Chapter 9

Caleb

I barely take a few sips of the beer I order, and just sit in the bar for a while, arranging a flight home for us the next day. I recognize the songs playing as one's Shana has sung, and I decide it's time to confess, so I go back to the room only to find it shockingly empty.

Trying not to panic, I call her, but it goes to voicemail. Was she hungry and went looking for a snack? Why didn't she pop into the bar and let me know? Probably because I ran away from her like the room was on fire.

A second later, she sends me a text and I feel like I can breathe again…until I actually read it.

Don't worry, I'm going to make everything all right.

What does she mean by that? As far as I know, there's no way she can make anything all right unless she can come up with another enormous sum of money…

Oh, shit.

No, she can't possibly be going back to the club, can she? I race down to find the rental car gone from the hotel parking lot. After I'm done swearing, because of course, she stole the car to go put herself up for auction again; I hurry out to the street to hail a cab. She's going to end up killing me faster than Leo.

"Get me there the quickest way possible," I beg, giving the driver the address. Here I am begging again, all for Shana.

The feeling is so familiar when I burst through the signature black door and into the dark, sultry atmosphere of the club. I can barely stand still while the doorman runs my card for the entrance fee, and I'm grateful it works since I took a cash advance on it yesterday. I'm finally let in and make my way through the crowd and past the long, brass bar railing to get to the backstage area. There's currently a live band on stage, so I breathe a bit easier, but the heavy pressure around my chest won't loosen until I get eyes on her.

I sneak into the back hallway and find the office where I first talked to the woman about Shana. This time it's the man I met last night, Nikol Antonov, sitting in the chair. He seems to recognize me too and gives me a smirk.

"This is a private area," he says.

"I need to know when the next auction is," I tell him.

He laughs, asking if I'm going to be his best customer from now on, then lets me know they only have the auctions once a month. I stare at him, furious and defeated, not sure what to do next. But then, the woman from last night scoots past me, shooing me out of the office and slamming the door in my face. She seems excited about something and as the door closes; I hear her say words that make my ears perk up.

Since no one is in the hall to kick me out, I smash my ear against the door to try to hear more.

"We should go ahead with the special auction," the woman says. "She's gorgeous, and you saw how much she brought in last night."

"She was a virgin last night," Antonov says. "Isn't that man who was just in here the one who had the winning bid?"

Clarity washed over me. They have to be talking about Shana. She's here trying to get them to put on a special auction to get me out of my troubles with Leo. I hear Antonov finally agree and tell the woman to go make the announcement to the lucky crowd. I don't like this one bit.

I duck out of sight as she leaves the office and breezes toward the front of the club, then I head to the backstage entrance. There's a room marked private and I swing it open.

"God damn it," I say, ducking in as fast as I can before any of the club's massive bouncers see me. Even though I've put two and two together, it's still shocking to see Shana standing there in an even skimpier lingerie set than last night. "I am sick to death of finding you practically naked in perverted private sex clubs."

Her eyes widen and her jaw drops, but before she can argue—as if she has any case to make for herself—we both hear the announcement from the front of the bar. A cheer rings out from the patrons and I stop thinking. It's time to act.

I grab her around the hips, fling her over my shoulder and rush toward the back exit. A surprised bouncer jumps in front of us, but I shoulder him out of the way. No one is taking my girl from me this time. We make it out the door just as I feel his hand swipe the edge of my sweatshirt.

"Caleb, stop. I have a contract," Shana shouts as she bounces against my shoulder.

"I give zero fucks, Shana," I roar at her, not slowing down until we're several blocks away and in an alley between two shops that are closed for the night.

My anger engulfs me as I slide her to the ground, so pissed I barely notice her soft, nearly naked body brush against me. Tugging off my sweatshirt, I yank it over her head, ordering her to put her arms in the sleeves.

She does what I say, and it's so big it's basically a dress on her, but it's better than having her exposed in those skimpy panties. Better for my sanity, too.

"What in the hell are you doing?" I demand, still seeing red. What if I'd stayed in the hotel bar longer?

"What the hell are you doing?" she repeats back to me, every bit as mad as I am. "Why are you screwing up my chance to make things right?"

"How is fucking another man making things right?" I growl, prowling toward her.

She lifts her chin stubbornly but her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. "I don't want you to be broke because of me, or get your ass kicked because of me, or have to be on the run because of me. I won't let you sacrifice anything else, so I was going to make up more of what you owe Leo."

"Not that way you can't," I tell her.

She stamps her foot and glares at me. "Why does it even matter, anyway? You made sure my first time wasn't awful. Why do you care who I'm with now?"

I blow out a breath through my nose like a bull and grip her shoulders. "Because you're mine. And not just because I won the auction. You've always been mine, you always will be mine, and you're never sleeping with anyone else. You get that? We're going to be together forever; that's how it's going to be."

She jerks away from me, bringing up her hand, so I brace for a slap, but instead, she flings her arms around my neck, pressing her lips to mine. All I can do is wrap my hands around her waist and pull her even closer. It's like we're fireworks, both ignited at the same time and with the same length fuse.

"I get it," she gasps, kissing me with a ferocity that makes me turn her and press her against the alley wall.

"Good," I tell her before ripping the flimsy panties right off of her. "Now spread your legs for me, little girl."

"Anything," she answers.

Her legs wrap around me as she clings to my shoulders and grinds against me. Swearing under my breath, I have to let her go long enough to get my jeans down, then thrust my fingers inside her.

"You're already so fucking wet," I say, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth. "Your body just craves me, doesn't it, Shana?"

"Same as yours," she says, sliding one hand down my chest to wrap around my cock. "You're about to burst, aren't you?"

"Not until I'm inside you." Boxing her in against the wall, I claim her mouth with mine as I guide my eager cock to her slick opening.

She breaks free from my kiss, too flustered with need to do anything but let her head loll back against the wall. "Then get inside me," she begs. "Get that big cock inside me right now."

With a laugh that sounds insane, even to my own ears, I slam home, deep and hard. She wraps her arms tighter around my neck and her pussy clamps down, not seeming to notice or care she's being pounded against a brick wall. In fact, she seems to revel in it, which only drives me wilder. I completely forget where we are or even who we are. All I can do is feel.

The second my fingers slide over her clit; she bites down hard on my shoulder to stifle her cries. A moment later, I shoot my seed inside her, stunned at the intensity of what she makes me feel. She is everything. There's nothing and no one else. Only Shana.