Buying the Barista Read online

  Tilly reaches out, wrapping her hand around mine and gives me a squeeze. I do the same right back, thankful to have someone to lean on a little bit.

  “Maybe we’ll get lucky. Maybe whoever he is, that gets us, maybe he’s shit-hot and really great in bed,” she murmurs.

  I let out a strained giggle and shake my head. “One can hope,” I wink, trying to lighten up the very heavy mood that fills this room.

  The man opens the door again, without Number One, and his eyes stare directly at Tilly. Lifting her chin, she squeezes my hand once more before releasing it.

  I watch her hold her head up high, looking poised and strong as she walks directly up to him. He turns, and she follows directly behind him.

  I doubt I’ll look as classy and brave as her. I’ll be lucky if I make it to wherever he’s taking us without falling flat on my face. None of the other women make eye contact with me. They’re only three of us left, and our gazes are all glued to the door.

  “Three,” he booms as he opens the door.

  A girl in a bright pink bikini stands and walks toward him. I don’t know where everyone is going, and why they aren’t coming back here but my heart leaps into my throat, because I know I’m next. My fate awaits me behind that door and the not knowing is downright terrifying.

  The girl next to me sniffles and I look over at her to see that she’s crying. I refuse to show them that kind of power. I will not cry. At least, not in front of anyone. Later tonight I’m sure I will, once I’m wherever I’m going to be taken too. Once everything sets in.

  CONNERY

  Sitting next to Sterling I know the second his eyes are locked on a girl. He sits up a little straighter as he leans forward. I glance over to her. She’s a pretty little blonde thing, not exactly my body type, but I’m not blind, she’s a knockout.

  I scan down the row and my gaze lands on a curvy blonde. She’s absolutely stunning. The atrocious lime green bra and panties, don’t detract from her sexy body. The heavy makeup doesn’t cover up her natural gorgeous face either.

  She’s really fucking curvy, enough so that I won’t break her if I fuck her roughly. I can’t remember the last time I truly let go with a woman. Most of them that I meet are rail thin. This girl is thick in all the right places.

  My cock twitches at the sight of her, and I feel this inexplicable need to take her.

  “Tilly Harrington,” Sterling murmurs.

  “What?” I ask, turning my head from the buxom blonde. My eyes point toward Tilly and I grunt. “Not surprising, her parents are broke as fuck, bet she’s here to line their pockets.”

  The lights behind the glass turn off and the announcer explains that if we’re going to be bidding to take our cards into the next room, that’s if we have a woman who has piqued our interest.

  Sterling scribbles down Tilly’s number, as he stands to his feet. I stand as well, putting down a number four. I grip the paper tightly, looking at the number, and finding myself curious as to why I have this indescribable need for this girl. I have to know, and I won’t know until I buy her.

  “You find someone?” Sterling asks.

  Lifting my chin, I murmur, “We’ll see.”

  Aldrich lifts his glass of champagne toward us, muttering. “See you guys soon.” He looks almost disappointed, and that’s when I know that he’ll be back. He’s got the curiosity bug, and the idea now of what’s in store. It’s just finding someone who stokes his fancy.

  Following behind Sterling, we make our way to the bidding room. I have never been this far, so I don’t really know what to expect. I hope I brought enough cash to get number four home and figure out why the fuck she makes me want to keep her.

  The room we’re ushered into is all red, which until this moment was one of my favorite colors. However, this room is too fucking much. The red is too bright, and the contrast to the bright lights, and chrome accents is too fucking much.

  We make our way over to a black leather sofa and sit down. A man in a tuxedo walks up to Sterling and asks for his bidding card. I lift my chin when he looks over at me and watch as Sterling hands the card over to him. He gives Sterling a numbered paddle and then does the same to me before he explains the rules.

  “When the auction begins on your chosen number, use the paddle to bid. All funds must either be in cash or wire transferred before you take the property with you, happy bidding, sir.”

