Auctioned

by Lulu Pratt

  “Nothing’s fair in Vegas.”

  A thought wriggled at the corner of my mind, and then all of a sudden, coalesced into a full-blown realization.

  “Wait a minute,” I gasped. “Is that why you were bidding me up last night, just to get a higher cut?”

  I could almost hear the smirk. “Well, it’d crossed my mind.”

  “You’re a fucking creep, Mac. The money was supposed to all be for the girls. I’m not gonna sponsor your godforsaken deviancy. Don’t call me again.”

  “I’ll collect this money. One way or another, you’ll pay up.”

  “Don’t hold your breath. Or, on second thought, do.”

  With that, I hung up the phone.

  CHAPTER 22

  Kiki

  AS I KEYED in my employee code on the Dazzlers computer, officially clocking on for the day — fuck, did I have a whole day ahead of me? My head swum with possibilities and dreams from the morning, wavering in my mind like a moon on the water.

  Had that really just happened?

  Had I actually lost my virginity to Tate?

  Pulling on a spare employee uniform as I hadn’t had time to go home, I ran my tongue over the memories, tasting them like they were freshwater pearls.

  I dimly regretted barking at Tate when we first met, but then again, I think we both were astounded by the connection between us. Had either of us anticipated feeling so much? Hell, on my end, I really hadn’t thought we would sleep together. When I told him a night of just talking, I meant it. But then he’d batted those big eyes at me, and been so warm and inviting…

  And now here we were, in this predicament. Even putting the money aside, he was my boss. Shit was complicated. Not to mention, I was as broke as I was when I’d started this whole process. Sure, it would’ve been nice to take the million, but that would’ve sullied my otherwise perfect virginity experience. Can you put a price on a wonderful moment?

  Yeah, my logical brain replied wryly. You totally can.

  Maybe I was being a foolish romantic. But not a lot of romantic things happened in my life, and when they did, it felt nice to put aside all the adult cares that had addled me since I was a small kid.

  Though, as I clocked on to what was destined to be a long shift with zero sleep, I wondered if I’d made the right choice. Was this really the hill I wanted to die on?

  There was a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to see Sonia, lasciviously licking her lips.

  “Somebody’s glowing,” she said, giving me a little tickle under the arm.

  I darted my head away, hoping she couldn’t see the blush spreading on my cheeks.

  “Come on, spill!” Sonia begged. “I’ve been waiting all night by the phone, hoping you’d call. Who was it, what was he like? Was he old? No hold on, you look happy, so he must’ve been young. Was he hot? Ugh, tell me everything!”

  I looked around, making sure we didn’t have an audience, then I gestured her in closer.

  In a low, secretive voice, I told Sonia:

  “It was Tate.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t hear you. What?”

  “Tate. As in, Dazzlers Tate.”

  Sonia staggered back, mouth so wide a whole bird could fly inside.

  “No way.”

  “Yes way.”

  She sat down on a nearby worn leather chair in front of a genie-themed slot machine.

  “Okay,” she said slowly, trying to get her bearings. “You’re gonna need to start at the beginning. And make sure not to leave anything out. We only have ten minutes ‘til the shift starts, so get to talking.”

  I pulled a chair from one machine over — a diamond-themed one that I’m told hadn’t cashed out in twenty years, and as quickly as possible, without sacrificing detail, recounted the entire previous evening. Sonia oo’d and ahh’d appreciatively as needed, and booed when appropriate, especially to the end.

  After several long minutes, I finally arrived up to the present moment.

  “So,” I finished. “I’m tired as fuck, running on zero sleep, but mostly? Mostly, it was amazing. I still feel a little uncomfortable about some of the money stuff, but the further I get away from the night, the more I’m like, wow, I had the time of my life.”

  “I literally cannot fathom a single word of this story,” Sonia marveled. “This is like Cinderella, but with glass lingerie instead of a glass slipper.”

  I wasn’t sure her analogy held up, but I didn’t press it.

