Page 9 of Sold on Them

Hurrying over to the door, I take a moment to straighten the wrap-around dress I’m wearing over the lingerie I bought for tonight. Grabbing my overnight bag from the hook on the wall, I swing the door open with a smile.

“Hello.” The man standing in front of me is dressed like the driver my parents sometimes hired to take us to events. He’s older but handsome nonetheless. And who am I kidding. I’m definitely into older men from time to time. His black hair is threaded through with silver, his eyes twinkling as he smiles at me. “You must be Phoenix. I’m Leonard, and I’ll be your driver for tonight and Sunday.”

For a moment, I just stare at him, wondering who the hell Phoenix is. Then it hits me—Phoenix is the name I chose to use for the weekend.

Damn. I really need to get it together.

“It’s nice to meet you, Leonard,” I tell him with a bob of my head as he reaches over to take my bag from me. “Oh, you don’t have to—“

He chuckles. “I often don’t have to do things, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do them. My mother raised me to be a gentleman, and I intend to be one until the day I die.”

“Well, thank you, then.” I release my hold on the bag, turning to lock the door before dropping the key into my clutch. I head down the pathway to where the towncar waits, Leonard holding open the back door for me. “Thank you, Leonard.”

“It’s my pleasure, Miss Phoenix.”

“Uh, just Phoenix, please,” I tell him before he can close the door.

He leans down with a smile. “If that’s what you prefer.”

“I do. Thank you.”

How many times am I going to thank the man tonight? My nerves are showing, but at least they’re showing up as politeness. Much better than some of the other ways it could show up.

My hand drops to my stomach, and I wince. I hope I haven’t cursed myself. I tend to have a nervous stomach, and that’s not what I need before the auction.

I startle when Leonard’s door closes, and he glances back at me with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Phoenix. I did not mean to startle you. Would you like me to play some music while we make the drive?”

“Yes, please. That would be nice.” And a good distraction to keep me from overthinking, if I’m lucky.

Leonard nods and starts the car. “Any preference on the type of music?”

“Rock?”

“Classic or modern?” he asks, bringing a smile to my lips.

“Driver’s choice. I love it all.”

Leonard nods, pressing a few buttons on his phone before classic rock sounds from the speakers. It’s loud enough to help block out any unwanted thoughts, but not so loud I can’t hear Leonard if he speaks to me.

I settle back into the seat as he pulls away, watching as the scenery passes by. I’m usually driving when I head into Detroit, so it’s nice to be able to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

A little over an hour later, the car comes to a stop. I frown, my eyes scanning the surrounding area to see if I can figure out why we’ve stopped. We’re sitting outside of what appears to be an abandoned warehouse.

“This is it,” Leonard says as he shuts off the car, turning around to look at me over the back of his seat. “I know it doesn’t seem right, but since the auction is meant to remain hidden, they keep the outside like this. I promise the inside looks more like what you’d be expecting.”

“If you say so,” I mutter as he steps out of the car. Surely, no one would’ve put in all that work of applications and testing if they intended to lure me out here and kill me, right? And Greg wouldn’t have sent me off to be murdered. At least, I hope not.

Leonard offers me his hand when he opens the door, helping me out. He already has my bag in his other hand.

“I’m not about to be murdered, right?” The words spill from my lips before I can stop them, and I snort out a laugh. I hadn’t meant to ask that out loud.

Leonard chuckles, shaking his head. “I assure you that you’re not.”

I shrug. “Okay, but if I do end up dead, my ghost is going to come back and haunt you.”

“That would certainly make life interesting,” he says as he leads me to the door. Once we’re inside, he leads me to an elevator where he enters a code before the doors slide open before us. “After you.”

Even though my nerves are so bad my knees are shaking, I keep my head held high as I step inside. Leonard follows me on and presses a button before the elevator begins descending.

---