“Yeah, honestly I am glad you brought it up. I have really been thinking about it and sort of asking the universe for a sign. I know you probably don’t want to be that for me,” I said with a reassuring smile, “but I think I’m going to pretend that you are.”
“Samara, seriously, you don’t have to do this. But I do want you to know that you have my full support if it’s the route you want to take. There is nothing to be ashamed of here. It’s your body and you can do what you want with it. And you know what? I bet since you’re an employee here already they will do some…what is that called? ‘Extreme vetting’ for you.” She couldn’t keep herself from giggling. “Seriously though, Stew loves you to death and would never let you end up in a bad situation. He’s close with the folks in New York. Let him make a few calls and get the thing set up if you want to do it. I bet they can make sure that someone really nice is there for you. They won’t let you go to any kind of sick fuck or someone that’s into dishing out harsh BDSM.”
The idea was really starting to take root in my brain now and I wondered exactly what kind of guy I would end up with. There would be no way of knowing beforehand, not even who would make up the group of people who would be there that night for the bidding. And that was if I could even make the cut for the auction block.
“What if they…don’t want me?” I asked timidly. I didn’t know what was coming over me in that moment, but something about it made me feel very vulnerable.
Suzy held onto my hands and pulled me up to my feet, then turned me around to face one of the full length mirrors.
“Look at yourself,” she said softly. And I did, for the first time in a while I took a long look at myself in the mirror. My eyes were a little puffy from all the crying I had been doing over the past few weeks, but overall my face still looked pretty, young and fresh as it ever had.
“May I?” she asked and like that my best friends hands were on my body, running her long fingers down my curves as she whispered into my ear. “You’ve got a stunning figure and any man would be lucky to be with you. I think it’s important that women tell their friends things like this. You are going to go up there and knock ‘em dead, Samara. Mark my words.”
**
Suzy went to Stew for me and had the first conversation broaching the subject. At first he hadn’t wanted to discuss the matter at all, acting as if the auction block was only a myth or false rumors. But as she later told me, when she pressed him on it and told him about my run-in while I was at the New York location, he finally conceded. Still, he didn’t want to let me go.
I went in for a meeting with him to discuss matters and to help him eliminate any fears he may have had about letting me make this decision for myself.
“Let me be clea
r, Stew, I am not talking about working the floor. That’s not on the table for me.”
“You’re damn right it’s not,” he seemed offended that I’d even consider it. Even though management at Club V was always open to us moving up the chain, Stew was very protective of his bar staff and it seemed like he had come to think of me as almost a daughter.
“Samara, I just need to know this is something you really want to do. I understand what a sensitive topic it is and how uncomfortable you might feel talking to me about it.”
I sat across from Stew at his desk. I didn’t often venture into this room, but it was clear that the guy behind the desk was one of the good ones. A family man who was looking out for his people, he only wanted the best for me.
“Stew, I assure you I came to this decision on my own. My family needs my help now more than ever and if I can do this for them then I feel like I would be a fool to pass it up. I don’t feel like I’m holding on to anything anymore. This would simply be a transaction. And I’m guessing the club would act as the broker here?”
My boss nodded and sighed. “But let’s get this clear—I’m getting you the best price I can. They’re fair, I suppose, don’t get me wrong about that. I’d never tarnish the name of Club V. I just don’t want you to end up getting a deal that isn’t a good one. And you aren’t going home with one of those sick fucks either. No, I will make sure personally that whoever has the option of bidding on you will be the top of the line…like, marriage material. Samara, do you think I could just set you up with someone and you guys could get married?”
I laughed at him. He was clearly still very troubled by the idea of me selling my virginity.
“Stew, while that is a very generous offer, I’m afraid that I’m here for the money and not a husband or true love. Just make sure he’s decent and then I guess I’ll take it from there.”
My boss nodded and let out a long exhale. “Okay then. If you’re set on doing it then I don’t suppose there’s any way of talking you out of it. I’ll make a call and get the ball rolling. You should know something before the end of the week.”
**
It didn’t take that long to get an answer from the New York club. It was a quick and definite, YES. Stew told me to expect a call from Elle and like clockwork it came the next day.
“Samara? Hi, it’s Elle. I’m the staffing director…we met back when you worked here one night.”
“Right, of course. Thanks for calling, Elle.” I heard a nervous edge in my voice and tried to push any of the nerves I was feeling out of my mind.
“We’re so happy that you’ve decided to come on board with the club in this capacity. However, given the sensitive nature of this business, I’m going to have to ask that you come to the New York club so that we can talk about this in person and get things all set up. How does tomorrow afternoon sound to you?”
“Great, I can be there whenever you need me.”
We set up an appointment for 2:00pm the following afternoon and I made my way to the city the same way I had six months prior. I had less trepidation this time around, which was odd considering what I was going to the club to discuss. I had a lot of thoughts swirling in my mind and my only hope for the day was that I would not come face to face with Neil Vance.
I was buzzed in and Elle greeted me at the door before leading me back to her office. It was a bright, open space, so unlike the rest of the establishment and I immediately felt reassured and at home in her presence. She was dressed in a tight black dress this time around, still professional but enticing enough to make her fit right in at Club V.
Elle took a seat behind her desk and invited me to make myself comfortable across from her. She flashed me a genuine, beaming smile as she spoke.
“Honestly, Samara, I am so glad that you have come to us with this. I know it can be a very sensitive thing to discuss and I understand if you feel a little weird about it, but I want you to know that you can trust me and that this is all done with the utmost discretion.”