Page 46 of Cherry Auction

I get down to the point. “Do you think I would hurt her?”

Moira makes a frustrated-sounding noise. “Well. Of course not.”

“So what are you worried about?”

“She’s fragile right now. And I’d just feel better if I could hear her voice. Don’t you want me to feel better?”

Well look at that. My sister’s learned my weak spots over the years, too. But fuck any fucking weakness. I won’t be weak anymore. Not when it comes to Madison.

“Dammit, Moira, just stop worrying. I told you, you’ll see her in a few days at the club. I just need you to trust me. I’m trying to do something important here with…Brooke… and it doesn’t help to have you interfering every other second.”

“I’ve only called once a day! And this is the first time you’ve even picked up.”

A twinge of guilt hits me between my eyes. My sister’s the only person I always pick up for, but I let her leave messages the past few days. She was only haranguing me about my choices with Madison.

But she’s not the only one who can play on our sibling ties.

“Do you trust me?” It’s unfair to ask this of her, but my past with Madison is always something I’ve protected her from.

I hear her difficulty when she breathes out harshly down the line. I’m being cruel to her and I know it.

“Yes,” she finally says in a rush. “I trust you. But Brooke is a friend.”

Her saying that only pisses me off again. If I’d realized Moira had been taking in strays from the shelter… That’s it, I’m firing my current guard who’s supposed to report all her activities to me. Then I roll my eyes again. Moira’s probably fucking him by now anyway to get him in her pocket.

She wouldn’t consider it as such, but she’s got her own means of manipulation. She just happens to be giving away for free the thing almost everyone in the world wants: she’s beautiful, a good listener and pretty much always wants to fuck you. She’s hard to say no to.

“Well,” I grind out between gritted teeth, “You’ll see your good friend in three days, and she’ll arrive in perfect condition.” All the red marks I just put on her ass yesterday should have healed by then. A pity, because I’ve been looking forward to going down and watching her have to sit gingerly, then maybe adding more. I never thought of that morning-after benefit. Maybe that’s what Caleb meant by the advantages of having a longer-term sub.

“Fine,” Moira said, sounding petulant. “I know when I’ve lost a fight with you.”

“We aren’t fighting,” I say with surprise. “You just didn’t get what you wanted.”

“Same thing,” she sighs.

I give a genuine laugh out loud. “I’ve got to go.”

“Just look at the records I’m sending.” Then Moira hangs up.

She’s not mad, she just forgets the social niceties of saying “hello and goodbye” sometimes. One of the things I love about my sister. We don’t have to work so hard at fulfilling all the inane little social contracts such as tiring small talk that exhausts the both of us.

I breathe out hard, then look at the little project I’ve laid out for myself at the other side of the office.

It won’t be long now. I feel it coming this time. The flip. No more fucking weakness. I’ll be prepared.

Or so you tell yourself.

I’m still in control. I’m in control, goddammit.

Who’s the liar now?

EIGHTEEN

BROOKE

I wakeup screaming and slap my hand over my mouth. The other hand I wave wildly to make the lights turn on, breathing hard.

I’m shaking and sweating like usual when I wake up from the nightmares. Usually I lay still after I’ve turned on the lights and try to remember whatever I can from the dreams, but not tonight.

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