Step Darkly Read online

  55

  Joshua

  “How did this happen?” I ask before the door to Alexandra’s office is completely open and Kelly jumps out of her seat.

  “Thank you, Kelly. Keep me involved in this one.” Lexa doesn’t move. She offers her assistant a smile and Kelly excuses herself as I enter and take a seat with Noah trailing behind.

  I haven’t been able to get rid of him and I prefer to do these next few hours on my own but he has refused to leave my side. I’m sure if I was thinking rationally, having his voice of reason is probably good for me right now.

  When Lexa said the words, the moment she said Emilia was going to sell herself, I lost my shit. No wonder she signed over the company. If Ravenous wasn’t Lexa’s, I would never have found her. This deal would have been done tonight. Then the thought that overrides them all. She has no right to sell what isn’t hers. She has no right to sell what is mine.

  “Joshua, when Kelly took her name, she knew she sounded familiar. Then she confirmed Adam was her father and she came straight to me. I verified her identity through our cameras and I called you right away.” She gently pats her hands on the desk and I realize I shouldn’t be so upset. She’s here now and I finally have her back.

  “Fine. Thank you, Alexandra. Where is she? I’d like to talk to her. I need to tell her—” As I talk, Lexa slowly swivels her head from left to right and I stop to allow her to speak.

  “I can’t do that. You know our auction rules. She’s on her own until the bidding is over.” I can tell she’s trying to calm herself.

  I know what the rules are. I assisted her in creating them for the security of everyone involved but this piece of information is the last thing I want to hear.

  “You can’t let her do this. Lexa…” I say her name in more of a challenging tone and Noah takes a step closer but remains silent and they exchange a glance.

  “You know I wanted to take some time and step back from the business to mourn Adam. Kelly has been filling in so I can also train her to open our second club next year. She’s never seen Emilia before, she didn’t know who she was until it was too late and we had to proceed. If I had seen her before she signed the papers I might have been able to talk to her, but my hands are tied now. Emilia is an adult, she’s been made aware of what will happen tonight. She knows she is selling herself and she signed. I have a couple of buyers who have shown a particular interest in her already.” I’m sure a blood vessel in my brain just popped with that little tidbit of information. “She is going up for auction last. Kelly set a higher reserve for her but I don’t know if that will help. We have protocols, Joshua. The only way you will see her tonight is if you are the winning bidder. And, before you ask, I’ve added you to the auction list. The attendee price is $5000 tonight.”

  I sit back in my chair and temple my fingers to my lips. I’m imploding. I’ve gone from concern back to anger again. There is only one person in the world who can do this to me and one way or another, we are going to work our shit out. Yelling at my two closest friends isn’t going to accomplish anything.

  I hear Noah off to my side as he clears his throat. “You better add him to the list. I’ll pay the ten grand.” I roll my eyes at Alexandra. I know Noah won’t let me go into a room alone with a bunch of strangers who are willing to buy what is mine.

  Lexa taps on her keyboard and looks to the both of us. “Scan your IDs at the door. The first auction is ending in a couple of minutes. You can enter on the break.”

  I stand to leave and Noah opens the door.

  “Joshua?” Lexa calls out and I turn. I’m not mad at her, I’m mad at myself but I don’t have the energy to smile. “I wasn’t sure about you and Emilia when you first told me, but watching her through the cameras tonight and knowing what she’s about to do. I really do think you need each other—on many levels. I wish you luck.”

  I don’t need luck. I already know how this is going to end. I’m spending my money to buy what is already mine. She will not leave here with anyone else.

  The door opens for new guests just as we arrive and security leads us to our seat. Noah has been uncharacteristically silent. He knows the rules. We’ve both been in here before. Not to bid but to help Alexandra fill the audience on lower nights at the beginning. She hasn’t needed us in here for over a year as these events draw a lot of high end interest on their own now.

  The second girl up for auction comes out, she looks almost like she’s done this before. She walks ahead of her bouncer and stands right where she is supposed to. Her makeup is a little thick, but I know some of these guys bidding tonight will like it.

  Her reserve is low and a few bids roll in, then she’s off the stage and out the back door, almost a hundred thousand dollars richer.

  Noah still isn’t saying anything and I’m thankful he is near. The truth is, I miss Adam for these types of things. I could tell him almost anything. Except now I realize there was one thing I wouldn’t let myself tell him and that is how I felt about Emilia. I valued Adam’s place in my life so deeply that I didn’t want to risk my standing with him by telling him how I felt. If I had just explored my feelings for her earlier, we may not be in this place.

  The speaker calls out the third auction and, in my thoughts, I didn’t realize she was standing up on the stage and her information had already been handed out.

  I have one more to go until Emilia is here and my stomach knots tight at the thought.

  This woman looks more like a model. She’s older than the last one and the hairspray in her hair holds it almost like a sculpture. The bright smile she holds doesn’t fade through the bidding. Someone will most likely buy her to violate then use as arm candy at some events and my mind begins to wander to all of the things I want to do to Emilia.

