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“Temporarily,” Ryder says.

Wyatt ignores him. “Who wants him?”

Silence.

I bite the inside of my cheek.

Ryder slowly looks around the room.

Wyatt laughs. “Wow.”

More laughter.

Wyatt tries again. “Come on. He’s rich now.”

“Fuck you, Wyatt.”

Nobody raises a paddle. Not because the women in this room don’t find Ryder attractive. Judging by the way half of them are looking at him, they do. But this is Devil’s Peak. People remember.

They remember the Hale boy who drank too much and rode his motorcycle too fast.

The one whose younger brother died.

The one who left town afterward and barely came back.

Nobody wants to explain to their father or husband why they spent thousands of dollars on Ryder Hale.

“Five hundred?” Wyatt tries.

Nothing.

Ryder folds his arms. “This is doing wonders for my self-esteem.”

Beside me, Lila starts laughing.

“Don’t,” I whisper.

“What?” I see her reach for my auction paddle.

“Lila.”

She grabs it.

“Don’t you dare.”

Her hand shoots into the air. “Ten thousand dollars!”

The room goes silent.

My soul leaves my body.

Ryder’s head turns.

His eyes find the paddle.

Then me.

Slowly, he smiles. “Lila.”