Chapter 4

Auralie

Oh, shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

I cannot do this.

I. Cannot. Fucking. Do. This.

The man who Magnus called Jacob keeps his hand firmly on my neck as he guides me to the back hallway that leads to the entrances to the glassed rooms.

The Orgy Room?

My skin crawls thinking about having a complete stranger do something so intimate to me. For reasons that I’m sure are completely fucked up, I found I could turn off my emotional switch when Magnus made me blow those other two guys. That was a job and nothing else.

It was acting at its finest.

No different than pulling a change-raising short con.

But now he’s talking about letting a man—a stranger— attempt to pleasure me in a way that I’ve never had done before. I’m very aware as to how my clit functions, as well as its response to stimulation. I’ve never had a man’s lips and tongue there before, but I have a trusty vibrator that makes short work of me and I’m terrified as to how I’ll respond.

I’ll either be so wigged out that I’ll stay dry as the desert and embarrass myself, probably ruining my sale value, or I’ll react like a shrieking banshee because my clit is so sensitive, and I’ll embarrass myself. It’s a no-win situation.

On top of that, the beautiful man is here and I don’t want him watching me. I can’t bear to have him watch me react, or possibly not, and the humiliation will be awful.

Or, the worst of all things that could possibly happen is that the beautiful man watching me could cause me to have a reaction that would be unforgiveable. He’d know I was more turned on by him watching me than what was actually being done to me.

I just can’t.

“Wait,” I say suddenly as he starts me down the perimeter hallway, which is dimly lit with wall sconces about every ten feet.

“What?” he says, using his grip on my neck to turn me to him.

We’re completely hidden from the patrons on the interior of The Silo, as well as the members of each room since the back wall of said rooms is made out of concrete staves that match the exterior. I take a deep breath, knowing Magnus is not going to be happy with me, and say, “I’m on my period… you can’t.”

Total ballsy lie, but it’s all I got. I hope to God he doesn’t ask for proof.

“You’re fucking kidding me, right?” he mutters, his hand falling away from my neck.

I shake my head a little too enthusiastically, my voice raising an octave. “No… it started this afternoon. I had no clue Magnus was going to offer this to the men here, or I would have told him.”

I sort of expect him to be a little more put out over the wasted opportunity, but instead, he grabs me by the back of the neck again, not roughly but more in a controlling way, and says, “No worries. I’ll take a blow job. I was going to get one anyway when I was done, right?”

Before I can respond, he starts to push me down the hall again. The heels of my feet instinctively dig into the concrete flooring, bringing me to a stop. “Wait—”

“For fuck’s sake, what now?” he growls, his hand gripping me a little harder, which causes my heart to start pounding.

“Is there a problem here?” I hear from behind us, and I don’t even need to turn around to know who it is. While I’ve never heard his voice before, I know without a doubt it’s the beautiful man standing behind us.

Jacob whips around, spinning me with him since he doesn’t let me go. My first close-up look at the man who is softly washed in the glow of the sconces is almost too much to take in. He’s just perfection, and his eyes are pinned right on me. I vaguely notice he has a woman with him… one of the bartenders, it seems… and he’s holding her hand. But what I notice most is the hard glint in his eyes and the way his jaw is locked so tight that a tiny muscle jumps in the lower portion of his cheek. While his gaze seems full of anger, I inherently know it’s not directed at me.

This is confirmed when he slices his eyes to Jacob and says, “I repeat… what’s going on?”

“None of your fucking business, McKay,” Jacob bites out, his fingers gripping me even harder as if I’m his favorite toy and he’s afraid the neighbor kid is going to take it.

And McKay? That’s his name?

The beautiful man—McKay—drops the woman’s hand he’s with and takes two steps to bring himself almost toe to toe with Jacob. His voice is low and commanding when he says, “She looked like she didn’t want to go with you, and you know Bridger’s rules… she has to consent.”

Oh, fuck.

I have no say in this really. Sure, I had a very awkward conversation with the owner, Bridger, a few days ago when he grilled me for affirmation I was here of my own free will. Another fine acting job was completed when he seemed to accept my lies.

“She’s on the rag,” Jacob mutters. “So I’m getting a dick suck instead.”

“Nice,” McKay mutters sarcastically, and his eyes slide down to mine. “You want to go with him?”

His first words spoken to me. Even if he hadn’t voiced a single syllable, he could have looked at me with that same question in his eyes and I would have known just what he was asking.

My expression back to him is pointed. Eyebrows knitted with tension, biting hard on my lower lip with unease and eyes filled with a desperate plea for help, I still manage to say, “Yes.”

Because that’s what Magnus would expect of me.

McKay stares at me for a long moment, seemingly undecided as to which answer he should deem as the truth. Even though there’s nothing he can do to stop my fate, I hope he accepts my silent answer as the one I mean, so he knows I want nothing to do with this creep. I wonder if he can also glean just by my look that I would have gladly gone into that room with him.

“Auralie.” I hear Magnus’ cultured voice behind McKay, who is so tall and broad shouldered I hadn’t seen Magnus walk up. “What’s going on?”

Before I can answer, McKay turns to Magnus and says, “She’s not feeling well. You can take one look at her and tell.”

Thank God he didn’t give my “period” lie to Magnus. Magnus would demand an inspection for proof because he’d be pissed I was messing up his grand display of showmanship and superiority.

Magnus’ gaze cuts to me, and in a tight voice that he tries to pass off as concerning but doesn’t quite make it, he asks, “Auralie, love… is that true?”

