Chapter 17
Leah
Six Months Later
It’s a lazy, Saturday afternoon in October. I’m finished with tutoring for the day. A book is open in front of me, and Dmitri just got back from a car show that he attended with Seth Colton. Seth has turned into a good friend. Gage has mostly forgiven him for trying to seduce me all those months ago.
The penthouse smells like the cookies Gage and I baked this morning. Now a plate of them sits next to me, and I absently nibble on one while reading.
The place looks different—it’s a reflection of the three of us. More color, more light. Gage isn’t afraid to open the curtains every once in a while. And we each have our own room to retreat to if we need solitude.
We’ve grown stronger, the three of us. We’ve learned to navigate our individual quirks, how not to annoy each other—or at least, how to apologize when we do—and how to talk out our problems. No more running away. No more ignoring. Taking space is fine, but we know, each time, we’re coming right back.
Gage walks past in a pair of athletic shorts, towel around his bare shoulders, his torso glistening after a post-workout shower.
Cookie against my lips, I stare after him for a long moment. Maybe I should help him pick out what to wear to work…
“Is that what you’re wearing out tonight, baby girl?”
I look up from watching Gage’s ass disappear down the hall, to see Dmitri on the other end of the couch, smirking at me over his phone.
I brush the cookie crumbs from my shirt. “Out? Where are we going? Don’t you and Gage have work?”
He shakes his head. “There’s an auction. And you’re going onstage.”
“What?” I stare at him in disbelief. “You guys never said anything. What is this?”
“I guess you can wear what you have on.” He looks me up and down. “Since you’ll be naked once you’re up there, anyway.”
“Dmitri, don’t be ridiculous?—”
“Better listen to Daddy Dmitri.” Gage’s voice comes from the other room. “Don’t talk back or give any sass. You don’t want to stand up on stage with our handprints on your backside, do you?”
I can feel my cheeks turn pink with embarrassment at the very thought.
Satisfaction softens Dmitri’s gray eyes, and he smiles. “So? Do you want to put something else on?”
“I—I guess?” I set down my book and, regretfully, my cookie, then haul ass to the bedroom.
Late afternoon sunlight streams across the bed. Gage is putting on a suit. How is he so hot? Clothed, naked, doesn’t matter. He and Dmitri can both get me drooling.
Dmitri follows me in and goes to his dresser, pulling out black pants and a black shirt—his Low Vice uniform, essentially.
“Is the auction happening early tonight, or something?” I look pointedly at the parted curtains that allow in sunlight. “It’s not even five yet, is it?”
Gage nods. “It’s an early start. Betty wanted to try something new.”
“Cool.” Weird, but cool.
I hurry to the bathroom to do some last-minute personal grooming. If I’m going to be onstage in front of a bunch of bidders, I want to look my best. After a quick shave, I find a matching black bra and panty set, and a little black dress. I’ll be naked or mostly naked, but I want to look nice when I arrive, too.
The guys eye me once I’m ready, appreciation on their faces.
“You look good, little girl.” Gage swoops in to plant a kiss on my lips. “Good enough to marry someday.”
I shove at his shoulder, laughing. I’m no longer scared off by his talk of marriage. By this point, we’ve all three talked about it, what it would look like, how things would change. And it turns out, things wouldn’t change, not really. So we all know it’s the next step for us, but the guys haven’t proposed.
Maybe I should move things along. I could always propose to them . And I would do it in the brattiest way possible. Maybe a scavenger hunt with frustrating clues. Or the rings I want to propose with are hidden in an impossible-to-remove bra.
With my head filled with ideas on how I could orchestrate a proposal to Dmitri and Gage, I barely notice the drive to Low Vice.
There’s no bouncer stationed at the rear entrance. Dmitri takes out a key to let us in, then follows us inside and locks the door.
“Where is everyone?” I ask.
“Just ahead, see?” Dmitri points to several chairs arranged in front of the stage. Only a handful of them are occupied.
