Everyone in the room, including myself, inhaled in a collective breath. The silence hung for what felt like several minutes, with people exchanging both puzzled and amazed looks. For a minute I thought that I had misheard him.
When he returned the microphone, Ava said, “Sir, could you confirm the number for me, please? Was it two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”
He gave her a confident nod, and looked at me with a cocky smirk on his face.
It took a moment for me to get back in touch with reality, and when I did, I found myself next to Ava, still alone on the stage.
“Sir, would you like to counter?”
The older man dropped his paddle and shook his head.
“Excellent. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars! Sold!” Ava lifted my hand in the air, as if I’d won a boxing match. “Please, Miss Mercer, you may join your date!”
Chapter 8
Owen
I had to have her, to save her.
Two hundred and fifty thousand was nothing. I got my picture, and the girl.
As I walked towards the corner of the stage where I would retrieve Sydney, I nodded to the darkest booth, knowing the District Attorney saw the trick I just pulled.
It screamed, I have money damn’t, don’t mess with me.
Just let him try to come after my business now.
I gave Sydney my hand and helped her off the stage.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said into my ear. “Thank you doesn’t sound like nearly enough. You have no idea what you have done for me! How can I ever repay you? What can I do?”
In truth, it was enough for me to see her this happy. But that’s not how the Club worked, or business for that matter.
“I’ll call on you when I need you. For tonight, let’s just get you home.”
I took her hand and pulled her through the crowd trying to decide how best I could use her to my advantage. She was beautiful, and I wanted to have her, but I needed to get in touch with Baxter first.
Business, then pleasure.
I wasn’t surprised to see Lawson near the door, waiting for his part of whatever deal he thought we were doing. But I wouldn’t share the photo with Lawson.
“Owen, my friend. Now, this is the Owen I know and love! I knew you would get involved.”
I could only stand there and take it. I didn’t mind. Lawson no longer concerned me, at least not for a while. I was using this time to think.
What to do with the gorgeous blonde… what to do.
“Tell me, what’s so special about that girl? Maybe next time I’ll take part in the auction myself.”
“You think you can outbid me?”
“Oh, no way, I’m just messing with you, buddy. Like I said, I don’t want to fight with you, I want us to help each other.”
“But do I want to do business with you?” I asked.
“In a way, you already have, Owen, isn’t that so?”
I eyed him carefully, I didn’t want Sydney involved in any of this.