Mine

Tate - 4

The girls move into their places and my heart flutters when I finally spot her. Ian notices my uptick in excitement as I keep my eyes glued on her.

Before I know it, the men are hollering and whistling and bidding. I sit upright, readying my bid ticket when Ian punches me in the ribs.

“Are you f*****g crazy, dude? If you bid on her, Hiram will come for you.”

He’s right.

So I do the opposite.

I raise my ticket on a blonde girl.

“Model 56G, Mr. Loren.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Ian hisses, standing next to me now. I don’t answer him though, keeping my eyes planted right on the prize. The next few girls sell, some to me, some to some other sick f***s. Ian watches, eyes wide and horror on his face as I buy girl after girl.

The girl next to her is up now and within moments, she’s gone to some old guy. I have one ticket left. It’s my only shot.

I raise it the moment the bidder calls her number. 7L. Someone else raises their bid at the same time as me and wins me over.

Fuck. f**k, f**k, f**k.

I stare, feeling heat mixed with desperation flood my core. What the f**k now?

Ian raises my hand with his, shoving more tickets into my fist, and just like that, I win.

“Thank you.” I breathe.

“I just hope you know what you’re doing, Tate.”

“Me too,” I murmur, finally taking my gaze from the stage to the source of the feeling drilling into my chest.

My eyes meet Hiram’s from across the room. He’s sat back, his right-hand man whispering into his ear as a half smile tips the corners of his lips upwards. He lazily raises his small glass to me and drinks, a knowing glimmer in his eyes.

“Now what?” I ask Ian, ignoring Hiram’s unspoken words.

“I don’t know. I’ve never bid at one of these things. I suppose we wait.” Ian shrugs.

I turn again to see Hiram has disappeared, leaving his glass empty and upside down on the tablecloth.