Page 35 of Original Sins (Dark Odyssey 6)

Our eyes lock when I look at him, and I don’t miss the playful smile brightening his very,veryhandsome face.

The same smile lifts Georgiou’s face, and he leans in closer to whisper something to Henry.

I would almost kill to know what he said.

“What an interesting turn of events,” Gina booms and looks my way.

“Six hundred thousand,” James Bond cuts in, and the guys look at him.

“Seven,” Henry replies, and my damn head spins.

“Eight.”

“Nine.”

“Nine-twenty five.”

Both Georgiou and Henry exchange glances as if they’ve already won. There’s a rush of whispers over the crowd, and Gina looks thoroughly impressed.

My brain is too numb to process what is happening.

Nine-twenty-five. That’s more money than I thought a person would pay for me or anybody here.

It’s an unimaginable amount of money that would set me up for life. I came in hoping for two hundred thousand with the money Cordelia and I already have. I thought it would be enough. This, however, is beyond my imagination. And they look like they aren’t finished bidding yet.

“Nine-fifty,” Henry says, turning around to look back at James Bond, who now looks furious.

“One million,” James Bond replies with an arrogant smile on his face.

“One and a half,” Georgiou counters, and his voice carries over the room the way I imagine it would my body.

The arrogance and confidence James Bond first exuded falls into the abyss, and the look Georgiou gives him shuts him right down.

“One point five million,” Gina booms again. “Going once, going twice and sold.”

When Georgiou and Henry return their gazes to me, the darkness in their eyes pierces through me. It’s a darkness that tells me they’re used to getting whatever they want, and they will expect the same from me.

I feel so exposed I could be naked, but it’s the type of nakedness that allows you to see straight through to my soul.

I’m sold.

To both of them.

They bought me.

They own me now.

10

Evie

Breathe…

You can do this, Evie.

Just breathe and stay calm, and it should be fine.

At least, I hope it will.

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