Highest Bidder

by Le Carre, Georgia

  “Judi, you may be a good actress, but you are a bad judge of character. I’m not some bimbo you can push around. I am in a relationship with Brent and guess what? I’m going to make that information public and you’re going to no longer exist in Brent’s world. This is what you’re scared of, isn’t it? Go ahead, tell my mother all about my involvement with Brent, and how I came into my nest egg. I don’t give a fuck anymore, but what you want of him, I’ll ensure that you will never be able to get. Oh, you know what else? Go ahead and keep that shitty shop. I’ll use my nest egg to get my mother another one.”

  She laughed then. “How silly you are. Brent will never claim you as his own, so don’t worry about the publicity. I won’t expose it either, because the last thing I want is the world knowing how he bought you, but your mother however will find out.”

  She had called my bluff. Of course, she wasn’t going to publicize my relationship. It didn’t suit her, but my mother on the other hand would find out. There was nothing to it. I’d have to tell her myself, which might be a relief since I was getting tired of all the lies I’d had to concoct and continue to concoct ever since. I called Mom and told her I was working on it and not to worry, then I made my way to Brent’s office.

  His office building was a sleek spire of magnificent glass and steel in Bishopsgate. Office workers clad in crisp suits and austere heels clicked their way across the granite flooring to their destinations.

  I walked through the glass and chrome rotating doors of the building. I headed across the expansive lobby to the reception desk manned by three receptionists, two females, and one tall male and quickly demanded to see Brent Lucan. No, I didn’t have an appointment. One of the females, her picture-perfect smile not altering in the slightest, asked my name, made a call to inform someone, then, stepped away from the desk and asked me to go with her.

  I followed her as she clicked her way across the polished floor. She took me to a private elevator by a small bohemian fountain and tapped a key card to gain access. The glass barricades slid away and the elevator car dinged open. She gestured for me to enter and the door slid shut as she took her leave.

  Then I was on my way to the top most floor.

  When the doors opened again, his personal assistant, Michael was there to greet me. His smile was curt.

  I felt the sting of it too. I also didn’t blame him. I looked like a tramp. An angry tramp. I was led through a lavishly decorated hallway with wall fountains and plaques of games, until I arrived before heavy oak doors.

  “He’s expecting you. Just knock and go in, Miss Anderson,” he said to me and turned around to leave.

  I didn’t knock. I grabbed a hold of the handle and pushed my way into Brent’s office. He was sitting at his desk radiating power and confidence.

  “Get that dog, Judi off me,” I shouted.

  He scowled. “What’s going on?”

  “First she comes around to my home and threatens me with exposure for selling myself in your club, if I don’t leave you alone. And now she’s done a deal with my mother’s landlord and taken the lease for herself.”

  “Judi?” he asked.

  “Yes!” I yelled, almost hysterical. “Fucking yes, Judi Mirren. Why are you both haunting me? What have I done? Get her off my back and tell her we are fucking. We’re fucking for however long it takes her to realize that she can never have you.”

  The room went silent.

  I sounded crazy and it showed in his eyes.

  In my fury, I had forgotten he didn’t want me for more than a month. Oh, hell. The nightmare just got worse and worse. I was infuriated with myself. This had to count as the lowest point in my life so far, even worse than selling myself. I couldn’t bear anymore mocking, rejection or humiliation, I turned around to leave, but as I got to the door, he caught my hand and spun me around.

  “Don’t go,” he said softly. “Let’s … fuck for as long as it takes Judi to believe we’re together, and that she can never have me.”

  “Brent,” I whispered, as his magic swirled around me again. “Um … we don’t have to tell everyone ... If you want to keep this quiet.”

  A small smile tugged at his lips. “I do what I want and I don’t care who knows. If you want to sing it to the moon or announce it to the ants.”

  “You won’t be ashamed?”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “So you’ll sort out my mother’s boutique?”

  “Of course. Tell your mother to go home and relax. Everything will be fine tomorrow.”