  “This shit is weird,” Sterling mutters shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

  I shrug, trying to seem unaffected and repeat the same sentence I’ve repeated to myself each and every time I come out here.

  “It is, but no weirder than getting a foreign bride.”

  I don’t even believe myself when I say it, but when Sterling tilts his head to the side, I watch as the wheels turn, and I know that he fucking agrees with me.

  CHAPTER THREE

  BEXLEY

  I try to keep my head held high as I step onto the small block platform. It’s not microscopic but I’m not a shrinking violet, so it’s still smaller than I would like it to be.

  My eyes glance around and land on a man. He’s slouched slightly but I can tell he’s still tall. He has on black thick rimmed glasses, shaggy dark blond hair, and he’s young, younger than anyone else in the room by far.

  When the auctioneer begins bidding the man in the glasses doesn’t move. I’m unable to take my eyes off of him, he has me spell bound. When the price is up to one million dollars, my breath hitches.

  “Two point five,” the stranger says lifting his paddle.

  Nobody argues, or even bids against him. The man in the tuxedo lifts his chin, wrapping his hand around one of my wrists and gently tugs me down from the podium.

  Unfortunately, I have to turn away from the blond stranger to follow the man who let me in here and has a grip on my wrist.

  I’m practically thrown into an office and before I can even lift my head, I feel a warm hand against the small of my back. “If your man handles my woman like that again, I’ll kill him,” he growls.

  “Not in a position to make such statements, Abbott,” a voice barks.

  I turn my neck slightly and try not to cringe at the overweight man chewing on a cigar behind his desk, he’s like every cliché I could think of rolled into one for this situation.

  “Neither are you,” the man at my back growls.

  The chunky man holds up his hands, with a chuckle. “You owe me two-point-five mill kid, where’s it comin’ from?”

  “My driver is outside,” he states.

  My skin prickles as his thumb slides up and down along my spine. I’ve never had my belly clench with excitement at a man’s touch before, and it shouldn’t right now either. I should be downright absolutely fucking terrified, but I’m not.

  Knitting my brows together, I don’t understand it. I know that attractive men can be just as evil as ugly ones, but my body hasn’t figured it out yet, I guess.

  “Put it on speaker, tell him to pull around the back. One of my men will collect him before you can go,” he states.

  The man at my back does as he’s instructed to do. We stay standing in the middle of the room and about ten minutes later there’s a knock on the door. I watch as another man with a suit walks in. He’s carrying a case and sets it down on the desk, taking a few steps back and crosses his hands in front of him.

  “Looks good, get outta here,” he grunts.

  Following behind the suited man, the blond stranger keeps his hand on my lower back as we walk down the dark hallway. The suited man, pushes open a door and I see a fancy sedan parked in the alleyway. He opens the backdoor and I climb in first, the stranger behind me.

  As soon as I’m buckled in I glance up and another man is turned around in the front seat staring at me. He smirks looking from me, to the stranger. “Both of you got a girl tonight. Crazy fucking bastards,” he chuckles.

  The car’s engine starts, and I stay silent as the man in the suit drives us toward wherever our destinat
ion is, toward my future. I should be completely beside myself in terror, but I’m not. Sure, I’m cautiously scared, but I feel more curious than anything right now.

  CONNERY

  Cal pulls up at Aldrich’s home and I give him a wave as he exits, with a promise to call him in a few days. He looks toward the woman at my side, one last time and shakes his head.

  He leaves, quietly shutting the door before he jogs toward his entrance. We wait until he’s inside, then my driver eases back onto the road.

  I don’t live too much further away. I don’t know what to say to this girl, and I wonder if she even speaks. She’s yet to utter even a noise. When we pull into my driveway, Cal opens her door and holds out his hand for her. I watch as she slips out, standing tall with shaky legs. Quickly, I follow behind her and together walk up my front stairway.

  “Welcome home,” I mutter.

