I don’t know what I’m doing here.

I cross my arms nervously, too aware of my own body, almost mortified of the dress I’m wearing. It’s black, dark like my long hair, and makes my blue eyes look even brighter. It’s tight and low cut in the front and back and leaves very, very little to the imagination.

That’s the point, of course, but still. All of the other girls around me are wearing similar dresses, except they’re all gorgeous. Dark-skinned girls, light-skinned girls, red hair and blonde hair and everything else. The girls are from everywhere imaginable, and they’re all absolutely beautiful.

Except me, of course. I feel too plain to be standing in this room. I’m just a normal waitress, for fuck’s sake! Sure, I’ve been living with the girls for a couple weeks, but that doesn’t make me like them.

I don’t know how I ended up here, in this place. It’s not that bad, honestly. The Syndicate offered me very, very good terms and they treat me very well. They haven’t pushed me into anything and it was my choice to enter into this auction. I still can’t believe it’s come to this, but I’m desperate, so desperate, and I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to survive.

I need money, and I need it fast. It’s as simple as that. I have no other choice but to enter into a contract with a strange man. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get paid.

The room is actually very nice. It’s like a lounge area, with tables, chairs, and couches all over. It’s richly furnished and there’s a bar toward the back offering free drinks. We were told not to get too drunk, or else we’d be tossed out, and so most of the girls are just nervously sipping their drinks. I can tell most of them are in the same position as me, very uncomfortable and unsure of themselves, but some seem like they’re regulars.

I bite my lip and look down at the lovely carpet, not sure what to do with myself. We’re meant to pass time in this room until our name is called. Once we’re called, we go out into the auction room. I was told that I’m supposed to just stand there and look straight ahead. I won’t even see the men that are bidding on me until it’s all over.

So I’ll see the man that buys me for the first time only after I’m sold to him.

I can leave at any time. The Syndicate doesn’t keep us here against our will. They made it clear that they don’t want girls that will make trouble, and everyone has been vetted to the highest level possible. My demons almost kept me out of this place, but in the end they decided that they liked me enough to let it slide.

I don’t know why, but I’m happy they did. I think.

At the end of this, I might walk away with enough money to pay off my debts completely. I can leave at any time, so this could easily be a one-time deal. The girl that recommended me said that I’d end up wanting to do it forever once the money started, but I don’t know about that.

“Nervous?”

I’m pulled out of my thoughts and look to my side. A gorgeous girl with blonde hair smiles at me. She’s a little taller than me and wears a tight blue bodycon dress. She looks beautiful and for a second, she makes me a little self-conscious.

“Yeah,” I admit. “I can’t help it.”

She smiles. “Me too.”

“What are you nervous about? You’re gorgeous.”

She laughs lightly. “Thanks. But I’ve never done this before.”

“Really?” I ask. “I haven’t, either.”

“Please. You look way too sexy to be a first timer like me.”

“I am,” I say, suddenly relieved that someone is talking to me. Over toward the door, another name is called out, and a tall girl walks out of the room.

“I’m Lisa,” my new friend says.

“Aria.”

“Pretty name.” She looks around the room. “How do you think... this works?” she asks.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what if nobody bids on me?”

“Oh,” I say. “I don’t know. I guess you just go home.”

“Can it be that simple?”

I shrug. “So far, I think so. They’re nice.”

“They are very nice,” she says. “Did you know that only rich men can bid on us?”

“I didn’t, actually,” I say, a little surprised.

“Yeah, that’s what I heard. This is only for very wealthy men. It’s why we’re treated so well. They don’t want a bunch of abused girls getting involved with these men. We’re supposed to be professionals.”

“I don’t feel like a professional,” I admit. “I just feel nervous.”

“Yeah,” she says, laughing lightly. “Me too. But we’ll get through this, right?”

I nod. “Right. Of course.”

Just talking a little bit to Lisa loosens me up a little bit. She smiles at me. “We’ll talk later. Good luck. There’s a glass of wine with my name on it.”

“Thanks. You too.”

She walks off toward the bar and I watch her go. My mind drifts back to the task at hand and the temporary reprieve from the nervousness is suddenly gone, and it floods back in.

But I don’t have long to wallow in it, because a couple minutes after Lisa walks away, the man at the door calls my name.

“Aria!”

It pierces through me like an arrow. I freeze, unable to breathe, as I stare at the man. He looks around the room for a second, eyebrow cocked, and I can’t move. I’m petrified.

“Aria!” he says again. “You’re up!”

I take a step. And then another. And soon I find myself walking quickly toward him. Being careful in my high heels. They make my ass look great but they hurt my feet like crazy. He nods and takes my elbow.

“This is easy,” the man says. He’s young, maybe in his thirties, with a long ponytail and a thin face. “I’m going to put you in a room right in the middle. Then a bunch of lights will come on. You stand there and wait. Men will be looking at you, so don’t pick your nose. You’ll be asked to turn, please obey. When it’s done, you’ll be taken into another room where you’ll meet your client. Understand?”

“I understand,” I say. “But how long will they get me?”

“Let’s see,” he says, looking at his clipboard. “You’re up for... one month.”

