A round of excited applause sounded through the room and I joined in.
The madam performed some fluid, dance-like gestures that made her seem even more graceful as she signaled to someone at the side of the stage. “As usual, Mikey will be running the auction while I enjoy the show, just like the rest of you. I may even bid, find myself a scrumptious man for the night.”
Chuckles and giggles filled the room and I grinned. Madam Winters was likeable and sweet, a maternal figure who had you feeling safe. At the same time, it wasn’t difficult to see the power she held, and the large men stationed near the door—who never took their eyes off her and seemed like they were brawlers—spoke to that.
“But before I depart the stage, I’d like to personally introduce ya’ll to our first gentleman up for auction. He’s not in the brochures you were given when you entered because this was a last-second decision. As a mother, it’s mydutyto give my child what he needs, and this is no different.” She smiled widely around at the crowd.
I cocked my head, curious. I knew she only had one kid—Darcy, a young man who… wasn’t the most pleasant. He had more attitude than anyone I’d ever known. A brat, if I ever did meet one.
“Without further ado, my son, Darcy Winters. He is the first of our handsome men to be auctioned off tonight.”
A few people in the crowd gasped, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man near the back straighten. He looked like everyone else in the room, in an obviously expensive black suit and blue tie, but there was something else about him I couldn’t put my finger on. I knew him from somewhere, but I didn’t know how. He wasn’t bad-looking, though. With styled brown hair gone silver at the temples, he was tall and wide-shouldered. He had a short dark beard and was wearing a pair of black sunglasses. A golden retriever sat politely at his side, fitted with a red guide-dog harness.
I focused back to the stage and zeroed in on Darcy, who gracelessly stumbled out from behind a curtain, dressed in a sleek black suit and looking disgruntled and unhappy about the situation. His mouth twisted in irritation, and he walked stiffly across the stage, stopping to whisper something at his mother. She smiled and patted his cheek, replying quietly to him before she gestured his way for the crowd.
“Isn’t he handsome?”
There was another round of applause, and the man with the sunglasses took a step forward, his head tilted in interest. Darcy glared out at the people surrounding the stage, his jaw tight and nose scrunched. Other than the disgusted expression on his face, hewasa very fuckable man. Light blond hair gleamed in the lights, and he had a pale face with light pink lips. He ran a hand down his cheek. Somehow, in spite of his terrible attitude, he had a soft appearance, even when he was obviously annoyed at his mother and everyone in attendance.
“This will be a one-time-only auction, so reach deep into those pockets and give my Darcy what he deserves.” She waved her hands again and her dress glittered under the lights. “As most of you probably already know, my son does prefer males, so we’ll only be taking bids from the men.”
There were some groans of disappointment from a couple of the women, and I snorted. They were lucky, as far as I was concerned. I didn’t see Darcy Winters as someone who would be pleasant to spend a night with, especially when it came to sex, no matter how handsome he was. I liked a chase in the bedroom, but I had no doubt Darcy would be a whole new ball game.
“Let’s start the bidding at ten thousand dollars.”
I nearly swallowed my tongue. Coughing, I peered around at the other people, but none of them seemed upset by the price. A few men were even raising their numbered paddles.
I watched as the fight for Darcy went on and the man in the back didn’t move an inch. It wasn’t until the price had gotten to fifty grand that the bidding started slowing down, and that’s when Sunglasses got involved. He raised his paddle to make the bid fifty-five thousand, and a battle continued between him and another older guy near the front of the crowd, until finally—at ninety thousand dollars—it was over, and Sunglasses won.
There was a round of excited applause and whispers as an attendant in a suit rushed from the stage and to the back to get Sunglasses’ details. Darcy growled something quietly at his mother before he straightened and walked down the stairs toward the back of the room. People watched him, but he kept his gaze straight ahead until he reached the winner.
I returned my attention to the stage, more interested in my redheaded beauty, who was tenth in the lineup. Madam Winters passed over the microphone to a guy, Mikey, apparently, and the bidding continued. One by one, men and women came onstage, and none of them interested me. They went for a reasonable amount of money; although, not nearly as much as Darcy, who’d disappeared with the winner of his auction.
Mikey was a jubilant auctioneer, almost bouncing around the stage like a jester entertaining his lords and ladies. He had the look for it, too, with a bright pink suit and an even brighter ocean-blue shirt beneath it. The crowd loved him, cheering every time he announced a name.
Someone touched my shoulder, and I jumped slightly, turning to smile at Madam Winters again. She winked and sidled closer.
“I didn’t expect this kind of show,” I said to her, pointing to the stage at Mikey.
She shook her head. “He’s one of my boys. A whore. He has fun, and the guests love him.”
I laughed when he actually did a cartwheel across the stage. “I can see why. I thought this crowd would be too… upscale for this type of entertainment.”
“You’d be surprised what they enjoy.” She patted my arm. “Your boy is coming up next.”
“I know he’s not a real professional—they’re all ordinary people wanting a night to be used like a whore—but I have to ask. WhatisMark like?” I grinned at her, feeling feral. “Is he worth the chase?”
She touched her lips with her fingers and laughed. “Oh, Camden, if you truly want a chase, he’s exactly who you want. He’ll fight you every minute you’re with him.”
The predatory side of me loved the sound of that and my blood ran hot. My skin tingled with excitement because I’d always had a big thing for redheads, closely followed by blonds. I was going to destroy him in all the best ways, chase him and hold him down as I mounted him like a mating lion. I’d have him screaming.
“Good.”
She smiled knowingly. “Bid well, sugar.” She was gone in a waft of floral perfume and a flick of her dress, her heels clicking on the ballroom floor as she glided across the room. I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, at least not until Mikey announced the next man being auctioned.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and gentlepeople, we have a treat for you tonight. He’s beautiful, wild, and a ginger.Everywhere.” Mikey bounced on his toes, giving us a glimpse of fluorescent green socks. Was he colorblind? That would be the only explanation for the mismatched colors of his clothes. “If you can handle a spitfire, then this next boy is for you. Introducing, Mark!”
Cheers filled the room as the red curtains at the side of the stage opened and the man whose picture I’d seen in the brochure was shoved out of them. He shuffled across the stage to the podium, nervously looking at the crowd from the corners of his eyes. He wasn’t wearing much, probably for our benefit, only a pair of black shorts that might as well have been briefs, and a matching tank top. When he made it to Mikey, he crossed his arms over his stomach and glared out at the people surrounding him.
