The Auction: A Dark Romance (Club Indulgence Duet Book 1)

Blank pages stare back at me. I’ve played all the songs I’ve written in the past on the new piano and belted out the lyrics, trying to find some inspiration, yet nothing comes.

All I can think about are the moments I’ve spent with Riggs. I even went for a walk on the beach, trying to decipher why he acted like he did before he left.

It didn’t help. If anything, I’m more confused about his erratic behavior. What happened between us in the shower should have brought us closer. Now the wedge is between us again.

I’m trying to understand his motivation, but nothing makes sense. And as much as I want to let it go, I’m obsessed with trying to figure it out, which isn’t helping me write any new lyrics.

It’s almost six when I realize I never called my employers. I cringe and pick up the phone, calling the lounge first.

‘Lizard Lounge,’ Jarrod answers.

I squeeze my eyes shut, knowing I’m about to hear his wrath. I reply, ‘Hey, Jarrod. It’s Blakely.’

‘Where are you? You’re up in five minutes,’ he frets.

Guilt eats at me. Jarrod was the first lounge manager to give me a real shot. I hate doing this, but I have no choice in my current circumstances. I inform him, ‘I’m so sorry, Jarrod, but I had an emergency. I’m out of town and won’t be back for a while.’

‘What? You aren’t serious,’ he says.

I tap my fingers on my thighs, wincing. ‘I’m sorry, but I am.’

‘You couldn’t call sooner?’

‘I’m sorry, but no. I didn’t have a phone,’ I lie.

‘Since when?’ he snaps.

I decide there isn’t a way to stop him from being angry with me, and it’s best to end this call. I declare, ‘I really am sorry. I have to go. Thank you for all you’ve done for me.’

‘Wait! When are you—’

I hang up and stare out the window. The day begins to morph into the night, and the sky is a beautiful pink, glowing in the fading light. My heart continues racing.

Get it over with.

I force myself to call Cheeks and ask for Savannah.

‘Where did you go the other night? Are you okay?’ she answers.

I cringe again. She’s another person I’ve never wanted to let down. I should have called yesterday. I never thought about how she would worry. I assure her, ‘I’m fine. But I have to quit.’

Her voice turns into a mix of shock and a snarl. ‘Excuse me?’

‘I’m really sorry. I had an emergency and won’t be in town for a long time,’ I tell her.

‘What kind of emergency?’ she interrogates.

My chest tightens. I tap harder on my thigh, replying, ‘I can’t get into it. Thank you for our time together.’

‘Blakely, you can’t just—’

I hang up, knowing there’s nothing further I can say. Then I pace around the living area, struggling with guilt.

Riggs walks in, asking, ‘What’s going on, pet?’

Relief hits me that he’s here, taking me by surprise. I’m an independent person, so why do I keep feeling this when he returns?

He doesn’t give me time to process it, closing the space between us. The scent of woodsy spice laced with orange peels flares in my nostrils, calming me while stirring the deepest part of my core. He slides his palm on my cheek, arches his eyebrows, and questions, ‘Blakely?’

I admit, ‘I forgot to call my employers earlier. I just did.’

‘And?’

‘I feel horrible for not giving them more notice and letting them down.’

He claims, ‘They’ll be fine.’

‘But—’

He puts his fingers over my lips, asserting, ‘It’s over. They’ll figure it out. That’s life. Now, come with me.’ He takes my hand and leads me to the front door.

‘Where are we going?’

‘To the city.’

Nerves fill me. I blurt out, ‘I don’t want to go there. I’m safe here.’

He freezes and assesses me. Tension builds, and he cuts through it, questioning, ‘Do you think I would let anyone hurt you?’

I swallow hard, answering, ‘No.’

‘Do you believe I’d let anyone near you who I didn’t deem harmless to your well-being?’

I shake my head. ‘No.’

He picks up my hand and kisses it, declaring, ‘Then you have nothing to worry over. Let’s go, pet.’ He returns to guiding me out of the house and to the passenger side of his Porsche. He opens the door.

I get in, and he shuts the door, then goes around the car and slides next to me, turning on the car. He reaches toward the roof and presses a button. The wooden gates at the end of the driveway open, and he pulls out.

