Highest Bidder – By Aria R. Blue
HIGHEST BIDDER
BY ARIA R. BLUE
LILY
I'm not a risk taker. I don't like doing things out of my comfort zone. I don't deviate from my schedule.
But tonight, I'm about to make a wild decision with my best friend.
"I can't believe I'm even considering this," I say.
"It's really not a big deal," Gigi says, tossing her long red hair behind her shoulder. "I do it every night."
"That's different," I say. "You're the bold and outgoing one. My idea of fun on a Saturday night is curling up in bed with cookies, mint tea, and a good book."
"It's good for you to try new things every once in a while," Gigi says. "That's how you grow as a person."
"Somehow I doubt that working at a sex club is going to help me grow as a person," I say. And then I look at Gigi. "No offense."
"None taken," she says. "And Elysium is so much more than a sex club. It's a land of endless possibilities. It's the one place where you can be completely yourself, and nobody will judge you for it."
"I highly doubt I'm going to feel the same way about it."
"You'll know what I mean when you see it for yourself," Gigi says. "And besides, you don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."
Gigi has been working as a cocktail waitress there for the past few months, so I've heard all about the gentlemen's club.She told me that it'svery exclusive and it's supposed to cater to every fantasy a man could have. She alsotold me it's a very safe environment for the women working there.
"But at the same time, if you have a change of heart, that's okay too," Gigi says.
I shake my head.
I don't have a choice in this matter. I need the money.
"You're actually going to do this?" Gigi asks.
"Yeah, what else did you think?"
"I thought you were just thinking out loud, not considering it for real."
"Why?"
"It's just...not something I thought you would be into."
She knows me better than anyone else, so I know where she's coming from. But I can't exactly tell her the truth about what I need the money for.
"What happened to that corporate job you applied for?" she asks.
"I got the confirmation email this morning," I say. "I start on Monday."
"That's amazing news, Lily," she says. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to," I say. "It's just been a busy day."
"So, why do you want to work at Elysium if you already have a job lined up?" she asks.
I remain quiet. I may not be able to tell her the truth, but I also don't have it in me to lie to her.
"What do you need the money for, Lily?" Like always, my best friend can see right through me.
"I can't tell you," I whisper.
"If you want, I can arrange the money for you," she says softly. "Just tell me how much."
Gigi comes from a wealthy family, so I know she could help me if I told her about my situation. But I don't want to drag her into this.
"Even if I accepted your money, I'd have to pay you back eventually," I say. "It's better if I earn the money myself."
"You can take as much time as you?—"
"No," I say, cutting her off. "I've already made up my mind about this. I really appreciate you offering, though."
"Fine," she mumbles. "I just don't like seeing you like this."
"I'll be okay," I say. "I just need a moment to get used to the idea of working at the club. Like I'm worried I'll run into someone I know."
"It's really not a big deal," she says. "You'll have the option of wearing a mask if you wish, except if you're going to be a part of the auction. But you don't need to worry about that."
The auction.
This is the first time I'm hearing about it.
"Tell me more about the auction," I say.
She opens her mouth to speak, but no words leave her mouth.
"The auction?" she repeats. "It'll be a little intense for your first day."
"All of this is intense for me," I say, taking a deep breath. "I might as well go all the way."
"No, no, this is a whole new level of intense," Gigi says. "The auction is where men bid against each other to spend a night with you. Usually, all of the jobs at the club let the girls choose who they want to be with as well, but it's different in the auction. Only the men get to do the choosing."
"I don't get to decline an offer?" I ask, swallowing.
"You can, but it's usually not done," she says. "The girls know what they're getting into when they enter the auction. Also, it's not a straightforward process to participate in one."
"Hypothetically speaking, if I were to enter one, how much would I make?"
"The house keeps most of the earnings, but the girls get paid a flat rate of one million dollars," she says.
One million dollars. It'll be enough. It'll be more than enough.
I feel Gigi staring at me.
The one thing I always loved about her is how open minded she is. She never judges me for who I am. And even though I can tell she's worried about me right now, I don't see any judgment in her eyes.
"If you were in trouble, you would tell me, right?" she asks.
