Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,199

care who I am. Most of their eyes are focused on the ground. Some of the men walk by me without taking a second look, but most of them hold contempt for me. The newspapers crucified me, as they should have. My name is practically a slur. I look up at the one man that dares to give me a hard look. The moment my eyes meet his, he breaks his gaze pretending to stare past me. Fucking coward.

I look to my right signaling the bartender for one more. There’s a two drink limit in Club X for obvious reasons, but my tolerance is high enough now that the drinks hardly have an effect on me. As the bartender catches my eye, I notice a man to my right staring at me once again.

It’s Zander. Zander Payne. I’m well aware of who he is and what he’s capable of. Even if most of the men in here have no idea. I snort at the thought. He’s someone the men here should truly be afraid of.

There’s an odd look on Zander’s face. A look like he has something to say.

I hold his gaze as the bartender sets my glass of whiskey down on the counter in front of me. I wrap my fingers around the glass and bring it to my lips not moving my eyes off Zander. He doesn’t drop his gaze either.

I’ve never said a single word to the man. I’ve never said a word to any of the men here. I have no fucking reason to.

I only came as a favor to Kiersten. She was worried about me. She’s always worried about everything and everyone.

As the whiskey burns down my throat and fills my chest with the heat I’ve come to rely on for comfort, Zander finally walks towards me with purposeful steps. He has to walk around a few of the couples. One girl notices Zander walking by; she’s sitting on a stool leaning forward, her white lingerie wrapped around her body and tied around her neck, pushes her breasts up and out. Her head lowers until she looks up at him through her thick lashes, attempting to be submissive, although she’s doing a poor job of it. But he ignores her.

Just as he ignores all the women here. No one else may see it, but I know the only reason Zanders here is for business. He likes to keep an eye on his assets. He likes to have an eye over everyone around him. That’s just the man he is. And I truly admire it, although it’s hard to admit that. I do quite the opposite, I try to stay away from anything and everything that reminds me of what I used to be. The only problem is I have no idea what that leaves me with.

“Mr. J? Is that what you go by here?” Zander asks me, standing a few feet from me as he rests his hand against the bar, in a seemingly casual stance.

“I prefer Sir.” I set the whiskey down and leave it there, squaring my shoulders and waiting for him to say whatever it is that’s on his mind.

“Ah,” He says easily. This is the way he approaches all things in his life. With the casual air that makes him seem harmless. Charming even. But I know what he’s capable of. I’ve seen it firsthand. Everyone owes him. But me. And I won’t be making any business deals with a cunning shark like him.

“Sir?” He lets out a small laugh while shoving his hands into his pockets and looking past me. “I was wondering when you were going to begin indulging.”

I don’t respond to him. I’m not sure if he is referring to Lilly, or my bid on the auction. Either way I don’t give a fuck. What I do in here and outside of the club is none of his business. The less this man knows about me the better. I look past him, towards the front entrance waiting for Lilly. I know that she received my package. I’m only curious whether or not she’s decided to obey me, to wear the dress I’ve given her and to come without any undergarments on. The latter is what I’m truly curious about. Not only did I give her the order yesterday but, from what I know about her, it’s out of her element to be so brazen.

Zander shrugs, “not that it’s any of my concern.” He signals the bartender and orders