Highest Bidder Collection

by Lauren Landish

  She’s putting the edgy outfits in their respective categories with ease, but I can hardly stay on my feet. I’m so exhausted. I was up all night, tossing and turning, consumed with thoughts of Lucian and reliving the events of the auction in my head. All I could think about was how gorgeous he was, with his dirty blond hair, chiseled jawline and that brooding, yet intense expression that made me feel like I was burning up inside while on stage and back in Madam Lynn’s office.

  Being up close to him had been even more intense. He radiated such power and a sort of mystery that made me hungry to know more about him. Even the way he spoke, with a deep growling voice throbbing with authority, filled me with sexual desire and made me want to fall to my knees and please him right then and there.

  I remember the title he made me call him.

  Sir.

  A shiver goes down my spine as I think about the way he looked at me. Like he owned me. Like I was his property. I want him. Now. More than that, I crave his lips on mine, his touch on my body. I crave his... domination. I can picture him now, thrusting his chiseled hips against my ass, pushing every inch of his big fat cock inside of me as he wraps his powerful hands around my neck and makes me beg for more. The raw image flashing in front of my eyes makes my nipples harden, my core heat with desire, and my body tremble with anticipation.

  I can’t wait for our first meeting.

  Six fifteen, I tell myself, sucking in a deep breath and pushing away the naughty images. I just have to make it until then. Then I’ll be all his.

  Carla slips a glittery red halter top on a rack, the clinking of the hanger snapping me back to the present, and then turns to face me, her face twisting into a puzzled expression. “Lucian Stone,” she murmurs, tapping her index finger against her lips thoughtfully. It’s weird to see her dressed conservatively today, in a black pantsuit and hair pulled into a ponytail, a far cry from the slutty outfit she had on last night. I’m struck once again by her ability to live this double life. Looking at her, you would never guess that she was into being someone’s Submissive for pleasure. “Hmm,” she says, closing her eyes, and repeating his name over and over to jog her memory.

  Her eyes pop open a moment later and she frowns at me, causing my throat to drop into my stomach. “I’m sorry, Dah,” she admits, shaking her head regretfully. “But I’ve never heard of this guy.”

  My mouth falls open in shock, my heart pounding in my chest. I don’t know why it matters that Carla doesn’t know Lucian, but I’m really fucking nervous. Going into the contract, I knew I’d be handing myself over to a total stranger, but I would’ve been more comforted by the fact if it were someone Carla knew and could vouch for.

  “What?” I ask incredulously. “I thought you knew a lot of these men’s identities.” Maybe I feel anxious because I don’t know what to expect from Lucian. He has an air of mystery about him that seems... intoxicating, but dangerous at the same time. Carla knowing something about him, anything, would help me feel more at ease.

  She shakes her head. “I never said that, Dah. I just said that I know who some of them are. But I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea. I wish I could tell you more about this guy, but I can’t.” She pauses, lost in thought, and then shakes her head. “I wouldn’t worry too much. This guy sounds like he really wanted you. It’s been awhile since a chick commanded that kind of price.” She scowls. “I’m jealous.”

  Before I can reply, Debra struts into the room holding a stack of papers in her hand. Once again, I’m reminded of how Debra resembles Madam Lynn--not in looks, but personality. She looks gorgeous today in black spiked stilettos, tight white pants and a silk black top that showcases her impressive chest. Her hair is done up into an effortless updo with wisps of hair framing her mature face and her makeup is vibrant, taking a few years off. But the most alluring thing she's wearing, as always, is her confidence.

  “Good morning, ladies,” she greets us with a smile, walking over to a table on the side of the room and placing the papers on it.

  “Good morning,” we both reply in near unison.

  Debra turns to face us and chuckles, shaking her head. “Ah. You girls are so cute! It makes me sad that I’ve brought more work to put on your plate.”

  Cute? If you only knew the depravity we’re involved in.

  I hold in a groan and hope it’s not something too involved. I can barely keep my eyes open.

  “What’s that?” Carla asks curiously.

