Valentine’s Billionaire Auction

Chapter 48

48

ROMAN

I couldn’t believe I was doing this to myself once again. I adjusted the bow tie threatening to choke me out. The Valentine’s event had been moved to a Christmas event in the hopes of maximizing people’s generous spirit. And to catch them before they blew all their money on gifts.

Not like that was likely to happen. The people that were scheduled to attend the event had money to burn. It didn’t matter if they spent a ton at Christmas. They would have plenty left to do whatever they wanted—including buying a date with me and the other eligible bachelors.

“You look very handsome,” Marilyn said when I stepped into the foyer.

“Tonight they required black tie,” I complained.

“Well, it looks nice on you.” She stepped forward and straightened the bow tie once again. “You’ll be the one they all want.”

“Until they get me alone,” I said.

“Stop it. Any woman would be thrilled to get the chance to sit down with you.”

I scoffed. “I don’t know about that. I tend to turn them away once I start talking about the one that got away.”

“Then don’t talk about her tonight,” she said gently. “This is a chance for you to meet someone new. I think it’s time. You’ve come a long way. You’re ready.”

I knew that was what everyone thought, but that was not the way I felt. I was still hung up on Kaira. I wasn’t sure I would ever forget about her. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.

“I should go,” I said. “Anthony is waiting.”

And he was. He opened the car door for me. I slid in, trying not to dwell too much on how much I hated stuff like this. It was just a few hours and the money was for a good cause. I could suck it up for kids with cancer.

The ballroom was a hive of activity when I walked in. It was filled with the glittering elite of Los Angeles. The same characters that were always at these things milled about with champagne flutes in hand. They were decked out in their finest gowns and jewelry. I saw many familiar faces. And they saw me. I felt the eyes on me as I moved through the crowd.

Staff in sleek black uniforms darted between tables, balancing champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres. I found a quiet corner at the bar, watching the interaction from a safe distance. A woman laughed too loudly at a joke beside me, her pitchy voice setting my nerves on edge. I ordered a scotch and turned slightly, trying to block out the noise. I took a sip of my drink and scanned the room once more, steeling myself to join the fray.

I mingled. Shook hands. Accepted congrats on my new business venture and said all the right things. It was like the same playbook with the same bits of conversation recited over and over again.

It wasn’t long before a young woman dressed in all black came to retrieve me. I felt a tug in my gut, remembering last year it was Kaira who had been sent to find me.

“This way, Mr. Kelly,” she said.

I followed her through the crowd to the same holding area as last year. It was bringing back a lot of memories—good and bad. I took my spot backstage, glad to be out of the ballroom with all the eyes on me. The break wouldn’t last long but I would enjoy it while I could.

From my vantage point backstage, I watched the chaos with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Had it really been a year since the last charity auction? It felt like a lifetime and yesterday all at once.

The buzz of conversation in the crowd was a dull roar. My name was already circulating in whispers, the anticipation palpable. I noticed the same two guys from last year were going up on the auction block.

“Gentlemen,” I said, shaking their hands. “Good to see you back in the hot seat.”

“Let’s hope we survive another round.”

The other billionaire grinned. “At least we didn’t pretend to marry our bidder.”

I smiled back, feeling a flicker of nostalgia. “If Kaira had bid on you, believe me, you might have tried.”

Her name wasn’t a secret—not after the media circus earlier this year—but it still had the power to make my chest tighten.

The first billionaire was introduced, his dating history poked fun at as the bidding war began. Numbers soared higher than last year, the energy in the room contagious. Maybe the organizers were onto something when they changed it to before Christmas. He was “sold” for an impressive figure. Then it was the second billionaire’s turn. Once again, I was being saved for last, like the grand finale. No pressure or anything.

I watched the bidding, impressed to see him actually go for higher than the first.

Then it was my turn.

The emcee gestured for me to stand. I adjusted my jacket and rose to my feet. The applause was deafening, and I swept my gaze over the crowd, my expression carefully neutral. Faces blurred together, a sea of designer gowns and tailored suits.

My wealth, my business, and my looks were all listed as the many reasons people should bid on me. It was a little cringey, but it was part of the deal. I flashed my most charming smile and struck a few poses. Then the bidding started.

The numbers climbed rapidly, echoing around the high-ceilinged room. Each bid seemed to thrust me further into a spotlight I wasn’t sure I wanted but couldn’t escape. Fifty thousand… seventy-five… soon it was close to a hundred grand.

I stood there watching and happened to notice something. The crowd shifted.

