Buying Angel (A Night To Remember Auction)

Prologue

GAbrIELLA-ROSE

Five Years Ago

I WALKED INTO THE club on my own. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my friend had told me to give it a try. She was meant to be meeting me here at around eight-thirty, but it was nearly nine in the evening and there was still no sign of her. I sent her a quick message to say I was going inside and not to worry about me. I was anxious as I walked in and saw all the beautiful women standing around in their lingerie.

At the suggestion of the bartender, I took a seat toward the back of the bar area. I had always been good at watching people and gauging their personalities. As I looked around the bar, I was starting to wonder whether I had made the worst decision of my life by coming in here alone. Most of the men in here were bald, fat, and middle-aged. Not that I had anything against a guy like that, but they really didn’t do anything for me.

I was just about to leave, when I saw a shadow come over the table in front of me. I looked up and saw a man standing in front of me. He had an amazing body, striking looks, and the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes I had ever seen.

“Hi there. I haven’t seen you here before. Is this your first time at the club?”

His voice was strong, but caring. I could have melted just hearing it. He smiled at me, waiting for my reply.

“Hi. Yes, it’s my first time. I was supposed to meet a girlfriend here, but she seems to have stood me up. Do you come here a lot?”

“Yes. My brother and I are here quite often. Do you mind if I sit down? I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

I nodded, and he sat down next to me.

“I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Hudson. Not to sound too corny, but you are the most gorgeous woman I have seen here this evening. What can I call you?”

I knew that most women in here used a different name. My friend had told me that. However, I was suddenly striken dumb about what name I should use. I sat there for a moment, struggling to come up with a name. Hudson must have sensed my inner turmoil and placed his hand on mine.

“Let me help you. I suggest Angel, because you certainly look like one.” He lifted my hand and pressed his lips onto my knuckles. “I’m guessing not only is this your first time here, but your first time in a club like this. What brought you here? Not that I’m complaining.”

I could feel myself start to blush, and Hudson squeezed my hand.

“I guess it’s that obvious, is it? I hate to say that Fifty Shades brought me here, but if I said it didn’t, I would be lying. I guess you’ve seen a lot of women like me, come here wanting to find their own Christian Grey. I’ve looked into it in more detail than just the books, though. I’ve researched the Dom/sub scene, and something about it fascinates me. I hoped that there might be someone here that was willing to be patient with a woman like me. However, I was starting to wonder if it was a bad idea.”

I found myself opening up to this man sitting next to me. Something about him told me that he wouldn’t hurt or even ridicule me. Add to that the fact that he was drop dead gorgeous, and my worry was starting to turn into expectation.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m a patient Dom who’s looking for someone to train as my sub, then. Shall I get us another drink, and we can go somewhere and talk about it more?”

“I’d like that. Just a soda for me, please. I think I should lay off the alcohol for this evening.”

“Wise choice. I just need to find my brother and let him know not to wait for me, if he’s leaving at any point. I shouldn’t be too long.”

He leaned in and pressed a kiss on my cheek before getting up and heading out toward the bar. I watched as he headed out of the bar area and out of sight. I sat there studying the bar again, and saw a man standing over in the corner, looking in my direction. I looked away, not wanting to catch his eyes. Then I looked around again and found him standing next to me. I had to admit he was also handsome to look at, and seemed very amiable when he spoke to me.

“Hi there. I’m Vincent. I don’t usually just walk up to women in here, but I didn’t want you to get yourself into trouble. I’m guessing you are quite new to this and have never been here before. I just wanted to warn you about your friend. He isn’t all he seems to be. I’m not trying to interfere, but I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

I was quite shocked hearing him say this. Hudson had seemed like the perfect gentleman when he spoke to me. I was sure he wouldn’t hurt me. Then again, it was my first time here, and I was new to all this. I could be misjudging him as a person.

“I know you don’t have to believe me. Hudson seems like a very nice gentleman. However, I can take you to many women in here who will tell you he is very much into sadism and can be quite heavy handed.”

I watched as a woman walked past our table, and Vincent stopped her for a moment.

“Sapphire, sorry to stop you, but could you give this young lady here the lowdown on Mr. Bryce-Stanton?”

I saw something flash across her eyes. I couldn’t quite understand what the emotion was. The interaction between the two of them was strange and I couldn’t place my finger on what was wrong. After a few seconds, though, she smiled at Vincent and then turned to me.

“If this is your first time here, and you are looking for the Fifty Shades experience, then I suggest you steer clear of him. He is definitely Christian Grey in his punishment role. Only not as a punishment. That is him 24/7. He gives the appearance of a kind and caring Dom, but after you are hooked, he can turn into the devil incarnate. If I were you, I would steer clear of him.”