I give a slight nod, trying to look pathetically sick, but I know I come off as terrified of how this situation has gotten out of control. When I risk a look up to McKay, I see that muscle in his cheek jumping harder as he takes in the fear in my eyes.

With a surprising amount of humility that I wouldn’t have guessed this big, powerful man would possess, but with complete manipulation that I admire, he turns to Magnus and says, “With all due respect, sir… perhaps you should let her rest tonight. She’s put on quite a show the last few nights, and you’ve admirably whipped up everyone in here. It’s been a real treat to watch for sure. And if she doesn’t make an appearance tonight, it’s only going to increase every man’s appetite for her.”

Magnus looks at McKay. For someone who regularly takes advantage of and manipulates people, he still immediately buys into the flattery that McKay gives to him. His chest puffs out a bit, and he says, “You have an excellent point.”

Jacob’s hand falls away as he growls in frustration. McKay looks right at me, but he says, “Jacob… why don’t you and Heather head into the Orgy Room? I’m sure she’ll make things better for you.”

“Yeah, fine,” he mutters, but as he reaches past me to grab Heather’s hand, who looks just as happy to be going with Jacob as she was with McKay—weird girl—he looks to Magnus and says, “I want another crack at her though before you make the sale. I’m going to make a serious bid you don’t want to miss.”

Magnus smiles magnanimously and says, ‘Of course, Jacob.”

Without another word, Jacob and Heather head off down the hall. I’m left alone with a man I despise and a man who I feel an intense connection with even though we’ve hardly spoken at all.

Magnus reaches a hand out and asks, “And you are, sir?”

“Logan McKay,” McKay—well, not McKay—says as he shakes Magnus’ hand. While his tone is warm and inviting to further conversation, I can tell by the look in his eyes that he despises Magnus as much as I do.

Logan.

I like that a lot.

“And what exactly do you do for a living?” Magnus inquires politely, although I think it’s overly rude. He’s asking because he wants to know if Logan will be a serious suitor for me. If he’s got the bank to make a good bid on my poor, underused vagina.

But I already know the answer to this because while I know Logan is intense, sexy, deep, concerned, protective, and commanding, I also know he’s a simple man who lives a very simple existence outside of The Silo. I can read it all over him loud and clear.

“I’m a fishing guide,” he says, confirming my instinct as he releases Magnus’ hand. “I guide fly-fishing trips, mostly on the Snake River, but sometimes I’ll go over to the Yellowstone or Gros Ventre.”

“Really?” Magnus says with interest. “I’ve always wanted to try fly fishing. I think I’d be very good at it.”

I roll my eyes, seeing that Logan notices as those gorgeous lips tip upward slightly as he looks back to Magnus. “I’d be happy to take you out any time you’d like.”

“Let’s go tomorrow,” he immediately demands.

Weird how I can read so much from Logan’s posture and eyes. He clearly doesn’t want anything to do with Magnus. The offer was just politeness with a suspicion Magnus was not the type of guy who would really go fishing, but he still says, “We would have to leave early. Six AM? You’d have to meet me at the South Fork boat ramp.”

“Then I should get my little dove home so I can get to bed,” he says with the exuberance of a little child trying to play grown up. “I’ll Google directions to the boat ramp and see you there.”

God, he’s so freakin’ weird.

Logan’s eyes slide back to mine. This is not noticed by Magnus because he’s reaching for my hand as he says, “Come, Auralie. If you’re not feeling well, you probably need some rest too.”

I tip my head to the right a little and give Logan a smile that is nothing but gratitude for saving me from the terrible situation I was walking into.

Granted… it only makes me safe for tonight as no telling what Magnus will make me do tomorrow, but I’ve gotten a reprieve and I’m grateful for it.

I let Magnus pull me back toward the exit door, risking a glance over my shoulder back at Logan. He watches me carefully until I round a bend in the hall. When I can’t see him anymore, I look at Magnus’ stiffened back. He’s definitely pissed at me.

I have to trot to keep up with his long, skinny legs. As soon as we step out into the crisp evening air, he releases my hand and rounds on me. “You better not be messing things up, Auralie.”

I’d like to say Magnus scares me, but he doesn’t. He knows I’ll do my part when required because he knows I have no choice.

“I’m really not feeling well, Magnus,” I say apologetically. To smooth his ruffled feathers, I point out, “You wouldn’t want me puking on a potential sale, would you?”

His pinched expression goes lax, and he gives me a curt nod in acceptance. “Well, it’s not like this really hurts anything. I’m not going to be making a quick decision on this. I want the absolute top dollar for you, so not only do we have to rile up their horny little senses, but I also need to make sure I’m waving you under the proper noses. Everyone who is a paid member in there can afford what I’m going to ask, but not everyone will want you. I need to focus on those who do.”

Logan does, I think bitterly. I not only see it in his face, but I also feel it in my bone marrow when he looks at me.

Which makes me wonder…

“Why in the world are you going fishing?” I ask curiously, because Magnus in his fine custom suits and gel-slicked hair has never struck me as a person who would want to go fishing. He’s too… prissy.

“To schoomze, of course,” he says simply as I follow him to his rental car. A Porsche something or other, because he has to maintain an image.

“Schmooze?” I ask astounded. Surely, he has to know just by looking at Logan that he doesn’t have that type of money.

“Oh, I don’t expect that yokel to bid on you,” he says primly. “But I’ve been watching him, and he’s well connected in that establishment. He’s been a member since its inception according to someone I talked to last night, and thus he’s going to be my in as to who I should be focusing my attentions on.”

Figures.

He’s going to use the “man of my very own dreams” to sell me to someone else.