A ripple passed through the room, heads turning in the same direction. The people in the back moved aside, creating a clear path down the center aisle. My pulse quickened as a figure stepped into the light.

It was her.

Kaira .

She wore a sparkling gown that shimmered with every step. Long gloves covered her arms and her red lips curved into a confident smile. Her dark hair was swept to the side, exposing the graceful curve of her neck, her collarbone, the perfect silhouette of someone who had walked straight out of my dreams.

Our eyes met, and my breath caught. She didn’t look away, didn’t falter. Instead, she smiled, bold and sure.

“One hundred and ten thousand,” she said, her voice clear and strong, cutting through the murmurs.

The room went silent.

The number hung in the air, the same bid she’d made last year. The irony wasn’t lost on me—or anyone else, judging by the collective intake of breath. Then the whispers began.

“Is that her?” someone murmured.

“I think that’s her,” another replied.

“His ex-fiancée,” a woman nearby said.

“Fake fiancée,” someone corrected, quieter.

“No, no, she’s that romance writer now.”

The auctioneer, to his credit, kept his composure. “Do I hear one-fifteen?”

No one dared to counter her bid. The room was transfixed, as if we were the only two people in it. The auctioneer’s gavel came down with a sharp crack.

“Sold to the woman in the front row!”

Applause erupted, but I barely heard it. My gaze was locked on Kaira as I stepped down from the stage. People parted to let me through, the buzz of speculation surrounding us like static electricity. I barely heard them. Hell, I barely saw anyone else.

When I reached her, she looked up at me, her smile widening. “Before you ask, no, I didn’t just spend more of your money.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Good, because I was about to call my accountant.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “This time, I think we’re worth the investment.”

The words hit me hard—in the best way. She’d come back. After everything, she was here, standing in front of me, daring me to make a choice.

My grin turned into something softer, something real. “And what if I’m not willing to let this investment walk away again?”

The crowd, the noise, the past year—it all faded into the background. All that mattered was the look in her eyes, the hope and determination that mirrored my own.

“You’re not going anywhere,” I said, my voice low and steady. I closed the distance between us, cupping her face in my hands. Her gloves were cool against my skin, her lips warm and soft as I kissed her.

The room erupted in cheers, but I barely noticed. I was hung up on the way she melted into me like she’d been waiting for this moment as long as I had.

When we finally broke apart, she was smiling, her cheeks flushed. “So, what now?” she asked, her voice teasing but tinged with something deeper.

I took her hand, lacing my fingers through hers. “Now we leave,” I said, glancing around at the gawking crowd. “I’ve got more important things to focus on than entertaining a room full of strangers.”

She laughed, and it was the sweetest sound I’d heard in a year. Together, we walked out of the ballroom, leaving behind the noise, the past, and every doubt that had kept us apart.

This time, I wasn’t letting her go.

“We’re not sneaking out the back,” she said.

“You said you were good for the money,” I reminded her with a laugh.

“I am. Mostly.”

“Did you rob a bank?”

She laughed. “Nope, but I just sold my book and got a signing bonus for my next one. Let’s hope it doesn’t flop.”

“As if it would,” I said.

We walked into a corridor meant for employees only.

I turned to face her. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I wasn’t sure I was going to come, but I wanted to see you. See how you were doing.”

“Better now that you’re here.”

Her eyes searched mine, seeking sincerity, perhaps a hint of the cold, ruthless asshole I used to be. “I’m here for more than just that. I need to tell you something important.”

My heart dropped. “What is it?”

“I’ve missed you.”

Relief washed over me.

I laughed, the tension of uncertainty melting away into something warm and comforting. “I’ve missed you, too. More than you could possibly know.”

Kaira squeezed my hand, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Then it’s really not just me?” Her voice was a whisper, vulnerable and filled with hope.

“Not just you,” I confirmed, tightening my grip on her hand. “It’s been a long year. Too many mornings wondering what could have been if things had gone differently.”

She nodded slowly. “We’ve both changed, I think. Grown up a bit, maybe learned a few things about what we want. And what we can’t live without.”

I nodded. “I think you’re right. And maybe this time around, we can do better by each other.”

Her eyes sparkled again, that mischievous glint returning. “So, where are we going on our date? I believe I have you for the next few hours.”

“Baby, you have me for a lot longer than that,” I said. “I was going to take the lucky woman that bought me out to dinner, but I’m not interested in a seven-course meal. I’m only interested in dessert.”

“Thank God,” she said with a laugh. “Me too. Please tell me Anthony is around here somewhere waiting to take you home.”

“He is.”

“Lead the way, Mr. Kelly.”