"I'm not in trouble, Gigi. I just need some extra money," I say.
"I can tell that you've really made up your mind about this," she says.
"I have."
Silently, she steps forward andwraps her arms around me.I melt into that hug. I didn't know how much I needed it.
"It's going to be fine, okay?" she says. "I don't love the idea of you being in the auction, but based on my experience, the men at Elysium are decent people.You don't have anything to worry about."
"Okay," I say, breathing in her signature caramel perfume.
I don't know how she does it, but Gigi is the only personwho can make me feel calm when my head is filled with chaos.
And there has never been more chaos.
GAbrIEL
I built my life on rules.
I wake up at the same time every morning. I eat the same breakfast. I have the same workout routine.
What I don't do is deviate from my routine. And spending my evening at a gentleman's club when I could be getting more work done feels like a waste of time.
But this is something that has to be done. This is one thing that's more important than business.
I feel my brother watching me.I turn to look at him.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing," Max says with a shrug.
"You're staring."
"Calm down. I looked at you for like two seconds, dude."
I check my watch and sigh. This is taking too long.
"Can I take this moment to share something with you?" Max says.
"No."
He ignores me. "I think this is good for you. It's teaching you how to be more patient, which is something I know you always struggled with."
This conversation itself is testing my patience.
"I know what you're thinking, and that's not very nice of you," Max says.
"You know everything, don't you?" I say.
Max winks at me. "Yep."
We're at the club tonight because we're looking for a man.
According to our intel, he frequents thisclub on the weekends, so we're waiting to see if he'll show up.
I could easily send someone else to do the job for me, but this is a very sensitive matter.
I don't trust anyone except for closest family.
"Maybe we should split up and search for him," Max says.
"Why?" I ask.
"It'll be more productive than ussitting at the bar drinking black Negronis and waiting for the man to fall into our laps."
"I've scanned the face of every man who walked through that entrance tonight," I say. "If he walked into the club, I would have seen him."
"He could have used another entrance," Max says.
"Pardon?"
"There are multiple entrances to the club. It's in the building's blueprint," he says.
I stare at him blankly.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" I say.
"There are two more entries—one for the staff and another for the patrons who want to go to the gym and activities center. I honestly assumed you knew. You've alwaysbeen the diligent one."
I grit my teeth as shame washes over me.
I've been distracted lately.Things haven't been the same in a long time. I don't talk about it with anyone, so this feeling remains inside me, sneaking up on me when I least expect it.
"Hey," Max says. "It's fine. I had a plan."
"What's your brilliant plan, Max?"
"I was going to watch the exit," he says. "You know, because there's only one exit."
"That's a shit plan," I say. "This was a complete waste of time."
Hurt flashes through Max's eyes. It's only for a fraction of a second, but I've known my youngest brother since he was a baby. I know that Ijust hurt his feelings by saying that our time together was a waste of time.
I want to reassure him, but I remain quiet.
"Our target has been known to always attend the midnight show," Max says. "Maybe you can check there."
"You'll stay here?" I ask.
"Yeah," my brother says. "I'll keep watch."
I look at him for a moment. I want to tell him that I appreciate having him in my life. I want to tell him that he's been the light in everyone's lives since the day he was born. But I can't find my voice.
I walk toward the black door thatopens into another section of the club.The words 'Carpe Noctem' are written on the door in immaculate gold font.
Seize the night.
I step inside.
The vibe shifts instantly, going from classy piano music to a dazzling nightclub scene. The lights are all in shades of neon.There's thick anticipation in the air.
I walk through the crowd, ignoring all the girls that make eyes at me.
I'm here for one thing and one thing only. Nothing can distract me when I'm this focused.
I select a seat that gives me a good vantage point. The girls are doing a choreographed strip tease on stage. I catalog the faces of everyone in attendance. Disappointment feels like a heavy brick in my stomach when I don't see his face in the crowd.
When the show reaches its finale, the room erupts in applause.
"Tonight's a special night," the hostess announces. "We have four women who will be participating in the auction tonight. I know you've been waiting patiently to see them, so without further ado..."
She starts announcing names. Iresume my silent hunt.
"And this pretty flower here is Lily," she says.
My heart stops.