  Debra points at the pile of papers. “I need you two to match the models in those folders with their respective gowns for my upcoming show.”

  “That should be easy,” Carla says easily, and I hear the relief in her voice. “We’ll get that done for you no problem, boss.”

  “Speak for yourself,” I mutter under my breath, low enough that Debra doesn’t hear. Carla grins at me. She knows I’ve barely gotten any sleep, but she’s cheery anyway. Probably from the hard fuck she got from Bruce last night. My cheeks heat at the memory of Club X once again. I can’t stop thinking about last night.

  Debra shoots her a thumbs up. “That’s the spirit. I knew I could count on you two.” She starts to leave the room, but pauses in the doorway to add, “Oh, and by the way, I also need you two to come up with theme ideas for the after party. Usually Kevin comes through for me, but he’s down with a nasty cold and I don’t know if I can depend on him.“ She pauses to look between us both. “Can I count on you two girls?”

  Carla nods and says, “Yes,” but at the same time, I say respectfully, “Yes, Madam Lynn.”

  Debra must not have heard me, because with a flash of a grin, she’s gone.

  Carla turns to me, her expression shocked. “You did not just call her Madam Lynn!”

  Placing a hand over my mouth, I let out a deep yawn that I can’t control. “Sorry. I’m really tired.” The cups of coffee I’ve drunk this morning have done little to wake me up, but something tells me that when six fifteen gets here I’ll be wide fucking awake.

  “Their mannerisms do favor each other though,” Carla says thoughtfully, walking over and grabbing a stack of Debra’s papers. “But you need to be careful that you don’t slip up like that in the future. Madam Lynn’s name is an open secret and who knows what clientele she has... even in this building.”

  It takes a moment for the implications of what Carla is saying to hit me. “Debra?” I ask incredulously, my jaw dropping open, “a Submissive?” Never in a million years would I think Debra would have a submissive bone in her entire body. She's just… too powerful for that.

  Carla makes a face. “I’m not saying that she is. I'm just saying, would you have thought I was a Submissive without me revealing it to you?”

  I shake my head.

  “Okay then. Just remember the NDA you signed.” She motions me over to an empty table to the side of the clothing rack. “Come help me sort through this mess right quick and then let’s get lunch.”

  We spend the next half hour categorizing fashion designs and matching model profiles to the outfits they’ll be wearing for Debra’s upcoming fashion show. Carla is making quick work of the task, but I’m finding it hard to do even the simplest thing, tired and my mind filled with anxiety. When I screw up and pin a model’s profile on the wrong outfit, Carla places a hand atop mine, her expression concerned.

  “What’s on your mind, Dah?” she asks.

  Do you even have to ask?

  “I just wish there was a way that we could find out more about…” I say, my voice trailing off. I don’t know why I’m bothering. Carla has already said she doesn’t know anything about Lucian. She can’t conjure information about him out of thin air just because I want her to. I’m probably just worrying myself to death over nothing.

  Carla shakes her head, her eyes filled with sympathy. She must think my worry is getting tiresome, but I can’t help it. This is my first time doing something like this, and no matter how hard I try to relax, I remain on edge. “I don’t think so, the club's rules…” her voi
ce trails off as her face crinkles into a thoughtful expression. “I know!” she says suddenly, her face brightening, snapping her fingers. “We can look him up on the net!”

  Oh my God, I’m so stupid. That’s actually a genius idea. Why the hell didn’t I think of that? I’ve spent all this time worrying when a simple Google search could have turned up dirt… if there is any.

  Probably because all I’ve been thinking about is being fucked by him, I think to myself.

  “Let’s cyberstalk him,” Carla says, slinging a black slinky dress over the rack and throwing the model profile she’s holding down on a table.

  Uneasiness touches my chest.

  “You’re not going to be able to work unless you find out more about Lucian to put your mind at ease. So let’s get it over with. You only have a few hours before you meet up with him, and you don’t want to go into your first encounter terrified, trust me.” She begins making her way over to the nearest desk, and I hastily slip the white dress I’m holding onto a hanger and place it on the rack. “What about all this?” I gesture.

