Chapter 7

Aurora

The bidding starts and I see masked men raising the stakes for my body.

I'm dancing, utterly vulnerable and exposed, under blinding lights.

There's only silence, and I wonder if maybe no one will cast a bid my way. Inside, I pray that's the case. If no one bids, then I won't have to lose my virginity to some creep.

All too soon, things warm up, and the announcer tries to keep up with the incoming bids. I move my body in tune with the music and try to ignore the masked faces that I can see beyond the lights.

Slowly, the bids roll in. And soon, the audience is going wild, throwing out numbers like I'm a piece of meat. Except it's not your normal auction. Everyone in this room has at least $1 billion and something about that turns me on and makes the atmosphere more exciting.

Everything is wrapped in luxury and intrigue. The lights are low and the added component of people being masked...it makes the whole arrangement feel sort of forbidden and dark.

I don't know what I'm doing. I've been thrown into this without direction or protection.

But I think of my family and the company they left. I think of my brother who's sick and needs rehab. I think of all of my responsibilities and that makes me dance even though fear threatens to paralyze me.

The bidding starts to go up and up. People are offering to pay millions of dollars just for a night with me. It's flattering and maybe I would revel in it if I didn't feel so exposed.

And then one bidder starts to close in on me. He sounds unattractive and I can see his large shadow looming over the edge of the front row. He's bought up most of the girls already and I'm afraid he’ll buy me, too.

His bids climb up to the billion-dollar mark and I think that nobody else can beat him. Until they do.

All at once, I reach the maximum bid from three men in masks. They combine their efforts and place an astounding $3 billion bid and I'm relieved that it's not the slovenly guy in the front row.

"We have a winner!" the auctioneer says triumphantly.

There's a hushed silence over the room as the staggering amount of money hangs in the air.

The auctioneer continues, "We have a record high tonight. No one has ever been bought for $3 billion, and yet it's happened. We set a new record."

I look towards the onstage model to determine what to do. She guides my way off the stage and out of the lights. I'm happy to be in the shadows once again. Being on stage like that, at the center of everyone's attention, is not my forte.

My entire body's shaking and my emotions are running wild as I realize what's just happened.

Anders comes up to me and happily says, "Good job, sis. I knew you could do it. You set a record high. With this money, we can save our business, our home, everything."

I look at him and wonder yet again how he could've done this to me. What kind of brother would ever sell off his sister like this? Even if it is for $3 billion. I don't care about the money I don't care about anything. Hot tears threaten to stream down my face as I realize what's just happened and what I'm in for.

My virginity was up for auction tonight. My most treasured asset is going away and it's all thanks to my stupid brother.

I look at him with hate in my eyes. Suddenly I wonder how I can ever stick by him and be such a good sister when he treats me like this.

Just when I'm thinking of giving him a piece of my mind, three masked men approach me. They look similar in build and stature. The only thing that's different is the color of their eyes. One has brown eyes and he seems wild. Another has green eyes and he's focusing intently on my body.

And the third one has blue eyes and he's the one that says, "You were beautiful up there. We're excited to get to know you and I assure you it'll be worth it."

The words slide off his tongue like velvet. He's a talker for sure. Charming, good-looking, everything a girl should want.

I feel like a prostitute standing in my lingerie in front of three men who I find so attractive. That's what I am, isn't it? I just sold my body for money. There's no other way around it. I've officially become a hooker, an expensive one, but a hooker all the same.

"Thank you," I say, suddenly feeling shy.

These men are gonna know me like no other has. They're gonna take my virginity and I’m afraid of that. But, at the same time, as I look into their mysterious faces, something about the prospect excites me.

These guys are, at least, good-looking.

If only I could see behind the mask...

Another guy, the one with green eyes, takes my hand and kisses it before saying, "It's okay. We're gonna give you a good time, and a night of great adventure."

And then he slips me a business card that has his name and number on it.

"Make sure you call me. Don't make us come looking for you."

His touch and sultry voice send a shiver down my spine. Butterflies fill my stomach and I wonder why. These guys are hot, but that doesn't erase the fact that money is being exchanged between us.

Without another word, the guys depart. I watch them go and count my blessings.

My brother's excited. He loves to be surrounded by people with money and influence.

"Did you see those guys?" he says. "At least you got them bidding on you, instead of that other one. They saved you from that guy. You should be grateful."

I turn on him feeling furious. "You think I should feel grateful? You put me in this position. Don't you understand I've been saving my virginity for my entire life? To be with the person that I love?"

"Come on, Aurora. Have a little gratitude. We're billionaires now. Besides, why are you blaming me? You're doing this to save our company. You should have some family pride."

I hate my brother in this instant but I can't tell him so. I hate him…but I love him. I know that he's only acting this way because he's sick, so very sick with addiction. If it wasn't for him gambling away our entire fortune, I wouldn't be in this position.

Yes, the guys were hot. But what does that matter? They're gonna ravage my body and then leave me to deal with the consequences. I will never forgive my brother for this.

And when I meet the man that I love, the man that I'm meant to be with, how am I gonna explain all of this?

Anders is right about one thing though...the guys did save me from the hands of that billionaire who bought up all the other girls. I see him perusing his recent purchases right now. He's overweight, old, and cocky.

He's wearing a mask but that does nothing to cover his hideous form. He's a terrible person, and I see the other girls shudder at the sight of him. I'm so lucky I'm not one of them.

The masked men who bid on me are, sort of, my heroes. They're giving us $3 billion after all. It should be enough to save the business for the rest of our lives.

But I can't help but feel sad.

Anders says, "Let's go out and celebrate. I know a great place, the hottest club in town. What do you say?"

I glare at him, "I don't really feel like celebrating. Losing my virginity like this is not my idea my idea of a good time. You go out. I'm just gonna go home."

I don't tell him that the guys have left me feeling unnerved. I don't explain that there's warmth rushing through my body and that deep down I'm starting to feel wet.

I've never had sex before and I've never even experienced a man in any important way...but this has to be a good sign. These guys are hot and they seem like they want to take care of me. They're paying a lot of money for access to my body and that fact alone makes me feel a little bit better.

More than anything though, I feel anxious. I'm gonna lose my virginity and I don't know what that's gonna be like.

Is it gonna hurt? Is there something I need to know about how to do it?

I'm utterly clueless about sex and I hope the guys don't notice and that it doesn't turn them off.

I turn away from Anders and take the waiting car service home. I want to hide in my room and never come out.