Highest Bidder

by Le Carre, Georgia

  I remained on my bed in the dark, my arms around my knees and my head swirling endlessly with a maddening blend of dread and confusion. A message beeped its arrival on my phone, I looked down to see it was Brent’s long awaited response to my message earlier in the day.

  I was occupied. What do you need to ask?

  I stared at the message, a couple of questions already coming to mind. Did you orchestrate the entire downfall of my father and family? was at the top of the list and the second sadly, which hurt just a bit more ... was why you purchased me and at such a ridiculous amount?

  I dropped my head in my palms and rocked my body slowly. In the end, I couldn’t take it any longer. I picked up the phone and called Maddie. After I explained it all to her, she went into the longest silence I had ever heard. It went on for so long, I literally had to keep asking her if she was still connected.

  “I am. Just give me a minute. I’m thinking.” The silence went on again until, eventually she spoke, “Can you forget about everything?”

  I sighed. It was just as I had expected.

  “Can you forget about it all? About Brent, about his brother and what he told you and about the club? Can you forget about all of this and just move on with your life? Your father is past, Freya. You need to start thinking of your future. And your mother’s. How is helping this guy going to help either you or your mother?”

  I answered as best as I could, “I don’t know if I can forget everything and just move on as if nothing happened.”

  “If you go forward with this, you will dig yourself even deeper into whatever mess is going on between the both of them. To be perfectly honest, I really don’t like the sound of what Liam is suggesting. He wants you to get involved in something that actually sounds dangerous.”

  “But what about what he said about my father?”

  “He might have been lying. Even if he produces all the evidence he claims to have right now, how will you be able to prove its authenticity?”

  “And what if he’s telling the truth?”

  “If he is, then do you want to open that can of worms? Are you willing to fight until the last with him to bring Brent down? And what retribution does Liam get from all of this? From what you mentioned about the past, Brent seemed to have a good reason behind his suspicion of his mother’s death having something to do with his stepbrother. Perhaps he has never been able to do anything about it because he doesn't have the evidence. It doesn’t make his suspicion untrue.”

  “He told Liam that he is going to kill both him and his mother, Maddie.”

  “You believe that?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just so confused.”

  “Even if that were true, it is none of your business. Right now, as we speak thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people are plotting the murder of someone. Are you going to become the champion for all of them?”

  “Well, it is my business.”

  “Perhaps it was a bluff, or perhaps he was just trying to smoke them out in some way. You can’t get involved, Freya, in any of this. If you want to find out more about your father, then do it on your own. Have nothing to do with the Lucans, starting from here onwards.”

  I said nothing.

  “Excuse me. Did you hear what I said?”

  “Yeah. Let me think about it, okay?”

  “Okay. You do know that it is Ella’s birthday tomorrow, right?”

  Shit, I’d forgotten. “Yeah, yeah, of course. It’s on me. Let’s go somewhere nice and celebrate.”

  “Yay. You’ll come over to mine.”

  “Okay.”

  “Goodnight then. Remember, you have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t let either of the Lucan brothers manipulate you into playing their twisted games.”

  “Goodnight, Maddie. Thanks for being a real friend.”

  Freya

  Last year was the only year we had not gone out to celebrate Ella’s birthday. The tradition had been abandoned in light of my family’s tragedy.

  When we were younger, it had involved the three of us sneaking out to cheap and discounted pub crawls, but this time around, I intended to sink some of my money on my two best friends. They had been with me through thick and thin and this would be one of the best ways of saying thank you. I decided I would take them to Black Fire. I didn’t usually like going there, the drinks were expensive, and it was usually filled with cocaine-snorting Middle-eastern playboys, but Ella loved it there, so that was where we were going.

  We went out shopping courtesy of me, then we got ready in Maddie’s place and I hired a limo to take us to Soho. We drank champagne while they blew me kisses and threw comments about having their millionaire friend back. It was a members only club and since my father used to be a big spender there, Dom Perignon all night, all the staff knew me by name, so I called ahead and booked a table for us.

  However, this would be my last splurge before I sat down and figured out our finances. Something I should have already done, but I’d been too distracted by Brent. And if I were honest, it was something I wasn’t looking forward to. Having money in the bank again felt so good and I had a feeling all of our debts were going to wipe out fifty to seventy percent of what I had. Depending on what was left, I planned on paying off as much of Maddie’s mortgage as I could and giving Ella some cash.

  When we arrived at Black Fire, the bouncers allowed us to beat the queue and go right in. In no time, we were shown to our table close to the dancefloor. When my father used to come here, he would go straight to the VIP section, but I wasn’t planning on buying champagne all night, so I did not ask for a table there. We ordered our drinks and went to the dance floor. It was already heaving with people. They were playing an old eighties song that my father loved and suddenly, I felt sad again.

  I tried to pretend to my mother, Maddie and Ella that everything was fine, but my heart was broken. Brent had made three calls and left nineteen messages for me, but I had not opened them yet, even though I was dying to. I wanted to give myself a bit of time to think of what I needed to do. Everything had happened so fast, I felt almost paralyzed. I just needed a bit of time and distance to see the woods for the trees. If I acted now, in the heat of the moment, I might make a very big mistake.

