The Auction (Club Indulgence Duet, #1)(56)

They exchange more uncomfortable glances.

"Look, I'm his sub. So it's my fate on the chopping block. I can assure you he's okay with it. Besides, I wouldn't want to get punished, right?" I add.

A tiny laugh comes out of Diana. "You're right."

"Unless you like punishments?" Nira asks.

I shake my head and smile. "Nope. Now, can you turn me blonde?"

Diana relaxes. "Okay."

It takes hours to change my hair color, then style it. Diana tells me that Riggs already instructed her on what he wants done. She puts half my hair up and leaves the rest down in long curls.

Nira creates smokey eyes and adds a silver shadow to my lids. Then she applies a matte red lip stain to my mouth.

A short, black slip dress is on Riggs's bed when I step out of the bathroom. It reminds me of something a woman would wear to bed, not go out in. A pair of black stilettos, with diamonds encrusting the heels, sits next to the dress. They're taller than what I'm used to wearing.

I tell the girls, "I think he forgot my bra and underwear."

Diana's lips twitch.

Nira bites on her smile.

"What am I missing?" I ask in confusion.

"There's no bra and underwear. He just wants you in the dress and shoes," Diana states.

My stomach flips. I've worn less to Cheeks, but something about not having anything underneath the silk material makes me nervous. It's barely going to cover my ass.

Nira unzips the dress, ordering, "Take off your robe."

I hesitate.

Diana adds, "Don't be shy. You're going to the club. I can assure you someone other than Riggs will see you naked tonight."

My chest tightens. I blurt out, "What do you mean?"

She shrugs. "It's normal. Lots of people will be naked."

Of course they will.

I slowly untie my robe and slide out of it. I step into the dress.

Nira zips it, chirping, "You look great!"

"You sure do," Diana adds.

The dress covers a few inches of my thigh. I step into the stilettos, and my legs seem even more exposed.

"Time to go," Diana states, clapping.

"Have an awesome night," Nira says.

I'm too nervous to respond as they lead me out of the bedroom.

Riggs is on the phone. He wears all black. His designer trousers, T-shirt, and sports coat fit his body like a glove. A hint of his tattoos peeks out of the V of his shirt.

My heart stammers. His dirty-blonde surfer hair seems wilder than when he leaves for work. I love it when he wears it like that. Something about it seems a bit taboo compared to his normal buttoned-up work look where he's hiding his ink.

He catches my eye and freezes. His eyes dart down my body, then back to my face. He hangs up. He states, "You look perfect."

"She does," Nira beams.

Diana glances at her watch. "We should get going. We have one more stop tonight."

"Sure. I'll get Luke." Riggs goes to the door and motions for the driver to come inside. He hauls the women's black cases outside, then returns and blindfolds them. He leads them to the SUV, which takes off just as another SUV backs into the driveway.

"Why do you blindfold them?" I ask.

"So they don't know where I live," Riggs replies.

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" I question.

He shakes his head. "No. I like my privacy. They don't even know what town I live in." He pins his blues on me.

I stay quiet as a new burst of anxiety fills my belly.

He steps forward and reaches around my neck. He unfastens my gold collar and states, "This is the wrong one tonight."

"Oh?"

He sets the old one on the counter and picks up a flat box. He holds it out. "This is for you."

"What is it?"

"Open it."

I remove the lid and gape. A new choker glitters back at me. It's a black and platinum mix, with metal rings and diamonds floating around it. "It's gorgeous," I gush.

He picks it up, attaches it around my neck, then adds, "There's something else in the box. Underneath the first layer."

I glance down at the satin and lift it. A matching leash is folded and stuck in the insert.

My pulse skyrockets, and my mouth turns dry. I slowly glare at Riggs, snarling, "A leash? Like I'm a dog?"

His lips twitch. "A dog, no. My pet, yes."

I look away.

He moves my chin so I can't ignore him. "You don't want to be my pet?"

I snap, "Did Flower get a watering can?"

Riggs chuckles, which only infuriates me further. He answers, "No. She got a leash too."

"Well, at least you know how to make a girl feel special," I seethe.

His amusement doesn't falter. He takes it out of the box, unwinds it, and snaps it on my collar. He states, "All auctioned subs will have one tonight. It's a rule, but so you know, you're my only pet."

More anger rolls through me. "What does that even mean, Riggs?"

He wraps the leash around his fist until there's no slack. He tugs so my face moves closer to his, and he says, "It means every sub I have, I give a name to that no one else has ever had. So you know, flowers quickly wither and die. Brats I easily get bored with, and stars eventually fade into the morning sky. And I can go on and on about all the reasons no one was ever my pet until you."