The Auction (Club Indulgence Duet, #1)(22)

Embarrassment fills her cheeks. She quietly says, "No."

"Do you know what a Dom is?"

"No," she admits again, her face turning a deeper maroon.

"Yet you signed a contract with me, not knowing anything?" I'm unsure how I feel about this. Part of me is happy because she did it because it was me. But the other part doesn't like this one bit. What I'm into requires full consent, and if she's not on board, that changes the entire situation.

She declares, "It was you. I trust you, Riggs. I..."

"You what?"

She blurts out, "You said you'd protect me from my father. I don't know what else I'm supposed to do. I don't want him to... I don't want to return to him! He'll make me marry some guy. I don't want to lose my life!" She blinks hard, her eyes glistening with tears.

I sternly claim, "I'm not turning you over to your father. I promised you, and nothing has changed regarding that."

She sniffles and asks, "But why, Riggs? Tell me what happened between you two."

"Your father screwed me over. He doesn't know that I know. But that's all I'm going to say, Blakely. So stop asking me about it," I order.

Her eyes widen.

I add, "You don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm handling it."

"He's a horrible person," she softly states.

I stay quiet.

She turns back to the ocean, digs her feet in the sand, and takes a deep breath.

I inquire, "What did you think you were doing when you got on stage?"

She avoids looking at me, and her head bobs side to side. "I don't know. I couldn't go outside. They were waiting for me. I barely made it into the club. I just... I thought it was better to take this chance than to go back outside."

My insides fill with anxiety, and the calm chaos in the water does nothing to alleviate it.

This changes everything.

I rise and pull her to her feet, announcing, "I have errands to run. Today, you'll read the contract while I'm gone. You'll list all your questions, and we'll discuss it over dinner tonight."

Confusion fills her face. "Are you kicking me out?"

"No, I'm not kicking you out. Why would you think that?"

"I... I don't know. You sound upset with me."

I sigh. "I'm not upset with you, Blakely, but you need to know what you're getting yourself into. And for God's sake, I know you want to disobey your father on everything, but don't ever sign a contract again unless you read it. There's a reason you read contracts," I reprimand.

She closes her eyes, squeezing them tight. "Why can't my father just be normal? I wouldn't have to act like I do."

"How do you act?" I question.

She shrugs. "Never good enough for them; him or my mother."

I place my hands on her cheeks and tilt her head up.

She opens her eyelids.

"Blakely, you've never done anything wrong. Your parents are who they are. That's not your problem. That's their problem," I insist,

She grabs my arm, pleading, "Please don't make me return to them. Please."

"Have you not been listening to me? I thought I made it clear there's no way I would ever turn you over to your father or mother."

She nods, but something tells me she doesn't completely believe me.

I add, "I told you I would protect you. Nothing has changed, Blakely."

She looks at me silently.

I lead her toward the house, claiming, "I have things I need to do today. You're not to leave the house. And you are to make sure that you read the contract. Do you understand me?"

She nods. "Yes, I understand."

"Good." I guide her onto the deck and to the door, then add, "I'm going to get ready. Go inside and help yourself to whatever you want for breakfast."

I go over to the shower and strip with too many emotions running through me. Never in a million years would I have thought that she would have done something like this and not had any idea what she was getting herself into.

I wish it didn't matter, but it does. This changes everything. But no matter what, she's going to be mine. When she reads the contract, we'll go through her questions.

I know she's a sub. I saw it in her last night. She can obey. But I don't know if she'll freak after reading my contract. Knowing these new facts, everything about that makes me feel really uneasy.

And that's one thing I don't like in my sex life—wild cards. Right now, Blakely's in control, and I don't like it one bit.





7





Blakely





I'm making coffee when Riggs walks into the house, naked, except for a towel around his lower body. The tattoos on his torso glow in the morning light, and I wonder if I've ever seen anything so majestic.

He quickly disappears into the bedroom, forcing me to tear my eyes off his backside, which is just as toned from surfing as the rest of his body. I return to focusing on brewing the coffee. I'm pouring my first cup when he returns to the main room.

He's wearing khaki shorts and a pink linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up, displaying his ink. I could look at him all day, clothed or unclothed, and when he gives me an arrogant expression, I realize I've been staring.