Bought (Scandalous Billionaires Book 1) Read online

  “Dude, that was for the auction! Jesus Christ, what are we going to tell the boss?” the other one said, his skin turning pale.

  “I am so sorry,” I said, getting up and brushing off my skirt. “I’m willing to pay you back for it.” It was my fault after all. I was sure my grandmother would agree I was doing the right thing.

  Eyebrow piercing dude scoffed and gave me a withering stare, “you got $1 million lying around?” he said sarcastically.

  My eyes bulged and my jaw dropped. “O-one million?” I repeated in disbelief. “That vase was worth one million dollars?!”

  “Quit talking with that broad, mate! Let’s focus! What are we going to do now?” the catcher cried.

  “How should I know?!” eyebrow piercing said.

  While both of them started yelling at each other, I collapsed back down on the floor, staring at the broken pieces of a one million-dollar vase. My shaking hand picked up one of the pieces, and I grimaced. Would it be okay if I pieced it all together?

  Stop being an idiot, Jamie I thought glumly.

  “Well, the broad’s still here. Maybe we can hold her for ransom or something? Make her family cough up the dough?” catcher asked.

  I shook my head adamantly. That was a terrible idea!

  “She doesn’t even look like she’s got enough money to take a cab home. What makes you think the rest of her family has money?!” eyebrow snapped back. He glared at me again and turned around, I heard him muttering to himself for a little bit when he stopped and slowly turned around, staring at me with a weird glint in his eye.

  I felt a shiver down my spine at that moment.

  “You,” he whispered, “We will use you,” he said, coming closer to me.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  I quickly looked at the elevator button and made a break for it, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him, his breath brushing against my face, making my skin crawl.

  He tightened his grip around my wrist, and I couldn’t help but yelp, and his mouth tilted into a sinister smile before letting out an evil laugh. “We don’t need to send any ransom note.”

  “We’ll sell her instead.”

  Chapter 6

  Hunter

  I pulled my pants up, and hissed in pain as the crotch of my slacks brushed up against my balls. That little crazy maid!!

  I just shook my head at the ridiculousness of it all. I called the hotel lobby to file a complaint, but they said my description didn’t match any of their staff.

  I fixed my suit, and then stared at myself in the mirror before combing my hair up with my fingers to spike the fringes up a bit. I had contemplated wearing a tie, but doing Windsor knots were never my forte. I decided to go without, and popped open the top button of my shirt, and left my suit jacket unbuttoned instead. I doubt these kinds of gatherings require full-on formal attire, and even then, I was confident in my choice.

  This was just another meeting for me. Lark had sent me a list of potential attendees yesterday, and I was surprised to see a few names with questionable reputations.

  I had a feeling this auction was not going to be typical. It’s probably going to sell a lot of rare items, and even more stuff bordering on illegal.

  I heard a light tapping coming from my door and frowned. I wasn’t expecting anybody, so I put my phone in my pocket and walked over to open the door, revealing a short, curvaceous blonde wearing the skimpiest outfit I’d ever seen. She immediately batted her eyelashes at me, and gave me what she probably thought was a seductive smile.

  “Hello, Sir Drake,” she said, her voice a little raspy. “As one of our most honored guest, I’ve been instructed to escort you to the venue.”

  I went out of the room and closed the door behind me, and she took it upon herself to wrap her arm around mine, pushing her breasts into the sides of my arms. I didn’t say a word and just went with it.

  We entered the elevator, and she let go of me for a second to press the 2nd floor. As the elevator doors closed, she turned around to look at me, biting her lip as she stared at me from head to toe. I leaned my back against the wall and stared back at her, still not saying a word. Once again, she took it as a sign to push further, placing her hands on my chest so she could lean forward and stare up into my eyes. The tops of her breasts were almost popping out of her dress, and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes away from them.