  I’m the lion right before he pounces. Watching, waiting and trying not to give away too much. Crouching down, muscles tense and flexed, salivating with an intense hunger, just waiting for my prey to walk into my sights and stand a little too close to me.

  Everything else fades away. Brent and the company, Tawny, Adam’s death and Emilia’s choices all become white noise around me when I hear the number I’ve been waiting for.

  Number 4.

  My prey.

  Andrew is her security for the evening. Good. I like him. Not only is he one of Lexa’s best, he is also a member of the club so he has a deep understanding and respect for the people here. He leads her onto the stage and she follows obediently as I watch her bare breasts bounce as she moves and I shift to adjust my cock as it tightens in my pants.

  The feeling fades fast as I remember everyone else in the room sees her, too. I go from wanting her bent over a table for me to running up on stage and dragging her out of here in a heartbeat and Noah taps my arm and points at the touchpad. I almost forgot to indicate I wanted to bid on her. What is she doing to me?

  On stage, Andrew leans in and says something quietly to Emilia and she nods and watches him step back from her and she looks a little lost. Now I see what Lexa saw. She is nervous, but not afraid or disgusted. I’m not just drawn to her, my dominance needs her submission. She just doesn’t understand this about herself yet.

  Her reserve is set at 100 grand and a couple of people stand to leave as others just sit back in their seat and watch the show. Judging by the interest still left in the room with me, I’m not going to be bidding alone. Emilia’s information is handed out; not pregnant, no STDs. Then the speaker asks her to go through a couple of positions then kneel and she obeys with an innocence that I know is going to drive her price up.

  Everything is on point about her tonight and it irritates me to no end right now. A naive submissive, open to being molded. Her hair is naturally down and her makeup is simple. Is she even wearing any? Fuck this is so infuriating. I want to punch something and Noah, sitting here with an amused look on his face, isn’t helping him at all.

  “The fuck? Don’t look at her.” Incredulously, I whisper as low as I can. There’s no way
I’m getting kicked out of here now.

  His soft chuckle grates along my nerves but he does look down and the bidding starts. The room is quiet as those interested pick up the keypads sitting next to them. I leave mine by my side for now and look around the room. I can make out the other bodies, but the faces are obscured by the darkness.

  I look over to my keypad and her bidding is already up to 200 thousand and it’s going up in increments of five to ten grand. I don’t have time for this shit. I need to get my hands on her. I won’t wait any longer.

  I punch in $400,000 and wait. Bidding stalls. I know everyone just choked on the price difference. They now have a minute to place a higher bid or she’s mine and I feel victorious. The seconds tick away until my screen flickers in the last ten seconds and someone is trying to outbid me by another 25 grand.

  I jump to $500,000 and Noah clears his throat quietly. I shoot him a glare in the dark. Half a minute goes by and now a bid for $50,000 over mine comes through.

  My internal voice is screaming at me now. I want to stand up and threaten whoever is bidding for her but I know my standing in the club would be on the line, investor or not. I don’t waste any time and I enter $750,000 onto the keypad. It’s one of the largest amounts anyone here has ever gone for and I hear a few bodies shuffle in their seats when I place my bid.

  My lack of hesitation and the amounts I’m jumping by is sending a clear message to everyone in this room. It’s as much of a threat I can manage before getting booted. I’m telling everyone I won’t be backing down.

  The longest minute of my life ticks away and the silence is broken when I hear the speaker thank Emilia and I watch her walk off the stage. Buyers gather their things and prepare to leave as the lights dim on at a low level. I’m up and the first one out the door and Alexandra is waiting on the other side and she’s ready for me.

  “Mr. Darkly, please follow me.” She looks between Noah and I like we don’t know each other and I walk behind her, barely containing myself.

  She pauses before entering the back. “Our finance department is already preparing your agreements. I had Kelly draw up your contract based on your member profile. Please look it over and make sure everything you need is here before she signs. The contract can not be amended after it is signed.” Handing me the document, I look for the things I require. A few additional things have been added, I assume based on the hard limits Emilia set for us and none of my requirements have been removed. I check to make sure the items I really need are still in writing and hand it back to Lexa with a nod.

  “I ask that my identity as her buyer be kept confidential until she signs.” I feel the pushback in the looks from both Emilia and Noah and I defend my request, “She is selling herself. I want to make sure she wants this. Who her buyer is is irrelevant. I want to know she wishes to be sold. Lexa, Emilia did something incredibly stupid this weekend. I can not divulge specific details, but if this purchase doesn’t go through, she has no money. She’s lost everything.”

  Lexa’s mouth parts and she looks sad at my words. “Oh, Joshua.” A long pause lingers as she composes herself. “Okay. Just keep her safe. You know we owe it to Adam, and to her. I really like her.” Her brows draw together after her words and I know she is taking this hard.

  “I give you my word, I will do what’s best for her. It just isn’t going to seem like it in the beginning.” She nods in understanding at my promise. Sometimes these things don’t happen easily. Sometimes the things worth having are worth going through hell for.

