So I smiled brightly and chirped into the phone.
“When do I leave?”
And Maria responded immediately.
“As soon as you’re available, the Club would like you to participate in their next auction.”
And I bit my lip. Finals were over in a week, and I had nothing lined up. Oh sure, I had the job at the coffee shop, but that was mostly cleaning bathrooms and busing tables, I wasn’t even a full-fledged barista yet. Easy to let that one go. So I took a deep breath.
“I can leave in about a week, is that okay?”
And Maria agreed immediately.
“Sure, no problem, works for us. I’ll send you your flight details, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions, okay? Let me know if you have any concerns whatsoever, Annie,” came her voice again, reassuring me. And I nodded, happy with my liaison.
“Thank you Maria,” I said genuinely. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem,” she replied. “The Club looks forward to your arrival.”
And with those words ringing in my head, I stepped off the charter jet. It’d been a fantastic flight, a fast five hours filled with every food imaginable and white leather seats I’d almost been afraid to sit in, they looked so pristine and clean. But the stewardess had been friendly and accommodating.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?” she chimed, holding out a flute of bubbly. “No one else on this flight, so we have plenty,” she said with a wink.
And I gulped because actually I couldn’t, I wasn’t twenty-one yet. Sure, it was tempting, this was the perfect time to let go and relax, sink into the luxury and indulge in free drinks. But caution overtook me once more because even if I was the only person on this flight with no one to tattle, I still needed my wits about me when we landed. There was no sense in getting buzzed, my judgment would be clouded at exactly the wrong moment.
So I shook my head, shooting her a smile.
“No, no thanks,” I said quietly. “I’ll just stick with OJ.”
And an understanding look came into her eye, but she said nothing.
“Of course, I’ll be right back,” she said.
I sat back into the seat, watching as the city grew small below me, my heart pit-pattering with anticipation as well as a little worry. Because I knew what I was doing. I was going to sell myself, going to give my body to a man who would buy me, and I knew full well what that entailed. I would lose my virginity to someone who didn’t care about me, who merely wanted a nubile teen girl in his arms, someone who’d never been touched before, and I fit the bill.
But I steadied myself again, taking another sip of juice, letting the liquid slide smoothly down my throat. I’d signed up for this, I’d gone in with my eyes opened, signing the packet of papers Maria had sent me, my initials on every page, and there was no turning back now. My family needed it, I needed it, our lives would fall apart if this didn’t happen. So when the plane landed on the tarmac, I took another deep breath and steeled my nerves. Steady Annie, I warned myself. You’re being paid. You’re an employee just like any other, remember that.
But even though I’d prepared myself for anything, the rampant luxury overwhelmed me anyways. Because there was no gate, there was no electronic people mover. Instead, at the bottom of the stairs was a golf cart with my small bag loaded onto it, a cheery driver squinting at me under the hot desert son.
“Miss James?” he asked. “Anna James?”
And I nodded.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Welcome, I’m Milo, your driver. I’ll be taking you to the limo, and then we’ll have you transported to the Club in no time. Welcome to the Silver State! Is this your first time?”
And I nodded, biting my lip, hot, dry waves of heat hitting my skin, shedding my hoodie immediately. My curls were a mess, my brow already breaking out in sweat, but Milo chattered on and on as we zipped off.
“Nevada’s called the Silver State because of our silver mines, as you probably guessed,” he said cheerily. “Way back during the gold rush, some miners actually left California to come out to Nevada and try their luck instead,” he said with a wink. “They worked hard, mining’s not an easy life.”
And I flushed then without meaning to because at this very moment, my parents thought I was working hard at an internship with a made-up company, one that I’d fudged. They’d been ecstatic, saying nothing when I said I’d send them some of my salary, but I resolved to do it anyways. My parents deserved it, we were a family unit and I needed to pull my weight. So I was only half listening as Milo buzzed on, looking out the tinted windows of the limo at the dry, arid landscape.
“Is everything always so orange out here?” I asked. “Not that it’s bad, it’s beautiful, just wondering,” I said quickly, not wanting to insult Milo’s home.
But he merely chortled.
“It’s a little orange,” he acknowledged. “A lot of yellow and orange, but a lot of pure blue sky out here too. We don’t get much rain, so you’ve got sky going on for miles.”
And I squinted upwards because it was true. There were no clouds and the open space was pure azure, breathtaking and magnificent, straight out of a color-enhanced photograph.
“It is beautiful,” I murmured to myself, appreciating the wonders of Mother Earth, the contrast to NYC, urban and packed to the gills. And Milo laughed again, his sunny nature easy to be around, the endless chatter easing my nerves as we drove and drove and drove, along miles of highway, a lot of it featureless save for scrub and the occasional cactus, looking prickly and forlorn. But finally, we pulled up to a building in the middle of nowhere. It was small, non-descript with no windows, and I gasped.
“This is it?” I asked, dumbfounded. Because after everything I’d heard, I was expecting a palace, a manor in the sky with four butlers outside and a dozen maids waiting for our arrival, greeting us Downton Abbey style. But instead, there was only a grey cube, looking more like a dentist’s office in the middle of nowhere than a lavish palace.
