room as women glance at one another, waiting for the next diamond to drop.
“Seven thousand,” the announcer warns. “Going once…”
I look back at the cougar. Her lips tip on one side. Damn. She’s smug as hell.
“Twice.”
I turn back to the stage and Brand looks as if he couldn’t be more miserable.
Fuck.
You don’t not need to fix everyone, Aria.
“Three—” The announcer’s voice rises.
“Eight thousand.”
The announcer squints through the stage lights, into the crowd. “Where did that come from?”
My stomach drops.
I raise my paddle and stares from around the room weigh heavy on my soul.
I’ll have to work more overtime to pay for this and I’m already at sixty hours a week. Not to mention, Briar is going to have words for me. I have no business making a commitment to a pet right now.
I clear my throat and speak clearly—it’s been ingrained into me ever since I could remember, after all. “Eight thousand.”
Brand stares me down, not a hint of emotion etching his beautiful olive skin.
“Nine thousand.”
I turn, and unlike Brand, emotion is bleeding from the cougar—anger pouring off of her in waves.
I turn back to the announcer and raise my paddle with conviction this time. “Ten!”
A whoop, a holler, and a bit of applause erupt around me, but I pay them no attention.
“Ten thousand, five hundred.”
I don’t give the cougar the satisfaction of a glance. I’m committed to the game at this point and ignore all thoughts of how many hours I’ll have to bill to pay for this…
This …
Obsession.
I’m not proud of it but there’s no other way to describe it.
I raise my paddle again. “Eleven.”
It’s small but I don’t miss it—Brand shakes his head.
“Eleven-five.”
Damn the cougar.
“Twelve,” I counter, refusing to give her the satisfaction of my attention.
Her bid is swift. “Twelve-five.”
I expel all the air in my lungs and scrutinize the man and the dog, both of whom I’m allowing to control my future. Money I can’t afford to spend on anything but student loans, or saving for a small down payment on a tiny house. Or, who knows, maybe a splurge on a good pair of shoes that aren’t dupes.
My paddle—bent, wrinkled, and crushed since I had no plans for it to see any action tonight—finds the space above my head. “Fifteen thousand.”
Brand’s eyes narrow and the doodle, as if understanding the worth of the hard-earned dollar, barks.
I don’t dare turn to see what my competition is doing and pray the small fortune I pledged is enough since my one and only credit card maxes out at sixteen thousand.
“Well, I’ll be!” The announcer waves his hand in the air and I remotely wonder if he doubles as a Southern Baptist preacher. “When they asked me to volunteer to lead tonight’s auction, I never—never—thought it would get as exciting as this. Fifteen-thousand dollars for a floppy-eared puppy and a date with a local hero. This is drama made for cable TV, if I’ve ever seen it. Do I hear sixteen?”
Please, no.
“Fifteen-five?” he eggs.
I swallow the bile that bubbles in my throat like the cauldron I’m about to dive into headfirst.
Female murmurs return and the hair on my arms stands straight. I hold my breath waiting for something.
Anything.
“Fifteen. Going once…”
Holy shit.
“Going twice…”
What have I done?
“Three times!”
I gasp as a beacon of light blinds me and I curse the audacity that masked itself as bravery just hours ago.
Bravery, my ass.
Consequences can be life changing. I fear I’ve tickled the beast.
I jerk at the slam of the gavel, sealing my fate. “The broody Brand and happy pup go to bidder six-four-two-eight, the lovely lady in black with a philanthropic heart.”
Philanthropic my ass.
As cheers erupt around me, I don’t waste any time. With the damn paddle in my sweaty grip, I turn on my cheap heel and head for the back of the room.
When I exit the ballroom doors, Kate is nowhere to be found, but there is a line at the table where I’m supposed to pay for my overwhelming obsession. I ignore every woman waiting and cut straight to the front. “Excuse me, I’m a doctor. I’ve been called out on an emergency. I need to pay for the damage.”
The young woman can’t be older than Briar. I hand her my paddle, ignore the comments from the line behind me, and turn and scan the area for Kate or, worse, my new dog and my date.
Dammit. I don’t even know what to do with a dog.
“Wow.” I look to the woman who is now staring wide-eyed at the tablet in front of her. “You’re a big spender! That will be fifteen-thousand dollars.”
My stomach roils as I hand over the credit card I keep only for emergencies, even though this does not qualify. She swipes and I sign—my gritty signature the only hint of the frayed nerves I’m barely clinging to.
“I need to leave. Please have the rescue organization contact me about the dog—”
She interrupts with a smile, reminding me of the hell I’ve just gotten myself into. “And your date.”
“Yes, that too.” I wave her off, stuffing my abused credit card back into my small clutch.
“Thank you for your donation,” she calls but I’m already halfway out the door, my dupes not carrying me nearly as fast as I need.
I type out a quick text to Kate, lying to my only friend about my non-existent emergency, telling her to take the Uber, and that I’ll call her tomorrow. She’s used to me putting my patients first—it isn’t the first time I’ve dumped her in the middle of a night out.
The cool night air fills my lungs as I move as quickly as I can around the corner of the building. I barely get ten feet into the dark alley before it happens. I drop to my hands and knees, ignoring the bite of rocks and wet, cold concrete on my bare skin. Appetizers, wine, and the protein shake I chugged on our way here haunts me as the contents of my stomach empty and splatter in front of me. Poor decisions chased by dry heaves are the very physical reminders of what I’ve done.
I tremble but it has nothing to do with the cool, moist air seeping through my barely-there cocktail dress. It offers no protection from the elements or my own self-absorbed and sick fascination.
I cough and spit as I drag myself to my feet. The buzz of my phone vibrates through my purse. I’m sure it’s Kate, but I don’t dare look. Instead, I move through the dark passageway between buildings, a place I have no business lurking by myself.
I need a taxi.
I need my treadmill.
I need a shower and definitely a toothbrush.
But what I need now more than anything…
Is a plan.
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Titles by Layla Frost
THE DILLON SISTERS
Damaged by Layla Frost
Deathly by Brynne Asher
THE HYDE SERIES
Hyde and Seek
Until Nox: Happily Ever Alpha World
The Amato Series
With Us
THE FOUR
Styx
Stoned
STANDALONES
Give In
Little Dove