  “And … and … you’ll stop her from telling my mother about the auction?”

  “Oh yes, I’ll make her understand how little benefit there will be to undertaking such a foolhardy exercise.”

  “Brent, how come so many people know about the auction? I never told anyone but my two best friends.”

  He frowned. “Yes, how come? Leave it with me.”

  At that moment, I wanted to cry. It felt so good to have a man to take care of the problem. Ever since my father died, I’ve had to work two jobs and worry about my mom and the relief was incredible. I didn’t even realize tears were running down my cheeks until Brent used his thumbs to wipe them away.

  “Don’t cry, Freya. Nothing bad will happen to you or your mother while I’m alive. I promise you that.”

  Too choked up to speak, I just nodded.

  “I’ll see you at dinner?” he asked.

  I sniffled. I didn’t think I could face being in a public place with him and the gossip that would follow yet. I felt too raw. “Can we not go out tonight? I’m not ready for … people.”

  “Okay,” he said. “So how about dinner on a yacht?”

  “A yacht? I’m not very good on the sea.”

  “Don't worry,” he responded. “I’ll make you forget where you are.”

  Something deep inside me responded to his words. “Okay.”

  “Good. I’ll get Michael to pick you up about five o’clock?”

  I nodded.

  He smiled gently. “Now go to your mother.”

  Freya

  Once I sorted Mom out and sent her home, I went to see Maddie at work. Luckily, she was able to spare a few minutes away from her office so we both sat on a picnic bench to talk.

  “I feel like my whole world is upside down,” I said.

  “Is he going to stop her from speaking to your mother?”

  “He said he would.”

  “Will that be enough to tame her? She sounds insane.”

  “He seemed pretty confident. He’s in charge of her company, so I guess he has power over whatever sick emotions she's nursing over him.”

  “I don’t understand some women,” Maddie observed. “Every time I hear things like this, I am sure it’s a joke. She’s fucking beautiful, successful, and over-privileged, and she still has to resort to threatening another woman to get a man? Disgusting.”

  There was silence between us for a while.

  I knew she was watching me. I lifted my head to meet her gaze.

  “Are you truly going to go through with it? Sleep with him, I mean.”

  “I will,” I responded, “just enough to rub it in her face.”

  “I don’t think that's a good idea?”

  “Why not?"

  “I can think of at least a hundred reasons.”

  “Well, right now, I can’t think of any. It’s not as if I'm not crazy attracted to the guy. Since everyone can do whatever the fuck they want, with even a little bit of power in their hands, so I’m going to do whatever the hell I want too.”

  She chewed on her sandwich and looked at some children playing at the edge of the park. Then she swallowed and turned to me. “I get it that you're furious and I completely understand you want revenge, but I don’t want you to go through with this. Brent Lucan is not just any ordinary man with a nine to five job. He’s not just a ruthless billionaire, but the freaking heir to the Dukedom of Leighton. Being involved with such a man is not a joke. You could get seriously hu
rt. And the jealousy? Oh my God, it’s going to be through the roof.”

  “No one will know about it.”

  “What?”

  “Well, except Judi.” I grinned. “I might even send her some photos.”

  “You’re going to go out with Brent Lucan and you think no one is going to know?”

  “Okay,” I conceded reluctantly, with a sigh. “You’re right. He’s the next Lord of Leighton. His dating life will make the news, and I’ll forever be in the spotlight while I’m with him.”

  “When are you going to tell your Mom?”

  “I don’t know, but not yet. Maybe next week.”

  “So you’re going to lie to her until then?”

  “I guess so. Telling her at this stage feels like I’m jumping the gun. What if it all falls apart in the next few hours? I’m supposed to meet him tonight, so I’ll be telling her I’m spending the night at your place, so if she calls you …”

  “Right.”

  “Sorry to drag you into my shit.”

  She shrugged. “It’s okay. Just don’t want you to get hurt,” she muttered.

  “I do have to keep our agreement."

  “Do you?” she asked softly.