“This is it!” confirmed Milo. “Come on, let me help you out.”
And slowly, we exited before coming to a stop before the front door.
“Hold on, let me call them,” said Milo, pulling out his cell, dialing a number. No one picked up, but after a few buzzes, the front door opened and we stepped inside. But we didn’t step into an office or a home. We’d stepped into a huge elevator, a grey, featureless box that was as big as the house itself. Because what had looked like a building on the outside was actually just one giant elevator, and with a discreet swoosh, the doors closed, my stomach jolting as we began to descend.
“Yeah, most of the club space is subterranean,” confirmed Milo. “Remember to swallow, it goes pretty deep.”
And I grabbed a handrail as the elevator traveled, descending into the core of the Earth it seemed. A feeling of misgiving began creeping over me again, but then the doors opened and we were in a brightly-lit, spa-like space.
“This is it!” chirped Miles, bending over to give my hand a kiss. “And here’s where I leave you, lovely lady.”
I exited the elevator, but Milo didn’t follow.
“You’re not getting out?” I asked, a little taken aback. What, he was going to hang out in the elevator? Besides, Milo was my only friend, well, not exactly my friend, but the only friendly face I’d encountered on my journey so far.
“Nope, got another pick-up to do,” he said cheerily. “Besides, no men are allowed into Prep,” he added as the doors closed. “Goodbye, enjoy your time!” his voice trailed as he was whizzed back up to the surface.
And I stood frozen for a moment, bag at my feet, before turning around. Because a woman had appeared out of nowhere, blonde, chubby, with a freshly-scrubbed look, and an open, inviting demeanor.
“Welcome to the Club,” she said cheerily. “My name’s Jane and I’m your guide for this part of the process. If you’ll just sign these forms?” she asked, holding out a clipboard.
I frowned.
Was everyone preternaturally cheery here? What was with all the smiles? But maybe it was the New Yorker in me, in the city everyone rushes around minding their business, there are important places to be, important things to do. So maybe I was the one out of place, I wasn’t used to friendly strangers, people who looked genuinely happy and upbeat. But I shook my head, it was time to get with the program.
“I’m sorry, what are these?” I asked cautiously, looking down at the forms. There was so much fine print, and just like the package Maria had sent me, the writing seemed to go on forever, blurring before my eyes.
“Just certifying that you’ve arrived,” said Jane. “Just sign right here,” she said, pointing to a line at the bottom, handing me a pen. And with a sigh, I did it. At this point, I’d signed so many things without really understanding what they were that what was another? I’d probably already signed away my soul to the Devil without even realizing it.
“Thank you!” said Jane cheerily. “Now please come with me,” she said, leading me to a small sitting room. “Can I get you something to eat?”
“Just water please,” I replied, looking around. The sitting room was a bit like a boudoir, lavender-colored walls with overstuffed furniture, thoroughly feminine. The air was scented with perfume, something clean and light and I could feel myself decompressing already.
And Jane was back in an instant, a cool glass of liquid in her hand.
“Here you go,” she said, and I took it, my fingers forming prints in the condensation. But after a drive in the desert, water was much needed and I gulped the liquid gratefully.
“Thank you,” I said after I was done. “That hit the spot.”
“Oh of course!” chortled Jane. “Just let me know if you need anything else.”
“No, nothing at this time,” I murmured. “Thank you.”
And the blonde chortled again.
“Okay great, now first things first. As you know, you’re set to be auctioned,” she said, her expression growing serious for the first time. “Tonight in fact.”
Tonight? I gasped involuntarily. I wasn’t ready. Despite all my thinking on the subject, the moment had arrived and I wasn’t ready. My insides trembled, my arms going weak.
“But … but I just got here,” I said, voice unsteady, almost whispering. This couldn’t be happening. I thought I was going to have time to prepare myself, have a few days at the compound to get into the right frame of mind, to think and act like a siren before I went up on the block.
But Jane merely shook her head.
“I understand you had school to finish?” she asked. “We wanted you to come earlier because, yes, we like to give our girls some time to relax, to acclimatize before they’re offered to the Club. But in this case, I think you had finals?”
I nodded frozenly because Maria had asked when I was available and this was it. I’d hopped on the plane as soon as my last exam was done.
“Yes,” I said woodenly. “I wanted to finish school first.”
“Well no worries,” said Jane gently. “You came as soon as you could, and it’s my job to get you ready before the auction itself. You do know what’s going to happen, right?”
And I nodded.
“I’m going to go up before Club members,” I said, my voice still a little stiff, heart beating rapidly. “And they’ll buy me.”
Jane was silent for a moment, her hands folded in her lap.
“But honey, do you know what happens at the auction? What you’ll be wearing, how to behave?”
I shook my head slowly.
“It was in the papers, wasn’t it?” I asked, my voice small. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t actually read them, there was a huge sheaf of documents and I just didn’t have time, I had to study for my exams.”
Jane nodded understandingly.
“No worries, most girls don’t read the papers, that stuff’s meant for accountants and lawyers, it’d drive any normal person crazy. But the thing is that when you go up for auction, you’ll be wearing this,” she said, pulling out a garment. I studied it from where I sat, making no effort to take it from her. The article of clothing was dark blue, a gorgeous midnight velvet, but it was so shapeless that I couldn’t tell what it was exactly.
