Page 15 of Proposition 1

“So stern…”

“Filthy rich…”

“…heard he’s hung like a horse.”

The snatches of conversations I could hear between the girls left my ears burning. None of them seemed worried or reluctant, and while their candidness shocked me, it also eased a bit of my worry. It would have been much harder to stand here and know what was coming with a bunch of other women who were just as scared.

I noticed the woman standing at the front of the line as she called a girl forward, adjusted her bra straps, and sent her through the curtain. She was taller than me, but at five four that wasn’t much of a shock.

What was surprising was the elaborate outfit and makeup she wore. I knew the dress was called a kimono, but I couldn’t think of the term for the white-painted face I knew was traditional in one of the Asian cultures.

There was a small gap in the curtain next to her where we could see the girl walking out to center stage, and once she turned to face the audience, the woman moved her attention to me.

“So, this is your innocent blossom.”

Her tone made it clear that it wasn’t a question and she knew exactly what my status was, but her German accent was a bit jarring. While she looked me over from head to toe, her gaze was neither calculating, nor judgmental. More like a curious but benevolent cat, eyeing a mouse that dared to sneak out in front of it.

The slight widening of her painted lips was the only indication of her approval.

“Good choice.”

I heard Leo’s huff behind me, the heat of his hand still searing my hip since he hadn’t released me.

“Go to the end of the line, keep quiet, and pay attention when I call Blossom.”

This was a woman used to giving orders, and it was instinct to obey. Turning to walk past the women arrayed along the curtain, Leo’s fingers slipped from my flesh, and I felt a flash of regret that he wouldn’t be staying by my side, but I didn’t let it stop me.

My reflection in the mirror and the undercurrent of excitement I could feel from the other girls had eased a lot of my tension, and I straightened my shoulders as I took my place at the end of the line. What I was doing may not be something most girls would agree to, but I was doing it for good reasons. I wouldn’t have been in this position if I had any other options, but I also didn’t need to torture myself over it, and while there was still a touch of fear lingering in my mind, there was also a hidden thrill.

I was being sold to a stranger who would own me for the night. Someone who would be able to do anything they wanted to me, though the woman who showed me to the room earlier had explained that they weren’t supposed to do anything permanently damaging.

Sucking in deep breaths, I closed my eyes and tried to calm my heart. No matter what happened, I would survive, and Leo had assured me that even though I only got to keep fifty percent of what I sold for, it would be enough to pay my brother’s debt at the least.

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