  I stared into my best friend’s worried eyes and told the truth, “I want to.”

  Freya

  Despite the cold, I was excited as I sighted the magnificent cobalt blue and silver vessel, waiting gracefully by the dock. “Wow, that’s a ship!” I gasped.

  “It’s not. I hear it can only accommodate sixteen people,” Michael said, pulling the car door open for me, leading the way towards the waiting yacht.

  We took our shoes off and boarded the vessel. We were met with attendants who after taking my parka, offered a selection of little delicacies adorned with caviar, strawberries, nectarine, basil and tomato. They looked delicious, but after stuffing the two in quick succession into my mouth, I forewent the glass of champagne offered, and asked for water.

  My eyes caught the piano by the corner, the exquisitely patterned carpet and of course, the glass staircase that I guessed led up to the deck. “When will Brent be here?” I asked Michael.

  “He has some business to finish off at the office, but he should be on the way in no time. Please call for the staff if you need anything more.” He showed me to the room we would be staying in and soon took his leave.

  The staff announced that food was available if I should need it, but I was too exhausted from the stress of the day to ignore the luxuriously silky bed calling to me. I laid across it and shut my eyes for a quick nap, and only came awake when I heard someone walking around in the room.

  At first, I was disorientated and alarmed, because I didn’t immediately remember where I was, but then I sat up and saw Brent with ear pods on speaking in extremely low tones.

  I wondered once again if the path I had decided on would be one that I would eventually regret. It still wasn’t too late to turn back. Then as he pulled the dress shirt off his back, the ridges of toned muscle which seemed as if they had been sculpted into his flawless olive skin flexed—all thoughts of escaping disappeared from my head.

  I clenched my thighs at the sensual ache that was beginning to throb between my legs.

  He turned around to catch me watching him.

  The anticipation of being with him again, was almost excruciating. Lifting myself off the bed, I heard him say, “I’ll call you back in a couple of days.”

  “You were tired,” he commented as he pulled the devices out of his ear setting them on the lounge table. His watch followed.

  “I was,” I responded. “Brent, I’m searching for an internship, and I … uh … I also have an examination this week so I might not be able to see you often. After tonight, I need to study for it.”

  He took his seat on the bed to untie the laces on his shoes.

  My heart pattered treacherously away in my chest. How could sexual attraction, I wondered, be this profound? I tried to appear calm but every moment now seemed to me to be a charged, breathless countdown to having his hands on me.

  “Where are you looking to do your internship?” he asked.

  “Merrill Lynch.”

  “Well, if things don’t go according to plan, you have a position at my company’s accounting department. I’m sure you'll be able to pick up quite a few valuable insights into your field.”

  I was quite certain this was a terrible idea, but I didn’t tell him that. “Did you get my mother’s boutique back from Judi?”

  “Yes, your mother can trade as normal tomorrow. Her rent is paid for the next quarter too.”

  “Thank you so much. I really appreciate the help.”

  “I’m sorry Judi involved your mother. It was not fair to drag her into it.”

  “Yeah, but life’s unfair,” I said, my voice unconsciously bitter.

  “But it’s still good.”

  “Sometimes …”

  “Come,” he called.

  I knee-walked on the bed towards him, feeling suddenly nervous. “You bought this yacht two years ago, didn’t you?” I babbled.

  Not till I was a few inches from him did he respond. He reached behind me to gently grab the tie that held up my ponytail and in one gentle pull, he had my hair cascading down my shoulders. “I did,” he responded as his heavily lidded eyes roved all over my face. “How did you know?”

  “I read about it a while back. Very little is known of it especially the interior. You requested the use of—”

  He slipped his tongue into my mouth and I had never received a clearer order to stop talking nonsense. I melted into Brent’s arms as they slid around my waist and completely forgot there was anything I ever wanted to say. It felt as though my brain had shut down.

