Enemy Down

by Cathryn Fox

  “Overthink it? I’m not going to overthink it. In fact, I’m not going to spend one more second thinking about it.” Kaitlyn frowns. “Look, I can’t…” My words fall off as I actually take a second to think—okay maybe overthink—all this, and what selling myself could mean for my future. The fact of the matter is, I’m a fighter, a survivor who will do whatever it takes to succeed. But would I sell myself, become some rich asshole’s plaything? That’s insane, right?

  She blinks dark lashes over hopeful blue eyes. “It’s a means to an end, that’s all it is.”

  “I…I…” I sink back onto the bed. “What would I have to do?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. You just show up, and well, the guys bid, and you become their…I guess like maybe their servant or something. It can’t be that bad. Maybe you just cook and do their homework or something...”

  “Or something, something like sleep with them.”

  She glances down and frowns. “I don’t know if that’s true. But if it was so bad, why would girls agree to do it? I don’t know much, but I know this happens once a month, on the last Saturday of the month, and these cards are not given out lightly, they’re given out to—”

  “Girls who are desperate!”

  A door slams down the hall, and I jump. We live in a very rundown old house with three other girls, someone is always coming and going, and the place is always creaking—pipes always breaking—so I don’t know why I’m on edge, or maybe I do. Am I really considering this?

  I take the card from her and toss it onto my bed. “I need coffee,” I say, and hobble to the door. “And you need to get to the meet. One of us needs to keep her scholarship.”

  “I’m going. I’m going. And I put a whole pot of coffee on for you. I figured you’d need it after…” She glances at the card I tossed to my bed.

  “Maybe what I need is a stiff drink.”

  She gives a humorless laugh and walks into the hall with me. “You know, maybe Christian will bid on you. He does feel responsible. He actually seemed really nice at the hospital, once I started talking to him.”

  “He’s not nice, and he is responsible, and he’s the last guy on the face of this earth that I’d want to be serving.” My stupid mind takes that moment to roam. If Christian bid on me, he’d likely make me clean his toilet, or something equally disgusting…like sleep with him.

  My heart jumps into my throat as images of me in his bed, his big body next to mine, his callused hands holding me down, while he does dirty things to me. “Oh my God,” I whisper.

  “What?” Kaitlyn asks as we head downstairs.

  I shake my head. “I can’t do this. I can’t sleep with some guy for payment. I’m not a prostitute.”

  “Christi…uh, I mean, the person I talked to, the one who gave me the card—”

  I roll my eyes. “Christian, obviously.” When did she start thinking I was an idiot, and when don’t we tell each other everything? I guess whatever depraved activities take place in that basement really are shrouded in secrecy, because it’s not like my best friend to keep anything from me. Maybe once you know about it, you’re a part of it, and down the road, this ridiculous secret society offers protection or favors or something. Or maybe it’s off with the head if you snitch. Okay, time to cut back on watching thrillers.

  “I never said that.” She puckers her lips. “Anyway, that person who gave me the card said the cards are actually coveted, and you’d never have to do anything you don’t want to do, and come to think of it, you don’t have to worry about Christian bidding on you. A little birdy told me he doesn’t participate.”

  My God, what is with the heavy disappointment sitting in my gut.

  I am all kinds of messed up, that’s for sure.

  You hate him, Maize. HATE HIM!

  “His father is a Supreme Court judge, I sure as hell hope he doesn’t participate,” I shoot back, hating that I know more about him than I should. It was just curiosity that sent me to his social media a time or two. He doesn’t post much. He mostly comes up in photos he’s tagged in. “Not that I care about him or anything.” I catch the smirk on Kaitlyn’s face. “What? I hate him. You know what he did to me.”

  “To be honest, taking his pants to his knees and getting you expelled from the mean girls’ club…” She pauses to do air quotes around the word mean girls. “Was the best thing that ever happened. I don’t know why you ever wanted to be a part of that clique.”