  She turns her head toward me, tilting her chin up to look into my eyes. I’m taken aback by how pretty her brown eyes are, there are flecks of gold in them and they’re stunning. They’re fucking breathtaking.

  “Home,” she repeats her voice husky and sexy as fuck.

  I nod, placing my hand on the small of her back to guide her past the threshold. I don’t bother giving her a tour that can wait until the sun is up.

  My cock presses against my pants, reminding me that I have a more urgent task at hand. Frowning, I wonder if she would want that tonight or not? I assume she knows the score, but maybe she doesn’t.

  She seems awfully timid and shy for someone who has been sold into, essentially, sexual slavery. Not that I see her as my slave, because I don’t, but for all intents and purposes, that is technically what she is.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  BEXLEY

  I can feel not only his warm skin on my back as he guides me up the fancy staircase of his mansion, but I can feel his eyes on me too. I wish I knew what to expect, or what he expects from me. I wish my brother wasn’t such a fucking asshole and sold me out into whatever this life will be with him.

  “What’s your name?” he asks as soon as we step into a bedroom.

  I want to look around, to take in the space, but I don’t. His eyes, they’re bright blue and have me completely arrested. “Bexley,” I rasp.

  “I’m Connery Abbott, Bexley. I bought you for two and a half million dollars. I own you now,” he states. My stomach twists. I feel sick, but I try to calm my racing heart. “How did you get on that stage?”

  “My brother owed some people money,” I state, not hesitating in the slightest.

  He nods, his blue eyes darkening a slight bit. “And what did you do for a job, before?”

  “I was a barista in a café.”

  He tilts his head to the side, lifting his hand. I gasp when his fingertips gently touch the side of my cheek, then travel down to the front of my throat. He doesn’t squeeze, but instead just loosely holds me.

  “Now you’re mine,” he announces.

  I gulp, my eyes wide and probably showing off just how completely terrified I feel inside. “I am.”

  “Are you scared of me, sexy girl?”

  My brows lift, rising straight toward my hairline at his use of the word, sexy. Never, not once has anyone called me sexy. I have curves, and there are days that I look in the mirror and love them, but there are more days that I think they are too plentiful.

  “I’m not scared, just nervous. I don’t know what you expect,” I truthfully admit.

  I figure, in a situation like this, it’s better to be honest, rather than try to hide things. There is no hiding from Connery. I am his—he paid for me.

  He nods, his teeth sinking into his lower lip as he examines me through his glasses. His blue eyes almost brighten as he does, then he smirks.

  “Are you a virgin?” he asks.

  I shake my head, wondering if this will be some kind of deal breaker.

  He nods. “Last time you were tested?” My stomach does a clenching wave, and I hate the question.

  “Wherever I was held, they did all the tests. Said they came back clean,” I shrug. He nods, releasing my neck, then I watch as he takes a step back. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his phone and starts pushing buttons. “Okay,” he nods, tossing his phone onto a large gray dresser.

  He lifts his gaze back to me. “They give you that shit to wear?” he asks. I nod, afraid to speak. “It's ugly as fuck,” he chuckles. I can’t help myself, I let out a little laugh as well.

  “Take it off, Bexley,” he orders, his voice dropping slightly.

  CONNERY

  I shouldn’t force her to undress right here in front of me. We’ve only learned each other’s names minutes ago, and the hard truth is that I didn’t believe her when she said she was clean.

  No, that’s not true.

  I believed her, but I still wanted confirmation.

  Not only was I informed she is clean, she also has the long-lasting birth control, one that is implanted and good for another three years.

  Which is a good thing because I don’t want kids and I plan on fucking her bareback. I typically don’t do that, but if you own a woman, that should definitely be part of the deal.

  She kicks off her cheap shoes first and I grin that barefooted, she only reaches my chest. She’s shorter and curvy, fucking perfect to me.

  She is a fantasy from top to bottom, so far.

  I feel like a goddamn pervert but I can’t look away.

