5. Talia

Talia knelt on the floor of one of Lux's bedrooms, as instructed by Anna, and let loose a long, slow breath. Her fees would be paid— and then some. The prize her virginity had fetched was staggering, and she didn't know whether to be thankful, apprehensive, or straight up terrified.

But at least she didn't have to go home with her tail between her legs, embarrassed and needing a handout.

Whatever happened after tonight was a fresh start.

The hem of the gown sprawled around her knees like the petals of a flower, sliding against the hard wooden floor of the room she would lose her virginity in. Her knees would be aching tomorrow if the man who won her auction took much longer to get here.

But then there was no guarantee he'd let her get off her knees when he arrived, and that thought had her heart racing with fear.

When she'd been up on that stage, unable to see more than the bright lights around her, hearing disembodied voices shout number after number, fear had been seeping into her very marrow.

Two million dollars. The winner of her auction had paid two million dollars to take her virginity. And that fact in itself was horrifying. Was that all he was expecting to do? What if he got off on pain or humiliation?

When the sun rose, would there be anything left of her at all?

She opened her eyes, the room coming into view. Most of the furnishings were made of black leather, with gold detailing in places like the armchair's wooden feet or the posters of the four-poster bed. It positively screamed money.

And yet they couldn't afford a rug for me to kneel on.

The soundproofing in this room meant that she was isolated from the rest of the club—the rest of the world. The man who'd bought her virginity could be outside the door at this very moment, and she'd never know it.

One of the waitresses could be in the next room screaming for help, and she'd never know it.

Talia thought of the day she'd said her goodbyes to Dad and Darcy. And now here she was, kneeling on the floor of a sex club, about to give her virginity to the highest bidder.

Her ears pricked up suddenly, her focus razor sharp. Was that movement? She nearly choked on her own inhale when a beep sounded from the little electronic box next to the door.

Someone was coming in.

Eyes plastered to the cold wooden floor, the door was deafeningly loud as it opened. She could feel his gaze on her skin, her gown providing little in the way of protection. Talia doubted whether even a suit of armour would protect her at this moment.

Her heart jumped as the man's stepped into the room, his expensive leather shoes coming into her peripheral vision. The door closed behind him, sealing them in together—for good or ill. He moved closer, until he was close enough to reach out and touch.

But Talia followed her instructions. Eyes on the floor. Hands to yourself. Obey his commands.

Fabric shifted above her. Was he undressing already?

The lump in her throat made it difficult to swallow down her apprehension, but she managed it.

Talia was so concentrated on hiding her fear that she gave an instinctual flinch when a heady warmth suddenly infused her, wrapping around her shoulders.

She blinked. He'd given her his suit jacket.

But then he spoke. "Give me your hand."

She obeyed, taking his large hand, the strength of his broad, bulky frame pulling her to her feet with frightening ease.

His eyes were sapphire infernos.

That was the first thing she noticed about her buyer, barring the way his hand positively dwarfed her own. Talia swallowed once more, tightening her grip on the unquestionably expensive jacket around her.

"What's your name?" he asked, his low voice a gravelled rasp.

Another surprise. She thought she'd detected a Scottish accent somewhere in the room during her auction. It appeared the Scot had won.

"Talia." Always be truthful with your buyer, Anna had told her in no uncertain terms. But don't ask himanypersonal questions.

He still hadn't let go of her hand. "Where are you from, Talia?"

"London." She gave him a strained smile.

There was no question that he was attractive, with razor sharp cheekbones and eyes that a woman could drown in, coupled with a smattering of silver at his temples. Talia would have put him in his early forties—a handsome, experienced, privileged man. Of that there was no doubt in her mind. All of which begged the question…

Why the fuck had he bought her?

A man like this didn't need to buy women. A man like this picked whatever woman he fancied, because god knows they would be lining up for the opportunity.

Talia bit her lip, knowing there were two options.

Firstly, that he was one of those exceedingly lonely rich men who wanted sex workers for companionship rather than sex.

Secondly, that he bought sex workers because unpaid women refused to endure the things he wanted to do to them.

Somehow she didn't think the former would go after virgins.

Jesus Christ, she wished he'd let go of her hand. Something in his burning gaze told her that he was neither lonely nor seeking companionship. The thought that this man placed value on her because she was a virgin was sickening. And then she felt like a hypocritical dickhead because she'd asked to be auctioned off. And yes, she would be taking his money, but she'd send him a mental fuck you very much once she had it.

