Page 53 of Tangled Roses
CHAPTER 31
ELLIE
Iwant to leave. This life isn’t for me and Arman Romanov isn’t for me either. He’s made it perfectly clear where I stand with him, and being his paid whore isn’t what I pictured doing with my life. I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t even get to have the fun associated with that. It appears he wants to lock me in his penthouse to bring me out to play to his tune.
I’m done.
I’m done with trying to help him and I’m done with this sordid world my mother is involved in.
I battle the tears that reveal my weakness and head for the nearest exit, but a woman stands in my way looking anxious.
“Hey, can I have a word?”
I stare at her in surprise, noting how worried she looks.
“Oh, please help me, honey.”
“How?”
She is holding a clipboard and beckons me over before pulling me to one side, away from the crowds.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking you this, but I was told you were here, well, on business and I wondered if you fancied earning some extra money.”
I’m mortified as she appraises me and my face burns as she smiles. “Word is you are here in a professional capacity and please forgive me if I’ve got that wrong, but to be honest, a few of the girls aren’t either and are doing this for the adrenalin rush.”
“Doing what?”
Despite my mortification, I am curious and she says quietly.
“The charity auction. There are many lots to bid on, and the most popular one includes bidding on a person.”
“I don’t think–”
I shake my head and she says quickly, “Oh, nothing bad, honey. I mean, there are men taking part as well. It’s just a bit of fun. For example, it includes a socialite who will auction herself for an evening on board her daddy’s boat with canapés and her company. There’s a wealthy bachelor who is offering a dinner date and there is another man who many consider the catch of the season, offering to escort a woman to the opera. It’s all harmless fun and yet we are short of one lady. The program has been drawn up and I need someone to agree to um–” She peers at her clipboard. “Bidder’s choice.”
“What does that mean?”
She shrugs.
“They get to choose, but you can rest assured it will involve a public place and no private arrangements. It’s in the contract they sign.”
She glances at her phone and her eyes widen. “Eek, oh my God, they are about to start. Please help me out, honey, it’s for charity after all and if you don’t like it, you can always decline the offer. Mind you, the charity would suffer because they would withdraw their bid, but it happens.”
I notice a man move in front of the exit, scanning the crowd, and my heart sinks. I recognize him as one of Arman’s men and realize my grand escape probably won’t happen, and the anger churns away inside me. Fuck him and his games. He has made it obvious what I am to him, so why not play him at his own game?
“Okay.” I say suddenly, spurred on by anger and resentment.
“You will?” Her face brightens, and she ticks one item off her list with a flourish and says with relief, “Thank God. Come with me, we don’t have long.”
As I follow her through a staff exit, I am powered on by resentment. Fuck Arman and fuck Burning Roses. Fuck my mother and fuck Mr. Reese who started all of this in the first place. I make my own decisions and there is nobody in my life now who cares enough to stop me and I can do whatever the fuck I want to, include swearing in public if that is what I want to do.
I head into a room where there are many men and women chatting and my heart sighs with relief. I recognize a few of the people from the ballroom and they appear to be having fun and treating this as an adventure, which tells me it’s above board, just as the woman told me.
I sense some curious glances and smile at an attractive woman who heads toward me.
“Hey, I’m Sindy. I saw you with Arman, you lucky girl.”
“Hey, Sindy. Ellie.”