BUY ME (9 page)

T
he past thirty
days have been the best of my life, maybe that’s why a knot forms in my stomach when I see Samantha’s name light up on my phone. Swiping my finger across the screen, I feel the knot tighten.

“Hello,” I say, putting it to my ear.

“Stella, I’m calling to let you know that your final five million has been deposited into your account and your contract is now complete.” That’s Samantha, always straight to the point.

“Hmm. Thank you.” It’s all I can bring myself to say, and it almost sounds like a question. I should be jumping up and down, but the money doesn’t seem to hold the same appeal it once had, maybe because it means our time is over. I have no reason to stay now. Nothing binds me to this place.

“Will you be continuing into another contract with the Cortez brothers, or would you like to do another auction? I have one set for next week.”

“I…I…“ I’m not sure what to say, but I know I won’t be doing another auction. As for another contract with Aaron and Justin, that’s not something I want either, unless it’s one that has us bound by the state of Nevada. They haven’t asked me to stay either. We haven’t really talked much about why am I here. None of us really brought up the auction after the night they took my virginity.

They said they wanted me here, they bid on me so that I would finally give them a chance. They said they had wanted me from the moment they laid eyes on me. But we never talked about what would happen after my thirty days were up. They never said they wanted me to stay beyond that.

This didn’t feel like just some fling. Not with the way they have treated me over the past few weeks. It was like I was their everything. They became mine. Gone were thoughts of the farm, and I haven’t even gotten a call in all the time I was here to bail my father out of some kind of trouble he had gotten himself into once again. Everything has just been so perfect.

The other night I made an off-hand joke about their time almost being up. I was waiting to see if they would ask me to stay, to give a type of reassurance that wasn’t given in the heat of the moment during sex. I’d seen a look of guilt flash across Justin’s face, but before I could call him on it, Aaron had me pinned to the wall, his cock deep inside me, telling me I wasn’t going anywhere. They both fucked me all night until I finally passed out from exhaustion.

That’s what always happened if something about how I got here or my leaving soon was mentioned. It didn't matter where or what we were doing, they’d both be on me in seconds. But now the time has come. I don’t want to go back to the farm, I’d stay here in a heartbeat if they asked me, but they haven't even told me they love me. Maybe I’m moving too fast. It has only been thirty days. Maybe I’ll go back to the farm and they’ll date me? The idea is almost laughable. Them just dating me. We’re so much more than that. But maybe they don’t see it that way. They could be this intense with all their past lovers for all I know. Maybe they don't want to talk about the thirty days being up because they don't want to upset me. Now that look of guilt Justin had the other night sits at the forefront of my mind.

I hear Samantha clear her throat, and I realize I haven't responded to her question.

“No, not another auction. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next,” I tell her, because it’s the truth.

She laughs into the phone. “I mainly called to poke at the Cortez brothers, but I guess they aren't on top of you as I thought they would be.”

I feel myself blush at her words because she has no idea how on top of me they have been, or how on top of them I’ve been, or maybe she does.

“Well then, why don’t you come down here and I’ll put you back up for auction, and you can see how fast they show up.”

I smile at her words. Of course they would. I’m being ridiculous. Aaron would probably have a freaking heart attack if I put myself back up on auction, and Justin would most likely fuck me on the stage just to prove a point. Both of them are extremely jealous when it comes to me.

A few weeks back, Justin ordered room service, and he saw the guy glance over at me, he and Aaron almost lost it. Aaron was telling him to not even look in my direction, and Justin was asking him if he liked his job. I think word got around, because now none of the staff will even make eye contact with me anymore. Brutes.

“I’m staying here,” I say, with more confidence now. I’m letting little doubts cloud my mind and I shouldn’t.

“Of course you are, but if you ever feel like giving them a nice poke, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

“Of course you would.” Samantha is a businesswoman, after all, and she has to be raking it in with her ten percent commission. I’d be easy money for her.

After we say our goodbyes, I grab my purse off the entryway table, remembering last night how we barely made it in the elevator door after dinner before they had me pinned to it. They each took a turn with me, then carried me into the shower where they continued to worship my body.

