“Just nervous.”
“Because you don’t think Master Daniel will bid?”
He’ll bid. He’ll do it to save face and he’s a sucker for donating to a good cause. It’s what comes after that worries me.
There will be a lecture, and I’m afraid it won’t be the kind that makes the butterflies in my belly soar. I’m really scared it will be the kind that ends everything.
That won’t be so bad, except we still have to work together.
This is why we can’t be what I want us to be.
Hanging over our heads is the constant reminder of what will happen if our relationship fails.
If we’re lucky, it’ll be amicable and won’t affect our professional relationship. I need that. I need it because his recommendation steers the course of my career.
I’m deep in thought when Michelle returns with a mouse of a girl. The girl looks shell-shocked as Michelle introduces her around. She actually looks more like a drowned rat. The poor thing is soaked to the bone.
My mouth gapes when Michelle tells us this girl is going to auction with the rest of us. Master Edge seems to have claimed Ivy. That’s her name, and she’s inquisitive as hell.
Michelle gets Ivy out of her wet clothes and into an outfit of leather and lace, while Penny helps her put her wet hair up off her shoulders. I'm curious about who this is, and why Edge sent her to us.
They all settle down to discuss the bids they’ll set, while I ruminate about my future and whether to back out.
Ivy isn’t just fresh meat. She’s brand spanking new to the scene and I have no idea what the hell Master Edge is thinking having her go up for auction.
The sum she puts for one day of her time is ridiculously low. Michelle and Penny try to explain.
“I’m putting fifty-thousand.” I finally come out of my shell and join the conversation.
It’s a lie.
I’m supposed to put a reserve bid on one day, one week, one month, and one year of my time.
The way this works is Daniel bids what he thinks I’m worth. He won’t know the amounts I put. If he meets my amount, he gets me for that period of time.
I can put a dollar for a day or the fifty-thousand I boast. It’s totally up to me.
Daniel will pay ten times that. He helped Master Andy found the charity for the home that takes care of women who survived domestic abuse. He’s a major contributor, regardless of this auction.
There are four pieces of paper. One for each time period.
If he meets my reserve bid, he’ll receive the corresponding piece of paper which tells him how much time I will be his.
Penny and Michelle explain this to the new girl. Ivy’s eyes are wide, but I can tell she’s excited.
I understand it. Master Edge is an impressive human being. As a man, he’s gorgeous. As a Dom and Master, I can only imagine what that will be like for Ivy.
I assume it’s something along the lines of what I feel for Daniel, meaning Ivy is a really lucky girl.
Which brings me back to the reserve amounts I must place on these bids.
Ivy helps Penny with the ties to her corset. I watch Penny’s waist narrow as Ivy tugs tight. Penny is a curvy woman, and those curves truly shine when sculpted by an uncompromising corset.
Michelle helps Ivy settle the contraption of leather and lace around her delicate figure. No surprise there, considering what drives Master Edge wild.
Props to the girl.
She’s taking this all in stride. I see a glimmer of what Master Edge must have seen. The girl is a natural.
Michelle comes over and peeks over my shoulder.
“Are you done?”
My cards are blank.
How do I place a price on my freedom?
When I approached Katy with this crazy idea, I told her that if I could just show Daniel what we could be, he would jump with me into the deep end.
If I make the bid too high, there’s a chance I’ll be left on that stage.
It’s happened before.
Actually, it happens every year. There are always women willing to commit to the possibility, but price themselves too high to make it an actuality.
I think it’s a way for them to test the resolve of their Doms.
And it provides a kind of safety net.
I don’t need a safety net.
I’m ready to fly.
A quick glance at my cards and I jot down a figure. I scratch out the same spot on each card and add an identical note.
Daniel will see the notes. From there, my fate is in his hands.
Katy returns and she’s changed her clothes. We’re all dressed in practically nothing, but she’s in black dress pants, a white pressed shirt, and a black blazer. She’s not going on the block and I think the black is a nod to Master Andy’s memory.
“Come on.” She gives another clap of her hands and we’re on our feet.
Ushered out into the hallway, she leads us down the back passages until we pass by another door. She calls for a stop and ducks her head inside.
“Let’s go girls.”
Three other women exit and join us. Like the rest of us, they ditched their evening gowns and are decked out in club attire. We make seven now, with the addition of Ivy. Seven women going to auction.
But we’re not the only ones.
Katy makes another stop. This time to a much larger room. We join a score of women.
We’re all perfectly in line and follow Katy in hushed silence as we approach the stage entrance of the club’s auditorium.
If I’m going to back out, this is my last opportunity.
Katy pushes on the door and my heartbeat kicks up a notch.
Daniel told me to return to him before the auction, but I’m here instead. He’s probably looking for me, concerned by my absence.
The line of women files inside and I move with it. Penny is in front of me, the new girl, Ivy, stands behind me.
A deep resonating buzzing sensation rolls over us. The unmistakable voices of men gathered for a visual feast is a force of its own. They’re hungry. They’re restless. And they’re ready for the evening’s festivities to commence.
