“Is this, um,” I lowered my voice, “the Chicago Buyer’s Club?”
The guy smiled. “Charming. It is. Are you here for the tonight’s event?”
“Yes. I’m Sydney Mercer, they said I’d be on a list?”
He got out his phone and scrolled for a moment, then said, “Checks out. Follow me.”
He led me through the half-empty bar area towards a door that said Staff Only, and let me step through first. It was a peculiar feeling, and I thought this must be what Julia had felt the first time she began waiting tables. Being on the other side, seeing the ins and outs of a business.
“Just walk to the end and turn right. You’ll see some of the other girls there.”
“Right.”
I kept moving, smelling the kitchen and beer, but then at some moment those smells dissipated, and the air changed. It was smoother somehow, and the smells were sweet and delicate. It wasn’t perfume, but rather the smell of new furniture and fabrics. In the same way, the bar’s music subsided, and gave way to something more rhythmic.
A moment later the hallway took a turn, and I found my way into a spacious room that looked more like a musical set. There was a wide stage at the far wall, where a DJ was doing his thing behind a laptop. To the right of him was the bar, and it was nothing like the one I had just left. There was neon and a lot of glass, colorful bottles and glasses of every shape and form. The room was getting crowded, with a few couples dancing on the dance floor in the middle. And it was obviously a rich crowd, too. There were mostly guys around, dressed in shiny suits, wearing shinier watches, and what women were there, looked like models, wearing gaudy jewelry and loud dresses.
I was a fish out of water. They would probably laugh me out of the damn place. At my shoes, at my simple – comfortable – dress. I glanced around, looking for a place to sit down or stand away from everyone else. The bar was too crowded, but to my left there was a nice sitting area, blocked off from the rest of the room by a heavy curtain, and there I saw a group of other girls. Those must have been my people.
At the head of the group was a tall woman in a red pantsuit and with a tablet in her hand.
Ava.
I hurried to join them.
“…will find the papers in your inbox, so check your email when you get home tonight, yes? You will be receiving fifty percent of the final bid, free of tax.”
I interrupted her, “I’m sorry, what’s the final bid?”
Everyone looked at her. Ava said, “Welcome, Miss Mercer. The final bid is the amount of money your dates pay at the auction for the chance to spend the evening with you.”
“The auction?” My heart began racing. What the hell was this place?
“Why, of course. Don’t worry, dear, this is perfectly legal. Just a fun little game rich boys like to play.”
“Right…” I had a strong urge to leave right then. To just storm out of the club and get a breath of fresh air and forget about all this.
Think of Declan. Think of Declan.
I didn’t move, and listened to Ava’s instructions. There was still forty minutes until the auction.
When Ava left, the rest of the girls spread around the club in twos and threes, and I was left alone at a table, along with another girl, nervously watching the place.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, the girl said, “First time here?”
“Yeah.”
“It has to be my fifteenth.”
“Really? How does this work exactly?” I asked, turning my chair to face the girl.
“One of these guys will bid on you, and whoever pays the most, promises you the world and tries to get into your pants.”
I frowned.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. I paid off my student loans in three months, and had some money left over for a car! I’m Isabell, by the way.”
I shook the girl’s hand. She was pretty. About the same age as me, but a little leaner and with black hair cut short. I could see why other girls wouldn’t want to hang out with her. Most of them were a good ten years younger, fresh out of high school and already looking for adventure – sex and parties. Isabell seemed like she was there for work, which wasn’t a bad thing.
I had respect for a woman who made her way in the world, hell that’s why I was here.
Doing this for me.
For Declan.
“Do you want to go to the bar?” she asked me. “I need to get a drink before this whole thing goes down. Helps with the nerves, you know?”
“Sounds good.” A little liquid courage was just what I needed.
Chapter 4
Owen
“Are you sure this is the place?” I asked the driver.
“Positive, sir.”
The last time I’d been at the club there were lights and a red carpet and a long string of expensive cars. All I saw now was a nondescript bar with a generic name and a dirty sidewalk in front of it.
“Find a spot, okay? I won’t be long.”
There was a skinny guy at the entrance, tapping away on his phone. As I approached, the kid put the phone away and stood straight.
“Mr. Hayes, welcome!” He smiled wide and let me in.
I was terribly overdressed for the place. I almost felt like covering my wristwatch, not to attract any extra attention. There were a couple of guys watching a game at the bar, and the few other people there were talking quietly, with nothing but drinks and French fries on their tables. I had to give props to Lawson, this was a convincing front.
“To the Staff entrance,” the guy called from behind me.
I walked without awaiting further instructions.
As expected, the narrow corridor used to serve as a security checkpoint, but now there was a small kitchen on one side, and a room labeled Lockers on the other. I looked past them and found myself in the center of the Chicago Buyer’s Club.
The place had seen recent renovation, and it was hard not to appreciate what Lawson had done with the place. There was a proper dance floor with a stage big enough to fit a symphony orchestra, and a bar with more variety than a liquor store. I walked past it, seeing some vaguely familiar faces in the crowd. No one paid me any attention. As these places went, people enjoyed their privacy, and granted as much to others.