I was silly to think they would let me go, I shake my head at myself as I push the elevator button. It doesn't matter, because I’m going downstairs to their office, and they are going to tell me where we all stand.

I don’t make it two feet off the elevator, and Natasha is on me. I get the feeling she was waiting for me. She has no other reason to be loitering outside Aaron and Justin’s private elevator. I hadn't even given her two thoughts after Justin told me her story, which makes me grit my teeth just thinking about it.

It’s kind of sad actually, she is very pretty, I don’t understand why she would do such a thing as roofie a man. I don’t think it would be hard for her to get herself a willing rich man to bed her, but I’m guessing maybe her crazy scares them off.

“You!” she snaps, pointing her finger in my face and making me take a step back. “They always get what they want, don’t they?”

I take another step back, trying to get a little distance from her. It’s clear she’s on something. Her eyes are a little wild, and I can smell the booze on her from here—a smell I’m all too used to coming off my own father.

“Who?” I say, trying to playing dumb, looking around to see if I can spot a security guard nearby.

“You know who. The Cortez brothers. They snap their fingers…” She snaps both fingers in the air, and I’m shocked that her bright red fake nails don't pop off at the action. “And just get whatever they want. Like me. They wanted me gone and…” She snaps her fingers again. I keep looking around, hoping to catch someone’s eye because she clearly needs a little help.

“Just like you!”

I snap my eyes back to her, and a smile spreads across her face. Yeah, she’s got my attention now.

“What did you think? They came in and saved the day? ‘Let’s save the poor little farm girl from the Mistress Auctions. We’ll sweep her away and all live happy ever after.’ Is that what you thought? That the Cortez brothers are your knights in shining armor?”

I can tell from the look on her face she knows something I don’t. I want to smack the smug little smirk off her mouth. I should turn, walk away, and not listen to another word she has to say, but I stay rooted to the spot, staring at her. I’m not going to ask what she knows because I can tell she is all too excited to give me the information on her own.

“Who do you think got your drunk of a father into the poker game, hmm? You think he got to sit down at a table like that without someone getting him a seat? Someone like, maybe, the Cortez brothers? The same someone who knew he’d lose, that you’d need a pile of cash in a bad way.”

I feel a lump grow in my throat. I’m not sure I could talk if I wanted to. The dam would break, and I don’t want her to see my tears. No, she’d enjoy them too much.

I feel my mind start to swirl as I try to play back the events and remember how they all unfolded.

“Starting to click together now?” Her snide remark jars my nerves. “Like I said.” She snaps her fingers once again. “The Cortez brothers wanted you and they made sure they got you. Even if it meant throwing Samantha at you. I'm sure she made a pretty penny roping you in for them. Not exactly knights in shining armor, are they? No, just your plain old johns.”

The way she puts it makes it all so dirty now. I can't stand to be here another minute. I push past her, making my way to the exit, her laughter following me. Fuck this. I'm out of here. Fuck them and fuck her.

I almost make it to the glass revolving doors with the Nevada lights shining through them when two figures block my path.

I knew they'd show at any second but I’d hoped I still had a little time. I never make it far off the elevators before one or both of them show up. I'm convinced they have security alerting them of my every move.

“Lucky, what's wrong?” Aaron says, reaching for me, but I step back, out of his reach.

“Fuck,” Justin says, looking past me. He must have spotted Natasha. “Remove her from the property,” he snaps at a security guard standing by the door. He promptly jumps to.

“I'm going to fucking fire someone. She shouldn't have made it in here without being spotted,” Aaron says, irritation on his face.

“Baby, I promise you, anything she said is a fucking lie.” Justin says, looking into my face. “Fuck, don't cry. It breaks my heart.” It's then I realize my face is wet, the tears finally coming. Justin tries to reach for me like Aaron did, but I rebuff him too.

I expect Natasha to fight the guard, to scream and yell, but she doesn't. Maybe because people might be watching. Can actually hear her now. She strolls calmly by with guard escorting her like she just didn't crash my world.