  “Maybe once the auction’s over, I could help you out with something else?” she suggested playfully, her index finger dipping into the open part of my shirt, touching the sliver of skin peeking through.

  The elevator doors opened, and I smirked at her, grabbing her at her upper arms. She gasped, and her eyes widened with excitement, probably thinking I was going to take her up on her offer and kiss her, but I just pushed her lightly away from me.

  “Thanks, but I’m not in the mood for some easy fish tonight,” I told her. I took my eyes away from her, and walked out of the elevator, dismissing her completely while she blubbered.

  What a waste. She was a really sultry-looking one, too. Too bad she was so desperate.

  I looked around at the ballroom that was converted for the auction tonight. There was a huge rectangular panel at the far side of one wall, and a podium and a table on top of it. A large screen hung overhead, and a long table at the adjacent wall where several telephones were lined up, and people sitting in front of them wearing uniformed suits and tux.

  “Hunter Drake! Is that you?” I turned around and narrowed my eyes as a stout man of average height walked toward me, followed by two hulking guys in black suits and sunglasses. I put on a neutral façade, and placed my hands behind my back as I waited for him to come closer. Upon further scrutiny, I realized the man was Gregory Westleton, a wealthy businessman who owned a chain of fast-food places called “Big Burgers”.

  “Westleton,” I said, calling him by his last name. I caught a look of irritation flash across his face for a moment. He was older than me, and deserved a degree of respect, but in the world he and I navigated, I was king.

  We were in talks long ago to partner up on Big Burgers. Unfortunately for them, I already had Lark working for me. She managed to find out Big Burgers had a lot of back-door dealings, and under-the-table cuts to keep their business going despite breaking several sanitation rules, as well as running their employers into the ground.

  Gregory Westleton was not the kind of man I wanted to do business with, and Big Burgers reputation was rocky at best, so I pulled back from our talks. I heard Westleton didn’t take it very well at all, so I assume this cordial behavior on his part is just an act.

  Without a hand to shake, he placed both of his hands on my arms and squeezed me a little, like how a father greeted his son but without the affection. He looked up at me with a forced smile.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you here!” he said loudly, his nasally voice grating in my ears. “Are you a collector of historical artifacts as well, or are you after something else?”

  “I’m a man of many interests, Westleton,” I said simply, unwilling to tell anyone the reason why I came.

  “Oh, that sounds awfully ominous, Mr. Drake,” he said, his voice lowering a decibel as he tried to gauge me with his narrowed eyes. “Are you sure you’re not after something illicit? I’ve heard such auctions are infamous for those kinds of things.”

  I raised my eyebrows at him, pretending to be shocked by his words. “I wasn’t aware such an auction catered to your kind! Let’s hope word doesn’t get out, wouldn’t want to tarnish your grand reputation.” I said.

  His eyes were wide, and his hold on me slackened, so I stepped away from him. I kept up the charade and tapped my finger on my lips as I furrowed my eyebrows.

  “It’s funny how you know so much about this, Westleton,” I said, going in for the kill. “Does this mean you’re after smuggled goods, too?”

  “Certainly not!” he exclaimed, blood rushing to his face. “I
was just extending my kindness to warn you! After all, we could’ve been business partners before.”

  “Then I am truly grateful for the warning. I’ll be sure to tell a friend of mine working in law enforcement to take care of this matter,” I told him. I nodded goodbye at him, and began mingling with the other guests, making small talk here and there until I was sure I had socialized enough. I looked around and saw Westleton seated a few tables by the front, boisterously laughing with one of the bidders seated beside him.

  I wasn’t in the mood to bond with the others during dinner, so I walked towards the ushers, and asked if they could transfer me somewhere private. They led me to one of the private seats in the balcony, and there was a phone placed right next to my seat connected to the operators below.

  If I did choose to bid on something, there was little chance of anyone knowing it was me up here.

  All the guests were settled, and the lights dimmed. Only spotlights lit the stage as the auctioneer went to the panel.