I step to the front of the stage and peer into the darkness of the crowd.
He sees me. If he’s in the crowd, there’s no way he can’t see me.
Which means…
Daniel now knows what I plan.
This leaves him with several options. He’ll jump up on this stage and drag me off of it. He’ll say nothing and disappear into the darkness leaving me standing alone. He’ll stay in the crowd, anger flowing over him, until his path becomes clear.
What the hell am I thinking?
There are seven posts fixed to the floor with heavy rings mounted at the tops of each of them. Chains drop down from the rings and there is a set of black leather handcuffs dangling from the end of the chains.
There’s a singular raised platform far forward and a spotlight shines down on it. That’s where the others will be auctioned.
Men come forward carrying lengths of rough-hewn rope. They start at the far right and bind each girl’s hands together—the ties that bind.
The seven of us are ushered to the side of the stage, right behind the dais with the seven poles.
The lights along the floor of the stage brighten. I blink against the glare and I think my stomach is doing summersaults.
I feel Daniel’s eyes on me, even if I can’t see him.
He’s out there.
I’m on display. The entire membership sees me. It’s intoxicating, but means nothing if the man I wish to serve turns his back on me.
I’m swaying on my feet, getting light-headed, and I feel a little sick to my stomach.
Someone approaches from behind. Sandalwood and musk, I recognize Master Edge’s signature scent. Daniel smells different, woodsy and feral, but then I know Daniel’s mind.
“You’re trembling.” Master Edge speaks to Ivy. She stands beside me, shaking like a leaf.
My knees are practically knocking, and if I don’t get my breathing under control, I’m going to hyperventilate and pass out.
A shiver washes over me.
Sweat trickles down my back.
Daniel should be behind me, like Master Edge who stands behind Ivy. This is how it works. But Daniel doesn’t know I planned to be here. He’s not prepared to lock me in.
I’ve never disobeyed him on this scale.
I listen to Ivy and Master Edge as he reassures Ivy and binds her hands over her head. She’s locked in place until the bidding is done.
To my right, Master Thomas and Master Eric approach Penny. They each take one of her hands. Together, they lift her arms overhead and secure her to her post.
This is repeated down the line. Master Tank ties Michelle in place and the other women are similarly bound.
I didn’t think this through.
I’m left standing in front of the entire membership looking like a fool.
Then the floor behind me creaks. A presence looms and there’s most definitely someone standing behind me. The deep pulls of his breath fill my ears. His anger is palpable and I squeeze my eyes shut.
Regret fills me and I bite down on my lower lip.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know?” Daniel’s deep voice vibrates in the space between us.
It resonates deep in my core. I ache for this, but fear it too.
“I…”
“Don’t.” His reprimand cuts off whatever it was I was going to say. “Don’t you dare say a word.”
He’s livid and barely holding his shit together.
I clasp my hands in front of me, twisting my fingers with regret. I’m seconds from bolting off the stage. I’m such a fool. Such an idiot.
That’s it.
I bolt.
Spinning around, I’m ready to run off stage, but one look into his eyes and I stop cold.
That’s not anger.
It’s something I’m not prepared to meet. He’s mad. There’s no denying that. But the fury sparking in his eyes is something I’ve never seen before.
I know my actions cross a line, but I’m not ready to face the full brunt of his fury. I can’t absorb the disappointment shadowed in his eyes. My shoulders curve inward and I hunch over. It feels like I’ve been kicked in the gut.
His presence is everywhere. I feel him all around me and it’s steeped in disappointment.
“I’m sorry.” I apologize, knowing it’s already too late.
“Stop.” His command snaps like a whip and I jerk in response. “We’ll proceed with this little farce. The entire membership is watching. Step back in place and put your goddamn hands over your head.”
His words crack like a whip and I jerk with the full force of his anger.
I obey. There’s no choice but to do as I’m told. I return to my spot and raise my hands over my head.
He grabs at my wrists, fastening the cuffs with clinical efficiency and nothing of the tenderness Master Edge showed Ivy.
There’s a snap and I’m locked in place.
Then nothing.
I don’t hear Daniel leave, but I feel the vacuum left behind by his absence. Into that, I fall apart.
I’m shaking like a leaf and tears prick in my eyes. The entire world disappears and I’m left with an aching emptiness.
Beside me, Master Edge has Ivy under his thumb. He directs her head, turning her face to the side where he places a kiss to her earlobe. A needy moan escapes her mouth as he sucks and trails a line of kisses along her jaw.
His lips find hers and they kiss. I feel their heat.
It’s impossible to miss, especially when I’m left standing in the cold emptiness without the support of my Dom by my side.
Daniel’s saving face in front of the membership, but there’s no doubt I committed an unforgivable sin.
Tears stream down my cheeks as the lights flicker and flash. The auction begins while I fall apart.
Chapter 9
With tears streaming down my face, Katy takes the stage. This is her show. She stands in front of the membership and explains the first part of the auction. She gives the men time to get the apps on their phones locked and loaded for the feast of flesh soon to grace the stage.
