Page 14 of Auctioned to the Billionaire

She smiles, a small, shy curve of her lips, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.

The rest of the drive passes in silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. It feels like the kind of quiet that holds meaning, the kind where words aren’t necessary.

When we pull into the driveway, I cut the engine and sit back, stealing one last glance at her before reality sets in.

“Letty,” I say, my voice low.

She turns to me, her green eyes locking with mine. “Yes?”

“Do you want to come inside?” The question slips out before I can second-guess myself. “We could… talk.”

She hesitates, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. Then she nods. “Okay.”

We step into the house together, the warmth of the entryway a stark contrast to the chill of the night air. I shrug off my coat and hang it by the door, watching as Letty does the same.

For a moment, neither of us moves. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words.

“Let’s sit,” I suggest, motioning toward the couch.

She nods, following me into the living room and settling onto the cushions. I take a seat beside her, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her but far enough to give her space in case she needs it.

“What did you want to talk about?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitate, my gaze dropping to my hands. “I want to understand,” I say finally. “Why were you at that auction?”

Her breath catches, and for a moment, I think she’s going to brush me off. But then she exhales, her shoulders sagging under the weight of whatever she’s been carrying.

“It’s… complicated,” she says.

“I’ve got time,” I reply gently.

She bites her lip, her eyes darting to the floor. “My brother,” she says after a long pause. “He… he got into trouble. Took out a loan he couldn’t pay back. And somehow, he managed to drag me into it.”

My stomach twists, a surge of anger flaring in my chest. “What kind of trouble?”

“Bad trouble,” she says, her voice tight. “The kind that doesn’t go away unless you pay up. And since he skipped town, it was left to me to clean up his mess.”

I clench my jaw, struggling to keep my emotions in check. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

Her lips twitch into a faint smile, though there’s no humor in it. “I didn’t want to ask and have you look at me like… I don’t know, like I was an idiot for trusting someone who has done nothing but hurt me. I didn’t want to complicate our relationship. I thought that I should keep things professional and… I don’t know,” she finishes weakly.

“Letty,” I say, my voice firm but soft. “I could never see you as stupid. You’ve got such a big heart, so of course you would try to help out your family. I’m just sorry that they let you down.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see the vulnerability she works so hard to hide.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

I reach for her hand without thinking, covering it with mine. “You deserve better,” I say, my voice steady. “You deserve someone who takes care of you, not someone who uses you.”

And I’m going to make sure that she gets that.

I’m already making plans in my head to track down this loan shark that she owes money and to pay him back and warn him to stay as far away from her as possible as soon as possible. There can only be a few in a town this small, so I’m sure that it won’t be hard to find him.

She blinks, her lips parting slightly as if she wants to say something. But the words don’t come, and I don’t press her.

Instead, I shift closer, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Letty,” I say, my voice low.

“Yes?”

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