“Is that so?” Charles responded, trying to look interested. “You’re Michael Grayson, right? The real estate god of New England?”
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a god.”
“You handle nearly every real estate sale in Newport. Everyone knows that the city is full of old money. I think we even have a few natives here today. Old Miss Hansberry. She’s been a patron for years. Still enjoys her fair share of eye candy.” Charles chuckled.
“Is she? I just sold her a piece of property near the Vanderbilt estate a few weeks ago. I should have a word with her before the auction.” Michael was about to move away, but I stopped him.
“Oh, won’t you stay a little while longer?” I asked, my eyes wide. He nodded and continued the conversation. I didn’t even pay attention to what they were saying. I was just glad I didn’t have to be left alone with Charles. I refused to look at him, but close up, it was hard to ignore him.
I could smell the faint scent of his cologne, reminding me of our night together. I tried to erase the memory from my mind, but it kept resurfacing until I finally looked at him from the corner of my eye. His dark hair was shorter than the last time I saw him. His tiny curls were tighter and somehow, that made him look even hotter. His gray eyes commanded attention, making him look cold and sexy. I bit the inside of my lip. I couldn’t think of him like this anymore. I hated him.
“I really must be going,” Michael said as he spotted Miss Hansberry across the room. “Or I’ll never get a chance to talk to some of the other attendees.” He paused and pulled my hand up to his lips. “I hope to see you later.” He winked at me before finally walking away.
“I should be going as well,” I said quickly, determined to avoid a conversation with Charles.
“Oh no you don’t. We have to talk.” He grabbed me by the hips and pushed me against the nearby wall. I was speechless for a moment as I felt his body press against my own.
“Let go of me.” I finally hissed, trying to push him away.
“No. Listen to me.”
“I don’t have to listen to anything you say.” I continued to struggle.
“Haley. Stop.” His voice was cold and menacing. I looked into his eyes, my heart skipping a beat.
“Fine, you have one minute.”
“Look. It wasn’t my fault. It was my sister that made me buy out Bruce. She’s the one pulling the strings in this silly game. If it had been up to me, I wouldn’t have done that to you – especially not after what we had.”
“Then, why did you do it? You’re a grown man - I don’t see why you have to listen to your sister. You’re the CEO, not her.” I finally jerked away from his grasp, my body shaking.
“By the time I found out about the deal, it was already too late.”
“And you expect me to believe that? What exactly stopped you from doing something to fix it? I’m sure you could’ve pulled some strings.”
“Look, I don’t even know why she did it. By the time I found out the impact it had, you didn’t want to talk to me. What was I supposed to do?”
“Look, if you really want to make up for what you did, then you’ll stay away from me. I’m just trying to restart my life and I would appreciate it if you stayed out of it.”
Charles' face fell at my words. “Is that how you really feel?”
I nodded. “I’m done trusting people like you. I just end up being hurt.” I turned on my heels and walked away, but I couldn’t deny the horrible feeling that had formed in the pit of my stomach. It was like I had swallowed a rock. I felt queasy, my vision blurring in front of me. Heading toward a table, I passed Michael who stopped me. “Hey, what’s wrong? You look upset.” He held me at arm’s length, our eyes locking. I quickly turned away. I didn’t want him to see that I was close to tears. When I didn’t answer, he looked over my shoulder. “It was Charles, wasn’t it?”
Gently, he guided me toward a nearby table and helped me sit down. “He…”
“You don’t have to explain yourself, Haley.” He rubbed my back. “I’ve seen many girls running out of this very room because of him. He’s not worth your tears, okay?” He squeezed my hand and smiled. “Just forget about him, okay?” He poured me a glass of water from a pitcher on the table and handed it to me. “This was probably my fault, anyway.”
“Huh?”
“He probably only came by to talk to us because there is a sort of unspoken rivalry between us.”
“So, you know him then?” I asked, putting my glass down. Here was my chance to get some inside information about Charles..
“I know as much as the next guy.” He shrugged in modesty.
“What do you know about his sister?”
“You mean Vanessa?” He sat back, running his fingers through his blonde hair and chuckled. “She’s a doozy. She practically raised Charles herself after their parents passed away. She’s ruthless in the business world, but she has less of a public profile than her brother. If you ask me, she hides behind his reputation so she can do whatever she wants. However, I do think she’s the real mastermind behind his success. Doesn’t help that she’s incredibly attractive.” He swiveled in his chair and scanned the crowd. “She’s supposed to be here too… Ah, there she is.” He pointed to a tall woman standing in the middle of the room. She had deep red hair that flowed down her back in soft ringlets. She had on a maroon dress, ivory gloves, and eyes that looked just like her brother’s.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Why is she even here?” I asked.
“She usually tags along whenever her brother attends,” Charles explained. “They’re inseparable in most cases. It’s a bit creepy at times.”
I kept watching the girl as she stood there. She was alone but didn’t really seem to be bothered by that fact. Soon, however, her brother walked up to her and pulled her closer, whispering something in her ear before he towed her away to the corner.
“See what I mean? He’s probably whining to her that you got mad at him.” Michael snickered..
