Valentine’s Billionaire Auction

Chapter 2

2

ROMAN

T he woman stood there, hands clasped tightly in front of her, knuckles white. Her cheeks were a vibrant shade of red, and her wide brown eyes practically screamed terror . She was short, curvy as hell, and clearly intimidated to address me.

“Come with me,” she blurted out, the words tumbling out so quickly they barely made sense.

“Why?” I asked, tilting my head slightly.

“Auction,” she said, her voice barely audible.

Right. The fucking auction.

Her desperate eyes held a silent plea for cooperation. Something about her vulnerability, her clear discomfort, piqued my curiosity. She looked like a terrified rabbit staring at a grizzly bear. Poor thing.

“You don’t think I can get there on my own?”

“I was told to show you the way,” she said, her voice a little more certain.

My jaw tightened as I straightened. I felt like throttling my PR manager for pushing me into this. For nearly two decades, my family’s hotel had hosted this fundraiser, and for nearly two decades, I had managed to avoid getting involved. Normally, the third auction slot was reserved for some fossilized old billionaire whose name alone brought in outrageous bids. But six weeks ago, he’d gone out in true tabloid style—an overdose on his yacht, surrounded by coke and escorts. That left an inconvenient little opening for me .

Billionaires willing to be auctioned off were apparently in short supply.

I exhaled sharply, shoving my irritation down. None of this was her fault. “Lead the way then,” I said, finally relenting.

Her shoulders sagged slightly in relief as she turned, expecting me to follow. She threaded through the throngs of glittering guests with more grace than her nervous demeanor let on.

The crowd wasn’t so inclined to weave around her.

She moved quickly but apologetically, muttering “sorry” and “excuse me” every time she brushed past someone. People barely glanced at her. A man bumped into her shoulder hard enough that she stumbled a step, and when someone stepped backward onto her foot, she actually toppled sideways.

Before she could hit the floor, I caught her, one hand steadying her elbow and the other at her waist. “You okay?” I asked.

She looked up at me, stunned, and nodded. Around us, the partygoers turned to see what had happened. A few gave me polite smiles that faltered when they glanced at her. I knew the rules my station in life dictated. The help was never to be seen or heard.

I ignored them and turned my attention back to her. “Are you okay?” I asked again.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice rang out. One of the more overdecorated guests waved a near-empty wineglass in the air. Her many diamonds caught the light, which I had a feeling was intentional. “Could you get me a refill?”

The woman in black, my escort, faltered. “Oh, I’m not—uh, I don’t?—”

“Relax, Vera,” I said smoothly to the guest, cutting her off. “I’m sure someone will be along with wine soon enough.” I turned to the woman I had just steadied. “Lead the way, miss?”

She was looking up at me like I was her knight in shining armor. I was definitely not that. I was no one’s knight.

Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “It’s Kaira,” she said finally, her voice small.

“Kaira,” I repeated, then gestured for her to continue. “Shall we?”

This time, I moved in front of her, acting like a linebacker protecting his quarterback. The crowd parted easily for me, guests stepping aside without hesitation. Behind me, I could hear her murmuring a quiet “thank you” or “sorry” as she slipped through. She only stepped around me again when we reached the backstage hall, where the other two “bachelors” were already waiting.

They greeted me with terse nods, neither bothering to look at Kaira. I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason, it really pissed me off that she was so easily dismissed. Was I like that? Was I an asshole that ignored people who weren’t in their social circles?

“All right,” she began nervously, glancing at a note card she’d pulled from her pocket. She gnawed at her bottom lip, acting like she had been thrown into the lion’s den and was afraid we were going to attack her. “You’ll be called to the stage shortly. I’ll give you your cues. Once you’re bid on, you’ll join your winning bidder in the crowd and spend the evening with them.” She shifted awkwardly as she read the card, clearly uncomfortable. “You’ll leave at ten for your planned date, which ends at two in the morning. Transportation is included.”

The other two men chuckled, trading amused glances.

I leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms. “The sooner this is over, the better.”

Kaira pressed on, explaining the logistics of the dates. The two men talked over her as if she didn’t exist, swapping stories about previous fundraisers and speculating on who might bid on them. She was still trying to explain what was expected of them, but they were ignoring her like she was an annoying fly.

I watched her retreat into herself. Her shoulders hunched slightly. She turned away from them and peeked out through the door into the ballroom. I followed her gaze, though my eyes didn’t linger long on the stage or the gathering crowd. Instead, they wandered back to her.