  I frown, a heavy sensation building right around the vicinity of my heart. “I was trying to fit in and what he did was wrong, no matter how you look at it. Making fun of me because I wasn’t rich enough… it’s just cruel, and they can all go screw themselves. I’d rather be alone than hang out with people who could do that.”

  “Then I guess you were lucky I came along.”

  “You’ve always had my back.”

  We reach the kitchen, and she puts her hand on my shoulder to turn me to face her. “I do now, too. I wouldn’t have suggested this if I thought there was any other way. No one talks about what goes on, but I’m thinking if it was bad, everyone would hear about it. Look, I’ll go with you. If we don’t like what we see, we leave, simple as that. But we do have to go, to return the card if nothing else. It’s part of the agreement, and I agreed on your behalf.”

  “How kind of you, and I don’t think there is going to be anything simple about it.”

  “You’re not going to do it then?”

  I give her a resounding, “No.” With that, I hobble to the coffee maker and pour a big mug full. Kaitlyn hands me the milk from the fridge. “Who would bid on me anyway?” I wave my hand down my body. “I’m tall, with barely there curves, and if they want me to run errands, broken ankle, remember? I look like…like…”

  “You’re sexy as fuck, Maize. You just don’t know it. You’re tall, thin, have a great rack despite your low body fat, and I’d kill to have full lips like yours. Plus, your name is Maize Malone. If that doesn’t scream sex kitten, I don’t know what does.”

  Sex kitten?

  I stand there for a second and stare at Kaitlyn, waiting for her to break out into a fit of laughter but instead she just raises her brow, daring me to challenge her views on me.

  “Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

  She checks her watch. “I never said any of those things to you before, because you never needed to hear them. Now you do. Okay, I gotta go. I’ll be back by eight. Text me to let me know if you’ve changed your mind about going through with it.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  She gives me a big hug and I take a mouthful of coffee. I swallow it, and lean against the kitchen counter. My gaze goes to the hallway, my mind on the card sitting on my bed. My stupid brain takes that moment to wander again, back to the night Christian and I were in that closet. He was thinner then, but I was crushing on him hard.

  My body tingles as I recall the way he put his hands on my hips. His skin was hot as his fingers bit into my flesh, and if I try really hard, I can almost still feel the imprint. We were both breathing a little heavy and when he shifted closer, his tall body crowding mine, I wet my lips, prepared them for him, but the stupid jerk took his hands off my body, pulled his pants down and threw open the door, making me look like a fool. I took off after the mean girls laughed and made fun of me, and don’t even get me started on the rumors about me afterward. Christian came out on top after that, and I almost quit and went back to my own district, but I’m not a quitter. I fight for what I want and need and would do just about anything to achieve my goals.

  Will you do this, Maize?

  4

  Christian

  The last time I felt this nervous was when I was locked in a closet with Maize back in high school. Fuck. You’re a grown-ass man, dude, get yourself together. I run my hand through my hair, and pace my room, the robe I’m wearing heavy on my shoulders, despite the fact that it’s lightweight.

  I shouldn’t have given the
card to Kaitlyn. Hell, I never should have answered her question about what goes on in the basement of our frat house, even though moments before she asked, I was thinking about it, looking at it as a way to help out Maize. She obviously hates me, judging by the way she’s always glaring at me—and likely thinks I was responsible for the prank too—and now, after my pass caused her to fall and ruined her ankle, I’m sure she’s out for blood.

  I pace around my bedroom, and steal a glance at the clock. Night has fallen over the campus and the auction will begin in fifteen minutes or so. My throat tightens at that thought. Stepping up to the mirror, I check out my long hooded ceremonial robe that hides our identities.

  Am I really doing this?

  I have never been a part of the bidding, never had any inclination to participate, but none of those girls were Maize—who I can’t really hate anymore now that I know she was being pranked too. Plus, I am responsible for her circumstances. Is that the only reason you’re doing this, Christian? I shake my head, not wanting to delve too deeply into my motivations. I walk to my window and stare out at the dark street below. The truth is, this is all just a game, and the women who are given cards are carefully vetted. They want this. They get to be adored, treated extremely well in exchange for favors, and no, I’m not talking sexual ones. If that happens, it has to be consensual, no pressure on anyone, but these girls are basically sugar babies, and we’re their daddies. When I put it that way it sounds really bad.

