Page 4 of Mastered By Desire

The stranger texts rapidly on his phone. Betty’s phone chimes. She takes it from her pocket. Her eyes widen as she reads the message.

What could it possibly say? None of the other requests made her look this uncertain.

Betty comes over to me. She covers her mic and says, “You didn’t check the box for multiple partners on your intake form.He’s offering more if you’ll accept another partner. Is it a hard limit for you?”

“I…I guess not,” I say.

With a stern look, she says, “We need enthusiastic consent to this, love. It’s completely all right to say no. And a lukewarm ‘okay’ isn’t going to cut it.”

If I stop thinking about what Ishouldwant and whatshouldbe all right and think about what Ireallywant, well…I could get on board with multiple partners. To be honest, I’m more enthusiastic about the money.

Okay, I’mmostenthusiastic at the thought of Dmitri’s hands on me. Not that he would ever actually do anything, but it would be amazing if he did. It would also be wrong, because he’s my best friend’s brother. I’ve known him since I was a teenager.

But it would be glorious, I imagine. I’ve fantasized about his big, strong hands more than once.

Tonight isn’t about him—he’s out of the running. Still, I’m all-in on whatever is to come. Multiple partners or not.

“Yes,” I say. “Enthusiastically, yes.”

Betty nods and moves over to Dmitri for some crazy reason. Why is she consulting him? It’s my body we’re talking about. Plus, he isn’t my boyfriend.

Twenty-five grand. It hits me again. I’ll be walking home with over twelve thousand dollars.

Good god, I can only imagine Mick’s face. Dollar signs will flash in his eyes when he finds out how much I’ve earned with this arrangement.

Dmitri looks past Betty’s shoulder at me, his face grim. Then, he nods.

Betty straightens and faces the crowd. “Fifty thousand dollars. Any other competition out there?”

Wait, what? Fifty K?

Only one person holds up a bid card—the man with the glasses.

Betty says, “Going once, at fifty thousand dollars. Going twice…”

I hold my breath. This is absolutely crazy.

“Sold, at fifty thousand dollars.” Betty smiles at the assembled audience. “This girl has been won by Gage J.”

Fifty…thousand…dollars?

Betty turns to face me, a triumphant smile on her face.

“I thought it was twenty-five?” I whisper.

“He offered to double the price if you would agree to a second partner.”

Holy shit.Holy shit. Half to me, half to the club. I’m going to be twenty-five thousand dollars richer at the end of this arrangement.

In shock, I allow Betty to usher me backstage. We move down a very cramped hallway to a new room. The walls are covered in black-stained paneling like the rest of the club. Unlike the last room I was in, this one includes benches, a sex swing, a couple of leather chairs, and a dresser Dmitri once told me was filled with packaged sex toys, lube, condoms, and more.

I still don’t understand what’s happening, why Dmitri bid on me. Surely he doesn’t want me like that. He and I are going to have a long,longconversation tomorrow.

A robe lies on one of the benches. I grab it and tug it over my shoulders. There’s no strap to tie it closed, so I hold it tightly around me, suddenly cold.

“Okay, he’ll be in soon,” Betty says. “Do you have any questions?”

I shake my head. We went over the expectations several times before I signed the auction agreement. I wait here, the winner of the auction arrives. We fuck, or do whatever powerexchange the winner has in mind. Maybe the winner will only want cuddles and conversation.

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