“Up you go.” Gage smacks my ass and points me in the direction of the stage.
I don’t move. “Um, I’m supposed to go into the back. Betty will help me get ready.” She’ll give me a little chain to go around my belly, and the winner will get a matching collar to put around my neck.
“Not today.” Dmitri grins down at me. “You can leave your dress on, just get up there.”
A soft, churning anxiety ripples through my stomach. What is even happening? I’m taken back to that first night I participated in the auction, when I only vaguely knew what to expect. I didn’t know who would bid on me, or what I would be asked to do. I’d been filled with nervous excitement, and yes, some lust. Being vulnerable onstage, and watched by dozens of people, had been embarrassing and thrilling all at once.
After giving a questioning look to both my men, who give me no response, I walk to the front of the stage.
Betty sees me coming and helps me up. “Hey, Leah. Excited about tonight’s auction?”
“It seems a little…different.” I look out over the people assembled. I recognize quite a few of them. Seth Colton, for one. Then—is that Ella with her guys, Sebastian and Kingston? Olivia’s here too, with her guys, and Samantha with hers. What are they all doing at the auction? I thought they were exclusive. Maybe they’re just here to soak in the vibes.
And…is that Claudia? I frown, confused. What the hell is going on?
Either way, I know Dmitri and Gage will bid on me, and they’ll win. I guess I’ll figure the rest out later.
Betty picks up her mic. “Welcome to a special edition of our auction night! Same rules as always—this is a quiet process. Questions, requests, and whatnot can be texted to the number on the back of your bid card. If I judge the request acceptable, I’ll pass it along. Are we ready?”
The audience gives a small smattering of applause. I squint into the crowd. Is there anyone I don’t know in those chairs? Pale blond hair catches my eye. Is that Danica ? But when I blink, she’s gone.
Betty turns to me and winks before returning her attention to the audience. “Tonight, our first victim—I mean, prize —is Miss L. She just turned twenty-four. She’s had seven sexual partners, all of them men. However, she’s open to all genders bidding. You can see her preferences and hard limits on the info sheet provided. Let’s start the bidding at ten thousand.”
I’m always shocked by the amount of money people throw around at these events. Gage told me that patrons have to pay a thousand just to get into the auction. Then they’re bidding on top of that? It’s insane.
Dmitri is among the first to raise his bid card. I grin at him. Several others raise bid cards as well. This has got to be some kind of joke, because even Olivia is bidding. They must all be in on it.
Whatever they’re up to, it helps that I’m wearing clothes. I don’t know why they didn’t make me take off my dress, but this is a lot less nerve-wracking, so I appreciate it.
“Oh, we have a request.” Betty gives me a cheeky smile. “Remove your panties, please.”
Goddammit. I scan the audience and see Gage tucking his phone back into his pocket. His face is expressionless, but behind his glasses, his eyes are shining with wicked glee.
I take off my underwear as gracefully as possible, even though I still have on my dress. I pass the underwear to Betty, and she tosses the lacy fabric to Gage. He catches it and folds it into his jacket pocket. Pervert.
The bidding continues—ten-one, ten-five, up to eleven. I’m standing under hot spotlights. A draft of air floats up my skirt to cool my naked ass and pussy. I’m ready for this to be over so Dmitri and Gage can take me into another room and fuck me senseless. That’s the routine, right?
Wrong.
“Fifteen thousand,” Betty says. “Do I hear fifteen thousand?”
Everyone drops their bid cards except for Dmitri and Gage.
“It looks like we have a tie!” Betty’s voice is bright with happiness.
A tie? Auctions don’t have ties—someone always wins because people drop out.
I already knew something is up, but this clinches it.
Betty sweeps her hand in my direction. “Miss L has been won by Gage J and Dmitri M for fifteen thousand dollars! Gage and Dmitri, if the jewelry is ready, you’re welcome to get onstage and claim your prize.”
