BUY ME - Riley Alexa - Страница 22

I hear Samantha clear her throat, and I realize I haven't responded to her question.

“No, not another auction. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next,” I tell her, because it’s the truth.

She laughs into the phone. “I mainly called to poke at the Cortez brothers, but I guess they aren't on top of you as I thought they would be.”

I feel myself blush at her words because she has no idea how on top of me they have been, or how on top of them I’ve been, or maybe she does.

“Well then, why don’t you come down here and I’ll put you back up for auction, and you can see how fast they show up.”

I smile at her words. Of course they would. I’m being ridiculous. Aaron would probably have a freaking heart attack if I put myself back up on auction, and Justin would most likely fuck me on the stage just to prove a point. Both of them are extremely jealous when it comes to me.

A few weeks back, Justin ordered room service, and he saw the guy glance over at me, he and Aaron almost lost it. Aaron was telling him to not even look in my direction, and Justin was asking him if he liked his job. I think word got around, because now none of the staff will even make eye contact with me anymore. Brutes.

“I’m staying here,” I say, with more confidence now. I’m letting little doubts cloud my mind and I shouldn’t.

“Of course you are, but if you ever feel like giving them a nice poke, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

“Of course you would.” Samantha is a businesswoman, after all, and she has to be raking it in with her ten percent commission. I’d be easy money for her.

After we say our goodbyes, I grab my purse off the entryway table, remembering last night how we barely made it in the elevator door after dinner before they had me pinned to it. They each took a turn with me, then carried me into the shower where they continued to worship my body.

I was silly to think they would let me go, I shake my head at myself as I push the elevator button. It doesn't matter, because I’m going downstairs to their office, and they are going to tell me where we all stand.

I don’t make it two feet off the elevator, and Natasha is on me. I get the feeling she was waiting for me. She has no other reason to be loitering outside Aaron and Justin’s private elevator. I hadn't even given her two thoughts after Justin told me her story, which makes me grit my teeth just thinking about it.

It’s kind of sad actually, she is very pretty, I don’t understand why she would do such a thing as roofie a man. I don’t think it would be hard for her to get herself a willing rich man to bed her, but I’m guessing maybe her crazy scares them off.

“You!” she snaps, pointing her finger in my face and making me take a step back. “They always get what they want, don’t they?”

I take another step back, trying to get a little distance from her. It’s clear she’s on something. Her eyes are a little wild, and I can smell the booze on her from here—a smell I’m all too used to coming off my own father.

“Who?” I say, trying to playing dumb, looking around to see if I can spot a security guard nearby.

“You know who. The Cortez brothers. They snap their fingers…” She snaps both fingers in the air, and I’m shocked that her bright red fake nails don't pop off at the action. “And just get whatever they want. Like me. They wanted me gone and…” She snaps her fingers again. I keep looking around, hoping to catch someone’s eye because she clearly needs a little help.

“Just like you!”

I snap my eyes back to her, and a smile spreads across her face. Yeah, she’s got my attention now.

“What did you think? They came in and saved the day? ‘Let’s save the poor little farm girl from the Mistress Auctions. We’ll sweep her away and all live happy ever after.’ Is that what you thought? That the Cortez brothers are your knights in shining armor?”

I can tell from the look on her face she knows something I don’t. I want to smack the smug little smirk off her mouth. I should turn, walk away, and not listen to another word she has to say, but I stay rooted to the spot, staring at her. I’m not going to ask what she knows because I can tell she is all too excited to give me the information on her own.

“Who do you think got your drunk of a father into the poker game, hmm? You think he got to sit down at a table like that without someone getting him a seat? Someone like, maybe, the Cortez brothers? The same someone who knew he’d lose, that you’d need a pile of cash in a bad way.”

I feel a lump grow in my throat. I’m not sure I could talk if I wanted to. The dam would break, and I don’t want her to see my tears. No, she’d enjoy them too much.

I feel my mind start to swirl as I try to play back the events and remember how they all unfolded.

“Starting to click together now?” Her snide remark jars my nerves. “Like I said.” She snaps her fingers once again. “The Cortez brothers wanted you and they made sure they got you. Even if it meant throwing Samantha at you. I'm sure she made a pretty penny roping you in for them. Not exactly knights in shining armor, are they? No, just your plain old johns.”

The way she puts it makes it all so dirty now. I can't stand to be here another minute. I push past her, making my way to the exit, her laughter following me. Fuck this. I'm out of here. Fuck them and fuck her.

I almost make it to the glass revolving doors with the Nevada lights shining through them when two figures block my path.

I knew they'd show at any second but I’d hoped I still had a little time. I never make it far off the elevators before one or both of them show up. I'm convinced they have security alerting them of my every move.

“Lucky, what's wrong?” Aaron says, reaching for me, but I step back, out of his reach.

“Fuck,” Justin says, looking past me. He must have spotted Natasha. “Remove her from the property,” he snaps at a security guard standing by the door. He promptly jumps to.

“I'm going to fucking fire someone. She shouldn't have made it in here without being spotted,” Aaron says, irritation on his face.

“Baby, I promise you, anything she said is a fucking lie.” Justin says, looking into my face. “Fuck, don't cry. It breaks my heart.” It's then I realize my face is wet, the tears finally coming. Justin tries to reach for me like Aaron did, but I rebuff him too.

I expect Natasha to fight the guard, to scream and yell, but she doesn't. Maybe because people might be watching. Can actually hear her now. She strolls calmly by with guard escorting her like she just didn't crash my world.

“Did you set this all up?” I ask, squaring my shoulders. I shouldn't be having this fight with them right out in the open, but I really just don't care at the moment. They won't be able to try to distract me like this.

They both blanch at my question, telling me all I need to know because they clearly know what I'm talking about.

“It's not what you think.” Justin is the first to break the silence.

“It's a yes or no question,” I throw back at him.

Aaron just stands there, his face growing hard. He's pissed. Good.

“Yes, but—”

I cut him off, not caring what he has to say.

“Then I'm done here. Our contract is up. I'm free to go.” I go to push past them, but Aaron grabs me by the arm. “I said I'm done here.” I try to jerk my arm free, but he only pulls me closer, leaning down to my ear.

“Well we're not done with you. You think we'd let you go so easily? We'd do all this work to get you here and just let you slip through our fingers? Come on, Lucky, you're smarter than that.”

I glare up at him. I feel Justin move in closer. They are caging me in between them, not caring who can see what’s happening.

“You can't make me stay here,” I say, but it comes out breathier than I intended.

Keep it together, Stella. They tricked you into being here. Made you think they saved you when they orchestrated the trouble in the first place.