  “Let the bidding begin.” He said.

  Chapter 7

  Jamie

  No amount of Hail Mary’s were going to save me from this nightmare I got myself into, I just knew it.

  I was forced into a white nightie, bound, gagged, and blindfolded. I’m also sure I was touched inappropriately when they forced me into this getup, and it was enough to bring me to tears.

  Those two men decided they were going to sell me to the highest bidder. As a slave? Virgin sacrifice? I seriously didn’t know what was going on here, or what is about to happen, but those horror movies I’ve watched are real.

  After they blindfolded me and tied my wrists and ankles together, I felt a cloth drop over my whole body before one of them picked me up and placed me over his shoulder. It was so uncomfortable being lugged around like a rag doll, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I couldn’t scream or call for help, and they threatened me if I did anything to call for attention.

  “I seriously don’t know how you could pull this off, mate,” I heard one of them say.

  “Just pipe down and put her in there! It’s our slot next!” the other one said.

  I felt hands move over my body, and suddenly I was tipped over and laid on my side. I felt the fabric unwrap me, and they took my gag and blindfold off, leaving the ropes tied around my wrists and ankles intact. I stared up at the both of them in absolute terror.

  “P-please,” I begged. “Please let me go. I’ll do anything to pay for—,”

  “Too late, little bird,” the man crooned, tilting my chin with his finger, his eyes lighting up maniacally. It was obvious he was already imagining the money he was going to make, and I could already imagine my horrific fate.

  They backed away from me and slammed the door. It was only then I got a good look at where I was. They had locked me inside a huge bird cage with nothing but a red carpet inside. He took a huge cloth with a drawstring on top and swung it over the cage, leaving nothing but a small crack of light seeping through the bottom.

  I felt a chill down my spine as the floor began to shake, and I felt the floor rise up. I placed my hands on the floor to keep myself from falling, and a minute later, the ground stopped shaking. My heart was pounding against my chest, and my breath was coming out in short pants and wheezes.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight!” I heard someone say. “This is the last item up for grabs, and I guarantee you’ll want to spend every last cent in your account for this.”

  The cloth suddenly pulled off the cage, and I swiftly shielded my eyes with my hands to keep the spotlight from blinding me. I heard gasps and shocked intakes of breath all around. I cracked my eyes open a little, peeking up to look at the crowd seated at various tables. I swear I recognized a few famous people, but the longer I stared, the more their faces began to blur.

  My eyes soon adjusted to the light, and I noticed one or two people pointing, while a few covered their mouths and whispered to the person seated next to them. I was feeling more and more like a zoo animal by the second, and the harrowing lurch in the pits of my stomach intensified.

  Come on, Jamie! Calm down! Think, dammit, think! I thought, snapping myself back.

  “Behold, ladies and gents!” the man behind the panel said, waving his hands in front of the cage like he was a magician. He produced a long skeleton key from his pocket, and unlocked the cage, the door swinging open easily. He knelt down and took the other end of the rope that was tied around my wrist and yanked it hard, making me stumble forward.

  I caught myself just in time, and crept out of the cage with my head bent low. The man tugged at the rope again, and I took another step beside him. He leaned down and whispered in my ear.

  “What’s your name?”

  I said nothing and just glared at him. He merely looked at me with mild amusement.

  “Fine. Don’t tell me. I was just trying to be nice,” he said flippantly.

  “The nice thing to do would be to let me out of here,” I snarled through clenched teeth. He laughed heartily at my response and stepped forward.

  “It seems our prize has quite the gumption, my dear bidders!” he cried, eliciting a laugh from the audience. It only made me glare harder at them all. “I think any man would have a marvelous time breaking the spirit out of this mare.”

  He swept his hand into my hair and lifted a strand like a specimen to be examined. “Just look at this wonderful auburn mane! Fiery locks to match her fiery personality! Such smooth and fair skin, absolutely flawless! And a face even Aphrodite would weep for!”