She was curvy in a way that was impossible to ignore, even beneath the utilitarian black uniform. Her posture was stiff, but it didn’t hide the fullness of her hips. I wondered what she would look like in something elegant, something that matched the sparkle of the ballroom beyond the door.

“When are we getting this show on the road?” I asked irritably.

Kaira glanced back. She looked nervous, like she would give anything not to be stuck with the three of us. “They should start calling you out in about ten minutes,” she answered. “I think. I don’t know. I just got told to gather all of you back here.”

“Was someone worried we weren’t going to follow through?” I shook my head.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I was told to wrangle you.”

“I’m not sure I’ve ever been wrangled before. Were you going to use one of those electric cattle prods?”

“A what?” She gasped, looking horrified.

I sighed and shook my head. “Never mind.”

“I’m only using the word I was told. I would never shock anyone.”

“Consider me wrangled.”

She sighed, like she was relieved. “Then I guess I did my job.”

“Unless I make a break for it.”

I saw the fear in her eyes. “Please don’t.”

I smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m sure I would be wrangled back here. Potentially with the prod.”

She frowned like she couldn’t decide if I was joking or not.

I sighed and pulled out my phone again to scroll through the news. I wasn’t necessarily reading anything but just wanted something to do. The other two were carrying on about their yachts and when they had last been in Saint Tropez. I hated the snobbery. I had grown up in the world and was very familiar with the typical behavior of people who believed their financial status elevated their humanity. I hated it more because I knew there was a time when I would have joined right in, not thinking twice about it.

Kaira nervously glanced past me toward the two boasting men. “I should make sure they know the schedule,” she murmured, more to herself than to me, but made no move to interrupt their conversation. “I don’t think they heard me while I was explaining.”

“Let them talk,” I said low enough so only she could hear. “They seem to enjoy hearing their own voices.”

She gave a small, appreciative chuckle and her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Not you?”

“I prefer silence.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m sure they’ll be calling you soon.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“Sorry, what?”

“That. Stop apologizing. What are you apologizing for?”

Kaira blinked, unsure how to respond. “I… I guess it’s just habit. When you’re used to making sure everything goes smoothly, you tend to apologize for anything that might not be perfect.”

I nodded, understanding the predicament of someone who constantly felt the need to prevent any ripples. “Your job doesn’t seem easy.”

Her lips twitched into a wry smile. “I’m just the setup team. I was supposed to be out of here already. I got caught gawking at all the fanfare and got roped into handling you all.”

“Is this a punishment?” I was genuinely curious.

“Um, no. I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“But you don’t know for sure?”

I was making her uncomfortable, which actually made me want to laugh. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but in front of me. I was used to people trying to get into my orbit, not away. It was a refreshing change.

“I should check and see when they need you,” she murmured and hurried away.

I glanced out at the party, enjoying the anonymity of the wall and darkness that shielded me from the crowd. My eyes took in all the Valentine’s decor in the ballroom. The walls were draped in deep red curtains, adorned with gold and silver heart-shaped garlands. The floor was scattered with rose petals. Tables were covered in red velvet tablecloths with flickering candles and arrangements of red and pink roses. The air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers and strong, expensive perfume and cologne.

I hated all of it.

The auctioneer’s voice boomed through the microphone, pulling my attention back. Kaira came rushing back. “It’s time,” she said, her voice a little steadier now. She nodded toward the first billionaire, who grinned as he straightened his tie.

“Do I look like a million bucks?” he asked her.

She hesitated before offering him a small nod. “Yes, sir.”

He winked. “If only I was twenty years younger, sweetheart.”

I almost laughed when I saw her disgust written across her face. He didn’t seem to notice or care about her reaction. Men like him rarely did. He walked out onto the stage. The second followed shortly after, adjusting his cufflinks as he went. The cockiness level in the two of them was admirable. Neither were exactly catches. The only thing going for them was their money.

Not that I was any better, but it amused me they thought they were irresistible to women.

Finally, she turned to me. “You’re next,” she said softly.

For a second, I just looked at her. Her lips curved into a small, nervous smile, and something in me softened—just a fraction.

Without a word, I brushed past her and strode onto the stage, ready to get the whole farce over with. But as I stepped into the spotlight, I couldn’t quite shake the image of Kaira’s wide, nervous eyes and that shy, fleeting smile. I glanced back and saw her watching the whole stupid charade.

The applause pulled my attention back to the stage and the crowd. I waved before taking my seat next to the other two. I hated this. I would prefer to just write a check than suffer through this humiliation ritual.