Katy gestures behind her and one of the men assisting brings forward the first woman to be auctioned.
The first woman steps up to the block, sensual music plays as she strips out of her clothes, and lowers herself to her knees with stunning grace. Sitting back on her heels, she places her palms flat on her thighs, spreads her knees so the crowd can fully enjoy her assets, and with a slight arch of her back, she pushes her tits forward. She faces the audience with a sublime expression of bliss on her face.
Her expression is proud, defiant, and sexy as fuck. There’s no fear there but rather a bold acceptance of whatever happens next.
She’s being auctioned off to the highest bidder for the night. The man with the winning bid will have her for the remainder of the evening and through dawn. She’s agreed to serve him however he pleases until then.
There will be lists and limits discussed, but this woman, and all the others, have committed to having sex with whoever purchases the pleasure of their company.
I wish I was that brave.
Instead, I’m crumbling on stage because I know I’ve been abandoned.
Katy is not the auction Master. That role belongs to one of the Old Guard. The Dom comes forward and begins the bidding.
It’s surreal. I’ve never experienced this event from the stage. Always I’ve been in the crowd. Watching from the darkness.
Flashes of light flicker from the audience. Each flash is a bid as the men stab at their cellphones. The price is not something we see. There’s not a single woman up here who will know what she is worth. Not unless the man who wins the bid divulges the price he paid.
Only the final tally will be made available to the membership at large.
The bidding is furious and scores of lights flash. As time goes on the numbers of flashes lessen until there are only a handful of bidders.
The woman doesn’t move a muscle through the whole ordeal. If anything, her back straightens as she pushes her tits out. Men are fighting for the privilege of her submission.
I’d feel pretty damn special too, if that were me.
After a moment, there are only two flickers of light left. They battle for a moment until only one remains.
When the auctioneer cries out ‘Sold!’ the woman bows and places her head to the floor.
Katy attaches a collar around the woman’s neck and leads her off the stage.
The auction continues until the waiting line of eager hopefuls diminishes. The last woman is on her knees.
A furious round of bidding follows until she too touches her forehead to the ground. Before I’m ready, Katy is leading the last woman from the open auction off the stage.
This leaves the rest of us to learn our fate.
My arms ache from being suspended over my head and I shift my weight foot-to-foot. The tears which spilled down my cheeks are dried up and a generalized numbness fills the void within me.
Daniel will bid, but it won’t mean anything.
I notice Ivy stamping her feet and echo her movements. My feet are numb from standing for so long. The circulation in my legs is failing me and I don’t know if I can stand on my own.
In fact, the only reason I’m upright is because my hands are manacled over my head.
I thought I’d be excited for this moment to begin. Instead, a profound lethargy fills me. I can’t wait for this whole thing to be over. I want to crawl into the deepest, darkest hole and never emerge.
I’m really too exhausted to care what happens next.
The entire stage is suddenly plunged into darkness. It catches me unaware, even though I know these theatrics are a part of the show. A faint light shines over our heads, illuminating the seven of us. The rest of the stage disappears in the gloom.
&nbs
p; Katy moves to the edge of the platform and clears her throat. Her crisp, articulated words carry to the far ends of the auditorium.
She’s thanking the membership for their donations. There’s a generalized chuckle which rolls back at us from the men gathered.
This is a fun event for everyone, a way to give back to the community and indulge in decadent fantasies at the same time.
“It’s time for the last spectacle of the evening. One night. One week. One month. Or one year? These women have placed a price on their freedom, pledged their servitude, and promised their devotion to the men who would claim them as their own.”
The crowd comes alive with the rustling of feet and low murmurs of anticipation. But all I feel is despondency.
This has always been a possibility. I just refused to believe Daniel would abandon me. Katy is explaining what happens next. I follow along with barely any interest.
Basically, the lights will dim again, plunging us all into darkness. Then, one by one, lights will shine over those of us who have had their minimum bids met.
There will be light over my head. I set my bid at a ridiculous amount. It isn’t even a dollar.
I wanted Daniel to know this was what I wanted. No matter his bid, he will have me for a year. Surely that is enough to convince him this is what we need to be.
I know the values the other girls placed on their freedom. There is an insane amount of potential donations our charity will receive.
But for me, I will contribute one penny.
Yes, that’s right. For one night, one week, one month, or one year, my reserve bid is a measly penny.
Not that it matters now.
Katy is speaking. “In a moment, the lights will dim again. If their Doms have met the bids of their submissive a light will shine over her head. After that, she may be fully and rightfully claimed. Masters, as you claim your prize, I will hand each of you an envelope. Inside, you’ll discover whether you’ve met the bid for one night, one week, one month or one year. It’s up to you to decide what to do with that knowledge and whether to share it with your sub.”
I know what Daniel will do with me.
More tears spill down my cheeks.
I’m such a fool to think he wants what I need. The risk is too high. We have a good thing going. Why change it?
Alexa: The Ties That Bind (Auction Night Book 1) Page 6
