Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,298

not a piece of shit,” I say reflexively. I don’t know why I say that. Everything Danny has done to me recently leading up to the auction says he is. And after what Zander told me, I should never want to see him again. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get over what he did for me.

He saved me. I really wanted to kill myself. I would have if he hadn’t stopped me.

Natalie’s jaw drops. “Are you kidding me? He beat the hell out of you for the past couple of months, and now you're defending him? What the hell is wrong with you?”

God, I don’t want to fight. I toss the package down feeling like I’m in a no-win situation. But it's a tight spot that I put myself in. I seriously want to go into my room and curl up into a little ball. “Please, Nat,” I plead, “I’m tired and don’t want to talk about this right now.”

Natalie stares at me long and hard, before finally shaking her head. “Fine. But I don’t think I’ll ever understand this relationship you have with him, and I don’t think I ever want to.” My throat feels tight as I take in her words. I didn’t ask for her support and I understand that she doesn’t like it, but it still hurts. “I’m going to bed. Don’t forget to turn the lights off.”

She disappears down the hall, leaving me alone.

I suck in a heavy breath as tears sting my eyes, my gaze going down to the package sitting on the sofa. I feel like crap having to lie to Natalie, but I don’t know what else I can do.

Sighing, I slump down on the couch, running my fingers over the package.

I tear it open and stare in shock at what’s inside. It’s a beautiful gown, a white sparkly number, with glittering rhinestones that shimmer like diamonds. I run my fingers over the exquisite tailoring, thinking that it’s the nicest gift anyone has even given me.

But just like tonight, just like the butterflies in my stomach, it’s a lie.

I cover the dress up with the thin piece of white tissue paper and let my head fall back against the sofa.

None of this is real, and I need to protect myself and remember that.

Chapter 15

Zander

I turn down the radio as I pull off of the highway heading down to Arianna’s place. It’s nearly eight on a Friday, but it’s the only night I can make time for her.

My turn signal clicks as I turn onto her street and remember the article in the paper this morning. It’s nothing huge, and I doubt Arianna’s read it. The picture of her is perfect, capturing the moment and sending the message that I’m no longer on the market. She may never even know about it unless she searches her name or someone points it out to her.

I want to be the one to show her. I can’t wait to see her reaction when she sees. Although it does say, “mystery woman.” The next one will have her name; I made sure of that.

I pass a row of condominiums. I hate this area in the city. The brick is old and worn, and graffiti covers half the buildings. She doesn’t belong here. I grip the steering wheel tighter as I park out front of her building and look up to her apartment window. The lights are on.

It’s a weird feeling, something like nervousness as I pull out my phone. It doesn’t make sense, and I ignore it as I text her that I’m outside. I stare up to her window, waiting for a response. I let out a small laugh as I see her pull the curtains back to look outside.

The phone pings as I open my car door and I glance at it to see what she’s said as I jog up the stairs. Come on up.

My heart flutters as I walk into the warmth of the building and see her standing in her open doorway.

“Hi,” she says sweetly as she opens the door wider and bites her lower lip.

Her nightgown looks nothing like what I’d expect on her. It’s a simple cotton thing, so thin that I can see the outline of her nipples. It’s the colors that I don’t expect. Patches of bright and neon colors.

“It’s my roommate's,” Arianna says, answering the unspoken question. She shrugs slightly before saying, “It’s laundry day.”

I turn to take her in, and something shifts.