Chapter 15

Chapter 15

All I Want for Christmas is You

brUNO

Two weeks later…

It was Christmas Eve. The night of the auction. I had no doubt Holly would be chosen. I wasn't proud of it, but I'd had Jonas do his thing and hack Alana's systems. Holly had gone out on eight dates in the past two weeks. I had eyes on the most notable ones. There was an oil tycoon that wore a cowboy hat in every picture of him on the internet. That told me the man was bald under that hat, but he didn't have any red flags. Then, of course, there was a restauranteur, a hotelier, a real estate magnate, and a whole laundry list of other "respectable" men, all vying for Holly's attention. All healthy options on paper for my girl.

My girl, I huffed.

What the fuck did that even mean anymore? Holly wasn't my anything.

No, that wasn't true.

Holly was my everything . She was the one that got away. The loss of my life. The one woman on the entire planet that seemed to love me, assholery be damned. She didn't care that I was crass or bossy or that I liked control in the bedroom. Holly dove right into the deep end with me, treaded water and howled at the moon gleefully. I'd never had that before and I wouldn't ever have it again.

She put all of her cards on the table, and I let her go.

She loves me and I let her go.

Correction. She loved me.

And I'd spent the last two weeks stewing in everything we'd shared, and all that she said. Not knowing the first thing on how to deal with the complicated feelings I had over losing her. This was not a typical scenario for me. I didn't know the best way to get past what kept coming to the surface every time I allowed a memory of our time together to invade my mind.

Whiskey and Coke.

Shower sex.

Chocolate-coated kisses.

Sleepy morning sex.

Sparkly green dresses.

Airplane bathrooms.

Bacon cheeseburgers

Home Alone .

And the worst, the absolute fucking worst memory that played on repeat like a broken record was the way she looked at me after she was attacked. Like her savior . As though I personally had hung the moon so it could shine just for her.

She said she loved me.

Holly Knight looked into my eyes and told me that she had fallen in love with me. And what did I do?

Nothing.

No, I did do something.

I walked away.

I clenched my teeth until they ached, lifted the whiskey to my mouth and let the anger burn through my system along with two fingers worth of an eighteen-year-old bottle of Macallan.

Did I love her?

"Fuck yes! I'm in love with her." I slammed the glass down so hard on the glossy bar top I heard the tumbler crack.

But what was I to do about it? She was getting ready right now, in this very hotel, to walk across that stage and offer herself up to the highest bidder. All because I wasn't able to get my head out of my ass and tell her how I felt.

"Sir, are you okay?" the bartender asked, gesturing to where my hands were white knuckled around the empty tumbler.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm about to lose the love of my life forever."

The man tossed his towel over one shoulder, braced his hands on the bar top and leaned forward as though he had a secret to share or some wisdom to impart.

"Well, what are you going to do about it? Sit here and drink yourself into oblivion on Christmas Eve?"

I shook my head and waited for him to continue.

"Go after her, dummy."

A gruff, dry laugh left me. "Just like that?"

He shrugged a shoulder and then pried the glass from my hand. "What's the worst that could happen? You lose her again? The only thing you know right now for sure is that you'll definitely lose her if you do nothing but sit here and bury your sorrows in a three-hundred-and-fifty-dollar bottle of whiskey."

Wild, untamed thoughts raced through my mind. If I wanted to prove that I was serious about Holly, and having a real relationship with her, I needed to take the leap. Not only tell her how I felt but show her with my actions.

I grinned and stood. "You're a fucking genius," I pulled out my wallet and laid down ten one-hundred-dollar bills. "Keep the change my friend. And thank you!"

"Invite me to the wedding!" he called out as I stormed out of the lobby bar and to the elevator that led to the ballroom where they were hosting the auction.

When the elevator opened, I set off at a dead run, knowing the auction had already started. I had to hope the universe, God, karma, Aphrodite, or whatever deity was watching right now, that I'd make it in time.

As I approached, Jade stood at the door, her phone to her ear. Her eyes widened at the picture I must have presented. I'm sure I looked awful, in a wrinkled all-black suit, whiskey breath, sweat misting along my hairline making my hair curl even more out of control than normal.

Her hands rose to stop me from entering. "This is a private event, Mr. Castellanos."

"Jade, you have to let me in," I barked, then bent over and sucked in several lungsful of air. My heartbeat was a bass drum against my chest and my mouth dry as the desert.

"I will call security…"

"Please, you don't understand. I need to talk to Holly. I have to tell her."

"Holly is next on stage. Whatever you have to say to her needs to wait until the auction has finished…"

"It will be too late!" I shouted and moved to the door. I'd just curled my hand around the golden lever when Jade pushed her body in front of me. "Jade, you need to move. I have to tell Holly how I feel. I'm in love with her. She can't marry another man. I want her to marry me!"

"You're what?" she whisper-gasped. "When did that happen?"

"For fuck's sake woman, we don't have any time!" I pleaded.

"Are you seriously going to bid on her?" she asked as I tugged the door, her body shifting forward enough I heard the dreaded words that could seal my fate, coming through the crack in the door.

"Let's start the bidding at three million dollars," Alana's voice filled the room.

"Yes! Now get outta my way!" I roared, yanked the door hard enough that Jade went stumbling forward, but ultimately caught her balance.

"You're insane!" she hollered.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you!" I swore as I slipped behind the door and into the dark ballroom. There was a shiny black stage set up in the front of the room with bright red poinsettia plants lining the front. A massive screen was lit in the back showing a set of polling results that made my stomach sour instantly.

Holly's name was on the top next to her picture. Underneath that were three lines of text.

Yes = 15

No = 5

Maybe = 10

"I've got three million to bidder number eighteen. Do I have four?"