  He grabbed my chin with his hand roughly, and I pulled away and spat in his face, hitting him right between the eyes. He shrieked and made a move to slap me, and I tilted my head up ready to take it. If he hurts me, then no one will bid, and I can get the hell out of here I thought.

  He blinked and lowered his shaking hand, breathing through his nose to keep his anger in check. He pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket, and wiped at my spit before fixing me with a glare.

  “Oh, I am going to enjoy making money off you,” he whispered dangerously. He turned to the audience and smiled. “The bidding starts at 100 thousand dollars! Who would like to start?!”

  Chapter 8

  Hunter

  My eyes must be going because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Either that, or I was going crazy thinking about this girl.

  It was her, the maid who had the gall to knee me in the balls.

  And apparently, she’s the last item of the night.

  She looked so different from the feisty hotel staff that fought me in my room. Any other woman in this situation wearing nothing but a flimsy nightgown surrounded by a pack of wolves would probably faint from fright, but she looked at them all squarely with fire burning in her eyes. She probably didn’t know her face was being magnified at the big screen on top of her either.

  “100 thousand!” someone cried from below.

  “150!” another yelled.

  “200 thousand!”

  The bids were rising faster than the auctioneer could keep up, and suddenly the scene looked more like a battlefield than a classy auction. I spied the hungry and salivating looks among the male bidders, and I couldn’t help but sneer.

  These bastards were showing their true colors now. I shook my head as the crowd grew wilder, and the bids were rising fast.

  I looked at the unfortunate woman again, and felt I should do something. I shook my head and sighed. What am I supposed to do? I felt sorry for her, and what did I get myself into with these sick bastards? I just came for a glimpse of my grandmother’s portrait, and now I’m in the middle of some wealthy sex trafficking ring?

  “400 thousand dollars! Do I hear 450 thousand?” the auctioneer is enjoying this, judging from that filthy smile on his face alone. I see Westleton raise his marker out, signaling his bid, and suddenly the fiery redhead is worth 450 thousand dollars.

  The o
ther bidders were sweating now while the rest were fuming in their seats. Another bidder called Westleton’s bid, and raised it to 475 thousand, but the fucking sleaze ball upped it to half-a-million. Westleton’s opponent merely raised his hands in the air in defeat.

  At this rate, that crazy redhead was going to end up as Westleton’s plaything, and the look on her face on the monitor told me she was feeling hopeless. As fear appeared in her eyes, I couldn’t stand the look on her face.

  I couldn’t just leave her alone.

  I picked up the telephone next to me, and waited for someone to pick up.

  “Hello, may I take your—,” I cut him off.

  “Tell them I’m bidding 1 million dollars for the girl, and whatever that loser offers, I can call it,” I said, my voice veiled with threats.

  I watched the happenings below like a master puppeteer at work waiting for the shit to go down. The operator that took my call placed a hand over the receiver and spoke to his mic.

  “We have a gentleman bidder entering the fray. His bid is 1-million dollars,” he said.

  “What?! But who—,” Westleton shrieked, about to pull the rest of his hair off. The operator interrupted him, making me smirk even more at the scene.

  “And the gentlemen said that whatever you’re offering, he can top it,” he finished.

  The crazy maid girl looked shocked and confused. The other bidders were just as stunned by the amount of money in the pot, and Westleton still couldn’t grasp what was happening.

  “Who?! Who is the bidder?” Westleton demanded. The operator bent his head and put the phone back in his ear.

  “They are requesting your identity, sir,” he stated.

  “Tell them to go to hell,” I said.

  “The bidder wishes to remain anonymous,” I heard the operator tell them.

  “But that’s preposterous!” Westleton exclaimed, “No one is going to pay 1 million dollars for this woman,” flinging his arms in the air. “You’re not going to accept the bid, are you?” he asked, protesting with the auctioneer.