  “It'll still be here when we're done. C’mon. It'll only take a few minutes.”

  “You think Debra will care that we're doing this on a company computer?”

  Carla practically rolls her eyes as she says, “Girl, you don't even wanna know what I've searched on company time.”

  Fuck it. My need to find out more about Lucian overrides my caution of breaking the rules. “Let’s do it.”

  She grabs a chair and slides it across the floor to sit next to me as I tap on the space bar to bring the screen to life. I take control of the mouse, and within a few clicks, pull up the Chrome browser.

  The blank Google search bar sits in front of me, the cursor blinking.

  “You ready?” Carla whispers, placing a comforting hand on my thigh and gently rubbing it.

  I’m ready for anything that says this man isn’t a sociopath, I think to myself.

  Gulping, I nod, and my fingers fly across the keys. Lucian Stone. I stare at his name in the search bar, anxiety filling me. What will this search reveal? I wonder. Hopefully nothing. Back in front of Madam Lynn, he definitely didn’t look like a bad man with his dashing good looks, but my opinion on that will change quickly if I find something I don’t like.

  “Dah?” Carla presses.

  Screw it. Taking a deep breath, I tap the left mouse button.

  The first few results that pop up on the screen are pictures of him, all of them incredibly handsome, and him with other young businessmen in suits. Some are even shirtless pictures of him on the beach, his incredible eight-pack abs proudly on display. Desire stirs in my stomach as I look at them. He’s so gorgeous and built like a Greek god. Seriously, he looks like such a tall glass of champagne. It doesn’t seem possible that I’m now going to be his property for an entire month.

  All that is going to be mine later, I tell myself. Holy fucking shit.

  “Jesus,” Carla breathes, her eyes widening at all the eye candy of Lucian. “He’s fucking hot!”

  “You’re telling me,” I whisper, clicking through several sexy pictures of him on the beach, my pussy clenching at the thought of having this man all to myself.

  After admiring a score of pictures of Lucian, I scroll down the page and my eyes settle on a bold headline.

  Man becomes youngest CEO to make eight figures.

  I click on the article and begin reading. Carla is as well, and I can hear the faint wispy sounds of her lips moving as she follows along. It's one of her quirks, but it's slightly distracting as I read about how he dropped out of college and started his own company. It wasn't long before he rose to the top of the corporate world and made a name for himself.

  The article continues listing Lucian’s accomplishments, which I find quite impressive. There’s nothing in the list that gives me cause for concern. My anxiety ebbing a little, I move on from the article and skim through the next few search results. All of them are about the same thing, talking about how impressive Lucian’s rise to power is and how he’s the next big thing in the corporate world.

  Holy fuck, he’s accomplished so much.

  Insecurity stirs in the pit of my stomach, replacing the dread. Next to him, I feel like a complete underachiever. It’s going to be hard not to focus on his status when I’m with him. I can only hope that he makes me forget who he is when we have our sessions, otherwise they won’t be pleasant.

  I scroll through a few more of the same types of articles spanning the last few years and take deep breaths, my anxiety ebbing slowly.

  Satisfied there’s nothing else to see, I’m about to close out the search page, when I notice another eye-catching headline that makes my heart jump in my chest.

  Young CEO headed for tumultuous divorce.

  Married for less than a year, CEO and sole proprietor of Stone Enterprises, Lucian Stone is headed for a vicious split with Tricia Stone, formerly Morgan. The couple has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences although there are several rumors of an affair. And not what you’d expect. It appears Mrs. Stone has fled their home and is staying with an unknown “former friend.” Tricia has been quoted as saying, “The last few months of our marriage have been difficult, and I simply can’t continue in this manner. This marriage and divorce have certainly harmed my image, and I have no doubt that it will affect me for the rest of my life. This isn’t what I thought we were committed to when we exchanged vows, and I am deeply heartbroken by the turn of events.” Mr. Stone has failed to comment.

  I close out the page, feeling slightly uncomfortable and wincing with a twinge of guilt. I shouldn’t have dug past his company’s history, let alone gotten into his personal history. Shit.