He gestured to the bed, giving her a long, searching look. "Sit." Taking a seat in the leather armchair next to the bed, he leant towards her, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm going to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer truthfully. Do you understand?"

Talia sat as requested, trying not to think about what was about to happen on the bed. "I understand."

"Are you being forced to do this?"

The question took her by surprise. "No," she said truthfully.

"Are you on drugs?"

"No. Lux had me do a drug test and I had to fill out like a bajillion medical forms before they accepted me. I'm clean—and always have been."

He homed in on that, his brow pulling together. "Before they accepted you? You applied to be auctioned?"

Now it felt like she was the one being judged. "Yes."

"May I ask why?"

Talia huffed out a silent laugh. "Money." Doesn't everything always come down to money in the end?

He leant back, stretching his arm out along the arm of the chair, passing over a row of buttons that she assumed were to control the massage and heat settings—her father had one like it back at home. The movement highlighted his shoulders and chest both, capturing her focus for far longer than it should have done given that this man had literally bought her. "For what?"

"University. I'm on the pre-med track at Columbia, but I lost my scholarship." There was no shame in admitting it to him, strangely. She had no pride to maintain here. It was almost freeing.

His gaze drifted downwards before quickly coming back up—and staying there. "Is it a one-and-done deal or are you required to come back?"

She shook her head. "It's just the one auction."

"Good," he stood, taking a deep breath that emphasised his breadth, "I'm glad I could help." He held out his hand. "It was lovely to meet you, Talia."

She stood to take it almost on instinct, his warm, firm grip racing her heartbeat. "It's nice to meet you as well." Looking back to the bed, her heart pumped faster still. He seemed nice. Perhaps this wasn't going to be so bad after all. God knows it could have been worse. "Where do you want me?"

Arousal blazed in his eyes—before it was quickly shuttered. "I don't pay for sex."

She blinked, wondering what other task she was going to have to handle for him. "Then… what did you buy me for?"

"Because," he said, with a ferocity that sent shivers down her spine, "none of those scumbags out there deserve to touch you."

Why was that so hot?

He turned away, heading towards the door. Talia watched him go, releasing her grip on his suit jacket, her thoughts going a mile a minute. She'd spent the last two weeks shitting herself, tossing and turning in the night, terrified of what kind of man was going to buy her virginity. Terrified of what kind of pain she may have to endure.

The worst kind of torture was the unknown. And she'd endured enough of that.

Because if she walked out of Lux in the morning, virginity safely in hand, she would inevitably lose it somewhere else. During some disappointing encounter, likely with a man just as inexperienced as her. Darcy had lost her virginity last year—despite being Talia's younger sister—to some guy during a one night stand. When Talia asked how it went, Darcy had simply grimaced. My vibrator does a better job, and it doesn't spit cum all over me afterwards, she replied.

Before her more sensible half caught up with her, she rushed across the room and wrapped her hand around his unexpectedly muscled bicep. "Wait!" The words tumbled out of her. "You bought me… to protect me?"

He softened. "Someone needed to."

Shoving her better judgement aside, she held his arm with both hands, stroking downwards. "What if I asked you to stay?"

"Talia…" he whispered, his muscles straining beneath her grip. Was he holding himself back? "I told you—I don't pay for sex."

"This would be freely given. We're both consenting adults. I can see the way you're looking at me." She took his hand, slipping it between her ivory gown. "And I know how I'm looking at you."

"We shouldn't." His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. "You're half my age."

His reluctance was comforting. This wasn't a man who bought virgins; by all accounts, he seemed disgusted at the idea. So who better to entrust her virginity with? "It doesn't matter who we are outside of that door, does it?"

"I'm not paying you for this." His hand wrapped around her middle, his fingers biting into her skin as he pulled her closer. There was that intoxicating scent again, drugging her under. "Consider the money a gift," he whispered, his other hand sliding up her neck.

"Two million dollars is an extortionately priced gift." Her breath hitched when she felt something hard against her hip.

Conjuring her last ounce of confidence, Talia smoothed her hand over it. His response was immediate; a deep, hoarse exhale that had her squeezing her thighs together.