The general layout of the room had remained the same, and, if I remembered correctly, I would find the private lounges to the left of the stage.
I saw a woman in a red suit standing near the entrance to the private section, and stepped up.
“Hi. I’m Owen Hayes, here to see Lawson.” I tried to sound at ease, but couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. I hoped Lawson was right about the DA showing tonight, otherwise this whole thing would have been a complete waste of time.
“Brilliant! Lawson will be with you shortly, Mr. Hayes. Please, take a seat.”
I wandered a bit more and then moved to the other wall. There were ten booths, most of them empty, and I chose the one at the far wall, where nobody would be sneaking past it. A waitress was there the moment I settled down, and I gave my order. The days of my heavy drinking and partying were long behind me, so I ordered two fingers of whiskey and something to chew on.
The DJ’s music was playing through the booth’s speakers, and it was a popular song. The club felt alive and full of energy. A good place to come to relax on a weekend…
“Owen!” Lawson stormed into the room, arms spread wide, heading towards me for a hug. “So glad you could make it! You look great!”
Lawson, on the other hand, didn’t look too well. I set my glass down and stood up to be embraced. He smelled of vodka, his smile white on his red face. He had a considerable belly, too. Time had changed him, and not for the better.
“You look alright yourself, Lawson.”
“Yeah, right! You can speak your mind, buddy. Won’t hurt me. I’m starting gym next week, anyway, so in a few months you won’t be able to recognize me!”
The bullshit the man was able to spew! One of Lawson’s many
talents.
“Anyway, how do you like the place?” he continued.
I made a show of looking over the booth, nodding approvingly. “Better than ever. I like what you’ve done with the stage.”
“One of the first things they did! I suggested it. Investor’s money speaks you know.”
Lawson froze with a dumb smile on his face, and I took a sip of my drink.
“So, any sign of the District Attorney yet?”
The smile changed slightly, but didn’t go away. “Always on the lookout, aren’t you, Owen? You haven’t changed a bit!”
“Neither have you, I’m guessing.”
Lawson glanced away, then looked me in the eye. “I’m sure he will show up once the bidding starts.”
“But you think he will actually show, right?” I wouldn’t put it past Lawson to have lied to me about the District Attorney even coming to the club.
“He got the invite so he will be here.” He glanced at the crowd again.
“He just got an invite?” He didn’t respond. “So you aren’t even sure that he will be here.” I clenched my fists slightly in frustration
“I know what you need from him Owen, just do it the easy way, okay?” he asked quietly.
Shit, I thought. While Lawson was technically a friend, I didn’t really want to get him involved with my plan. His way was never easy.
All I wanted to do was to see the District Attorney here at the club, participating in the event, and then hold it over his head the next time he tried to fuck with my business. But whatever Lawson wanted from the District Attorney was probably far worse than the quick picture I intended to blackmail him with.
Lawson said, “Look, just stay for the evening, see what you think, maybe stay for the auction, okay? I’m sure he will be here shortly. I need to meet some more people. I’ll see you later. Thanks again for swinging by.”
We shook hands and Lawson left the booth.
I could see right through him. He was all talk, and the District Attorney was never going to show. Once I walked past the fake bar outside and found myself in a glitzy nightclub, I discovered it was only another front. I could only guess what kind of schemes Lawson was involved in, but whatever it was, I wanted no part of it.
I had enough of my own shit to deal with.
I finished my drink and left the booth, walked through the lounge area, and headed towards the exit. Taking a closer look at the guests now I was seeing men we had dealt with in the past. Men whose wives would not be too pleased that they were here. Even though I might not get to see the District Attorney tonight, maybe coming Chicago Buyer’s Club wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. These bored assholes were here thinking that they were getting away with everything.
I needed another drink, just one more before I bailed. Maybe I could hear some of the gossip before I fled, making the trip worthwhile.
I changed my course and turned towards the bar. It was empty, save for a few people, as everyone else was going milling around making deals.
I was almost at the bar when I stopped short.
At the bar, leaning on a stool, was a girl.
Her tight black dress caught my eye first, and when I looked up at her face… There was something in the way her face was animated that made it hard to take my eyes off her. She brushed her blonde hair over her shoulder, and I no longer saw anything but her.
Fuck she was hot.
Filling out her dress, perfect lips that would look good on my cock. And a tight ass I would love to screw from behind. Where had she been hiding?
I wished I could hear what she was talking about, but her friend was right there, and she was so involved in the conversation that I didn’t want to disturb them. With any other girl, I would’ve been standing there with them, but I found that I could only stand there like an idiot and stare.
Why was she here? I couldn’t imagine a girl of her beauty would just stumble into this miserable place. Her sex appeal, her look, everything about her screamed at my cock begging me for attention.
Finally, the other girl, the one with short black hair, left the bar, leaving her friend alone, and I decided to make my move.
