Chapter 4

Four

Amethyst

" S OLD!"

My heart thunders fast and my body trembles. My breath hitches audibly, and I feel the eyes of every person in the room on me. I can't believe what just happened. What have I done? Heat prickles my skin and for several long seconds I hear nothing over the thundering blood rushing through my ears.

He didn't come. He didn't take the bait. Oliver has truly abandoned me.

One billion dollars.

Who would pay that for someone? It's an obscene amount of money. Surreal even. "I…I…" I can't gather my thoughts fast enough when the headmistress crosses the stage and says something to me I don't hear.

"Amethyst." Boney fingers encircle my bare shoulders and the tall, silver-haired woman dressed like she possesses the grace of a sex goddess shakes me.

"That wasn't his voice." My words almost feel disembodied and like they come from some far-off speaker.

"You knew the risks. The deal is done. Solomon will take you to the contract room. Follow him."

Ice covers her tone. I swallow, turning my eyes back to the crowd one more time. I don't know why. I can't see a foot past the edge of the stage. But I know what I heard. That was not Oliver bidding for my body.

Dread washes away all the hope and faith I had in the man I loved from the day he saved my life. And now I have to let him go.

Thick fingers wrap around my bicep, and I numbly let myself be taken from the stage. Stepping away from the warmth of the spotlight leaves my skin chilled.

"This way, Miss Amethyst."

Someone hands me my cloak and I sling it over my shoulders, feeling just as exposed as if I were naked in a room full of vipers.

I register nothing about my surroundings until I'm settled into a chair and a piece of paper is placed in front of me.

The walls are black, a single crystal light fixture hangs overhead while scones decorate both sides of a large mirror opposite of me. If it isn't silver and gleaming, it's black. Someone has a very limited imagination when it comes to color palettes. It's easier to focus on useless details than the fact that I am going to be sleeping with a stranger for one billion dollars at some point tonight. Shame rolls over me and I settle my hands on my belly. I failed tonight. Not only myself but my baby, too.

"The deal was one night. The men out there acted like I would belong to them until my death."

"We let them believe a lot of things. It gets the blood pumping." He places a silver pen beside a single sheet of paper.

"I don't think I can do this." Screw keeping my word.

"You already signed a contract with Ritual that holds you to following through with the sale of your body. There is no going back on that deal, Miss Amethyst."

I swallow harshly and try to force my heart to settle down. Right now, it is nearly lurching out of my chest from how hard it beats.

"What would it take for me to get out of it? And this? What is this?" I point to the paper. There are only three paragraphs on it and three lines for signatures.

Solomon's gentle pat on my shoulder is kind and warm unlike this cold room.

"You are aware of what the first contract holds. You know I am only speaking the truth when I say you are locked in."

There is a look in his dark eyes that says no one breaks a contract with Ritual unless they will pay in blood. I've witnessed that same look on Oliver's face a few times when dealing with his men.

"Yes," I admit. What other choice do I have?

Solomon nods and looks relieved. Like he didn't want to off a pregnant woman any more than I wanted him to off me. Glad we are on the same page there.

"Now you sign one with the gentleman who just purchased you for the evening."

I can't help the nervous laughter. I glance down at the contract for a name to go with the voice that offered one billion dollars for me but the spaces under the lines are blank.

"Something else I don't have a choice over, right?"

"You came to us, Miss Amethyst."

Once again Solomon is not wrong.

I pick up the silver pen and scrawl my name on the piece of paper in a swirl of blue. I'll never see the color again without thinking about how I'm signing my life away. "And do I at least get to know his name?"

"It is up to him if he should want to reveal his name to you."

"A billion dollars." I trace the dried blue ink of my name. There truly is no going back home after this.

Solomon clears his throat and I raise my gaze from the paper. The vision of the large man in a black suit and neatly-shaved chin shimmers behind the wall of tears filling my eyes. I rest a hand on the swell of my round belly. "What have I done?" I whisper in fear.

"I can't answer that for you, sweetheart, but I can tell you there are many people in the world who would pay twice that for an hour with you."

Solomon moves around the table and comes to my side, his hands clasped in front of him. He places one on my shoulder with sincere kindness glittering in his dark eyes.

I place a hand over his. "Solomon, you know how to make a woman feel priceless."

He tilts his head and I think he's going to help me from the chair and lead me to my fate, but he's not done with me yet.

"Now for the rules, Miss Amethyst."

I hold my breath. Reading the fine print should have happened before I signed, but it's too late for that.

"Don't sugarcoat anything. Let me have it."

Solomon moves back to his side of the table. "You are to leave your blindfold on until instructed to remove it."

My back stiffens. "Blindfold? What blindfold?" My brows furrow. "I won't know his name or his face?" Talk about a true blind date. "He could be a psycho and I could never identify him."

Solomon's chuckle is low, rough, and strikes a nerve.

"It's not funny."

"You make us all sound like monsters. I didn't tell you to come in here and sell your body to the highest bidder. Let's move on."

That dries up my protests. He has a point. Damn it.

Ignoring my panic, Ritual's contract caretaker—for a lack of a better title—continues.

"You are not to leave room seven-one-three until sunrise by which time the contract will be fulfilled. And, and this one is the most important, you have one safe word. Use it and you will be escorted to a private room where we will consider the termination of your contract. Or enforce it."

Gulp.

"At least there is that." I could use my safe word the second I step into the room. That is one way to get out of here. I don't know where I would go. Home doesn't seem like a great place to return to. Oliver might be done with me, but I still live on his money and in his penthouse. Not for the first time I've wondered if he's waiting for the birth of our child before he kicks me out.

Tears heat the back of my eyes, but I hold them in. They won't help my current predicament, anyway.

"But beware. Should you falsely use your safe word, Miss Amethyst, you and Mr. Stone will be liable for the full auction price of the sale. Do you fully understand what I have explained to you?"

I cock a brow and find nothing at all comforting in Solomon's stoic expression and calm demeanor.

"You purposefully left out a few details from the contract." Knowing no matter what I say nothing will change that I willingly came looking for a way to get my husband's attention and then signed on the dotted line. Now it has backfired in my stupid face.

I simply nod.

"I need to hear you verbally acknowledge the rules."

"I understand, Solomon. Let's get this over with. Sunrise cannot come fast enough."

I raise my chin and stand when he gestures for me to rise. I am a woman of my word, and I will make sure my safe word never leaves my lips. Oliver will already hunt me down and kill me for this betrayal, though he betrayed me first. I can't saddle him with the bill or maybe I should.

I'm led down a dark hallway with more black paint and silver trim. At least the light fixtures and carpet are nice. We pass several doors all painted silver with numbers centered on each one.

Solomon opens the door to one and I note the number in passing.

Seven-one-three.

I'm led to the middle of the room, which thankfully doesn't follow the color scheme of the rest of Ritual. Cream colors cover an enormous bed and there are beautiful flowers on a table in the center. My signed contract is placed beside the large vase holding three dozen yellow roses. On either side of the bed are large lamps with the lights turned down low. There is a cabinet opposite the bed that probably holds coats? I don't know and before I can ask a strip of cloth is tied over my eyes.

"You will wait here until your buyer joins you."

"Wait." I throw a hand out but come back empty-handed. "What is my safe word?"

There's a pause, and when Solomon speaks, he's already across the room. "Jewel."

My throat closes. Of all the words.

My heart hits the floor and shatters as I'm left to wait alone.