Chapter 3
Scarletta
"Iam so fucked. I am cosmically, catastrophically, thoroughly fucked. I am fucked in ways that require new vocabulary. I am fucked in dimensions scientists haven't discovered yet. I am?—"
Ding.
The laptop notification cuts through my rant with the precision of a scalpel.
Silence rushes in. Loud silence. The kind that makes you aware of your own breathing, your heartbeat, the way the radiator has stopped hissing just to listen to you make a fool of yourself.
I stare at the glowing laptop screen, covered in blankets inside my fort.
Probably spam. Probably someone asking if I take commissions. Or—worse—another reader wanting to know when I'll update "Claimed" because I've left them hanging for three weeks while my obsession over See Me, Spank Me, Cure Me played out.
I fish it out, and stare at the screen.
The notification banner shows a username I don't recognize: AuctionAdmin_DarkDesires
Ok.
I click it open.
SUBJECT: Exclusive Invitation - 75th Annual Triple X-Mas Auction
Dear ScarletSins,
Based on your exceptional content and engagement on DarkDesires, you've been selected for an exclusive opportunity.
Would you wrap yourself up as the perfect gift for a generous benefactor this holiday season?
The Triple X-Mas Auction connects willing participants with verified high-net-worth individuals seeking companionship for Christmas Eve, December 24th, through Christmas Day, December 25th.
Selection Process: Right Now
Christmas Eve Bidding: December 24th, 10:00 AM
Service Expectation: Starts immediately after auction, ends December 25th, 12:00 PM
Payment Disbursement: December 25th, 12:00 PM
Compensation:
Minimum guaranteed payout: $20,000
Performance bonuses available
All transactions confidential and legally binding.
Make this Christmas unforgettable—for yourself AND for someone who values exactly what you offer.
Interested? Click below to review terms and begin the selection process.
[CONFIRM INTEREST]
I read it twice. Three times. Twenty thousand times. Once for each dollar. Minimum.
My hands are shaking.