  She went on. “There’s no need to worry about the money stuff now, though. Like, it’s okay that you passed on the million, because it made you look like you didn’t care about his cash, which is super-hot to rich guys. And now you’ve got a wealthy boyfriend who will take care of your debt anyways. So everyone wins!”

  “Wait… what?” I said, scrunching my eyebrows together. “No, that’s not… no.”

  “Yes! Girl, you’ve made it to the promised land — a rich playboy wants to Pretty Woman you.”

  “I’m not a gold digger, Sonia. I meant it when I said I don’t want his money. Money messes up everything. It’s just not ethical to date him and take his cash. I’m not some charity case.”

  She rolled her eyes at my apparent naiveté, a move I didn’t exactly treasure.

  “Honey,” she replied, her lips pulled back in a thin line. “You don’t really think he got that dough by ethical means, right? No, I know you don’t. I know full well that you understand his money is tainted with blood and tears. You deserve it way more than he does. This is a dirty town, but you wouldn’t be dirty for participating in it, for doing what you had to in order to make ends meet.”

  Did Sonia have a point? Was I mounting a high horse that would just carry me off into the sewers of Vegas?

  Then again — I didn’t have much else in this life besides my pride. If I lost that, I’d lose one of the few things that really defined me.

  So, was it a little haughty, refusing his cash? Sure. Was it the right thing to do? Abso-fucking-lutely.

  I smiled at Sonia. “I’m just gonna have to find a second job.”

  At this, her eyes damn near bugged out of her skull.

  “How the hell is that possible?” she asked, mouth gaping. “You already pull more double shifts than anyone I know. When are you gonna have time for something else?”

  “I’ll make time.” Tate’s worth it, I added silently.

  She tsked. “So what will you do then?”

  “I dunno. Whatever makes money, I guess.”

  This was a slightly idiotic answer, in that if there was another job I was qualified to do that made more money, I’d be out the door before I got to the end of this sentence.

  Sonia apparently had the same thought.

  “We both know it’s not job loyalty keeping you here,” she snorted. “Besides, the only thing that pays well in this town is sex. Case in point — your virginity.”

  Okay, this was a fairly air-tight case.

  I sighed, frustrated that Sonia was poking holes in my resolve. I wasn’t angry at her, per se, but rather the situation.

  In a small, almost timid voice, I replied, “I don’t want to work another job. I don’t want to have to go scrounging for money. But I also don’t want to lose out on love because it was sullied by some kind of monetary transaction.”

  “Love?” she repeated, incredulous.

  Fuck, had I just said that?

  “Well… not yet,” I corrected. “But maybe someday.”

  She whistled low through her teeth.

  “Okay then, that must have been some night,” Sonia murmured. “If that’s where you see this headed then, hell, maybe you’re right. Follow your heart, Kiki. I’ll be there for you no matter what.”

  I smiled broadly at her and moved in for a hug, when I saw her eyes focus on something over my shoulder.

  “Don’t look now, but I think Prince Charming has arrived.”

  I whirled around to see that, indeed, Tate was striding across the floor of the
casino, pants tight around his muscular thighs, belt cinching what I knew to be rock-hard abs.

  Without realizing I was doing it, I let out a long exhale of satisfaction.

  He had been mine. I’d fucked that godly specimen.

  That knowledge alone was worth more than any damn check in the world.

  CHAPTER 23

  Tate

  “HEY,” I MURMURED, sidling up to Kiki with a casual smirk before realizing that her co-worker was standing right beside us, probably uncomfortable at our proximity.

  “Er, sorry,” I added, turning and stretching out a hand. “I’m Tate.”

  “I know.”

  The girl gave Kiki a look, and I couldn’t tell if she was impressed or dismayed. Either way, she sallied off before I could make a final judgement.

  “What have you been saying about me to your pals?” I gently chided Kiki.

  She shrugged. “Nothing too interesting.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  Kiki caved hard and fast, just like I knew she would.