‘Why are we going to the city?’ I inquire.

His lips twitch. His voice lowers, creating a mysterious yet alluring tone, sending a shiver down my spine. He answers, ‘You’ll see.’

I bat my eyelids, slide my hand on his thigh, and lean closer, whining, ‘Aw, no clue?’

His jaw clenches. He removes my hand, puts it on my lap, and asserts, ‘Rule seven. And rule two goes into effect as of now. But I can’t keep giving you passes, pet. Since we’re driving, slide your hands behind the seat and lace your fingers together.’

I gape at him. ‘You have to be kidding. There’s barely any room between the door and seat.’

‘No, I’m not. And you’ll fit. Now, don’t make me repeat myself. And what did you forget when you addressed me?’ he demands.

My gut dives. It’s as if everything that happened this morning between us was all in my head. The only Riggs here is the one who needs to be in full control. I huff, then say, ‘Sir.’

‘That’s right. Now, get in position,’ he orders.

I tilt my head and glare at him. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. And what’s the point of making me do it?

He pulls the car to the side of the road and slams the gear into park. I gasp as he tugs my chin to face him. In an eerily calm voice, he asks, ‘Is this not for you, Blakely?’

‘Wh-what?’

‘The terms we agreed upon. Are you unable to fulfill your end of the deal?’

The hairs on my arms rise. Rule fourteen flashes in my mind, and I panic. ‘I never said that!’

He studies me until my eyes start to water and I’m blinking hard to stop it from spilling over. I don’t want him to toss me aside, nor am I prepared to leave him right now.

In a serious tone, he warns, ‘If you’re unable to stick to our contract, and you can’t demonstrate to the club that you’ve submitted to me, they’ll enact rule fourteen.’

The air in my lungs turns stale. A quiver erupts in my belly, growing more powerful every second. I blurt out, ‘What are you talking about?’

He doesn’t flinch. ‘All auctioned subs and buying Doms must demonstrate at the two-week mark their relationship. If you cannot submit to me, they will move you to an undisclosed location for the remainder of the contract period.’

Horror fills me. ‘That’s not in the contract I signed!’

‘It’s on the paperwork you signed with the club,’ he informs me.

I look away, trying to remember what was on it.

‘Did you read it?’ he questions.

I squeeze my eyes shut, stuttering, ‘It-it was chaotic. I-I had my father’s men chasing me.’

He replies, ‘It’s simple. Members sign that the club is in charge, and so did you. Rule fourteen is in all the contracts for the safety of the subs. It appears to be for the Doms, but it’s not. So if you cannot do what you’re supposed to, this ends between us. I’ll have no choice in the matter.’

I glare at him. My voice shakes as I ask, ‘So that’s it? I’ll be their prisoner for the rest of the year, and you’ll go on with your life like normal?’

‘No. You aren’t their prisoner. They’ll put you in an apartment in the city where I don’t know the location. You’ll be free to do what you want, but there will be no more communication between us.’

My mouth turns dry. No more talking, seeing, or touching Riggs. Do they really have that much control over the situation?

‘I won’t break their rules, pet. It’s a strictly enforced policy. Again, it’s protection for the subs.’

‘Why? What would happen that’s so bad?’

His face softens. He answers, ‘Anything can happen. They’re in danger if a sub isn’t with the right Dom.’

I lift my chin. ‘And do you think you’re the right Dom for me?’

Darkness erupts in his expression. He pins his eyes on me, declaring, ‘I know I’m the right one. But it’s up to you if you want to stay with me. So, in a couple of weeks, you’ll prove it, or that’ll be it. And once you’re gone, Blakely, there’s no coming back to me. That’s it.’

It’s a statement mixed with relief and cruelty. He thinks he’s right for me, yet he’s making it clear that we’re done once this arrangement ends. I stay silent, trying to process the finality of not seeing him again.

Now that Riggs is back in my life, I don’t want him to disappear again, even though I signed knowing this is only for a year. But the thought of having to separate in less than two weeks…

He swipes a tear from my cheek and reiterates, ‘This is your call, pet. If you want to stay with me, you must fall into your role.’