  Fuck me.

  Maize though, she’s not the kind of girl to take. From what I knew of her, she’d worked her way through high school on scholarship, and is here at Kingston on one as well—up until I hit her in the head with my football. She works hard to get what she needs, and really, if she becomes a sugar baby, and is doing chores, homework, and whatever else needs to be done, that’s working hard to get what she needs too, right? I’m not sure I’m buying that logic either. I thought about straight up offering her money, but I appreciate my nuts between my legs, not shoved down my throat.

  My door flies open and I spin around to see Theodore, also known as Thor because of his size and longish blond hair, come racing into my room. He looks a little like a superhero in his robe. He practically skids to a halt when he sees me in mine.

  “What the fuck, dude?”

  I’m tall, but I still have to lift my gaze to meet his eyes. I square my shoulders. “You’ve got a problem.”

  “Fuck no, but you never play. What’s going on?” He backs up and leans against my doorjamb, blocking all light in the hallway. “Wait, does this have something to do with that girl you ruined?”

  I cringed. “Ruined? I didn’t ruin her.” My gaze goes to my bed. If I had her on the mattress, beneath me… then I might ruin her. My cock takes that moment to thicken. Not that it takes much when I’m thinking about Maize. Jesus, she’s so fit, so tight everywhere, and those fucking kissable lips. I almost tasted them in high school. Almost had my tongue in her mouth, but she had to go and ruin things by pantsing me. Yeah, she’s the one who ruined things, not me.

  Thor frowns. “Well, she’s never going to run again, you know that, right?”

  “I thought you were a psych major. I had no idea you were getting a medical degree on the side.”

  He bursts out laughing, pushes off the wall and slaps me on the shoulder. “You need to relax, my man. Get your ass down there, get a bid in on the hottest girl, and do yourself a favor and get laid.”

  “Yeah, okay,” is all I say, even though I have no intention of sleeping with Maize. He moves and I step around him, the knot in my stomach growing tighter and tighter as I adjust my robe and make my way to the basement. My brothers are all standing around, waiting for the invites to enter. I stand back a bit, and question my sanity. I can’t do this. I just can’t. I’m about to bolt, never to set foot in the basement again, when the large solid brass bell rings.

  Thor throws his arm around my shoulders and walks me to a chair. I tuck my hood around my head and drop into a chair. Thor sinks into the chair beside me, and while he’s in his robe, I think he just likes attending, and right now is enjoying my nervousness. He’s already got a girl, and from what I’ve seen, the two are getting along just fine. The other day, he put a gorgeous diamond on her neck, a thank you for doing his homework. It’s a win/win, right? Not that I’d let anyone do my homework. I’m not risking expulsion from campus, and how would that look for my dad. Nope, I have to stay on the straight and narrow.

  Then what the hell are you doing here, dude?

  I take a deep breath as the first girl is led to the stage. She’s dressed cute, flirty lingerie as she flaunts herself in front of the guys, and in no time at all, the bidding begins. I shift in my chair, restless, not really expecting Maize to show up, yet on some ridiculous level hoping she does. I glance at the door, which is locked and closed now and guarded by Andrew. Maybe she gave him the card and bolted. Heck, maybe Kaitlyn did it for her. She is in a boot for a busted ankle, and probably can’t walk too far. As the time slowly ticks by I become more restless by the minute and I pull my phone out to scroll through social media. Thor nudges me when the last girl takes the stage.

  “Doesn’t look like she’s coming,” he points out.