  “Feel better now?” Carla is looking at me with relief in her eyes. I wish I felt the same. It seems she’s just as happy as I am that nothing dastardly has shown up on Lucian. I probably would’ve driven her crazy had I not done this. “You found out that he wasn’t a serial killer... and I found out that I missed out by getting stuck with Bruce.”

  “Carla!” I protest.

  Carla gives me a playful smirk. “Just joking. But seriously, you okay now?”

  No, I’m not. But I’m going to suck it up and deal with this until tonight. I nod my head. “You’re right. I didn’t find out anything that makes me want to back out of my contract, thank God.”

  Carla smiles with relief. “Good.”

  The rest of my day is much more productive, and I’m even able to come up with a kick ass costume theme for Debra’s after party; Subs and Doms. Carla thinks it’s an absolute hoot. She’s just worried about how Debra is going to take it.

  By the time six rolls around, the exhaustion I was experiencing earlier is gone. Like I predicted earlier, I’m wide awake and I can’t stop trembling with excitement.

  “I’m going to go freshen up and then wait downstairs for my ride,” I announce to Carla, my hands trembling with nervousness and excitement as I stick the last profile on an outfit. There’s still one last pile of clothes that needs to be organized, and there are sticker papers all over the floor. I’m supposed to help Carla clean it up, but if I do, I’ll be late and I’m afraid of angering Lucian before our first meeting.

  I can almost picture the anger in his eyes, and it sends a shiver down my spine.

  Carla finishes hanging up a white ball gown, and then turns to grin at me. “Just remember to relax and enjoy yourself,” she advises. “A good Dom will make you feel safe in surrendering to him.” She pauses and bites her lower lip, as if unsure if she should say something else. “And let me know all the dirty details tomorrow!” she blurts out.

  “Seriously?” I give her a pointed look. “But you just scolded me earlier about the NDA.”

  Carla scowls at me with consternation. “Fuck the NDA! Lucian is hot as fuck. I want to know what happens, or else!” She gestures at the leftover work. “Besides, you owe me for leaving me to deal with all this alone. Hopefully Lucian leaves a
red print on that ass for me in revenge.” She gives me a devious grin, and I imagine her mind is filled with dirty, depraved thoughts.

  I blush furiously and let out a laugh. “My, my, that attitude isn’t very submissive, is it? But okay. I’ll be sure to take notes.”

  Carla mimics the thumbs up Debra loves to give when someone is doing a good job. “Good girl.”

  I laugh again and leave Carla to clean up our mess and make my way downstairs, my heels clicking against the floor. I walk into one of the work restrooms and make sure it’s empty before I walk over to the mirror. I need to freshen up before I meet with Lucian’s driver. I feel like I can barely breathe as I lean against the granite counter. I would’ve preferred to go home to take a shower after spending all day on my feet, but Lucian had been adamant. He wanted me right at six fifteen, and not a moment after. I shouldn’t be surprised. This is a man who is used to getting what he wants. And he wants me. Again, I can hardly believe this is real. One point six million, with a super handsome and ultra-wealthy Dom willing to fulfill my fantasies. And eight hundred thousand of that money goes to me. It’s just too much to take in.

  Anxiety and desire roll through me thinking about the way Lucian demanded that I be available for him. Sitting there in that chair, he looked like a man that was dying of thirst. Like he would’ve done anything in that moment to get a drink of me. And I want to satisfy that thirst. My blood chills at the thought of him looking at me like my last ex did. Like somehow he’ll know I’m not enjoying it. That I’ll be disappointing him if I can’t get off when he wants, how he wants. I take in a steadying breath. No, I think and shake my head. Neither of my exes would’ve even known about my problems if I hadn’t told them. And this is about me pleasing Lucian. I can do this, and Lucian doesn’t need to know about how broken I am.

  After several deep breaths, I feel a bit calmer. I finish washing up, and focus on fixing my hair and makeup. When I’m satisfied with my appearance, I leave the bathroom and make my way out into the vast lobby and toward the front exit, marked by two glass double doors.