I stare outward, confused. That’s not how this works. They’re supposed to meet me in another room. They’ll put the collar around my neck, and then we’ll fuck. That’s the routine. Why are they breaking the routine?
They climb onstage. Dmitri reaches into his pocket and takes out a sparkling diamond ring. Then Gage does the same.
I stare in disbelief. Rings? Is this…?
They each take a knee in front of me.
A sob of happiness lodges in my throat. I can’t breathe in the best way. I’m already nodding like a bobblehead as Gage says, “Now that we’ve talked, now that you know we believe in and want forever with you…will you have us, Leah?”
Dmitri continues, a hopeful smile on his handsome face. “Leah, will you marry us?”
“Yes,” I say, my voice catching. “Yes!”
They stand and fit the rings onto my finger. I fall into their arms while the audience cheers beyond the stage. Now I know why our friends are here.
Happy tears fill my eyes. This is nothing like Gage’s first, impulsive proposal—it’s so much more. Both of them are here, and we’re doing this in the place where everything began—the auction.
The guys take turns kissing me. Betty turns on music. Someone brings in food. We talk and drink.
Dmitri and Gage are pulled away by some of our friends. When they step aside, I see someone who causes me to shriek in happiness. “Danica!”
She throws her arms around me, and we squeeze each other.
“I thought I saw you in the audience.” I laugh and squeeze her again.
“Dmitri thought it would throw you off if you saw me, so I tried to hide.” She pulls back to grin at me. Her pale gray eyes are shining with excitement. “I hope you don’t think I was ignoring you the past couple of weeks. I was so afraid I was going to spill the beans.”
“I was a little worried, but now I know why you were scarce!” I’d figured she was busy with her own drama. Things haven’t been easy for her the past few months. “Can we catch up tomorrow, maybe over coffee?”
“Absolutely. And Leah.” She squeezes me again. “I’m so fucking happy you’re going to be my sister!”
Too soon, she has to go.
In her absence, Seth Colton offers me a hug. “Gage and Dmitri are lucky bastards. But they know it, and I’m happy for all three of you.”
“Thanks, Seth.” I look into his hazel eyes and see something there. Not sadness, exactly. Loneliness? “Hey, you’re going to find someone, too.”
He looks pointedly at me. “All the good girls are taken.”
“I—” I blink hard. He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying.
With a sad smile, he gives me a gentle push toward Dmitri and Gage. “Don’t worry, Leah. I’m figuring things out and I’ll keep my distance until I do. Okay?”
“Okay.” I trust him—he’s telling the truth. If he actually has feelings for me, he’s going to do whatever it takes to get over them. He’s a good guy, and he deserves love, just like the rest of us do. “Take care, Seth.”
“You too.” He looks like there’s something else he wants to say, but he swallows it down, gives me a mock salute, and walks through the crowd and out the back door.
The “Uhs” converge on me next—Olivia, Samantha, and Ella. They’re bursting with energy, eager to talk details and dresses and how swoon-worthy and perfect this proposal was. Every now and then, my gaze floats over to my guys—my fiancés —and I smile to myself. We’re getting married! They really do want me forever, and I want them forever, too.
After a while, I move toward Gage and Dmitri, examining my new rings as I go. The bands are interlocking, with a setting of tiny swirling leaves and rose petals surrounding the diamonds. There’s even a tiny butterfly.
Dmitri wraps his arm possessively around my waist. Gage joins us on my other side.
“Do you like the rings?” Dmitri asks.
“We debated waiting to pick them out with you.” Gage touches my cheek. “But then we saw this set, and we thought it would be perfect. We can always take them back, find something new?—”
“The rings are perfect, and I love them.” I look back and forth, from one beloved man to the other. “But not as much as I love the two of you.”
More kissing. Our friends cheer.
Desire. Lust. Love. Bliss.
The three of us have it all.
* * *
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