Page 52 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Stalker

Nico leaned back in his chair and rubbed a tattooed hand over his handsome face. “That’s fucking awesome. And he’s not giving up. The only reason he agreed to this tour tonight is so he can see you.”

My eyes got wide, but I didn’t know what to say to that.

“And,” he said, narrowing his eyes and tapping the table with the fingers of one hand, “you want to do the auction.”

I frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Sweetheart,” he said, “are you kidding? A billionaire who has asked you out, got turned down by you, and asked specifically for you on our tour… that’s your auction winner right there. If,” he held up a finger, “you play your cards right.”

“What do you mean?”

“We both want something from Jack Lancaster. And you’re going to make sure we get it.”

If I’d thought I was nervous before, that was nothing to how I was feeling now. I just watched Nico, waiting for him to finish.

“Carmen said you’re nervous you’ll end up with someone you don’t know or that you don’t like in the auction. You know Jack, and, at least at one point, you liked him. You need him to bid on you in the auction. And I need him to join this club. You can make sure both of those things happen.” His eyes raked over me. “But you’re going to have to ditch being a good girl for tonight. Just like I know you’re planning on doing a couple of nights from now with that performance Enzo is looking forward to.”

My cheeks pinked up. Of course he and Enzo would talk. They were brothers after all. “What…what is it you want me to do?”

He grinned, and I wasn’t sure I liked how he wasstaring at me—as if I was a piece of meat and he was getting ready to dangle me in front of a tiger. “You’re going to make both things happen tonight.”

Now I thought he was just grasping at straws. This wasn’t the kind of club I could picture Jack Lancaster hanging out in. I couldn’t really picture him hanging out inanyclub. He just didn’t seem to enjoy talking to people that much. “I think you might be overestimating the effect you think I have on him…”

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, reaching across the table and grasping my hand, “I’m not.” He waved his hand and Nora, one of my roommates and a bartender for the Salazars, hurried over.

She winked and smiled at me, her long dark hair flowing back over her shoulder. “What can I get you, Mr. Salazar?”

“Get me a whiskey and make something for Daisy that will help calm her nerves.”

Nora gave me a look behind Nico’s head. “Sure thing.” She hurried off to go make it happen. I was just as shocked as she had looked. Drinking on the job was absolutely a fireable offense. Carmen had made that clear from day one.

“I don’t think I should…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle Carmen, and I need you nice and relaxed tonight.”

I swallowed hard. “What is it you want me to do?”

He locked eyes with me. “I’m realizing that Jack Lancaster has agreed to this tour for one reason only… because he’s found out you work here. So, we have one chance to make this work. I need him to think the only way he’s going to get to see you is if he joins the club. And you need him to want you so badly that he freaks out when he finds out you’re going to be the featured girl in the upcoming auction.”

“And how do we make that happen?”

He grinned at me. “I’m going to make him go on a tour showing him everything but Sugar first. I mean, he’s already seen Cayenne.”

“He has?”

He nodded as he brought his glass to his mouth. “Yeah. Couple of weeks ago. I’d given up on him coming back to tour the rest. But then he found out you work here.” He grinned at me. “Now I have another chance. As long as you do… enough to keep him interested.”

“Like what?” I sipped the drink Nora had delivered to our table. Damn, it was strong. I almost sneezed at how much the liquor burned in the back of my throat.

“I know you don’t work the VIP rooms.”

My eyes slowly came up to meet his. “That’s right,” I said cautiously.

“But would you be willing to work one room with one particular man in it tonight?” He tossed back his whiskey and motioned for another. “If so, I guarantee we’ll both get what we want. I’ll get a member who will bring my clubs even more positive exposure than they’ve already received. More positive exposure means more celebrities will join the wait list…” he rolled his hands, “you get the picture, I’m sure. And you,” he said with a gleam in his eyes, “will get the man you want to win you in the auction.”

“You’re saying you just want me to…”

“Give him whatever he wants. To a point. He needs to leave that room still on fire for you. Do I need to be more clear than that?”