My reality hits me. I slowly sit back and slide my arms around the seat, lacing my fingers together.

His voice stays firm. ‘Good girl. Now bow your head.’

I take a breath and obey.

‘Who are you going to obey?’

The defiant part of me wants to tell him to go fuck himself. But the thought of being ripped away from him stops me. I reply, ‘You, Sir.’

He studies me. I can feel it. He finally puts the gear into drive, and the car moves forward.

It’s hard to stay silent with your hands laced behind the seat and your head bowed in a moving vehicle. Riggs shows me no mercy, veering lanes often and speeding whenever possible. The sound of horns erupts several times, and I fight the urge to break my position.

Time isn’t my friend, and it seems to go slowly. My limbs begin to hurt. Right when I feel like I can’t do this anymore, the car comes to a stop. ‘Punishment over. You may release your position,’ Riggs says.

I lift my head first, take a deep breath, and slowly move my arms to my lap. We’re at a stoplight, and I realize it’s an L.A. expressway exit. I glance at the clock.

Fifty-two minutes he kept me in that position.

Asshole.

‘We’ll be there in a few minutes,’ he announces.

I study the landscape, trying to figure out what part of the city we’re in, but I can’t. It’s dark, and the only thing I’m sure of is that this isn’t a neighborhood I want to be in alone.

Riggs races through town and then pulls into a parking garage. He places his palm on a screen and a set of concrete walls opens. He steers through them, and they shut behind us.

Whatever we’re in moves up. Darkness is everywhere, except for the glow of the dashboard. A nervous apprehension fills me.

‘Relax,’ Riggs demands.

I exhale, wondering how he knows I’m anxious.

The box comes to a halt. A new set of concrete doors open and four parking spots appear. Riggs selects one, reverses into the space, and turns off the car.

I reach for the door.

‘Stop,’ he orders.

I turn my head toward him and freeze.

He declares, ‘You don’t ever get out of the car unless I tell you to or I open your door. Understand?’

I try not to glare at him but must fail.

He shakes his head. ‘That right there is going to be your downfall.’

‘What would that be?’

‘Sir. ‘What would that be, Sir,” he reprimands.

I smirk. ‘Sorry. What would that be, Sir?’

His eyes turn to slits. ‘Maybe I should call you brat instead of pet.’

‘I’m not a brat,’ I claim.

‘You’re acting like one.’

‘No, I’m not.’

‘Did you not learn any lessons from your punishment?’ he threatens.

I take a deep breath and resist rolling my eyes. The punishment was doable, but I don’t care for another, so I answer, ‘I did, Sir.’

He waits another moment, then adds, ‘Chivalry isn’t dead, but I’m sure you think it is after the boys you dated. Don’t ever open that door by yourself again unless instructed.’ He gets out of the Porsche and comes to my side. He opens the door and reaches in for me.

I take his hand and step out.

He keeps me close to his side, leads me to the wall, and presses his hand on another screen. A metal door opens. We go into a small hallway. It has the same security protocol.

‘A bit paranoid?’ I mutter.

His body tenses.

I add, ‘Sir.’

He glares at me.

I feel small under his disapproval. I square my shoulders and lift my chin, trying not to appear intimidated.

He seethes, ‘Maybe if you had taken some precautions, you wouldn’t have been in the presence of your father’s men.’

I don’t speak, unable to deny his statement.

‘There will never come a time when I won’t take all measures to ensure your safety. Remember that,’ he scolds, then places his hand on the screen.

Another set of metal doors opens, and the L.A. skyline lights up against the darkness outside of the floor-to-ceiling windows. He grabs my hand, steering me into the room.

Black leather furniture fills the space. Candles flicker, creating a soft glow. Soft music plays at the perfect volume, not too loud and not too soft.

‘Where are we?’ I ask.

He arches his eyebrows.

‘Sir,’ I add.

The same expression I saw on him the previous night appears on his face. Goose bumps break out on my skin. He answers, ‘Apartment Thirteen.’

‘Which is…?’

He looks at me with disapproval again.

