The Auction (Club Indulgence Duet, #1)(19)

Arrogant satisfaction explodes on his face. He quizzes, "Were any of them past their twenties?"

I shake my head.

He continues, "Did they have cocks like mine?"

I swallow hard and shake my head again.

He leans down and murmurs in my ear, "Do you know what I learned tonight when I slid my fingers inside you?"

Heat rolls through me, and I don't know why. I barely whisper, "What?"

He drags his knuckles over my bare breast, then traps my nipple between two of his fingers. He admits, "I assumed you'd be tight, pet. But you're tighter than I thought."

My cheeks flush with fire. I turn away, but he moves my chin back so I'm facing him.

He locks eyes with me. "Why are you embarrassed?"

I take a deep breath. My insides quiver, but I don't know if it's from lust or humiliation.

"Are you on anything?" he questions.

"I don't do drugs. Well, I've had some weed, but that's it," I blurt out.

He bites on his smile and shakes his head. "No. I meant birth control."

More embarrassment fills me. "Oh jeez. Umm...no. I'm, umm... I don't take it unless I'm with someone."

"That's what I thought. Roll over on all fours and stick your ass in the air," he instructs.

"What? Why?"

"You really do have an issue with questioning authority figures. We're going to need to work on this," he declares.

"I'll do what you want but...umm...you'll put a condom on, right?" I fret, reprimanding myself for not even thinking about birth control once tonight.

He grinds his molars, then reaches for me. He flips me so quickly onto my stomach, I gasp. His hard frame presses against my back, and his erection slides between my thighs.

I turn my cheek and press it to the mattress.

He brings his lips to my ear and says, "I told you I'd protect you, right?"

"Yes," I answer, shifting my hips so the tip of his cock hits my entrance.

"I meant it," he states.

A sharp pain shoots through my ass cheek, and I yelp. My back arches, but Riggs's frame holds me steady.

"Shh," he coos, kissing my neck.

"Riggs? What...?"

"It's just a birth control shot. It's okay," he informs me and rubs my ass cheek. He adds, "But for your information, there's no way I'm using a condom with you. My bloodwork was attached to the contract for your review, so you don't have to worry about my status. If you looked at it, you would have seen it."

I close my eyes, suddenly so tired and overwhelmed by everything, I just want to sleep.

Riggs rises, and the loss of his body heat makes me want him to lie back on me. He pats the mattress. "Bedtime."

I don't argue and slide under the covers.

He goes into the bathroom—I assume to dispose of the needle—and then returns. He gets in bed next to me, and I curl into him.

His body freezes.

"What's wrong?" I mumble.

"Did I say you could touch me?" he questions.

I lift my head and look at him to see if he's serious.

"Well?" he asks.

Something about it makes me emotional. Maybe it's too much, or I'm taking it as rejection, but my bottom lip trembles. I blink and roll away from him, curling into a fetal position and hugging the pillow.

He slides down, turning toward me. He doesn't touch me, but I can feel his body heat permeating my skin. It's like torture. I want to curl up in his arms and don't understand why I can't. He asks, "Where have you been all these years?"

"Living," I answer, then yawn.

"Meaning?" he pushes.

I contemplate how to answer his questions. I finally mumble, "Singing. Trying to make my dream happen."

"Where do you sing?"

I shrug. "Wherever I can."

"Want to be more specific?"

I blurt out, "Want to tell me what's going on with you and my father?"

Silence fills the air. The longer it lasts, the thicker the tension gets.

I finally spin and realize he's way closer to me than I thought. I quietly ask, "Why do you care?"

He doesn't hesitate, answering, "I've always wondered where you went. You've been here this entire time, and your father couldn't locate you. I know the resources he's spending. So I find it amazing that you were able to still work on your dream and avoid him."

Until tonight.

I keep my thought to myself and admit, "I mostly sing at the Lizard Lounge. But there are other venues from time to time."

"I'm surprised an agent hasn't picked you up. I remember you singing. You have talent," he says.

Pride fills me. Something about Riggs saying that to me hits me hard. "Thank you."

"You do. So why do you think you haven't gotten an agent yet?"

"Who said I don't have one?"

He arches his eyebrows. "Do you?"

I wince. "No. I need a demo tape. I've been saving, but it's expensive if you do it right. And you definitely want to do it right so they take you seriously."

He studies me for a while, then says, "I'm sorry about your father."