one
Kieran
Two years ago
"Am I late? Had to deal with my brother and Suri,” I say, sitting down at the table in the seat next to my best friend and right-hand man, Henry. He stares at me for a moment as if he’s trying to read what I’m not saying. I keep my face neutral, but he probably sees more than I want him to.
He always does.
Probably because we've been friends since we were young—he's basically a part of the family. His dad worked for my Da as one of our enforcers, and Henry, just like me, is a first-born son. That means we’re expected to be dutiful, following in our parents’ footsteps, whether welike it or not.
His gaze returns to the stage as he murmurs, "They're just about to start now.”
He doesn't ask me anything about Brendan or Suri. I open my mouth to ask him what he found out about Mikhail and his business, but before I can ask anything else, we’re interrupted.
"Welcome to Club Midnight. We have some very special ladies here for you tonight," an elderly man dressed in a tuxedo comes out and announces. He fans his hands, presenting the line of women that walk out onto the stage behind him, dressed in evening gowns
I watch each one. Assessing them. Midnight Club is known for its classy decor and they're crafted drinks, but for those who know better—auctioning off dates with women.
My sources tell me that women from elite families, who owe the Bratva a debt, nominate one of their daughters, hoping to get enough money to pay it off.A few of them who go to auction are just looking to make some extra money. These ladies aren't any different, but I'll use that to my advantage. I'm going to get laid tonight. I'll buy it, she'll go home.
No drama, everyone knows the score.
Besides, I already have enough drama with my brother and my fiancé, ever since my father decided he needed an alliance with her family, the Johnsons. Apparently, an alliance with them will be good for the family. Richard, the head of his family and the CEO of a record company, we will be connected when I marry Suri. And when I sayconnected, I mean it. All problems, and achievements will be shared, whether we like it or not.
I had to take the hit since I’m the eldest son. What my Da doesn’t realize, though, is Brendan, my younger brother, has been in love with her since they were kids. Leaving me to deal with his moody ass until he gets the balls to stand-up to my Da.
Unfortunately, alliances don't hold the same weight in the Mafia world when your the second born, leaving us in the wake of family drama. Yet, no matter how much I tell Brendan the marriage will be all for show, he doesn't seem to care. A storm is brewing, and I just hope he doesn't do something stupid.
"First up we have Victoria," the announcer says, breaking through my musings. I watch as he reaches for a woman’s hand, pulling her from the pack, and showing her off for every single one of these horny bastards in the room. When I glance at her, I know right away that it won't be her—she's not my taste.
I glance down the line of women, to see if any of them make my cock hard, but none of them even make it twitch until I seeher. A dark-haired angel comes into view, and my breath catches in my throat, while the whole room fades, leaving only the two of us.
I look her up and down, taking her in. She looks to be the perfect combination of innocence and vixen. I imagine bending her over, pushing her dress up, showing off every inch of her pale skin with one hand gripping her hips, the other tugging on her hair as I plow into her. The image makes my cock throb.
From where I'm sitting, it's hard to get a clear view, but I can tell that she's a small, petite woman, especially compared to me. Finally, the time comes when the spotlight lands on her and I'm able to get a closer look.
The sight of her is even better than the quick image. Her skin is so pale that it looks almost luminescent in the light, especially underneath her deep black hair. She's wearing a dress that is emerald green, looks like it's made from velvet, and all I can think about is what she would look like as I unzip it, exposing every bit ofher creamy skin.
A feeling I can't identify washes over me while the auctioneer begins. I don't take my eyes off of her, scared that if I even blink, she'll disappear. There is no way I'm going to let any bastard in this room take what belongs to me, even if it's only for one night.
"Let's start the bidding at 5,000 dollars," I hear the auctioneer announce.
Somewhere in the distance, the blonde he was prancing around a few moments ago comes on stage, but I don't pay attention to what the final amount ends up being. Time slows down, and it feels like forever as I watch him auction off each woman in the line, waiting patiently for my turn.
When the auctioneer finally reaches her, I sit up straighter in my seat, knowing this might turn into a bloodbath, because whowouldn'twant the angel on the stage. My jaw tightens when he places his hand out for her to take. When she does, it takes everything in me to push down a wave ofpossessiveness.
The urge to hop onto the stage and cut off the hand that's touching her becomes overwhelming, but I shake those thoughts from my head. There is no reason I should have these kinds of feelings for a woman who will only be warming my bed for the night.
"Now, we have this beautiful angel here." He twirls her around on the stage, and she gives a soft smile that some might see as demure, but I can tell she has some strength underneath it. I'm sure she was probably told to look submissive, but I like it when they're feisty in the bedroom. "Look at all that creamy skin you can mark. This one loves a little pain with her pleasure," he says with a wink.
When I hear that announcement, my cock hardens even more, almost to the point of pain. Fuck, I can't wait to see my red handprint on that gorgeous pale skin. "Let's start the bidding off at 10,000."
"15,000," I yell and feel victory when the auctioneer's eyes light up, but only for a moment.
"20,000," a man at the table next to us calls. My gaze swings over to where he is sitting, making sure that he can see the look of discontent in my eyes. He gulps, and I know that my next move will end all of this nonsense.
Standing up from my table, I announce a number I know will guarantee me a night with her. "100,000 dollars."
