The Assistant(37)

“The feisty side is coming out. I like it. I’ll put down $40,000.” It was another stranger, smirking in my direction.

“You’re not the only one, Liam,” David Walter chuckled, before his gaze landed back on me. “$50,000.” He declared.

“$52,000.” The man – Liam – countered, glaring at David.

“$55,000,” David said, the same glare crawling onto his features.

“Oh my,” I heard Suzie mutter from beside me. I looked over at her shocked expression and grimaced. I was done for.

“$60,000!” Liam exclaimed, his eyes narrowing even further.

“$100,000,” David announced, smiling smugly at Liam, whose eyes widened at the statement.

“150,000!” The bald man who first began the bid announced, taking everyone by surprise.

“$500,000.”

A collective gasp echoed in the venue, and everyone turned in shock to the woman who was speaking on behalf of whoever was bidding on the phone. “And my client is willing to top off any other bid that may be announced after that,” she added, her eyes narrowing slightly as if challenging the others in the room.

My eyes widened as my lips parted in shock. Half a million dollars?

Suzie cleared her throat after a dragging silence, and stepped back up onto the microphone. “Uh…” she began, still in shock. “$500,000. Going once…” No one said anything.

“Going twice…” My eyes flickered over to David Walter, whose hand clenched and flinched around his bidding number.

“SOLD TO THE BIDDER ON THE PHONE!” Suzie announced, banging the gravel three times before letting out a long breath. “Wow. Half a million dollars. Ms. Emily Johnson, ladies and gentlemen! Our highest bid so far!” The room had erupted into thunderous applause, continuing on as I got off the stage. I made my way over to the lady with the phone.

“Hello Emily,” she said with a smile, as she slipped her phone into her pocket.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” I began nervously, gripping my bag like a lifeline, “Who am I going home to tonight?”

“It’s a surprise,” she said simply. She gave me a mysterious smile before placing a slender hand on my shoulder. “You need to sit next to your boss, for the time being. I’ll come collect you when the event is over.”

I nodded and waved at her as I slowly made my way over to the table where Adrian, Allen, two people I didn’t recognise and Adrian’s parents were seated. There was only one seat available on the table – and it was wedged in between Adrian and Allen. Great, two people I really didn’t want to talk to.

I took my seat silently, not making eye contact with either of the men I was seated in between, and placed my bag on my lap demurely. “Hey, Em!” Allen greeted, smiling. I glanced briefly in his direction, before turning back to Suzie, who was now announcing Courtney’s ‘qualities.’

“Shortcake,” I heard Adrian murmur into my ear, making me stiffen from the proximity. Regardless, I brushed him off by turning my shoulder so that he faced my back. It was his fault I was going home with a complete stranger who probably wants me to have sex with them to begin with – no amount of flattery in the world would change that.


“Shortcake, please listen to me for a moment,” Adrian said into my ear once again. I realised he was keeping his voice low because we were surrounded by business people. I took a deep breath before turning around to face him, and gave him my fiercest glare. I hope it came across clearly that I was in no mood to talk to him right now. Not waiting for a reaction, I turned my attention back to the front of the venue.

Adrian sighed from beside me, and I saw him glace at Allen from the corner of my eye.

Suddenly, someone chuckled on the table, making me avert my attention from Suzie. My eyes landed on Adrian’s father, who was looking at me and chuckling, eyes twinkling in amusement.

“My, my,” he said. “My son is not one for rejection. I like you. If he ever fires you, let me know. I’ll give you your job back in the blink of an eye.” He winked, and I looked at him in confusion as he continued laughing.

Once he sobered up, he smirked at me, and I was taken aback momentarily because he looked exactly like Adrian – just an older version. “Mason Kingston. Nice to meet you, Emily.” He nodded, and his smirk grew. “You’re very beautiful.”

I began to blush as I looked down at my bag. “Uh…” I trailed off, trying to figure out Mason Kingston’s cheerful behaviour. “Thank you, sir,” I finally said, smiling slightly.

“I hope my slut of a son hasn’t been treating you badly.” My eyes widened in shock as the sentence left his mouth, and he burst into a fit of loud laughter, attracting gazes from the tables around ours.

“Mason,” Adrian’s mother snapped, “that’s quite enough.” She glared at her husband before she turned the glare to me. I frowned slightly at the harshness of her look, and looked down at the empty plate in front of me to avoid her gaze.

“Katherine, relax. I’m just having a little fun. Something you should try once in a while when we’re not in be-” Katherine shoved a carrot into Mason’s mouth, and he chuckled as he chomped on it, purposely loud.

Katherine turned toward her son with the slightest ghost of a smile. “Adrian, honey. I would like to speak with you after this is over.”