Page 37 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Stalker

That’s how he was doing it. My hands shook as I let the curtains fall through my fingers, and I leaned back against the wall. I was panting. Was I in danger? Or was this just somecreep trying to scare me?

If he was spying on me here, then me living here and having a stalker definitely put everyone in the house in danger. Just as I’d feared. I bit my lip, worried. The meeting I had scheduled with Carmen regarding the auction flashed through my mind. I had no doubts now. I would ask Carmen to let me be the featured girl in the auction at the end of this month. That was just a couple of weeks away now. At least then this guy wouldn’t know where I was, at least for a little while. I’d be living in a condo in Salazar Heights. A condo with air-tight security, supposedly.

I thought about it and realized Carmen hadn’t posted the girls taking place in the auction yet for this month. That’s what I would do, then. When I met with Carmen in a couple of days, I would push hard to be in this month’s auction. I started to feel a little better.

I had a plan.

I took one more look out the window, relieved to see there was no one around, and then I went back to bed.

I knew it would be a long time before I fell asleep.

***

I looked back at the text chain between Jack and me from this morning and sighed. I’d be willing to be he got my number from Old Man Dinardo. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

Jack:Please give me a chance.

Daisy:I think we should just leave things alone.

Jack:I’m not okay with that. Go out with me tonight. I swear I wasn’t with that girl for any reason except to help Tallon out.

Daisy:I’ll think about it.

I was conflicted about my feelings for Jack Lancaster. On one hand, I wanted to believe what he’d said about being Tallon’s wingman. But on the other hand, the girl at Bahia Del Sol sure acted like there was something between her and Jack.

And I was suspicious. A guy is surrounded by models, socialites, and actresses, but he picked a deli delivery girl? I mean, that’s like something out of a fairy tale. Whywould he want me when faced with so many choices? Choices any guy would pick over me?

Nia and Jelly were pissed at me for doubting myself. Neither of them could think of a reason he wouldn’t want to date me. I thought they were being naïve. There weresomany reasons.

Plus, the insecurities that had come with feeling both inferior and stupid over the whole Myers incident hadn’t ever left me. I had gotten burned so badly in that entire ordeal, and I didn’t want to set myself up for the same thing.

“Girl. Go out with him. Just have some fun,” Nia said, lolling on my bed. She, Jelly, and I had gone for a run this morning. Nia and Jelly weren’t used to it, and they were struggling.

Jelly stumbled into my room, hair in a towel and bathrobe on. She flopped down beside Nia while I stretched and did some light yoga while talking to my friends. “Oh my God. You do that on a daily basis? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I laughed. “It makes me feel better. And if you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit curvier than you are. If I want to fit in my hostess uniform at Sugar, I have to work out regularly.”

“Ugh. I hated it.” Jelly rolled over. “But I heard what y’all were talking about, and I’m on Nia’s side. Yes, he showed up at Bahia Del Sol with a hot chick the night before you were set to go out with him. But you kind of knew that about him already, right? That he’s a player? Just do what he’s doing; use him for sex.”

“I know you’re right. I shouldn’t view it like he’s looking for a girlfriend; it’s just, I think that’s who I am. A girlfriend type, you know?”

Jelly got a twinkle in her eyes. “No shit. We know that, Daze. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with this guy. Have you even told Nia that you haven’t slept with anyone since Myers?”

Nia sat up and stared at me. She’d been asking me this for a while, and I’d put her off.

I looked at my two closest friends. “No, okay?”

Nia covered her mouth in shock. “Are you kidding me? Howcan you look like you do,” she gestured at me, “and avoid guys for that long?”

Jelly snorted. “She doesn’t avoid guys. She gets asked out all the time.”

Nia cleared her throat and paused dramatically, “I think she has a secret admirer.” She went on to chatter away about the flowers and note I’d received at the deli the other day.

Jelly and I shared a quick look over Nia’s head. Jelly knew I hadn’t told Nia or any of our roommates in Cinnamon House about the stalker. I hadn’t wanted to worry anyone. And honestly, after trying to tell the police that time and them shaming me for where I worked and treating me like it was my own fault, I’d been almost scared to tell anyone else.

I gave Jelly a slight shake of the head, letting her know I still didn’t want to clue Nia in on what was going on. She gave a nod, though I could tell she thought I should let Nia in on the secret.

“Anyway,” Nia wrapped up, “my whole point was that you should just treat this as what it is. This is a super hot, rich guy who can get whoever he wants deciding that what he wants for now, tonight, is you. I wouldn’t try to read too much into it. Did it seem like the two of you had a connection when he brought you home? Yes. But more than likely it’s all just about him wanting to fuck you.”