But Jane held it up then by the shoulders and its purpose became clear. It was a full-length cloak of sorts with a hood that would pull over my head, shielding my features.
“All girls up for auction wear this,” she said gently. “It’s beautiful, we had it made for your specifications.”
I nodded dumbly.
“Okay, that works,” I said. “But what do I wear underneath? I brought some stuff, some dresses, some shoes, but Maria said the Club would provide my clothes. Did they have something specific in mind?”
And Jane nodded slowly.
“You can pair the cloak with heels of your choice,” she said, opening a drawer and pulling out two pairs of stilettos. “Most girls prefer gold or silver, you choose,” she said.
I gasped. The stilettos were so high that my foot would be arched steeply, I’d be leaning forward, breasts pushed out, my posture completely transformed because of the four inch spike. And I could see that the shoes were no average run-of-the-mill items. The leather was supple, carefully dyed and carefully soled, the craftsmanship exquisite, no detail overlooked.
“I’ll take silver,” I said, marveling as I examined one shoe. It was like Cinderella’s slipper, gorgeous, fit for a princess. “Is there a matching dress? A particular outfit that goes with this?”
And here, Jane was silent again.
“No Annie,” she said quietly after a pause. “You’ll be nude under the cloak.”
I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe for a moment. I’d go out there in nothing but a cape and some high heels? This was the weirdest auction ever, were these guys set to bid on my feet? They wouldn’t be able to see my face, much less my body.
But Jane shook her head again, she could tell that I didn’t get it.
“Annie,” she continued slowly. “You’ll be auctioned in nothing but the shoes. The cape comes off.”
And I gasped then, color rushing to my cheeks, shoulders shaking. I’d be auctioned nude? Nothing but skin? And Jane confirmed it.
“You’ll be expected to turn to the left, to the right, do a three-sixty so that the men can see your body, honey. They’re paying a lot, the bids will be high, and they expect to see the goods they’re buying.”
And I gasped again, still at a loss for words. I knew escorting was on the slinky side, but I thought I’d be auctioned in a cocktail dress, and only afterwards would my buyer take off my clothes in the privacy of a hotel room. In no way, shape or form had I anticipated this, showing a group of men my body, my assets bare, my big boobies out in the light for the alphas to peruse.
But Jane wasn’t finished yet.
“It’s not just turning this way and that,” she said slowly. “I understand you’re a virgin, Annie?” she asked, her voice even.
And I nodded. I couldn’t speak, no words would come to my throat, I was hoarse and mute.
“Then they’ll want to see inside of you, Annie,” she said slowly. “The billionaires will expect you to bend over and spread your legs, they’ll want to see your hymen inside, to make sure you’re intact.”
I gasped then, a torrent of words coming from my mouth, my ability to speak suddenly unleashed like a river exploding.
“That makes no sense,” I said quickly, “no sense at all. Why do they need to see? What if I don’t even have a hymen? Not all women have one you know, not everyone is born with one, and maybe I broke mine playing sports, you never know.”
But Jane shook her head again, eyes understanding.
“You went to the doctor in New York right? To see the gynecologist?”
And I sputtered then.
“Yes, Maria sent me to a doctor but it was for my health,” I said stiffly. “I haven’t been to the doctor in ages, and she said it was to make sure I was okay, to
put me on the pill.”
That was true, the MD had written me a prescription, but I hadn’t filled it yet, much less started up any birth control.
“But they did an exam on you right?” asked Jane gently.
And I colored then because the female doctor had been kind, she’d explained to me what she was going to do, and exactly how she was going to do it. But I’d been so scared and nervous that the exam had been pretty disastrous. My eyes had been closed the entire time as she pried me apart down below, it’d been so embarrassing, and even a little painful.
“Yes, but what does that have to do with it?” I said shortly. Things were racing at sixty miles an hour and I could hardly believe this was happening, that we were even having this conversation, what was expected of me, tonight of all nights.
“Then the doctor confirmed your virginity,” said Jane gently. “She looked inside and made sure, verified everything.”
“But I don’t get it!” I burst out. “There are women who never have hymens, or who break it playing sports! Why would it matter? I could be a virgin and not have a hymen.”
Unfortunately, Jane had no answers.
“I’m sorry Annie, I don’t know,” she said quietly. “All I know is that the girls who come to Prep have hymens, and they’re verified by medical professionals as part of the vetting process. I thought you knew.”
I shut up then, my mouth clamping closed, at a loss for words. Because this, like everything else, had probably been in the packet of documents that I hadn’t read, it’d been so overwhelming, the print so small. I shook my head, defeated. It was my own fault.
“What else?” I asked slowly, prepared to hear anything, prepared for a piano to crash down on my head at this point.
“Well, that’s the most important,” replied Jane, her mood brightening. “You’ll be shown at nine p.m., so we still have some time to get you ready,” she said, looking at her wristwatch quickly, patting her white apron before standing up. “Now this is the fun part.”
Virgin for Sale Page 3