  I can’t tell whether I’m happy or disappointed that she never showed up. I push to my feet, ready to go back to my room and get out of the ridiculous robe. “Just as well,” I say. In the dark room, I maneuver around a long oaken table and tall marble columns, when a noise on the stage pulls my attention. I spin, and when my heart leaps into my throat, I’m able to answer my earlier question. It was disappointment, pure unadulterated disappointment that I wasn’t going to get a chance to bid on the girl that’s been in my fantasies a time or two—even when I hated her. I go perfectly still, take in the gorgeous brunette standing on stage, unsure, vulnerable. My pulse picks up as my protective instincts kick in full force, and one word bounces around inside my brain.

  Mine.

  I silently walk back to Thor, and without looking or speaking to him, quietly drop down into my chair. On the stage, James starts the bidding, and I raise my hand, and in a low, disguised voice—yeah, she’ll probably run if she knows it’s me—I shout out a ridiculous number that will more than cover her tuition. No fucking way is she going home with anyone but me tonight. Chairs scrape the marble floor as my brothers shift in their seats, trying to get a look at whoever started the bidding at such an unusually high price. I square my shoulders, my eyes on Maize as she tries to see into the crowd.

  One of the guys challenges me, and ups the bid, and a noise, that sounds like an angry bear awakening from hibernation, climbs out of my throat. Oh hell no. I up the bid a couple more grand, and as the room falls silent, Maize’s audible gasp whispers through the quiet and settles between my legs.

  James points to me. “She’s yours,” he says.

  “Fucking right she is,” I murmur under my breath. We stand, and those who lost their bids exit the room, leaving the rest of us to collect our new purchases. The women come off the stage, and what I noticed tonight was that most of them were dressed skimpily, whereas Maize is in a dress, one she almost looked uncomfortable in. I guess she prefers running shorts and yoga pants.

  Did she get dressed up for me?

  That thought brings a chuckle to my lips. Honestly, when she finds out it’s me, she’s going to bolt. I’d best cover my nuts when I remove my hood. I walk up to Maize as she glances around nervously, not that she can see much in the dark basement, the lights low on purpose. No cameras are to be used, and this place is locked up tight every day of the month but one.

  Her head lifts, and in the dark and quiet room, I can almost hear the pulse pounding at the base of her neck, right where I want to put my lips. Everything in me stiffens as I work to purify my thoughts, but with Maize here, all sweet and vulnerable, out of her comfort zone, makes it fucking hard, literally. Yeah, all I want to do is take her to my bed and kiss the worry from her body and min
d, and tell her everything is going to be okay. Although I’m not sure it will be.

  “Are you my…” She pauses, like she can’t quite figure out what word to use.

  “I’m your sponsor,” I say, and that wording seems to relax her. Best to leave sugar baby and sugar daddy out of it. That’s not what this matchup is, anyway. I don’t want anything from her, other than to pay for the accident.

  Is that entirely true, Christian?

  I shut that inner voice down, and take her hand in mind. At first it’s stiff, but I give it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “Are you okay to walk, or should I carry you?”

  She lifts her chin, and my cock swells as those plump lips pucker in defiance. “I can walk.” She begins to move, and I keep her hand in mine as we go up the steep basement staircase. When we reach the top, her steps slow, and she angles her body, turning in to me.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I’m taking you to my room, where we’ll go over the rules of our arrangement.”

  “I’m not sleeping with you,” she blurts out, and my lips quirk. Even though she’s nervous, I like her strength and convictions.

  “I never said I wanted to sleep with you.”

  Of course, I’m not saying I don’t want to, either.

  A pause and then, “Good.”

  “Come then.” I give a little tug and she falls into step beside me. I lead her through the big house, and up the stairs to my large bedroom. Inside, I shut and lock the door behind us, and when I walk further into the room, she stays back, and presses against the door.

  “Who are you?”

  “Stand over there,” I say, and point to the television mounted on my wall. A small gasp catches in her throat. What, does she like being bossed around? Is there a side to Maize that she doesn’t show the world?

  “Why?” She angles her head, her eyes moving over me, trying to discover my identity.

  The truth is, I want her away from the door so she can’t run. But instead I say, “I’m not going to hurt you, Maize.”