Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,319

of her listening to me makes my blood heat with desire. Such a small thing. So insignificant really. But she makes me feel powerful in a way I haven’t felt before. She makes me want to command her; it’s a dangerous thing for her to play with me like this. To tempt me, but she doesn’t realize she’s doing it.

She bites down on her bottom lip as I take the paper from her. I’m gentle with the edges, and I make sure not to touch any of the marks. Her eyes watch where I touch the paper, and her fingertips are covered in ink of some sort. I shake the paper slightly, finally getting to see what she’s been working on all this time.

And it’s beautiful. I knew she wouldn’t disappoint me.

It’s just a sketch of the room. Of the piano, really. But the way it’s done romanticizes the barren room. Something about the subtlety of the lines, the delicate details and shading. There’s a softness to it that I’ve never felt in that room myself. But it’s what she sees. What she feels being there. It makes me see it in a different light.

“You have such talent, sweetheart.” I lift my eyes from the sketch to her eyes and love how much light shines back at me.

“Thank you,” she says in a whisper, a blush coloring her chest and moving up to her cheeks.

“You should do this… for a living.” Her long lashes whip up as she stares back at me. “It’s a crime that you do anything other than this.”

I expect a smile in return, but instead she answers kindly, but firmly, “I can’t. I have work, and… I just can’t.”

“I’ll get you a studio tomorrow,” I say out loud without thinking. It was a fleeting thought in my office, but hearing her now, I know I need to get her one.

“A studio?” she asks me with disbelief.

I nod my head, my brow furrowing as I second-guess what it’s called. “For your art,” I state and gesture to the paper in her hand.

There’s still a look of confusion on her face. Her soft lips part, but no words come out. She clears her throat, looking away from me.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her, taking another step closer but standing an arm’s length away. The warmth from this morning is gone. The girl I held in my arms last night isn’t the same one standing in front of me.

“It just seems… a bit much?” she responds after a moment.

I can tell she’s trying to distance herself. She’s already waiting for this contract to be over maybe, so she can stop playing the part. So she can just go back to being herself. To being Brooks’ possession to barter off when he sees fit. The second the thought comes to my mind; jealousy ravages my thoughts.

And for the first time in years, I show it, my expression, my stance, everything shows what I’m feeling and thinking. I can’t stop it. Arianna takes a small step back, fear clearly evident as she reacts to my anger.

I shake my head slightly, letting out a heavy exhale and pinch the bridge of my nose, hating that I’ve scared her. I don’t want to hide anymore, but my anger isn’t for her. None of it. But this is why I hide it.

“You’re playing the part of my girlfriend.” I start speaking without thinking. Convincing both of us that a studio is necessary for this… game. “They’ll expect me to pamper you,” I finally open my eyes and chance a look at her. “I would do anything for someone I want to impress.” For you, that dark voice in my head whispers. For someone I want to love me.

I ignore the thought, a chill traveling down my spine as Arianna slowly nods her head. She visibly swallows, still a bit unsure of herself.

But she answers with the words I want to hear. “Okay,” she says and her voice is soft, meant to appease me. “Thank you.”

My eyes search hers, but she isn’t looking at me. I chance a step toward her and cup her jaw like I did this morning. Her posture softens and she pushes her cheek against my palm, her small hand cupping the back of mine and her eyes shining back at me with vulnerability. “Let me spoil you, sweetheart,” I speak slowly. “Just for the rest of the contract.”

I’ve told many lies in my life. So many deceitful things have left my