Page 55 of The Auction
“I didn’t realize I needed to report for parole, officer.”
I stare at her, stunned at the calmness in her tone. At the sheer audacity of it. “That’s not what I said.”
“It’s what you meant,” she shoots back, stepping further into the kitchen for a bottle of water.
“You were gone for hours, Cassidy.”
She takes a drink of water, clearly set on ignoring me now.
I shake my head, jaw tight. “You don’t get to ghost me like I’m no one.”
Cassidy whirls on me, eyes narrowed like she can already see the fight coming. “I didn’t ghost you. I went out.”
“Without telling me.”
“I didn’t know I needed your permission.”
“You don’t,” I snap. “You just needed to say something.”
She throws her hands up. “Why? Why doyoucare so much?”
I don’t answer.
Because I can’t say what I’m actually thinking. That I was worried. That every minute she was gone felt like a punch to the gut not knowing who she was with. That I hate how easily she can still make me feel like I’m helpless and pissed off and obsessed.
But I don’t say any of that.
Instead, I fall back on the one thing I know she can’t argue with.
“Look—if this isn’t working for you, Cricket…” I pause, letting the silence stretch. “Feel free to cancel the contract. Give the money back.”
Her expression shifts.
Sharp. Wounded. Defensive.
She crosses her arms, hugging herself like it’s the only thing keeping her from throwing something. “Are you serious right now?”
“You don’t want to be here? You have a way out.”
“I’m not giving the money back,” she says, every word coated in fury.
“Then I own you, Crick.” I step into her space making her look up at me. “I own this body.” I run the back of my finger down her cheek.
She parts her mouth and I zero in on it. My finger continuing the light trail I’m blazing down her. Touching her in a way I never have before.
“I own your time.”
My finger slides over her full lip and I want to take it between my teeth. I keep going down her neck, over her collarbone before I flatten my hand on her chest. Dragging back up her neck, I reach around and grab and fistful of hair at the base of her skull and pull.
“And soon,”
I step into her fully, my body flush against hers and I can see her pulse racing at her neck. I drag my nose up the column of her throat and when she gasps, my cock twitches.
“Soon, I’ll own this pussy.” I step back and look her dead in her green eyes, full of fire and now… also arousal.
“So you can answer a fucking text message.”
Her jaw clenches so tight I can see the muscle ticking.