Chapter 5
Sydney
“Okay, I’ll run to the ladies’ room real quick and be right back. The auction should begin soon.” Isabell said.
“Yeah, sure, let me know when we need to go.”
Isabell danced away, and I turned to face the stage. The DJ was hard at work, getting the crowd excited. I assumed this was supposed to relax the guests and get them a little drunk before the auction. By this point in the night the men would be careless and emotional enough to really get into the bidding process.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of me, blocking my view.
“Would you mind?” I asked annoyed, I needed to see what was going on. I was looking for Ava to give us some sort of sign.
But when I raised my eyes to look at the man, all my frustration disappeared. I caught his eyes, deep blue like I’d never seen before, and then his smile, bright and warm in this sea of fakeness. He did step aside, claiming the seat next to me.
Good lord he was sexy. His muscles bulged under his suit. His dark hair against tan skin, like he’d been in the sun.
I had forgotten about the stage and the dance floor. The man kept looking at me and smiling, and I couldn’t help but smile back. It was sincere and so simple, that I turned away from the room and towards him, my elbow on the bar, as if I was the bartender.
“May I help you?”
“You might.”
It was at that moment that I decided that whatever happened after this, the night wouldn’t be wasted. Just this small interaction with this absolute hottie was better than anything I’d had in month. I already imagined going out with him.
Going on a romantic picnic somewhere in the country, away from the busy city, from all the noise and the troubles. We could spend a nice weekend at a resort or on the beach, if the weather allowed…
A girl could dream, couldn’t she?
I wasn’t sure why he was here. His suit was fresh, but it would’ve looked more at home at a business meeting than at a nightclub. I caught a glance at his watch, and it was an expensive one, but not ostentatious, and he didn’t make a point of showing it to anyone.
Was he here for the auction? It didn’t seem like it. He certainly didn’t look like the type to bid on a girl, he could have anyone in here.
And then, like it always happened with me, I began convincing myself not to get my hopes up. How many times have I fallen for a nice guy who had turned out to be just another asshole? Now, I fully expected him to deliver some cheesy pickup line. What’s a fine girl like you doing in a place like this? The oldest one in the book.
Yet, he didn’t. He was still smiling at me, as if I was the one who had called for him, and he was all ears.
It took me another moment to finally shake the spell, and I said, “So, Mr. Blue. You want to buy me a drink or something?”
He only narrowed my eyes, looking straight into mine. I felt like we were talking without saying a word. He was drumming my fingers on the bar, thinking.
“Mr. Blue?”
I laughed. “Yes, Mr. Blue in the club with a drink. Probably a good start to a murder mystery don’t you think?”
“Interesting.” He was silent for another moment and my palms started sweating. What the hell was I talking about?
Finally, he said, “I don’t think so. Do you want to buy me a drink?”
Ha! Ballsy. I bit my lip. What was my play here? If this was some trick, I had to admit I was falling for it. I was intrigued.
I laughed. “Okay, I’ll buy this round. What’s your poison?”
“Whiskey rocks. A finger.”
“Just one?” I uttered out of nowhere, feeling my cheeks turn red.
“Let’s start with one,” he winked. I wasn’t sure if he was playing along with the dirty subtext or didn’t catch it. Either way, I waved the bartender
over and recited the order. When it was delivered, I handed him the glass.
“Your whiskey on the rocks, sir.”
I took my own glass, there was still some wine in it, and we toasted.
“I’ve never served drinks before. How did I do?”
He licked his lips, swallowed his first sip, then responded. “Pretty good. Minus the fingers comment.”
I laughed out loud, and he joined me. “Well, thank you for your feedback!”
“You’re welcome.” He winked at me and I felt like my skin was on fire. What was I doing? Having a drink with some random millionaire, him not knowing that I was nobody special.
“I’m Owen, Owen Hayes, and you are?”
I offered him my hand to shake it, but instead he brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. A shiver went through my body. “Sydney.”
First name only seemed safer for some reason. I wasn’t sure what the rules were.
“Another round,” he said to the bartender. “And refill whatever the lady is having.”
“So,” he said, “what are you doing in this dump?”
I rolled my eyes. “Ugh! You were doing so well! Now we’re back to square one!”
He laughed and I wanted to leave more than ever. I wanted to leave with Owen. Let him do things to me. Break my out of this funk I had been in. We could get out of here and get drinks like normal people, without auctions and shady nightclubs…
But I had to stay on target. For Declan.
And that was exactly what I was going to do. No matter how sexy Owen was, this wasn’t the place to think about myself. Unless…
“The better question is – what are you doing in this dump? You don’t look like these other guys.”
“Oh, I’m just meeting an old friend. Well, not a friend, really. Just someone I know.”
Yup, there you go, mystery solved, I thought. He’s here on business.
“Well I need more than that,” I said, putting my glass on the bar.
He looked at me, then said, with a smile, “It’s someone I have a proposition for.”
“Ooh. And what kind of proposition would that be?” I picked the glass back up.
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