Page 36 of The Lies Always Told

Gus pauses for a second before he moves to leave the stage, his eyes briefly flicking toward me. His eyes flare for a split second, almost unrecognizable, but I notice before he covers it up with his calm, collected expression. There’s something in the way he looks at me that makes my pulse quicken, even when he’s masking whatever it is he’s trying to convey. No matter the bids and the voices around us, his gaze never leaves mine.

How much money is too much money? I think it might be crossing the line, so I don’t raise the paddle.

“Eight thousand five hundred, going once… Going twice…” The suspense builds as the auctioneer drags out the moment, scanning the room to make sure no one has a higher bid.

“Nine thousand,” I shout. Holy shit, I did it. Gus smiles at me, proud. Okay, Gus. Okay.

“Ten thousand,” someone shouts.

He raises an eyebrow at me, and when I shake my head no, in silent communication that I won’t bid on the date anymore because this is where I draw the line, he smirks and nods softly.

“Ten thousand, going once.”

His eyes widen as the blonde hostess looks around to see if anyone would try to outbid the very eager redhead smiling wickedly at Gus. I narrow my eyes at her, closing my thumbbetween my fingers before looking back at Gus. I find him staring at me with a wicked smile and showing me five fingers. Five? Five what? Five hundred more? My eyes widen, and when I mouth five hundred more to him, he nods.

“Ten thousand, going twice.”

He nods again, this time subtly, so I bring my paddle up as I say, “Ten thousand five hundred.” I’m going to throw up. This is insanity. He smiles bigger at me, not caring who sees.

Not a girl in the vicinity keeps their eyes on what’s happening on stage. They all turn and look at me. I sit up taller, turn my eyes on them, and smile proudly to see if anyone else will raise the bid. Fuck them. If Gus wants me to play, I’m playing, and if he doesn’t care who sees he’s clearly looking at me, then so be it.

“Twelve thousand,” the redhead says, bringing her paddle up and flicking her hair to the back, not looking at me for one second. Okay, girl, it’s not my fault you want the same man. The man I had in my bed a month ago. Well, his bed, actually. The man I’ve been rejecting for a month. The man I can’t get out of my head.

Part of the audience turns to look at me, but I’m nervous to bid more. When I look at Gus, I find him smiling wide, two fingers flashing in front of him, his other hand forming a zero.Twenty thousand dollars?I know for someone like him, that may not be a lot of money, but that’s just insane. He narrows his eyes, as if he can hear my thoughts and hesitations, and moves his fingers even faster.Fuck.

“Going on?—”

“Twenty thousand dollars,” I all but shout, and after some murmurs from the crowd and nobody else outbidding me, she bangs the gavel with finality.

“Sold! Congratulations!”

I smile devilishly, the crowd erupting in a mixture of applause and murmurs. I feel like a million minutes pass before the music plays, and everyone goes back to what they weredoing. I’m suspended in time, Gus’ searing eyes on me. Gus steps away from the podium, a graceful pivot, as the lights shift again, and I’m left buzzing with adrenaline. Well, that was insane.

My phone vibrates softly on my lap, and when I look down, I see the text.

DLS: Meet me by the exit.

I’ve been summoned. I grab my paddle, the tiny purse, and the courage I mustered out of nowhere today and walk toward the exit, passing the big mahogany doors with my head held high even if I’m shaking inside. I look around until I see Gus standing by the concierge in the lobby. He keeps his eyes on me, searing, dark, and commanding.

I smile at him, a pep in my step that has his eyes roaming my body, stopping briefly where my tattoo rests instead of holding my gaze. My knees feel like they might wobble at any point, but I know I look damn hot in the dress, so I don’t give him the satisfaction of showing him how his night dark eyes affect me. Two can play this game, Gus. Let’s go.

He opens the door to the baggage storage room, not uttering a word to me or the concierge, who’s suspiciously walking away as he ushers me in and slams the door behind me.

He pushes my back against the door, pinning me in place with his stare, and shows me a wicked smile before he leans in and kisses me. His lips are on mine, and it doesn’t feel like this is still new. The way he kisses me definitely doesn’t feel like we were only together for a long weekend. The way his hands touch my body completely in sync with what I want and what I need feels like he has spent years getting to know me and an eternity away from me. His tongue is pushing into my mouth, eager and starved. I moan against his lips, and when his hand comes to my neck, holding me gently, I arch my back to get closer to him and practically whimper as I bite his lower lip.

He lets go, bringing his mouth to my neck, kissing andbiting gently. “You teasing little thing,” he whispers against my ear as I roll my hips against him. He removes the mask from my face, and I do the same with his. God, he’s stunning, all hard lines and a perfect jaw, dark intense eyes and the most perfect kissable lips.

“And you fucking love it. Did you miss me, Augusto?” I ask in a sultry tone, pausing deliberately as his name eases off my tongue, smooth like butter but lethal like venom. He hates it when I call him that, and I want him to fuck me like he hates me right now. I want him to fuck me like a man possessed. Like I’mhispossession.

“Don’t call me that.” He bites with his dark eyes on mine, showing me his lust, want, and need.

“Or what?” I sass back, and his hands tighten around my neck harder. I moan again, and his eyes flare.

“This fucking dress. The fucking sass. The way you’ve been ignoring me for weeks, and now you decide to show up and make that giant display of what, Nellie? Affection? Jealousy? Lust? What was it, because I’m hella confused.”

“All of it, but you forgot possessiveness.”

“Oh yeah, please tell me how you go from not wanting to see me again to showing up here?”

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