  I put my hands around his neck and met the caress of his tongue with mine. When he pulled away for a brief second, I leaned forward blindly, eagerly again. At his soft chuckle, I opened my eyes and realized, as I stared into his glorious eyes that I had so missed him. I hadn’t even realized just how much until now.

  “Show me your body, Freya. I’ve missed seeing it.”

  Immediately, I stood in front of him and started to work my way down the buttons of my shirt. I pulled my material apart, and my breasts clothed in a seductive black bra were exposed. He immediately leaned forwards, cupping the mounds through the material and sucking on the creamy flesh.

  His touch set my blood on fire and a purr slipped out of me as my head fell back. His fingers unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans. I felt the material slide down my legs. My panties followed. He reached behind me and my bra snapped open. Then he pulled back and looked at me, his eyes half-closed and full of lust.

  My nipples hardened and I grew self-conscious so I grabbed the band of his trousers, unbuttoned his pants, and slipped my hand into his briefs. He was already rock hard. I grazed my nails through the light dusting of hair on his groin before curving my hand around his smooth solid length. It filled my hand with the evidence of his desire for me. My confidence soared. Perhaps it was because we were both now in agreement of what our relationship would be to each other, so there was no need to hold back or pretend.

  I dropped to my knees and began to unzip the fly of his trousers. Holding onto the edge of his trousers and briefs, I pulled the soft woolen material down his thighs and lifting his feet, jerked them off.

  Then I lifted my gaze back to his erect cock, I couldn’t look away from it. It was like a work of art. So straight and strong. I wrapped my hand around the thick shaft, snaked with pulsating veins. A quick glance upwards told me he was waiting to experience what I could do to him.

  I took the mushroom head into my mouth.

  I sucked gently on the beautiful, pink crown and heard his breath quicken. His eyes were now shut, his head thrown slightly backwards with his hands half clenched into fists.

  I continued on.

  Hollowing my mouth, I pulled in as much of him as I could take until his cock hit the back of my throat. Upon retreat, I ge
ntly scraped by teeth down his silky-smooth flesh. His groan floated above me. I felt his hands slip into my hair. I grabbed his shaft by the root and fisted him as my mouth sucked on him with a forceful rhythm.

  I felt him grow thicker and longer in my hands, the thrusts of his hips growing stronger with each passing moment.

  “Fuck,” he cursed.

  I tilted my head to lick, kiss, and nibble along his length. I recalled a tip Ella told Maddie and I decided to try it. I sucked hard on his balls, and then pulled ever so gently. His grip tightened in my hair, and the burst of pre-cum spilled into my mouth so the tip was gold. I had done something right.

  It thrilled me and urged me on, his dirty curses above my head turning me on so much I could feel my sex start to throb. I loved that I could bring him this much pleasure as he had done to me countless times and at the sight of strained veins along his temple, I grabbed hold of his thighs and encouraged his rapid thrusts into my mouth. With my tongue and lips, I worshipped and savored his cock, my head bobbing to the sensual rhythm of his hips as he fucked my mouth. My head was now held in place by his hands as he chased his climax.

  When he exploded into my mouth, I was taken aback with the force of his spurt, the release so thick and strong it filled my mouth and flowed down my throat.

  “Don’t swallow,” he growled. “Open your mouth and show me.”

  I opened my mouth and showed how he had filled it. His hand replaced mine as he finished himself off, releasing more sprays of his orgasm unto my face and hair. He was barely conscious of what he was doing, his entire frame bent with his toes clenched at the sweet agony of his release.

  His breathing was hard and how I loved what I could do to him. He looked so beautiful to me in that moment as I licked my lips clean, relishing the taste of him. He rubbed his seed into my skin. I knew what he was doing. He was marking me as his. His scent made me heady and I wasn’t ready to move away just yet. He was still magnificently hard so I reached forward and licked him clean, hot wet kisses lapping every bit of him up, till he was glistening with wetness from my mouth.

  His eyes opened then, sparkling and full of wonder as he pulled me to my feet and dropped me into his lap. “Fuck, I’m sorry,” he said. “I got so carried away.”