  Alexandra grabs the handle to the back door and I turn to Noah who has, so far, been acting only as my counsel. “Noah, thank you. But go home. I’ll have someone drive you to your car. See Faye in the morning, you’ll be covering my work tomorrow while I settle us in. I’ll let Faye know. I need to handle this part on my own right now. I know you’re concerned but I’m going in there to take what is mine. She’s always been mine and this isn’t going to be easy on any of us.”

  He takes everything I say and stares at me for a moment, then slowly nods and takes a step back. “Only if you agree to see me tomorrow evening. I need to make sure you are both doing well.” I nod. “My phone is on.” He says as he turns to walk out to the main area and Kelly lifts her hand to the nearest security guard who was close enough to hear what was needed and we proceed through the door.

  Lexa stops in front of door number four. I know who’s door this is and everything sinks into my soul. My Emilia is in here. This isn’t the road I wanted us to take so quickly, but she’s placed herself at my mercy. The thought lights a fire in my veins and I can’t help the hungry smile stretching across my lips.

  Emilia doesn’t know I know she gave up everything. I have her now and there is nothing she can do.

  I am that lion.

  Instead of eleven months, I have seven days. And instead of guiding her slowly, I outright own her and she is mine to do as I please.

  And I will do as I please.

  56

  Emilia

  The contract sits on the table between all of us and as Joshua finishes ranting about what I’m signing away, I drop my gaze to the words on the paper. The privacy agreements and most of the legal stuff was signed off earlier this afternoon. This is just the agreement between myself and my buyer.

  Alexandra explained, nothing illegal is permitted and all of my hard limits are laid out along with what my buyer expects of me. It isn’t as bad as my mind made it out to be earlier. I’m to obey my commands, be truthful and do everything I’m told. The term of my contract ends at this time next Sunday night.

  Then I’m free.

  I look back up and Joshua is watching me with a look I’ve never seen before. Does he finally realize we are done here? There is nothing left to control and everything my father worked for is his. He will probably be happy. He is finally getting everything his mother wanted years ago.

  Even now, he speaks to me like I’m a child. I know, compared to him and Alexandra, I’m inexperienced in many things but I’m no child and I’ll show him. There was a time I looked up to him. I followed him around, I felt like I needed his attention. Maybe this week away with someone else will change all of that.

  My senses are heightened and I feel the ball of the pen glide across the paper as I sign my name, then I look up to Alexandra’s sad eyes, but I don’t feel anything anymore. I steel myself and look over to Joshua one last time. This will be the last time I see him. I know I will never come back and a broken part of me cries inside, but only for a moment.

  The expression on Joshua’s face has changed. I feel my lower stomach wind tight. I’ve seen this look before. He had the same look on his face the day we read my father’s will. His eyes are dark and his lips are pinched together. He’s containing himself and the flash of a thought drifts in.

  He looks like he knows something I don’t.

  “Mr. Darkly.” Alexandra says his name and, for a moment I think she is going to ask him to leave.

  He pushes himself off the wall and instead walks over to the table, picks up the pen and signs the piece of paper I just signed.

  “What are you doing?” My voice is pushed out with my breath and I feel the room temperature drop.

  “I’m signing, Emilia.” Flatly, he answers without looking at me.

  “But why are you signing? You don’t own this company.” As my head spins in confusion, he finally meets my eyes and the look on his face can only be described as triumphant.

  “No, Emilia, I don’t. But as of right now, I own you.”

  “No.” The room floats around me and I grab the back of the chair beside me to keep myself from falling over. “You manipulative—”

  “Careful, Emilia.” He warns a second time. I barely hear him over the voice in my head repeating no, over and over again. “I know this is new to you so I will grant you this small mercy of information. I am in my right, as your owner, to punish you for your outbursts as I see fit and in front of who I wish.”

&
nbsp; I suck in a hard breath as my eyes shoot to Alexandra as she lifts the pen to sign as the company owner.

  “Wait. Please, wait. Um… Don’t sign that.” I can’t control my body as I shake from the inside out.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk. So demanding, Emilia. I see it will take some time to break you of the misguided idea that you have any say left in your decisions.” I look at Alexandra and I’m momentarily thankful as I see her put the pen down without signing and step back as Joshua moves closer into my space and speaks softly, but his words are anything but. “I will break you of that, Emilia. There will be moments over this next week when you’ll wish you just put in the eleven months.”

  Joshua turns to Alexandra and nods and she steps back to the table, picks up the pen and signs. The disappointment must be written all over my face because she offers me an answer to a question I never asked. “The contract is binding once you two signed it. I am only a witness, but we have you on camera. My signature is only a formality. I’ll leave you both to talk for a bit.”

  “Wait. I don’t know if I can do this? What if I can’t do this?” Alexandra turns to answer me but Joshua holds up his hand and she takes it as her sign to leave as he begins to speak.

  “It’s straightforward. The contract is considered broken and you don’t get the money.” Joshua places himself between me and the door and I hate being blocked in a room. The walls feel like they are closing in on me. “I’ll tell you what. You break this contract and come home with me right now. I’ll pretend like your little escapade never happened and we’ll go back to work on Monday.” He speaks with a smug grin across his face and I feel sick.