The Auction (Club Indulgence Duet, #1)(43)

His lips twitch. His voice lowers, creating a mysterious yet alluring tone, sending a shiver down my spine. He answers, "You'll see."

I bat my eyelids, slide my hand on his thigh, and lean closer, whining, "Aw, no clue?"

His jaw clenches. He removes my hand, puts it on my lap, and asserts, "Rule seven. And rule two goes into effect as of now. But I can't keep giving you passes, pet. Since we're driving, slide your hands behind the seat and lace your fingers together."

I gape at him. "You have to be kidding. There's barely any room between the door and seat."

"No, I'm not. And you'll fit. Now, don't make me repeat myself. And what did you forget when you addressed me?" he demands.

My gut dives. It's as if everything that happened this morning between us was all in my head. The only Riggs here is the one who needs to be in full control. I huff, then say, "Sir."

"That's right. Now, get in position," he orders.

I tilt my head and glare at him. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. And what's the point of making me do it?

He pulls the car to the side of the road and slams the gear into park. I gasp as he tugs my chin to face him. In an eerily calm voice, he asks, "Is this not for you, Blakely?"

"Wh-what?"

"The terms we agreed upon. Are you unable to fulfill your end of the deal?"

The hairs on my arms rise. Rule fourteen flashes in my mind, and I panic. "I never said that!"

He studies me until my eyes start to water and I'm blinking hard to stop it from spilling over. I don't want him to toss me aside, nor am I prepared to leave him right now.

In a serious tone, he warns, "If you're unable to stick to our contract, and you can't demonstrate to the club that you've submitted to me, they'll enact rule fourteen."

The air in my lungs turns stale. A quiver erupts in my belly, growing more powerful every second. I blurt out, "What are you talking about?"

He doesn't flinch. "All auctioned subs and buying Doms must demonstrate at the two-week mark their relationship. If you cannot submit to me, they will move you to an undisclosed location for the remainder of the contract period."

Horror fills me. "That's not in the contract I signed!"

"It's on the paperwork you signed with the club," he informs me.

I look away, trying to remember what was on it.

"Did you read it?" he questions.

I squeeze my eyes shut, stuttering, "It-it was chaotic. I-I had my father's men chasing me."

He replies, "It's simple. Members sign that the club is in charge, and so did you. Rule fourteen is in all the contracts for the safety of the subs. It appears to be for the Doms, but it's not. So if you cannot do what you're supposed to, this ends between us. I'll have no choice in the matter."

I glare at him. My voice shakes as I ask, "So that's it? I'll be their prisoner for the rest of the year, and you'll go on with your life like normal?"

"No. You aren't their prisoner. They'll put you in an apartment in the city where I don't know the location. You'll be free to do what you want, but there will be no more communication between us."

My mouth turns dry. No more talking, seeing, or touching Riggs. Do they really have that much control over the situation?

"I won't break their rules, pet. It's a strictly enforced policy. Again, it's protection for the subs."

"Why? What would happen that's so bad?"

His face softens. He answers, "Anything can happen. They're in danger if a sub isn't with the right Dom."

I lift my chin. "And do you think you're the right Dom for me?"

Darkness erupts in his expression. He pins his eyes on me, declaring, "I know I'm the right one. But it's up to you if you want to stay with me. So, in a couple of weeks, you'll prove it, or that'll be it. And once you're gone, Blakely, there's no coming back to me. That's it."

It's a statement mixed with relief and cruelty. He thinks he's right for me, yet he's making it clear that we're done once this arrangement ends. I stay silent, trying to process the finality of not seeing him again.

Now that Riggs is back in my life, I don't want him to disappear again, even though I signed knowing this is only for a year. But the thought of having to separate in less than two weeks...

He swipes a tear from my cheek and reiterates, "This is your call, pet. If you want to stay with me, you must fall into your role."

My reality hits me. I slowly sit back and slide my arms around the seat, lacing my fingers together.

His voice stays firm. "Good girl. Now bow your head."

I take a breath and obey.

"Who are you going to obey?"

The defiant part of me wants to tell him to go fuck himself. But the thought of being ripped away from him stops me. I reply, "You, Sir."

He studies me. I can feel it. He finally puts the gear into drive, and the car moves forward.

It's hard to stay silent with your hands laced behind the seat and your head bowed in a moving vehicle. Riggs shows me no mercy, veering lanes often and speeding whenever possible. The sound of horns erupts several times, and I fight the urge to break my position.

Time isn't my friend, and it seems to go slowly. My limbs begin to hurt. Right when I feel like I can't do this anymore, the car comes to a stop. "Punishment over. You may release your position," Riggs says.