The priest coughs. The door to his confessional clicks, and I know he’s waiting for me to continue speaking.
But as I sit here, I try to decipher a plan.
With hands or a gun, which would be the best weapon?
Pulling my hoodie up to cover my face, I step out and make a quick exit before the priest can say anything at all, before his absolution.
Chapter 12
Saskia
“Are you sure?” Robert asks.
I nod my head, and he snaps a photo of me. I don’t smile, but that doesn’t matter. Within seconds, Robert passes me his cell phone and turns to put his things in his car while I look at it.
I’m up for auction.
My virginity is up for auction.
If I could raise even half of what the other girl received it could change my life. Honestly, I could start up my own business. Do something, instead of living with my mother. Buy a car, perhaps. Most people my age have a car, and I want one. Even if I can’t drive, yet.
“Are you ready?” Stiles is now standing next to me, looking from me to Robert.
“Can we reschedule? I had plans with Robert that I forgot about.”
Robert pinches me, but I don’t move as Stiles’ face drops. The game was a big step for me. I didn’t even want to come until he cornered me with Robert, who agreed for the both of us.
“Can I have your number?” I don’t know why he asked that, I never have my cell on me. I usually keep it hidden in my mattress. I rattle the number off to him then he leans in again, and does that thing that he likes to do. He kisses my cheek, but when he does, he takes a deep intake of breath, breathing me in before he pulls away and walks to his car.
Turning to Robert’s car as Stiles pulls away.
“Holy shit, Sass…” He passes me his cell. My name and the set bid amount under it is way too high. There’s no way I will get that much.
“Why that high, Robert? Who’d pay that much? We have to adjust it.” Handing the cell back to him when we get in the car, he laughs.
“I didn’t put that amount in there, Sas. Someone has already bid that much for you.”
My eyes bulge from my head. “How?”
Robert shakes his head. “It’s more than you expected. Should I mark you as sold?” He looks down to his cell phone. “Name is Confident, and it’s two hundred thousand dollars. It’s a lot of money,” he says, passing the cell phone back to me. Looking down as he starts to drive, it vibrates in my hand, then again.
“Ummm, I think it just went up.”
“What? No way. How much?”
“It says three hundred thousand now.” My eyes don’t believe what they’re seeing. I’ve never seen that much money in my life. And someone wants to pay me that much for what? What’s between my legs? Shit. “I’m accepting it. I can’t expect to get higher than that. Can I?”
Robert shakes his head. “Give it another five minutes, Sas. What can it hurt?”
“I’m not worth that much, though.”
“Bullshit! You’re worth way more than that,” he says excitedly, pulling the car over to a stop.
The cell phone dings again in my hand.
“A hundred thousand more…” I say showing him the cell. “I’m stopping it. That’s almost half a million, Robert. Who has that much money to waste? They could feed and house so many homeless people. Pay for their kid’s medical bills. There’s so much that someone could do with that amount of money.”
“What do you plan to do with it?” I sit back in the seat as he starts driving to his house. “The money I mean, obviously not your virginity.”
“I want to start a business… something I love. And buy myself a car. Then I guess I’ll donate the rest.”
Robert nods his head. “You could be selfish and use it all on yourself.”
“How do I stop it?”
“Are you sure you really want to do that, Sass? This could mean so much for you. And you are worth more. You’re worth every penny someone would pay for you. Trust me.”
I shake my head at him. “No. Taking that much money feels wrong on so many levels.”
“Take your morals and your attitude about yourself just for this once, and throw them out the window. Trust me when I say you’re worth way more than you think you are. Hell, if I didn’t bat for the other team you’d be it, baby cakes.”
“I want to stop it, Robert. Please,” I beg.
He pulls up out front of his house and grabs the cell from me. Presses a few buttons then looks up at me.
“You have a date with Mr. Confident. Who will deposit the money into your account tomorrow.” He’s all bouncy with excitement, unlike me whose stomach is swarming with butterflies.