His dark laugh was bewitching, his fingers dancing across her cheek. "Somehow I think you're worth every penny, baby girl."

Talia moaned as his lips caught hers, stroking in long, slow passes, until it was all she could do to clutch his shoulders to keep her upright. He walked her backwards, seizing her lips once more, moving down her neck until she gasped. "I don't even know your name," she realised, her lips swollen and her mind dazed.

He surfaced, pressing a gentle kiss against her lips. "Call me Jay."

Jay. She smiled, stroking the dark stubble on his cheek. The little specks of grey throughout his stubble and hair reminded her that he was likely old enough to be her father, but somehow she didn't mind. There was a strange sense of safety there. "It suits you."

"Does it now?" Jay replied, his Scottish accent a purr in her ear. He stilled, looking at something behind her before switching back. "Do you trust me?"

Her eyebrow tilted. "More than anyone else in this building."

"Not the best compliment I've ever received, but I'll take it." Jay led her across the room, stopping at the armchair he'd been sat in before. Or, more specifically, the black footrest in front of it. It was an odd shape—a triangular prism with rounded edges, topped with what she could only describe as a soft, ergonomic pad. "Kneel on this for me."

Confused, she glanced down at it. "You want me to sit on a footrest?"

Jay's eyes widened for a moment before a slow smirk crept onto his face. "Yes, sit on the footrest. One knee on either side."

Bewildered, she followed his instructions, giving him a grateful smile when he placed cushions underneath both of her knees. The position was unexpectedly revealing, letting cool air wash between her legs.

"Now rest your weight down on the footrest."

"But it'll be touching my…" Talia gulped down her embarrassment, holding herself above the footrest. She was a grown woman. She could say it aloud in front of a man. "My pussy."

Something about that made his smile grow, but his voice was little more than a whisper. "Trust me, Talia."

Jay sat in the armchair he'd settled in earlier, watching her gasp at the cool leather on her inner thighs. The ergonomic pad moulded against her sensitive folds, conforming to her shape.

Though Jay's posture was relaxed—reclined, his powerful thighs spread—his eyes were alight with blistering heat. His fingers moved against the arm of the chair, brushing against the pad of buttons she'd seen earlier. "Are you comfortable?"

Talia gave a tentative nod.

All thought left her head as the footrest came to life, sending strong vibrations through her quivering pussy. Pleasure erupted between her thighs, stealing the breath from her lungs. She gasped, her knuckles clutching the edge of the footrest.

Her wide eyes found Jay's, only to squirm beneath his hawk-like focus. "Jay," she whispered. "This isn't—oh—a fucking footrest."

There was that smile again. "I know."

The intensity of the vibrations racked up, and Talia couldn't stop the embarrassingly loud sob of pleasure that escaped her. "Jay," she said again, fighting to keep her eyes open as a sudden orgasm was battering at her gates. "Fuck," she panted, her clit pulsing. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

There was a tug at her gown, and she opened her eyes to see Jay leaning forward. "Arms up. I want to see you."

Talia obeyed, her brain having long since stopped working. She didn't care that she was now entirely naked. Her only awareness was between her legs, pounding wildly.

"You're perfect," he whispered. Her gown lay discarded next to the armchair, but Jay reclined once more within it, his hands clutching at its arms. He absorbed her every movement, still fully dressed.

Talia felt more exposed than she'd ever been. Her nipples were pebbled tight, with every inch of her skin on show—for a man she didn't even know. The vulnerability of her situation didn't escape her but, strangely, she liked it.

Another moan left her, tailing off in a high-pitched squeak. She dropped her head, but Jay's hand tipped her chin backwards. "Uh-uh," he murmured. "I want to watch."

"I can't."

Jay cupped her cheek, gazing into her eyes so deeply it felt like he could see into her soul. "I know you can. Do it for me."

Talia obeyed, unable to look away from the magnetic pull of his gaze. Her legs began to shake, the intensity building in her body, but neither of them broke the connection. Almost against her will, she shifted her weight onto her arms, putting some distance between her aching clit and the definitely-not-a-normal-footrest.

Jay was there in an instant, kneeling on the floor with her. He knocked her arms aside and held her thighs to the footrest. Eyes blaringly wide, Talia cried out with the force of the vibrations, digging her hands into his shirt.

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. This was happening.