  “All right,” she allowed, “I might have told Sonia about last night. But just her, she’s my best friend.”

  Shit, had I just been standoffish to her best friend? If I knew anything about women, it was that you had to treat their closest friends like queens.

  But Kiki had already trod over my train of thought.

  “Don’t worry about Sonia, she’s good at keeping secrets.”

  Oh, we’d been going in two very different directions with our concerns.

  I quickly assuaged hers. “I don’t care if she tells no one or broadcasts it on local access.”

  “Well, I do,” Kiki noted with a pointed gaze. “Care, that is.”

  “You ashamed of me?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she laughed.

  The jolliness in her tone was a good sign. It meant that she wasn’t really all that hung up about the question of the money. I took a step closer to her, leaving just enough space for us to still look like a boss and an employee. God, the little Dazzlers costume did a fabulous turn for her firm tits and long legs.

  “How’d you feel about doing something you’ll definitely be ashamed of?”

  She glanced over at the women scurrying around her like bees in a hive. Kiki appeared to ponder the question, chewing pensively on her lip.

  “I don’t think anyone would miss me for a few minutes,” she said at last. “But just a few minutes, okay?”

  “I swear.”

  “Let’s hear your proposition.”

  “I’ll take you there.”

  I reached out to grab her hand, but she nodded to her coworkers. Right, we’re still at work. It kept slipping my mind like water through a sieve. Maybe it was because I rarely did any actual work here. In point of fact, I’d come in more times in the past week than I had over the course of years, and I would continue to for the foreseeable future.

  “Follow me,” I said with obvious reluctance, wishing I could just take her palm into mine and feel our skin meld as I walked through the casino floor.

  Instead, Kiki obliged as best she could, falling in line with my step as we moved from a craps table and off the main floor.

  “Where are we going?” she said from behind me.

  It was a well-timed question.

  I stopped with a flourish in front of a velvet curtain.

  “High-stakes poker,” I said with a grin.

  “Tate.”

  “What?”

  She shook her head. “You know I can’t afford that.”

  “Come on, I’ll stake you. It’ll be fun.”

  Kiki pulled her lips to the side, suspicious. “Are you just trying to give me money?”

  Frankly, that was pretty perceptive for a girl who hadn’t known me more than a week or so.

  I replied, “No offense, Kiki, but I don’t think you’re gonna win a round here. Guys — and girls — at this level are usually pretty avid poker players. In fact, I reckon I’ll lose quite a bit of money. Except, of course, it goes right back into my own pocket, so I break even.”

  Her eyes scanned my face, still trying to decide whether or not this was a good idea.

  “We’ll have a great time, I promise,” I murmured. “I just wanna take your mind off things. If you win any money, you can keep it, but again, no offense… I doubt that’ll happen.”

  At last, she relented, saying with a little grin, “Okay, let’s do it.”

  “Awesome.”

  I pulled back the velvet curtain and led her into the high-stakes room.

  High-stakes rooms are decorated with a certain clientele in mind. Generally, the actual big boy poker players in Vegas don’t come to rooms like this — the other players are good, but not great, usually just rich guys with a hobby, if you know what I mean. Or, rather, the really excellent players will come occasionally to rip some money off these fellows. But as far as I know, the best games happen at four in the morning out of someone’s mansion.

  So, with those kind of men as the target, the room was gilded to the teeth, absolutely covered in fake gold shit — crown moldings, armchair fixtures, even the many-tiered chandeliers. It was too faux opulent for me, but the guys seemed well enough at home.

  To wit — the group assembled in this room was exactly what I would’ve reckoned it to be — a couple of foreign businessmen, a prince of somewhere, a former star whose last movie was shot in the nineties, but she was clinging to the lifestyle any way she could, a few escorts — I recognized them by face, they floated around Dazzlers all the time — and maybe a loaded idiot on a bender.

  “Where should we sit?” Kiki asked, looping her arm through mine.