  Even though my heart said otherwise, my head knew: Brent was not for me. No matter which way you cut it, he was wrong. Even if he had not cheated my father and smeared his name, he was still too addictive. When he was around, I couldn’t do anything. I hungered for him. Even now, huge chunks of my days were spent trying to get him out of my mind.

  I finished my drink and yelled near Ella’s ear over the loud music, “Refill!”

  She nodded.

  I headed over to our table and sat down. Sipping my vodka and cranberry, I looked around and spotted quite a number of couples grinding against each other amongst the crowds, and my mind couldn’t help but wander again to Brent. If he were here now, what would it be like?

  I realized I wanted to dance, but only with Brent Lucan. As I stroked the wedge of lime on the rim, I shut my eyes and wondered how it would feel to be completely in his arms in such a place. I never danced with guys in clubs because being groped by strangers was not particularly thrilling, so all I’d had was the dream that someday, I’d be able to have everything with the right man.

  Right now, that lover had a name, but I was banned from even thinking of it.

  “Hey!” Maddie screamed as she arrived. She was still dancing. She stopped dancing and looked at me. “You’re having fun, aren’t you?”

  I gave a brilliant smile and lifted my glass. “Of course. Are you?”

  She nodded vigorously, her neon pink eyeshadow sparkling on her eyelids. She ordered a refill of her cocktail and settled in beside me. We watched Ella let loose with complete strangers, yeah, they were Middle Eastern playboys, but for a moment, I envied how carefree she was. I was too reserved to let myself go like that. The only man who had made me behave like that was …

  “You okay?”
Maddie screamed.

  “Of course,” I yelled back.

  “Just checking.”

  “You ask me that everyday.” I wish she didn’t keep asking, as it just took my mind back to places I didn't want it to go.

  “I can’t help it. You’ve grown quieter, Freya."

  “I’m fine,” I insisted, and got up. “Just going to the Ladies.”

  “Want me to come with you?” she asked hopefully.

  “Nah, just guard my drink for me. I’ll be back in a sec.” I grinned at her to take the sting of my refusal. The moment I exited the dance floor and into the hallway, I immediately spotted the long queue ahead waiting for the bathroom.

  Someone suddenly cut in front of me, forcing me to a stop. It was one of the staff, with a tray in his hands. “Hey, I know your Dad. I was really sorry to hear what happened. Not only was he a great tipper and great fun, he was also a nice guy.”

  I swallowed hard. After all the bad things people had said about my dad, it was wonderful to hear someone say something nice.

  “Listen, are you trying to get to the toilet?”

  I was so choked up I couldn’t speak, so I just nodded.

  “If you don’t want to queue up for an hour, you can just use the VIP bathroom back there. Come on, I’ll let you in.”

  I followed him past the red ropes, then he disappeared and I made my way to the VIP bathroom. I walked in to an empty, clean bathroom. I couldn’t have been happier. In no time, I was done and in front of the mirror washing my hands when someone walked in. I glanced up then expecting to see a woman, instead Brent Lucan made his entrance and the breath was knocked out of me.

  Freya

  For the longest time, I just stared at him and he did the same until I recovered enough to turn off the faucet. I wished I was strong enough to not even acknowledge his presence, but my hands were shaking and my eyes kept darting to his reflection. I tried to hide my trembling hands by wiping them as slowly as I could and then gluing them to my sides since all I had on was a strapless, black leather cropped top and a matching skirt.

  I didn’t dare meet his eyes. My heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure he could hear it in the deathly quiet space. I got my mouth to work, but my voice sounded strange. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you. Why else would I be in this dump?”

  “But how did you know I would be here? Did you follow us?”

  “No, I asked my secretary to call your mother and pretend to be one of your friends,” he admitted.

  “That’s devious,” I whispered, my brain blank. He went to all that trouble to find me.

  His mouth twisted. “Hardly.”

  “Why?”

  “You disappeared,” he said simply.

  I couldn’t tell him here. I needed time. “I tried to contact you, but you didn’t respond ... in time.”

  “And so you decided not to bother again?” he asked softly.

  In his eyes, I saw the restrained anger. I wanted to feel nothing. I wanted to walk away and have this conversation another day, when I was not dressed in a small leather dress, or trapped in a club’s toilet, but my skin was prickling with the awareness of his presence. The room was suddenly too small, too hot, too suffocating. I needed to leave, so I moved forward, but stopped a considerable distance away from him.

  “I need to leave,” I stated as coldly as I could.

  “Why didn’t you respond to me, Freya?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” I replied.

  “Are you toying with me on purpose?” he asked, his eyes flashing.

  As I watched him, I finally realized what was going on. He had been affected by my absence! My eyes widened in surprise at the idea.

  He turned away in exasperation, or perhaps it was to hide his vulnerability.