“One month?” I ask, surprised.

“That’s the minimum amount.” He shrugs. “You’ll do fine.”

“One month,” I repeat, shocked. I assumed it was for a few days, maybe a couple weeks. But a whole month?

I don’t have a chance to argue, because we step into another room and he takes me into the middle. He places me there.

“Good luck,” he says. “They’re watching now.”

He turns and leaves. The room is dark, very dark, except for some lights in the floor. I think there are mirrors all around me, but I can’t be sure. I see vague outlines of figures, maybe ten of them. A minute later, a bright light flares on, spotlighting me and blinding me to everything else.

I can hear some murmuring, like conversations happening far away, but I can’t understand them. I fold my hands in front of me and wait, trying not to freak out.

What the hell am I doing? I don’t know the first thing about being an escort, let alone being one for an entire month. They explained it to me at the beginning, that I’d be bought by a man and that I’d do whatever he wants for however long he gets me. I’d take home seventy percent of the money, which is generous considering how much we’re sold for, although I’m not really sure exactly how much that is. I assume it’s a lot, but I don’t really know anything.

Then, once I’m bought, I service him. Some men want sex, some want companionship, and very rarely men want something in between. I’m to provide whatever he needs. That will be my job for the duration of my stay with him. I’m his property.

Unless he hits me, hurts me, or threatens me in any way that makes me uncomfortable. I can text a number that’s basically my SOS with The Syndicate, and they’ll come help me if anything strange happens. There’s another number that I text just saying that I’m okay, and if I don’t contact them at least once a day, they’ll send someone to check on me.

In short, I’m safe, and I’m about to be some man’s property. I can hear more talking, but I don’t know what they’re saying. I wish I could hear them. I wish I could see them.

What if he’s unattractive? I can fake it, of course. I can handle that. But what if he wants something that I can’t do? It’s possible that I won’t make him happy. I don’t want to fail at this. I have no other options.

“Aria, please turn.”

The voice is sudden and startles me. After a second, I turn around.

“Spread your legs, please.”

I obey, spreading my legs wide.

“Thank you. Turn back around and stand naturally, please.”

I listen again, turning all the way around and get back into my normal stance. I feel strange. I thought I might feel like a piece of meat, but because I can’t see the men that are bidding on me, I don’t really feel like they’re even out there.

But I know they are. This dress, these heels, I never wear this sort of clothing. I’m a simple girl, never had much money. Especially after my demons pushed me into hole after hole and dug me into this pit of bad debt that I find myself in now.

The lights drop off as suddenly as they had come on and a side door opens. I blink, trying to get my vision back, and that man with the ponytail is back.

“This way,” he says softly, taking my arm.

“What happened?” I ask, suddenly panicking. “Did I make a mistake?”

“No,” he says, and I can see that he’s smiling. “Not at all. You did great.”

“Really?”

“Really. I think you’ll be pleased, actually.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

He leads me down another hallway, past large paintings and statues, and places me into another room. It’s a lounge room, like the one before, but much smaller and without a bar. There’s one table and some couches.

“Go ahead and have a seat,” he says. “Your client will be in soon.”

“My client?” I ask. “Someone bought me?”

“Someone bought you.”

“How much did he pay?”

The man smiles. “Be patient. He’ll be here soon.”

He leaves and I’m left alone. I sit down at the table, heart hammering in my chest.

Someone really bought me. I have to admit, I never thought someone really would. Not after seeing all those other beautiful girls in the other room. They’re the kind of women that I thought men would want, not a plain girl like me. I’m five foot three and nothing special. My dark hair is thick and long, which I think is my best feature, although boyfriends have told me that it’s my ass. I don’t really know about that. I haven’t had a boyfriend in a few years now. I’m twenty-four, didn’t go to college, and wasted the prime years of my life.

I tap my nails on the tabletop, nervous as hell, not sure what to expect. Frankly, I’m afraid. The man that comes through the door will be the man that owns me for the next month. What if I hate him? I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know how I can do this for a whole month. I’m going to be someone’s toy, someone’s property. I’m going to submit to him because I need this money, and this is the best way I could find to get it.

I’m freaking out and I know it, but I can’t help myself. It’s overwhelming and so new. I want to get up and run away, get the hell out, but I know what’s waiting for me out in the real world is much worse.

I need this. It’s that simple. I can’t run away.

As I look up, the door slowly opens. My heart starts to beat erratically out of nerves and I feel like I might faint.

And then he steps into the room.

Tall and broad. Bright green eyes. Handsome as hell. He looks muscular under that perfectly tailored suit. He’s young, maybe in his early thirties, and I can’t help but stare at him.

This is the man who owns me. I know it deep down inside of me. He smiles at me and shuts the door behind him.

This can’t be real. He’s too handsome. He’s way too handsome, and young, and gorgeous, and oh crap, he’s looking at me with this sexy cocky grin that’s driving me insane.

“Hello, Aria,” he says, his voice rich and deep. “My name is Ethan. And I just spent a lot of money to make you mine.”

I can only nod, heart hammering in my chest, and I feel like I might pass out at any second.