  I could feel her trembling a little bit.

  “Are you nervous?” I questioned in a low voice, leading her to a nearby table and pulling out her seat.

  She slid in and nodded to the people at the table, a collection of anonymous-looking folks you couldn’t pick out of a normal crowd but who in this room, surrounded by befitting luxury, you sensed to be rich as hell.

  “No,” she lied as I took my position next to her.

  “Don’t be anxious,” I whispered into her ear as I scooted my chair a few inches closer to hers. “You’ll be great.”

  The dealer, a buxom blonde woman, nodded to me. “Hello, sir. Pleasure to see you here.”

  “Does she know you?” Kiki murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.

  “Everybody knows me.”

  Without words — as the professionals do it — the dealer allotted the cards across the table.

  I used one hand to lift the cards up and see what I’d been dealt, and slipped the other hand onto Kiki’s creamy thigh.

  She looked at me with wide eyes, as if to say, What the hell do you think you’re doing? But I merely shrugged and nodded to her cards.

  “Focus on your hand,” I said with a sly tone.

  She grumbled but did so, squinting her eyes in concentration — perhaps so as not to focus on my fingers, which were migrating up her leg.

  “Tate…”

  I ignored her, pretending to be absorbed in the game. In reality, with the heavy wooden lip of the table covering my movements, I traveled northerly, to her luscious mound.

  Kiki bit back a smile. I knew that despite her protestations of manners she was loving the thrill of the moment as much as I was. We were at work, and I was about to slip a finger inside her.

  The dealer called for bets, and I entered Kiki.

  She inhaled a deep breath, grasping her cards for dear life as I stroked her walls, feeling her juices dampen my hand.

  “What’ll you bet, ma’am?” the dealer asked.

  Kiki stammered out, “I’ll bet… um…”

  She looked to me, confused and aroused.

  I dumped some more chips on her side of the table, then said to the dealer, “She’ll bet five thousand.”

  “I will?”

  In response, I increased the speed of my fingering, and
Kiki’s protestations fell away like dust in the wind.

  “Five thousand,” she agreed, a flush beginning to spread across her chest.

  I never wanted to leave her body. I could feel her pulsing around my forefinger, squeezing me deeper in. I slid a second finger into her, and Kiki made a tiny noise. Nobody at the table seemed to notice, or if they did, they were polite enough to ignore it.

  As the rest of the players made their bets, I took my hand out of Kiki and laid a finger on her clit.

  “Oh fuck,” she whispered through gritted teeth.

  I leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. “Do you like this?”

  “Yeah,” she admitted, a slight glow dampening her hairline. “Don’t stop.”

  Everyone had placed their bets, and the dealer laid out the river. I was finger fucking Kiki like we were all alone, in the privacy of my home. I would make her scream.

  The dealer went around one more time, taking a second round of bets, beginning with Kiki.

  “Bet it all,” I told Kiki. “It’s my money, and I want you to play big.”

  She looked reluctant, so I pressed down on her pearl, forcing her into submission.

  “Okay,” she managed to say. “I’ll bet it all.”

  She slid the chips in with shaky hands, and the dealer turned to the other players.

  Every single one of them folded.

  Kiki flipped over her cards — she didn’t even have a pair.

  “You win it all,” the dealer said, pushing the enormous mountain of chips to Kiki, whose eyes practically bugged out of her skull.

  I made a last final push, furiously thrumming at Kiki’s clit.

  “Holy shit!” she screamed, her fingers gripping the table and eyes slamming shut.

  I felt her orgasm through the tips of my fingers, all the way down to my cock, which was hard just from watching her writhe in pleasure.

  “Somebody’s happy,” the dealer laughed, though she seemed to be referring to Kiki’s big win.

  Kiki came down in a long, slow breath, pushing her hair back, chest heaving with the effort of all her muscles squeezing at once.

  “Are you serious?” she finally said, referring to the pile.