Before I could thank her for her insight and explain my lack of judgment, she gave Vincent a look and then instantly walked away from us. Vincent smiled and spoke.

“Well, just thought I would warn you about him, but I will let you make your own decision. Have a lovely evening. I hope to see you again soon.”

He turned to leave me sitting there alone. I sat there for a few seconds before I made my decision.

“Excuse me, Vincent?”

He stopped and turned back toward me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Angel, and as you have already guessed, this is my first time here, or in any club. I am interested in experiencing a Dom/sub situation. Is that something you could do? If you are happy to have a complete novice, that is?”

He smiled, and his face seemed to soften. He held out his hand, and I placed mine in it. He helped me up from my seat.

“I would love to, Angel.”

With that, he led me away from the bar, and away from any danger that Hudson may have brought with him.

HUDSON

I WALKED OUT OF the bar area to go and find my brother, Trent. I knew exactly where he would be, and what he would be doing. I wasn’t too keen to interrupt his session, but I knew if I didn’t, then he would come looking for me. As I walked down the corridor to his favorite room, I knocked on the door.

“What do you want? Can’t you see this room is occupied?”

I could tell this was going to be a little awkward, but I needed to explain.

“Trent, it’s Hudson.”

“Come in.”

As I opened the door, I wished that we had continued the conversation through the closed door. Seeing my brother sitting in a chair, with a sub kneeling in front of him giving him head, wasn’t really a sight I had wanted to witness. I needed to get this conversation over and done with quickly.

“I just wanted to let you know not to worry about me this evening. If you can’t find me in the bar, then just head off home. I’ve met someone, and we are going to one of the rooms.”

He looked quite shocked when I explained. Honestly, I never tended to play here in the club. I had my own room at the guesthouse on Trent’s estate. Well, we both used it. I preferred my own surroundings to a club room. At least I knew what I was using was safe. He gave me a quick nod of acknowledgment before swearing under his breath. I took that as my cue to leave. Seeing my brother orgasm was too much to take.

I stepped out of the room and headed back toward the bar area and looked off to where Angel had been sitting. To my surprise, she wasn’t there. I suspected that she had just popped to the ladies room to powder her nose, and I ordered our drinks from the bar, then headed over to sit and wait for Angel to return.

As I sat there, I thought about the gorgeous redhead that I had just met. Many guys would find the color of her hair intimidating, the fiery redhead thoughts always putting them off. I saw it as a challenge, though. Taming the beast and making them submit to me.

Angel didn’t give off the normal vibes of a fiery woman. In fact, quite the opposite. She seemed very timid, with the perfect personality of a sub. I could have been wrong in my assumption, but I was going to find out.

After a few minutes, I started to get worried. I saw one of the subs I knew making her way back from the direction of the bathrooms, and stopped her as she walked past the table.

“Sapphire, I don’t suppose you saw the young lady that was sitting here in the bathroom, did you?”

I saw a worried look come over her face as I spoke. She looked over in the direction of the far end of the bar. I followed her eyes and noticed the group of men standing there. Mikhail Orlov’s men. He was a senior member of the Russian Bratva, a man you didn’t mess with, or any of his crew. A feeling of dread came over me. If one of them had taken Angel, then she was going to be in for a rough night. Especially for her first time. Sapphire lowered her eyes as she spoke to me.

“I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Forbes-Stuart was talking to her when I walked past. He asked me to explain what you were like as a Dom. I knew what he wanted me to do, and knowing his associates were over there and what they would do to me if I didn’t lie, I explained him to a tee. Except, I was meant to be describing you. I’m so sorry, sir.”

I could see the tears forming in her eyes. Even with the anger that I felt, I couldn’t blame her for what she had done. When they were around, the subs in the club would protect themselves at all costs, even to the detriment of another sub. There was no love lost when it came to the Russians. She quickly walked away, not wanting to cause a scene, and I sat there.

I wanted to go find Angel. To tell her that she had walked into the lion’s den instead of saving herself. The problem was, I knew that Vincent had close connections to Mikhail and his men. If I went to try to convince Angel of the truth, then I would only be opening up myself to what the Bratva was best at: pain and anguish. I sat there and downed my whiskey, resigned to the fact that there was nothing I could do. I just had to hope that Vincent would show his true colors soon, and then I would be able to pick up the pieces and put Angel back together again.

I could already tell that she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The one that would not only be my sub, but the mother to my children. I just hoped that this wouldn’t be the last time that I ever saw her.