  I watch as she unhooks her bra and lets it fall down her arms. Her tits bounce once and I almost whimper at the sight of her dusty pink nipples. They’re hard, and I’m sure it’s because she’s nervous, but I can’t wait to taste them.

  “Panties,” I grunt.

  I sound like a caveman, but I don’t give a fuck, my cock fucking hurts and it's taking everything I have not to jump onto her and fuck her fast and hard.

  She inhales a deep breath, letting it out, before she hooks her thumbs in her lime green panties. With her eyes closed she tugs them down, then shimmies her legs the rest of the way.

  Stepping out of her panties, she kicks them to the side, and with her eyes still closed, stands in front of me. Her breathing goes from calm, to panting, mine does the exact same. I fucking want to claim this girl, right here, right now.

  My eyes travel down her soft stomach, to the short hair between her thighs. It’s dark blonde but trimmed nicely and I smirk, I like it, more than I thought I could. She moves, placing her hand in front of herself and I shake my head.

  “Arms to the side, Bexley,” I order. Her arms slowly move to her sides and I watch as she balls up her fists. “You are beautiful,” I state.

  Her eyes pop open and her lips part. I grunt, anticipation rolling through me at the sight of those parted lips, wanting nothing more than to slip my cock past them and down her throat. “You can call me Bex, everyone does,” she rasps.

  I shake my head. “Not me. You’re Bexley, or sexy girl,” I wink.

  “Now, sexy girl,” I begin. “Show me what I bought.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  BEXLEY

  My back straightens at his words. What he bought. Any sexy illusions I had completely disappear. This is all about what he’s bought, a purchase for a good and nothing more. “On the bed?” I ask.

  He lifts his chin toward his bed. The headboard is dark wood, but the comforter is a deep dark red. It’s sinful looking. Slowly, I turn away from him and walk toward the bed. With shaky legs I crawl on top and sit back on my knees.

  “On your ass, spread,” he barks.

  I jump, tears pricking the backs of my eyes as I do what he’s said. I’ve had sex before, a few times, with a few different men. But what I’ve never done is completely expose myself to them in a brightly lit room, and that’s exactly what he’s asking me to do.

  He dips his chin a bit more, and I lean back on my elbows in an effort not to have rolls showing on my stomach as I spread my legs wide. Placing my feet flat on the comforter I look up to the c
eiling as I attempt to slow my rapid breathing.

  I hear him moving around, but I don’t know what he’s doing, I’m too embarrassed to look at him right now.

  “Gorgeous, sexy girl,” he murmurs. I hear him inhale and I feel his hair on my thighs. It’s then that I realize he’s smelling me. My heart rate begins to thump against my ribs. His tongue snakes out and tastes me, my breath hitches as I pant. “Delicious.”

  “Connery,” I rasp.

  He chuckles, and the bed dips, only when I feel the length of his body next to my own do I turn my head to look at him.

  “Never cover yourself in front of me, Bexley. I picked you for a reason. Not only are you sexy as fuck, you’re pretty, and you call to me. Let’s not kid ourselves. If I didn’t like your body, I would have passed you by,” he states.

  I blink, unsure of how to take his blunt words, but he isn’t wrong. This entire thing is based off of looks and looks alone. Maybe one day he will want more from me, or maybe he never will. I don’t know. However, he expects something from me, and I will be traded or sold off to someone else if I don’t deliver.

  “Okay,” I gulp with a nod.

  His lips twitch and he reaches over, placing his hand on the center of my chest and applies pressure. “Now lay back, sexy girl. Let your beautiful thighs fall open, relax. I won’t hurt you,” he coos.

  I’m not sure that’s the case. I think even if he doesn’t physically hurt me that eventually he will emotionally hurt me.

  Especially since I’m attracted to him, like no other man I’ve ever seen before.

  He’s going to destroy me.

  He is potentially a man that is going to use his toy, then dump me when he’s bored.

  A rich fucker who has too much time and money on his hands.