I scanned the crowd and then the stage. My breath caught when I saw Holly standing near the podium and Alana. She was wearing a dark-green lingerie set. The top was a satin corset. The bottoms were a lacy matching thong. I knew it was a thong because Holly had just turned around and flaunted her juicy ass while looking over her shoulder coyly and blowing a kiss. It reminded me of her wearing my shirt and nothing but panties the last night we had together.

"I have four million to bidder number nine. Do I have five?" Alana cooed, and I followed her gaze to Mr. Cowboy.

"Five million, darlin," he shouted, and the crowd clapped.

"Six million!" I yelled, walking down the center aisle headed toward the stage.

Alana squinted. "I'm sorry Sir, please raise your paddle so I can see your number."

"I don't have a paddle. I don't have a number." I kept walking until I got close enough to the stage that both Holly and Alana could see me clearly. "I don't have anything but the desire to make this woman my wife."

"Bruno," Holly gasped, her hands going to cover her mouth.

"Security!" Alana called out.

"Please don't take me away. I've already screwed everything up. Holly, I love you. I want to marry you. And I will pay six million in order to have that right."

"Seven million!" came a voice in the crowd. One I recognized but didn't believe I'd ever hear again.

"Colin?" Holly's shocked expression matched my own.

The man stood up, his paddle lighting up his face as he grinned wickedly. "I repeat, seven million."

"Eight!" I snapped, fury coiling like a snake in my gut.

"Nine," he crossed his arms over one another and smirked.

"Colin, no. Don't do this. You don't want me. Not really," Holly countered.

"Ten fucking million dollars," I shouted. "I do want you, Holly. I'm in love with you and I'm not leaving here without your hand in marriage!"

Security arrived and two burly men hooked their arms with mine.

"Alana, please…I'm in love with her. Allow me to stay. Accept my bid." I fought against the beefy guards. I could have laid them out flat in seconds, but I didn't think that would win me any favors with the Madam, and I was already on her shit list.

"Ma'am?" one of the security guys asked Alana.

Alana turned to Holly who was now standing with tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Do you want me to allow Bruno to continue?" Alana asked Holly.

Holly's bottom lip trembled then split into a huge smile. My heart swelled with joy and relief.

"I do want him…for ten million dollars," she laughed heartily, and the flood of relief almost buckled my knees.

"He can stay." Alana informed her guards and they let me go. But she wasn't done. "Mr. Omstead, you said you weren't bidding tonight, just entertaining the process. Did you want to counter bid?" she asked, and it took everything within my soul to keep my mouth shut. No matter how much money this mother fucker offered, I was going home with Holly, and he was going back to Hollywood.

"No. I just wanted to run the numbers up. Consider it payback." Colin's eyes pierced mine knowingly, and I dipped my head in respect. We'd put the man through the wringer and I welcomed his ire.

"I deserve that, Colin. And thank you, for being a man of honor."

"I'd say it takes one to know one, but we both know I'd be lying. Have a great life. Treat her right."

I turned around and faced Holly. I walked around to the side of the stage, took the steps and stopped in the center before opening my arms. "Come here, Holly!"

Holly bolted across the stage toward me and jumped into the air when she came close enough to reach. I caught her, spun her around and tucked my head into the crook of her neck.

While we held one another the room's lighting lifted, stealing the shadows.

"That concludes our Christmas Auction, and what a showing it was! I hope to see you at the next auction. Au revoir and Merry Christmas to you all!"

The sound system came on and Mariah Carey's, "All I want for Christmas is You" blasted through the speakers.

Holly laughed as I removed my suit jacket and placed it around her, covering her body while she threaded her arms through the sleeves.

She looped her arms around my neck and started to sway to the beat.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"What is this you speak of?" I teased.

"Oh, you know, marriage, date nights, anniversaries, birthdays, my nosey parents, long-distance phone sex, coming-home-from-a-business-trip-away sex. Me working nights at my brand-new bar, when you're back in town." She pressed her lips together then looked at me with those knowing warm eyes I missed so damn much. "None of it will be easy. We'll have to work on it every day."

"Are you up for the challenge of being married to a work-a-holic, broody, overprotective asshole that is emotionally challenged? I may say or do something that will piss you off. I have many priors in pissing you off, as you well know."

She nuzzled against my chest and sighed. "True, but some of that I consider foreplay."

I burst out laughing as we continued to dance on the empty stage.

"I'm sorry about before. I should have told you how I felt."

She tightened her hold around my waist and pressed her head to my heart. "I'm glad you finally did. And if you don't want to get married, we don't have to. I would have dropped out if you'd given me your heart before today. I can figure something else out about the bar."

"Oh no, I bid on you fair and square. You're taking that money. Besides, I don't plan on having a prenuptial agreement. I'm in this with you, Holly. So, half of everything I own will be yours anyway."

"What if I want a prenup for my ten million buck-a-roos?" she clapped back instantly, that fire within her just starting to blaze. "And seriously? Ten million. What were you thinking? You could have had me for free . I was ready to jump off the stage the second I saw your face."

I curled my hand around her jaw and tipped her head up toward mine. I kissed her gently, content in the fact that I had the right to do it any time I wanted from here on out.

"How about this? We get married, I invest in our future together, by investing in the family business you envision. Besides, I've already started a successful business. I could help. Would that be acceptable?"

She hummed, looking at the ceiling pretending to think about it. "Hmmm, I guess it's not a big deal if my own husband is a silent partner. Emphasis on the silent part."

"Then it's settled. We're getting married and going into business together." I cuddled her close and let everything else fall away. For the first time ever, I was excited about the future and what it might hold.

Mariah's voice rose into the air as the song came to its final crescendo. "You know, this is my new favorite Christmas song," I whispered into her ear.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, because it's true. All I want for Christmas is you, every day, for the rest of our lives."