“Wow, really?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“And you aren’t just saying that because you’re his rival and you’re trying to make him look bad?” I asked, taking another sip of my water, trying to calm my nerves. The night was starting to blur together. From all the people I met, to seeing Charles again, my thoughts felt scattered.
“There might be some of that. Can’t blame a man for wanting to make himself look good in front of a beautiful woman.”
My cheeks colored at his comment, but I didn’t bother replying. I was too preoccupied with what was happening in the corner. Charles and Vanessa looked like they were arguing. Charles’ eyes were cold and harsh. His hands were clenched into fists by his side. He looked angry – very angry. Vanessa rested a hand on his upper arm and said something. It was short, but it seemed to calm him down.
“I think I need some air…” I whispered.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Michael offered.
“No. I’ll be fine by myself. Besides, it looks like there are a few girls who want to talk to you.” I pointed my thumb at the girl with the bouncy brown hair I had seen earlier. She giggled and quickly took my seat the moment I got up.
I shook my head and walked outside. The backyard of the estate was beautiful. There was a large walk-through garden with pruned bushes in the shape of various animals. Perfectly-tended roses. A water fountain in the center of it all depicted what seemed to be the goddess, Venus. I walked toward it, running my fingers along the water’s surface.
At the back of the garden was a gazebo with a bench. I walked up the steps and sat down, sighing in relief. The place felt so serene, so quiet. I took the moment to gather my thoughts. My stomach was still tied in knots. The night had only just begun and already, I felt like I had been here for hours.
Sudden footsteps startled me and I looked up to see Bruce standing there.
“Why do you keep following me?” I asked. “I just happe
ned to see you walk out here. I thought something might be wrong.”
“Look, Bruce, I don’t need you treating me like a child. I can take care of myself.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t… I just worry about you. I know how hard it can be when your plans fall through.”
“Bruce, please. I don’t want to hear it.” I sighed. “But since you’re here, I might as well ask you something.”
“What?”
“I just saw Charles in there and he told me that his sister – Vanessa was it? – was the one behind the takeover. Why didn’t you tell me that? Why did you make me think that Charles did it?”
“I admit, I knew that Vanessa orchestrated it all.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me the truth?” I snapped, losing my temper for a moment. My cheeks felt like they were burning up. “If I had known…” I bit my lip to keep from finishing my sentence.
“I didn’t want you to get mixed up with Charles. He’s bad news, Haley.”
“I don’t need you to keep babying me. If I wanted to be with Charles - then that was my business. I can’t believe you allowed me to go through all this just because you thought I shouldn’t be with someone. You crushed my dream. If you had told me his sister was behind all this… maybe I would’ve answered his call… maybe all of this would be behind me and I would be the success business owner I always wanted to be.”
“You can still be that business woman - if you let me help you. I’m the major stockholder now. No one can buy me out. I promise to support you completely on your next venture.”
“Stop it. I don’t want your charity - I already told you. Just leave me alone and let me live my life.”
“Haley –”
“I don’t want to hear anymore. I’m just trying to put all of this behind me - turn a new leaf - I don’t need to get stuck in the mud anymore than I already am.” I walked away, knowing my anger would get the best of me if I stuck around. In my haste, I nearly slammed right into Vanessa. I stepped back and stared at her before I did my best to plaster a smile on my face. Maybe she would tell me why she had bought out Bruce, shattering my dreams. “I’m sorry about that.”
“No worries,” Vanessa answered, her voice flat and emotionless.
“I’m Haley Winslow,” I said, holding out my hand in introduction. She squeezed mine firmly as if this were a business transaction and she was closing the deal.
“It’s a pleasure.” She answered, her expression still cold and harsh. “Please call me Vanessa.”
“You mean Vanessa Branlon?” I asked, innocently.
“That’s right.”
“You know, everyone’s been talking about you.”
“Oh really? Good things I hope.” Unconsciously, we had started walking around the garden.
“Oh yes. I’ve been told you’re a mastermind in the business world. That you have quite a few small businesses under your wing. Tell me, how do you do it?”
I noticed her eyes narrow at my comment. Her full lips pressed into a hard line. The clicking of our heels against the concrete was the only sound that echoed through the night.
“Just talent, I suppose.”
“You must be very talented indeed. And you must be very proud of your brother for following in your footsteps.”
To my surprise, she just rolled her eyes.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“If you’re just another happy-go-lucky girl, trying to get me to introduce you to my brother, you can just leave now.” She said coldly, about to walk away.
“I certainly am not.” The firmness in my voice must have surprised her because she turned around and stared at me. “Why did you force Charles to buy out my financier? Why were you so adamant about personally destroying my company? First Date Boutique was all I had. My hopes and dreams and all it took was a snap of your witch fingers to end it all. Why?”
Vanessa was silent for a moment before a sly grin spread across her face.
“Ah. I know exactly who you are now.” She stepped forward. “The day Charles came home and started rambling about you, I knew he had fallen for you. He had those love-sick eyes. That disgusting, smitten look on his face. I knew it would never do.” Her smirk deepened. “I knew I had to end it. So, I orchestrated the whole buyout to keep you two apart. Brilliant, wasn’t it?” Her words were cold and heartless.