  “I didn’t expect you to care whether I disappeared or not.”

  His reaction was instant and explosive. He came for me like a wild animal. I took several steps backwards, my eyes fixated on him, my pulse racing crazily. My back hit the sink counter and he was upon me, his face so close to mine I could see the beautiful streaks of gold in his eyes.

  His familiar scent filled my nostrils and swirled around me like an aphrodisiac. I lowered my gaze and put out a hand to keep him away. It landed on his chest—it was useless, and we both knew it. I was already losing my ability to stand. If not for the counter behind me, I would surely have landed in a pool at his feet. My bones had already started melting.

  His voice was deathly cold as he spoke, “You didn’t expect me to care?”

  I opened my mouth to speak and his tongue found its way in.

  That first contact ... completely did me in.

  The shot of pleasure to my groin instantly knocked out my knees. His arm shot around my waist to hold me up. His tongue hooked mine and sucked it into his mouth. Heat filled me. I felt feverish with all the emotions he was wreaking through my entire body. My sex was throbbing and pulsing at the return of its master. It was already soaked and ready with unashamed need for him.

  The voice of reason at the back of my mind was silent. I was panting.

  He pulled away from me suddenly.

  We stared at each other. Our ragged breathing was deafening in the cold, empty space.

  “Why did you cut me off?”

  “I don’t owe you anything.”

  “No, Freya,” he responded. “You owe me. You taunted me into a relationship with you and then you just disappeared without any warning. Am I supposed to just let that go and move on?”

  I was taken aback. Liam had mentioned this. Brent Lucan did not let things go. Liam had also said, Brent Lucan was unforgiving and ruthless, and if you ever hurt him, he was sure to hurt you back multiple times over. “Why do you sound like the victim here?”

  His eyebrows rose with incredulity. “Do you believe yourself to be a victim?”

  “Why do you even want me?” I asked. “There are so many other women around that you could have.”

  “Why did you ask me to make you feel good at the charity event? There were so many other men who could have made you feel better.”

  Suddenly I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t stand that he could be so calm and guiltless, and have absolutely no qualms about sleeping with the daughter of the man he had probably ruined. I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. Somewhere at the back of my mind I also suspected that Brent feared no one, or thing, and thus would never sink low enough to lie. Perhaps I was wrong. I would soon find out. “Don't you feel any guilt?”

  He frowned. “About what?”

  It was so hard to breathe. It felt as though time had stopped and yet again, everything was about to change. “About my father and about my family.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Why would I feel guilt?”

  I wanted him to assume I knew much more than I did to trick him into giving up information. I treaded carefully. Making my accusation general. His response could mean nothing, or everything. “You put us in quite a mess,” I said. “We’re struggling like this because of you. How can you have no qualms whatsoever about sleeping with me after what you did to him? I lost my father because of you.”

  With a bored sigh, he folded his arms across his chest. “Freya, if you truly knew what happened to your father you wouldn’t be asking me these questions or making these unfounded accusations.”

  It felt as though the bubble around me shattered. “What?”

  “Who told you that I was responsible for your father’s death?”

  I panicked as I thought of what to say, it felt like I was about to be shut down. “Are you saying that you aren’t?” My nails dug into my hands with anxiety as I waited on his response.

  “Why would I be? He wasn't murdered, he took his own life.”

  My blood began to boil. “Didn’t you contribute to it? Aren’t you the one who accused him and his entire company of fraud and possibly of murder?” My voice had become a screech, but I couldn’t stop. All the pain,
sorrow and confusion I had kept inside me came flooding out. “I loved my father. He was strong and ambitious and he loved my mother. He would never have taken his life if you had not destroyed him. And now we are like pariahs in our community. Everywhere we go, we are whispered about and mocked. I had to watch my mother crawl around on the floor begging for a bit more time to pay her bills. That’s what you’ve done to my family. Do you understand, Brent? I LOVED my father!” I shouted. Tears were now pouring out of my eyes. I didn’t attempt to hide or wipe them away. I let him see how ugly my pain was.

  His eyes grew shrouded.

  “Aren’t you going to answer me?” I demanded furiously.

  “What answer do you want from me?” he asked. “And would you believe it?”

  “Are you fucking responsible for my father’s death or not?” I hurled at him.

  “I am not.” Then he turned around and walked out of the bathroom.

  All the fight went out of me as I slumped back against the sink.

  Freya

  I returned home in the early hours of the morning to see my mother asleep at the dining table, her face resting on her arm, her reading glasses pushed into her cheek. Spread on the small glass table were sheets of papers. I went over to her and as gently as I could, removed her glasses.

  She jumped awake. “Oh, Freya,” she whispered, looking up at me with a slightly disorientated expression.

  I took in her sunken eyes, the red mark left by her glasses on her cheek and her scrunched up messy hair, then I pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

  “Nothing is wrong. I just fell asleep. I must have been tired. Did you have a good time tonight?” She patted her hair and began to gather the papers.

  “I’m not a child anymore. Tell me.”

  “I know you’re not a child, Freya.”