Chapter 9
Sydney
Standing outside the bar waiting for Owen’s driver, we stood silently next to one another.
I was confused. On the one hand, I wanted Owen to like me and to want to take me back to his place. I felt our connection, and thought he felt it as well. But at the same time, he had just bought me at an auction! I still couldn’t quite comprehend that this had really happened, and still had my doubts about the whole affair.
I felt like I owed him, and that maybe this passion I felt for him was just that. But I trusted him. Out of everyone I had met that night, Owen had been the only one to grab my attention. He was funny, charming, and open with me. Not to mention insanely rich and willing to pay huge money just to spend a night with me.
Was that fair? Or were my feelings misguided? I told myself it was part of the game – an innocent exchange. Only we were no longer in the comfort of the luxury club. Standing in the street at night felt awfully close to reality, and it was not as pretty.
But one thing I knew for sure was that from the moment he blocked my view on the stage and our eyes met for the first time, there had been electricity between us. It was like nothing I had ever felt for any other man.
I wanted to be with him; to get to know him better than anyone. I wanted to sleep with him. What I wouldn’t give for a night with this man…
Owen’s driver finally arrived, double-parking the town car and stepping out to open the door for us.
“Sorry it took me so long,” he said.
Owen didn’t reply, just helped me get inside, and then sat next to me. The driver shut the door and went around the car and back behind the wheel.
The cabin smelled strongly of new leather. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Holy shit this was a nice car. “Is this yours?”
“Nice, isn’t it?”
We sat in silence for a moment as the car sped up.
“This was something, huh?” Owen said. “I’ve never been to an auction before. It’s…”
“Wrong?” I offered.
“In a sense. It’s just an odd practice. Legal prostitution.”
“Is that what this is?”
He moved closer to me. “It can be whatever you want it to be. I did pay for you after all.”
I couldn’t breathe. Yes he had paid for my company. Was this what he wanted? Me?
I wanted him, that was for sure.
He dragged his finger along my leg and let his eyes lock with mine. “Do you want to go home?”
“No,” I admitted honestly. He sent a text on his phone and I wondered what was so pressing that he needed to do so at that moment.
“Okay then, are you hungry?”
For so much. “Yes.”
“Perfect, there will be food…” he said mysteriously, his lips parting in a smile, showing his white teeth.
I played along. “Owen, where are we going?”
I turned to look out the window and realized we were driving away from Chicago, heading northwest. Of course, there were many potential destinations in that direction, but I could think of only one that would be crazy enough for Owen to have picked.
We were heading for O’Hare International Airport.
I swallowed hard. I had been ready to go to a restaurant or a late showing of a movie, but flying somewhere? That was something else, and I wasn’t sure I was onboard with that.
But I was excited too! It would be the adventure I had always dreamed of – to be swept off my feet by a prince and fly to Europe or Asia, somewhere so far away that no problems at home could ever catch up to me.
“I’m not telling.”
“So, it’s a surprise? Where are you taking me?”
“As a matter of fact, it is a surprise. Where would you like to go?”
I considered it. I had been to France and some neighboring countries during my gap year in college, and they all looked about the same to me, beautiful old ruins. I would’ve liked to go somewhere warm, where we could spend their days on the beach or by the pool, eating fruits and drinking wine all day. Maybe we could rent a convertible and cruise along the coastline, the ones shown in TV commercials. People in those shows always looked happy. But that didn’t really matter. I knew I would go anywhere with him.
Instead of a reply, I asked, “Where would you like to go, Owen?”
He took no time to think. “Away. I want to just leave and never come back to this… life.”
“I wish I could do that. I have family to look after.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “You’ll have to introduce us sometime.”
“Sometime, I will. What’s stopping you? From leaving, I mean.”
“Work, mostly, but let’s not bring that up. If I can escape even for a few days, I’ll take it. And you’re off right? For summer?”
I wasn’t going to tell him about my crap job at the supermarket, that I was using to pay Declan’s bills. He would be okay for a few days, I needed a break.
I took out my phone and sent out several texts. One was to Julia, telling her that the date night went well, and I would be out of town for a few days. The other one was to my brother, with a similar message, minus the details. And the third one was to my job, calling in sick. Given how many extra hours I had worked, they wouldn’t mind too much. Last time I had checked, I was the most productive person at that place.
“Yes,” I said. “It’s all taken care of, but I don’t have clothes or anything.”
“Where we’re going, you won’t need them.” Warmth crept up my cheeks before he added. “Anything you can’t live without we’ll buy.”
Of course, he would buy it, he had just paid two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to whisk me away.
Would Declan have approved? Never. My younger brother had always been my defender. He wouldn’t let any man close to me until he had gotten to know them. But I was no longer a little girl, and we no longer had a plethora of options. Some compromises had to be made. The same way I had made the leap of faith by going to the auction, Declan would have to accept that I’d done it for him - if he ever found out.
And that was big if.
I was doing this for the family. Had already done it, for that matter. The money would start flowing into my account in equal amounts over the period a couple weeks, which would easily pay off Declan’s treatment bills.
We arrived at the airport after midnight, but the driver didn’t take us to any of the major airlines terminals. Instead, we bypassed them altogether, driving along the tall wire fence until we reached a security checkpoint.
I didn’t understand at first, but as Owen spoke to the officer, I got it. They were heading straight to Owen’s plane, which he kept in a private hangar at O’Hare. The officer had no further questions.
We arrived at the hangar and boarded a small private jet. It was a beautiful navy-blue color and white on the inside. I could hardly believe what was happening to me.
Owen sat down in a far seat and instructed a stewardess to leave us alone for the flight.
“What if we need something?”
“I only need you.”
As I felt the rumble of the plane beginning to take off, he pulled me onto his lap.