An orgasm had never approached her like this—and she'd never had a man in control of her release.

To have a man in control of what she knew would be the most devastating release of her life was so far out of her comfort zone it was laughable.

Talia whimpered Jay's name, the nerves in her pussy screaming in response. His warmth surrounded her as he knelt before her, his firm hands on her thighs sending pleasure to every part of her.

Jay's eyes were sapphire infernos once more, savouring her pleasure. "You're making me so proud, Talia." His lips caressed her neck. "One last push, baby girl. I want to see you fall apart."

She erupted. A hoarse, desperate scream ravished her throat. The pleasure seized her entire body, forcefully arching her back and shaking her legs. Talia couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Her entire being had been reduced to the vibrations holding her pussy hostage.

It went on and on and on, until Talia didn't think it would ever end. She gasped in what little air she could, shuddering through one second to the next.

All at once, the pleasure receded, leaving nothing behind except her overly sensitive flesh. The vibrations cut off as quickly as they began, and Talia found herself slumped in Jay's arms, her senseless body being carried to the bed.

Soft, expensive bedding engulfed her naked skin, followed by a soft kiss to her temple.

"I'm so proud of you," Jay said, his lips at her neck.

Fuck, that phrase.

She wasn't prepared for what it did to her—even then, in the wake of the most intense orgasm of her life. Warmth suffused her body, relaxing her muscles and lowering her eyelids.

Talia reclined against the covers, sighing in satisfaction as Jay's attention progressed to her breasts, She'd never found much sensation there by herself, although she was all too aware that her experiences were by no means exhaustive. On the contrary, she devoted her efforts—or her vibrator's efforts—lower down rather than exploring her breasts.

Jay took a different approach.

He cupped her heavy breast, teasing kisses around the edge of her nipple. Sensations began to flow through her. For the first time in her life, she needed more. She speared her fingers into his dark hair, encouraging him.

He didn't budge, instead looking up at her with a devilish glint in his eye. "Do you need something?"

"Play with my nipple. Please."

Not wasting a second, Jay's lips closed around it, sucking and kissing, igniting a fire between her breast and her clit. She'd thought the latter would have checked out after the vibrating footrest, but apparently fucking not.

She was so focused on that connection that she didn't realise Jay had brought his free hand up to pluck her other nipple, remaining ignorant until pleasure zinged through her anew, prompting a full-bodied moan to fall from her lips.

"Jay!" she cried, arousal singing through her blood. "More"

Smirking up at her, he plucked both of her nipples simultaneously.

"Ohh," Talia juddered, struggling to recover enough to form a coherent sentence. "I want everything. I want to feel you inside me."

The look he gave her was predatorial. "You want everything I can give you?"

Biting her lip in anticipation, Talia nodded.

Jay leant back on his knees, taking a moment to observe her beneath him, his eyes darkening with appreciation. He brought his hands up to undo his shirt buttons, slowly revealing the tanned skin beneath. "Spread your legs for me."

There was a flicker of self-consciousness there, but his snarl of hunger quickly overwhelmed it.

Talia couldn't hold back her own, if she was honest. She knew Jay was strong by the way he'd hoisted her into his arms like she was weightless, but when he undressed, revealing the heavy brawn beneath his shirt…

When he freed his thick cock from his trousers, there was no holding back her gasp. Jay stroked his hard, veined length with a sly smile. "They mentioned there were condoms in here somewhere, but I didn't bother to listen. Do you—?"

She waved his question away. "Unnecessary. I'm clean."

He widened her legs, spreading her pussy lips to expose her further. "Contraception?"

Rather than explain her long and depressing medical history, Talia nodded. "All taken care of. Lux required it."

Talia's breath hitched when she felt his cock swiping through her slickness. Jay leant over her, holding his weight on a single elbow. The feel of him above her was intoxicating, and she couldn't resist dragging her hands over his chest, humming her approval.

The raw power in this man was undeniable, and she wanted everything he could give her.

Jay held her eyes as he notched himself at her entrance, his hips pushing forward.

She gasped at the slow slide of his cock. The sensation was utterly foreign—before a sharp pinch had her gasp changing from pleasure to pain.

His brows furrowed in an instant, eyes widening in alarm. There was a moment of fraught silence before he spoke. "Tell me I didn't just take your virginity in a fucking sex club."