Enemy Down - Cathryn Fox Page 0,11

a gorgeous diamond on her neck, a thank you for doing his homework. It’s a win/win, right? Not that I’d let anyone do my homework. I’m not risking expulsion from campus, and how would that look for my dad. Nope, I have to stay on the straight and narrow.

Then what the hell are you doing here, dude?

I take a deep breath as the first girl is led to the stage. She’s dressed cute, flirty lingerie as she flaunts herself in front of the guys, and in no time at all, the bidding begins. I shift in my chair, restless, not really expecting Maize to show up, yet on some ridiculous level hoping she does. I glance at the door, which is locked and closed now and guarded by Andrew. Maybe she gave him the card and bolted. Heck, maybe Kaitlyn did it for her. She is in a boot for a busted ankle, and probably can’t walk too far. As the time slowly ticks by I become more restless by the minute and I pull my phone out to scroll through social media. Thor nudges me when the last girl takes the stage.

“Doesn’t look like she’s coming,” he points out.

I can’t tell whether I’m happy or disappointed that she never showed up. I push to my feet, ready to go back to my room and get out of the ridiculous robe. “Just as well,” I say. In the dark room, I maneuver around a long oaken table and tall marble columns, when a noise on the stage pulls my attention. I spin, and when my heart leaps into my throat, I’m able to answer my earlier question. It was disappointment, pure unadulterated disappointment that I wasn’t going to get a chance to bid on the girl that’s been in my fantasies a time or two—even when I hated her. I go perfectly still, take in the gorgeous brunette standing on stage, unsure, vulnerable. My pulse picks up as my protective instincts kick in full force, and one word bounces around inside my brain.

Mine.

I silently walk back to Thor, and without looking or speaking to him, quietly drop down into my chair. On the stage, James starts the bidding, and I raise my hand, and in a low, disguised voice—yeah, she’ll probably run if she knows it’s me—I shout out a ridiculous number that will more than cover her tuition. No fucking way is she going home with anyone but me tonight. Chairs scrape the marble floor as my brothers shift in their seats, trying to get a look at whoever started the bidding at such an unusually high price. I square my shoulders, my eyes on Maize as she tries to see into the crowd.

One of the guys challenges me, and ups the bid, and a noise, that sounds like an angry bear awakening from hibernation, climbs out of my throat. Oh hell no. I up the bid a couple more grand, and as the room falls silent, Maize’s audible gasp whispers through the quiet and settles between my legs.

James points to me. “She’s yours,” he says.

“Fucking right she is,” I murmur under my breath. We stand, and those who lost their bids exit the room, leaving the rest of us to collect our new purchases. The women come off the stage, and what I noticed tonight was that most of them were dressed skimpily, whereas Maize is in a dress, one she almost looked uncomfortable in. I guess she prefers running shorts and yoga pants.

Did she get dressed up for me?

That thought brings a chuckle to my lips. Honestly, when she finds out it’s me, she’s going to bolt. I’d best cover my nuts when I remove my hood. I walk up to Maize as she glances around nervously, not that she can see much in the dark basement, the lights low on purpose. No cameras are to be used, and this place is locked up tight every day of the month but one.

Her head lifts, and in the dark and quiet room, I can almost hear the pulse pounding at the base of her neck, right where I want to put my lips. Everything in me stiffens as I work to purify my thoughts, but with Maize here, all sweet and vulnerable, out of her comfort zone, makes it fucking hard, literally. Yeah, all I want to do is take her to my bed and kiss the worry from her body and mind, and tell her everything is