hated how much I liked that.
She was never supposed to matter.
Then she walked away.
Now I can’t stop thinking about her. The girl I tried to break is the one who broke me.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.