I quickly fix my error. ‘Sir. Which is what, Sir?’

He takes a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air and making his pecs look more powerful. He steps forward, closing the gap between us, and drags his knuckles up my waist, over my breast and neck. He traces my jaw.

Butterflies flood my stomach, fluttering so fast, I reach for his chest to steady myself and realize his heart’s beating faster.

He covers my hand with his palm, stares at my lips, then drags his gaze to mine. He answers, ‘Where you’ll stay until you prove your submission to me at the club.’

‘You’re leaving me here on my own?’ I fret.

He grunts, then twists a thick lock of my hair around his fist. ‘No. You’ll always be with your trainer, myself, or both of us.’

Blood pumps hard between my ears. My voice cracks as I ask, ‘My trainer?’

Something flares in his eyes, scaring me. It’s arrogant, challenging, and something darker than normal. The quivering reignites in my belly with full force, matching the racing of his heartbeat.

His firm voice declares, ‘I suggest you focus on the end goal. There’s no time to waste, Blakely. Starting tonight, commit to throwing yourself into this lifestyle, become the perfect little pet I know you’re capable of, and eliminate all the boundaries that keep you from submitting to me.’

‘Boundaries?’ I question.

He tugs my head back an inch, leaning closer to my mouth. His hot breath hits mine, and my mouth waters. He answers, ‘Your defiance. The self-limiting beliefs you have about what’s pleasurable and what’s painful. All the things you believe are taboo and even wrong. Let go of questioning things when I give you orders. Accept that your body and mind want to follow me blindly, so much it’s an inherent need deep inside your soul. And give in to the fact I own you. Nothing is yours without my approval, and that includes your orgasms, your reactions, and even certain thoughts.’

Panic fills me as his statement sets in. His wishes aren’t possible. There’s no way everything he wants can be achieved. I’m not a robot waiting for him to give me directions.

He softly chuckles, but it’s just another challenge. He adds, ‘You’re going to hate me, then love me, then hate me some more. When you get to the club, you’ll be so confused over your feelings about me, you won’t even know what’s about to happen. And it’ll be at that moment that you have to decide. Whatever you tell yourself you’ll do, you won’t be able to count on. That I can promise you.’

I don’t need a few weeks to pass. I’m already confused over his claims. And I’m starting to get more freaked out.

He releases my hair, steps back, and orders, ‘Take your shirt and shorts off.’

I hesitate.

He crosses his arms, and his face hardens.

I obey, and he takes them, then puts them on a table and steps back in front of me.

Satisfaction fills Riggs’s expression. He commands, ‘Flower. Come kneel.’

Flower?

Shock fills me as a woman close to my height, with the same-colored hair as mine and matching blueish-purple highlights, enters the room. She’s wearing the same gold thong, bra, and stilettos as me. Her body isn’t quite as curvy as mine, and it’s hard not to compare us.

She kneels at Riggs’s feet, her spine perfectly straight, her butt on her calves, and her head bowed. She folds her hands on her lap and waits.

He crouches and lifts her chin, studying her.

My stomach churns. I told Riggs no others. I meant it. I’m not okay with this. I will not share him.

‘Say hello and introduce yourself to Blakely,’ Riggs states.

She turns her head and smiles, but not before I see the look she gives Riggs. She respects him. She responds to him. She might even love him. Most of all, she trusts him. Completely. I see it.

Her soft voice is friendly, but I already hate her. She offers, ‘Hi, Blakely. I’m Aria.’

I glare at her, fighting the angry earthquake ready to break inside my body.

‘What do you say in return, pet?’ Riggs questions.

I turn my rage to him, my emotions spinning out of control. Violent tremors fill me, along with more anger and jealousy than I’ve ever felt. They have a relationship. It’s sexual and intimate, and I’m sure she knows how to please him way more than I do. It makes every insecurity I have about my lack of knowing what Riggs needs come to life.

‘Don’t be shy,’ Riggs orders.

I keep my eyes pinned on his and snarl, ‘You’re right. I hate you.’

A sinister smile curves his lips, mocking me. He steps forward and caresses my cheek, taunting, ‘Welcome to Apartment Thirteen.’