Page 39 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Stalker

“You think so?” Nia laid back on the bed as if thinking about Ivan.

“What? Do you like him?” I was suddenly very interested.

“He’s kind of cute in an overgrown, muscley, tattoo-ish kind of way,” she said thoughtfully. “But there’s no waymy parents would approve.”

Her parents were all up in her dating business. I knew it drove Nia crazy.

“Are you off today?” I asked Nia.

“Yes,” she said, rolling over and looking at her phone. “In fact, I’ve got to get out of here. My mom has me doing some errands with her later.” She grabbed me in a hug, kissed my cheek, and said, “It’s all going to work out, Daze. I just know it.” Then she waved at Jelly and bounded out of my room and down the stairs.

“She’s right you know. It will all work out.” Jelly said. Then she groaned. “Ugh. I have to work at the hospital today. I hate when I have to work there in the morning and then at Sugar in the evening.”

“Why?”

She huffed out a sigh. “It’s a long story.”

I was confused. “Doesn’t that happen most days?”

“Yes, but the same doctors aren’t always on call…” she cut herself off before she said more than she wanted to. “I don’t have time to tell you right now. I have to go get ready and you do, too.”

I nodded, watching her leave.

We all had such complicated back stories. But, I guessed that was why we were living in a mansion owned by the richest family in West Bay where we could live rent free as long as we agreed to be cinnamon girls and have a sugar daddy for a while.

When I’d left for college with stars in my eyes and dreams in my heart, this was definitely not what I thought I’d be doing with my life.

***

I held Jack’s order close to my body while I looked straight ahead as the lights flashed on each of the floors as the elevator went to the top of the building. The order was much larger today than it usually was. Jack’s grandma, Cynthia, as well as Tallon often ordered along with him, but there were several orders today. I’d brought along a little buggy Old Man Dinardohad for medium-sized deliveries. It wasn’t as big as a catering order, but it was more than one person could reasonably handle, so… I had the buggy. I was just glad Ivan had taken WD-40 to the wheels when he saw—or heard—me leaving the deli earlier.

I thought about what Jelly and Nia had talked about. They weren’t wrong, and I knew it. I did miss sex. A lot. And being around Jack Lancaster had brought that part of me roaring back to life. I sighed. I had no doubt Jack knew his way around a woman’s body. But the way I’d trusted Myers and then found out how deceptive he’d been, how often he’d betrayed me… it had changed me.

And I wasn’t sure I’d ever get the old me back again. The person who’d been much freer and less inhibited when it came to sex. Less scared of just how much another person could hurt you.

But maybe this was my first step. I could go out with Jack Lancaster a few times, have a good time, and then move on.

I could do it.

And if he dated me a few more times and then I saw him splashed across social media with a young, hot model, then I’d smile and move on.

Right? Could I do that? My smile froze a little. I wasn’t sure that I could. But I was going to take the risk.

It would be fun. I’d talked myself into enjoying it, with the help of Jelly and Nia. I’d deliver this order and see if he renewed his interest in taking me out again.

The elevator doors slid open soundlessly, and I started across the lobby floor towards the executive suite.

“Lunch is here,” I called out to Cynthia, Jack’s grandma.

“Oh, good,” she stopped what she was doing to talk to me.

I had only been delivering their lunches for a couple of weeks, but I already loved her. She was great—so kind, funny, and smart. I didn’t get to talk to her long, but she’d already made me feel so welcome. I couldn’t believe any of the delivery people who’d come before me had ever complainedabout this gig.

I was about to sit down and chat with her for a moment, when a group of people came out from the offices and into the hallway. I recognized Tallon, of course, but none of the others. There were two handsome men, who I thought were probably Jack’s older brothers. They each had hazel eyes and similar hair color to him. They were laughing and talking with Tallon and a beautiful Asian woman.

“Daisy, these are Jack’s brothers, Ben and Jonah, and Jonah’s wife Kim.”

They all greeted me and went back to talking.