Chapter 11

I'm back in my dressing room, and while Natalie told me to stay in my lingerie unless my buyer wants something different, I'm not. No one told me to bring a fucking coat and one sure the hell wasn't provided for me, so I'm not leaving here in my bra and undies.

We can compromise; I'll leave them on underneath, but I'm putting my clothes back on. He can undress me like the one million dollar package I am.

I can't believe I sold for that much. When Natalie said my final bid was a million, I about passed out. While I'm sure others will go for way more, I"m cool with my number. It sounds like whoever bought me swooped in at the last minute, so he must have been biding his time, waiting for it to be close to over.

Lord, please just don't let him be some wrinkly old fat guy.

I'll still do my part so I can get my money, but a girl has to at least be able to get wet and that's not gonna happen with grandpa balls.

The lights on the stage were bright as hell and the audience dark as night, so any chance of seeing who was bidding or even in the crowd was shot.

I'm hoping Edward screens his buyers like he did his sellers. They'd be at least a little bit attractive, right? Otherwise, they wouldn"t be able to do this year after year because people would stop volunteering to sell themselves.

I slide my dress back on and plop down in the chair to remove my heels. I don't know where I'm going after this or what the walk will be like, so I'd feel better wearing my boots that I came here in.

I shove my heels back into my bag and drop it to the floor next to me. Grabbing a pop, I crack it open and take a long drink.

Boredom settles over me like a dark shadow. The nerves of the performance have faded and now all that's left is waiting. With a sigh, I reach for my phone, grabbing it from my bag where I left it.

My fingers tap against the smooth surface, navigating to the familiar icon of Monopoly Go. I guess while I wait I can work on my sticker collection and get revenge on those who attacked me. Lord knows there might not be time to play this weekend.

I don't know how much time has passed, but I'm out of dice and didn't even get one new sticker. Fucking bastards.

Swiping over to TikTok, I scroll my for you page until I come across my guilty pleasure: pimple popping videos.

And down the rabbit hole, I go.

There is a knock at my door, startling me. I jump, quickly dropping my phone back into my bag as if caught in the act of something forbidden.

"Birdie, your winners are here to take you," Natalie croons from the other side.

Winners?! More than one? Shit, I knew it was a possibility, but I didn't think I'd be one who had more than one buyer. I've never had a threesome.

Get it together, Sloane. Five hundred grand is on the line. You'll just fake it till you make it.

Before I can get up to answer it or even utter a ‘come in', the door swings open.

My jaw drops, heart races, and stomach flips all at once.

No fucking way.

Time stands still, the air thick with uncertainty. I scramble to compose myself, forcing a smile to my lips as I meet the gaze of the unexpected visitors. But beneath the facade of calm, my mind races.

Twenty Minutes Earlier

"That's it for tonight,ladies and gentlemen. Please close your tablets and complete your payment if you have not done so. If you purchased an item, you will have a contract to sign. Please do so ASAP to speed up the process. As soon as the confirmation of payment and signatures are processed on my end, the merchandise's handler will come to your table and escort you to their room to collect them for the weekend. Just a reminder, your item must be returned here by midnight on Sunday, unharmed."

The moment the emcee finishes speaking, the lights flick on. I blink, adjusting to the brightness after being cast in darkness for the last few hours.

An Ariana Grande look alike approaches our table with a smile on her face. "Evening fellas, I'm Natalie and I will be escorting you to Birdie."

"Thank you, Natalie." I slide from the booth, standing up quickly, ready to see Sloane after all this time.

She"s grown from a pretty teenager to a stunning adult and stood sexy as hell on stage. Ali was a looker, so it doesn't surprise me, but what was surprising was my reaction.

Watching her move in her blue lingerie had my dick rock hard, pressing against my slacks, begging for release.

What's wrong with me?

Not only was I married to her mom, making her my stepdaughter for a short time, but... and this is the most important reason, my son is in love with her.

No one has stirred these feelings in me for a while.

It's going to be hell having her in the house this weekend. Especially when I know she's going to be naked and coming right down the hall from me.

First, though, I want to know why she's here and where she's been.

Ali had the restraining order, but it ended when Sloane turned eighteen, so why didn't she reach out? Did Ali poison her against us? If so, this weekend will be a lot less fun than my son thinks.

He also better hope and pray that Sloane reciprocates his feelings. To her, he may just be her ex-stepbrother and that's that.

"Alright, gentlemen, right this way." Natalie turns and leads us from the auction space. Her confident strides echo down the dimly lit hallway. Doors line either side, each bearing the name of the merchandise we saw earlier tonight.

Finally, we stop in front of a door labeled Birdie. Natalie pauses briefly, her hand hovering over the doorknob before she knocks once.

"Birdie, your winners are here to take you." Natalie smiles.

Without waiting for a response, she pushes the door open.

We enter the room, and my gaze locks on Sloane. Her mouth hangs open in what I can only interpret as sheer surprise. Our eyes meet, and it feels like the world around us fades away.

Natalie"s voice slices through the tension, interrupting our stare-off. "That"s it for me tonight, gentlemen," she chirps. "I hope you enjoyed the auction and have an even better weekend. Birdie, I"ll see you back here Sunday at midnight."

Natalie leaves and the three of us remain at a standstill, staring at each other. Sloane breaks the silence, her voice shaky and unsure.

"How? Why? Is this real?" Her words tumble out in a rush.

"It"s very real, Sloane," I assure her, my voice steady despite how I feel inside.

She nervously chews on her bottom lip, her eyes searching mine for answers. "Why?"

"We"re not talking here," I tell her, understanding the need for privacy at this moment. "We"ll talk in the truck or at home. Let"s go."

With that, I hold out my hand, offering it to her. She takes it tentatively, grabbing her bag from the floor as she stands.

Atlas hasn't said a word, just continuing to rake his eyes up and down her body like if he blinks, she'll disappear. Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, we make our way out of the room. As we step into the hall, I can"t help but feel the weight of untold secrets settling on my shoulders. There are truths to be told, decisions to be made, and only a weekend to make it happen.