“Did you set this all up?” I ask, squaring my shoulders. I shouldn't be having this fight with them right out in the open, but I really just don't care at the moment. They won't be able to try to distract me like this.

They both blanch at my question, telling me all I need to know because they clearly know what I'm talking about.

“It's not what you think.” Justin is the first to break the silence.

“It's a yes or no question,” I throw back at him.

Aaron just stands there, his face growing hard. He's pissed. Good.

“Yes, but—”

I cut him off, not caring what he has to say.

“Then I'm done here. Our contract is up. I'm free to go.” I go to push past them, but Aaron grabs me by the arm. “I said I'm done here.” I try to jerk my arm free, but he only pulls me closer, leaning down to my ear.

“Well we're not done with you. You think we'd let you go so easily? We'd do all this work to get you here and just let you slip through our fingers? Come on, Lucky, you're smarter than that.”

I glare up at him. I feel Justin move in closer. They are caging me in between them, not caring who can see what’s happening.

“You can't make me stay here,” I say, but it comes out breathier than I intended.

Keep it together, Stella. They tricked you into being here. Made you think they saved you when they orchestrated the trouble in the first place.

Aaron's free hand goes to my stomach, rubbing softly, and then I feel Justin's hand there too.

“You could already be carrying our child. You haven't had your period since you've been here. ” He presses his lips to my ear, his warm breath against my skin. “I would have noticed since we've both been inside you every day, multiple times.”

My body starts to buzz. He's right, I haven't. But I had that IUD, so I couldn't be. Maybe that messes with your periods or something.

“You're wrong.” I whisper my reply, but they both are so close I know they hear me. I'm oddly sad that I'm not. “Samantha had me implanted with birth control.”

Aaron pulls back so he can look me in the eyes, but Justin is the one to speak “I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you.”

Before I can process his words, I’m in Justin’s arms, and he's striding across the lobby of the casino. People part to make way as Aaron bulldozes a path through. I can't even imagine the look he is giving people to make them move so quickly.

“Put me down.” I jerk in Justin's arms, but he only holds me tighter.

“Careful, Lucky. You could hurt the baby if you fall.”

“I'm not pregnant you big…oh! You big…” I search for the right word, “…caveman!” I finally shout, making people turn and look at us.

They both seem oblivious to the attention we’re attracting as they power through to their private elevator.

“I'll be more than happy to remedy that for you.”

“I'm not getting into the elevator with you two, I swear,” I continue, ignoring him trying to be cute. It's what he always does when he says I’m in a mood. But this isn't a mood.

“If you say so, Lucky,” he says, a smile playing on his lips as he strolls into the elevator after Aaron, who still has a hard look on his face. Why is he mad? I'm the one who should be pissed.

They tricked me! Not only that, but they plotted to get me pregnant. I fight the butterflies that take flight in my stomach when I think about all they have done to actually try to trap me and tie me to them.

No. Stella, you're mad. Keep it there.

“And you, drop that pissed look from your face before I smack it off,” I threaten Aaron, who cracks a smile.

“Don’t smile either!” I snap again, making his stupid handsome smile grow bigger.

“I can’t even talk to you two. I hate you both right now.”

“Now you’re just lying, Lucky. You love us,” Justin says, placing a kiss on my cheek.

“Do not.” My words sound childish but I don’t care.

“That’s all right. We love you enough to make up for it.”

Justin’s words make me heart clench. I glance over at Aaron who just stares at him. “I’m sorry you even have to look at me for confirmation of that, Lucky,” Aaron says, taking a step closer to me. “I love you so fucking much. That’s what we’ve been trying to do these past few weeks—make you fall in love with us. To show you how perfect we could be for you. I thought you could tell, I…” He glances up at Justin, “
We
love you more than anything. You’re it for us.”

The elevator dings, the door sliding open to reveal our room. “Put me down.” I can see Justin's reluctance, but he does, and I walk into the living room with both men following me.