She walked away, leaving me there, in utter shock.
***
I was glad to be back in my room. I leaned against the door, feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. My thoughts bounced around my mind, making me lightheaded. I stumbled toward my bed and sat down.
“Why did this have to happen to me?” I grumbled to myself. Why couldn’t she just let her brother be with whoever he wants…
I sighed and stared at the ceiling, feeling a burning in my eyes. I wanted to cry, but I wasn’t going to. I tightened my hands into fists and bit the inside of my lip to hold back my emotions.
“There was definitely something between us and she just had to go and ruin it. I knew I wasn’t crazy. I knew there was a spark.” I ground my teeth together. “I’m such a fool.” I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair, ruining the curls Emanuel had worked so hard to create. I didn’t care at this point. “Why do I always make the worst decisions?” I stopped in front of the mirror and groaned. Somehow, I had managed to mess up my makeup. My lipstick was all but gone. My eyeshadow was faded and one of my fake eyelashes had fallen off. “Great… now I look like shit too.”
I stepped away and took a deep, calming breath. I couldn’t let this get to my head. I just had to let this all go and move on with my life. I took another deep breath, finally calming down a bit. “I’m here anyway, might as well just go through with it.” I tried to convince myself.
As I walked around the room, trying to blow off some steam, I noticed there were some books on the bookshelf. I grabbed the first one and turned it over to look at the cover. A Girl’s Guide to the Breslyn Auction Club. “Finally, something that might actually help me.” I sat down on the bed and opened the book. Maybe now I would finally get the answers I had been looking for all along. Deep down, I had a hunch that this wasn’t a friendly little auction, but I wanted to make sure.
Breslyn’s Auction Club has been in business for the past fifty years. Established by Mr. Breslyn himself, it’s a place where rich entrepreneurs can spend their money on a night worth their while. As a Girl, you’ll find yourself on stage, auctioned off to the highest bidder. You will receive 50% of the money raised. So, the more you flaunt your stuff between various men (and women), the more tension you create and therefore, more money. Your goal is to go home with the man with the most cash in his pocket and give him a night he’ll never forget. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll engage in sexual intercourse with every man you go home with, but an attendee can request it while they are with you. Whether you oblige them, however, is entirely up to you.
As a Girl, you aren’t expected to do anything specific, per say. The only requirement is that you make a baseline of $10,000 a month to pay for your living expenses. Even if you do not meet this baseline, you can continue your stay at Breslyn’s as long as you pay said monthly fee.
The book continued explaining the basics, but I couldn’t read any further. So Breslyn really was a private escort service. I had no idea how all of this was legal, but I wasn’t about to argue with it. If I wanted to make it on my own I needed the money and $50,000 was simply too much to ignore.
Still, the thought of being auctioned off to the highest bidder did seem a little degrading. What if someone disgusting bought me for the night? What if Branlon placed a bid on me and won? Would that mean I would have to go home with him and face everything that happened between us? I shuddered at the thought.
Maybe, if I was lucky, Michael would be the one to win the night with me. I definitely wouldn’t mind showing him a good time. I grinned at the thought, wondering what kind of a lover he was. I had the feelin
g he was only cute and innocent on the surface. I bet in bed, he was nothing short of an animal.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I jolted out of bed, the guidebook still in my hand. I quickly shoved it back on the bookcase and straightened myself out as best I could. I tried to smooth out a wrinkle in my dress, but at this point, it was hopeless. I would just have to face whoever was at the door, looking like a second-rate escort.
“M-Michael?” I wasn’t expecting him. I blushed darkly, remembering the naughty thoughts I had just had about him. “What are you doing up here?” I didn’t know if the attendees were even allowed in the West Wing.
“I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing. Victoria told me that this is your first auction and I thought you might be nervous.”
“It’s…”
“I don’t know if anyone has told you, but I just want to let you know that you aren’t a slave or anything.” He smiled warmly. “You’re free to do whatever you want. So, if you don’t feel like being a part of the auction today, you don’t have to.” He held out his hand. “What do you say we go for a walk? As friends.”
I stared at him for a moment, wondering what I should do. “Are you sure that’s such a good idea? I mean… isn’t it against the rules or something?” Part of me wished I had read more of the guidebook.
“No. There are no rules. Like I said, you can do anything you want. Of course, if you don’t want to go on a walk with me, that’s fine too. I understand.”
“No, no. I do.” I nodded and stepped out of my room. He casually wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me toward the back entrance. “You seem to know your way around this place.”
“I’ve been here quite a few times.” He admitted.
“Oh?” I frowned slightly, realizing that he had probably slept with a lot of women.
“I know what you’re thinking. It’s not like that. I usually just treat a girl to dinner. Sometimes we do go to the bedroom, but for the most part, I just like to talk to them.” He smiled, squeezing my side. “I’m not trying to take advantage of anyone.”
Bought by Him: A Breslyn Auction Club Romance (The Breslyn Auction Club Book 1) Page 6
