Everything was a blur after that. Other strippers congratulated me and gushed about the man who had placed a bid on me, telling me he was a regular VIP but never attended any of the auctions before. I wanted to ask them for his name, but I was pushed into a walk-in wardrobe with an employee who was picking out a dress for me.
“W-why do I need a dress?” I asked. I thought that the man would want a date in the club with me in a robe or a VIP suite.
She looked at me as if I had asked a stupid question and chuckled. “Honey, that man bid three million dollars for you. That kind of bid has never happened before. You’re lucky.” She went through different dresses made of velvet, lace, silk. “He gave us specific instruction to dress you in white.”
White?I frowned, looking down at the white lingerie. Maybe he wanted me to match?
“This is perfect.” She pulled out a white a-line dress and told me to keep the lingerie on since he liked it. “Heels, too.”
The assistant had asked me to ditch the stockings. I followed her directions, donning the dress and swallowing at the sight of me in the mirror’s reflection. It was perfect. White satin draped over my body like second skin, cinching the waist and flowing down to my thighs. I turned to see the back and found it had a low cut. But the material felt expensive and made me feel pretty.
I felt like a princess.
My smile dropped. A princess wouldn’t sell her body in a strip club auction. I swallowed and tugged on the hem of the dress, wishing the night would end quickly, so I could receive my cut of the auction bid and get my life together.
“Oh, you’re ready? Perfect!” The employee came back and turned me around, putting a blindfold on my eyes.
“What’s this?” I asked, panic rising in my voice.
The fabric was soft, but I didn’t like not being able to see what was happening.
“He asked us to blindfold you. Don’t worry, honey, you’ll be safe.”
My throat was dry. I didn’t know if I could trust her words of being safe when I was blindfolded and pushed around and walked in some weird directions.
I gasped when the doors opened. My heels clacked as I walked on a concrete floor. I could feel the night air kissing my naked skin as goosebumps raised all over my body.
“Good luck and have fun!” The employee said, and I jumped when a firm hand wrapped around my arm, dragging me along their side.
I licked my lips, wanting to ask who it was, but I didn’t trust my voice. I heard a click of car doors unlocking. I held my breath, pretending the man wouldn’t notice me if I didn’t breathe, and kept myself small.
Of course, that didn’t happen.
The door was opened, and I was gently pushed into the car seat, warm leather and musk scent wafting in my throat. The door closed, and I heard footsteps receding before the stranger took his seat on the driver’s side. I fumbled with the seat belt and took a sharp inhale when he leaned closer. I felt his hot breath on my neck when he tugged the belt over my body.
I shuffled in my seat, wondering why his scent felt familiar.
The car started with a purr, and my anxiety came back as he started driving the car to god knows where.
If I got murdered tonight, then I would deserve the blame for getting in a car with a stranger with my blindfold on.
“W-who are you?” I finally managed to ask.
I heard him sigh and a deep, smoky voice filled the air. “I’m yours, Princess.”
9
CRAWL TO ME
CHELSEA
Hearing his voice made me more nervous. I didn’t think he’d be present at the auction and spend three million?—
Nausea rolled over me and I opened my mouth to tell him to get his money back, but he spoke.
“Keep quiet and look pretty for me, Princess.” His tone was soft, but I could sense something darker underneath it. “We will be there soon.”
“But I?—”
