Page 34 of Bid For Me
I click my tongue. This is what it’s come to? I can’t even breathe without getting dragged into the mud. How do they know about the engagement ring though, I wonder.
My father’s face is turning redder by the second, and I know this is about to blow up in ways I’d rather not deal with. I glance back at him, trying not to laugh because I know that’ll make it worse.
“Why the hell are you out whoring around, eh?” he demands, his voice dripping with disgust. “You’ve bought an engagement ring, and now you’re gallivanting around like some bloody bachelor. What kind of example is that, Sebastian? What’s your fiancée going to think of this? You’re embarrassing yourself, son. And more’s to the point, you’re embarrassing me.”
I bite down on my tongue to stop myself from saying something I’ll regret. It’s all too much, all too bloody much.
Then he drops the bomb.
“I want to meet her. I don’t care if it’s the weekend, I want to meet this woman you’re supposed to marry. And you need to get your act together. No more of this nonsense. If I see one more headline about you, I’ll cut you off, engagement or not.”
His words hit me like a punch in the gut. The stress of it all builds up in my chest, tightening. My pulse is racing, making my hands tremble, just slightly. The idea of being cut off – it’s not new, but it still gnaws at me, making everything feel ten times worse.
He doesn’t give me a chance to respond before he’s storming out, yelling back over his shoulder. “Get your shit together, Sebastian, or it’s over. The engagement, the money, everything. You won’t get another penny from me.”
The door slams behind him, and I’m left standing there, staring at the paper. I don’t even want to read the article, but I can’t help myself. My eyes move across the page, and I can already feel the tension mounting in my neck, in my back.
I skim it quickly. They’ve got the details all wrong, of course. The whole thing’s a mess. Some photos of me with a few women, having drinks, looking friendly. But being friendly isn’t what the paper’s are after. No, it’s always got to be something more scandalous.
My stomach churns, and I toss the paper down. This isn’t just about the headline. It’s about everything I’m trying to keep together and the fact that my father doesn’t trust me. Never has, never will.
I need to do something, anything to get this out of my system. I can feel the tension building, pressing down on me, pushing all my thoughts into a tight, angry knot.
It’s been a while, but I know where I need to go.
Tonight, I’m going to do more than just meet Asher to talk business at the club. I’m going to scene.
It’ll release some of the pressure, if only for a few hours.
Because if I don’t, I’m going to snap.
The club is busy tonight, the usual crowd filling the air with chatter and music, but my mind’s elsewhere. It’s been a long day – too long considering I’ve only been up a few hours – and I need something to take the edge off. The kind of night where I’m just here to unwind, play, and forget about everything.
But of course, it’s never that simple. Asher wants to meet tonight. And when Asher Sullivan asks to meet, you don’t say no. Especially not when I need him so badly.
I make my way through the crowd, finding him easily. He’s sitting in one of the quieter corners of the club, sipping a drink and looking like he’s ready to get down to business. The man always carries himself with an air of control. Nothing slips past him.
I walk over, and Asher doesn’t need to look up to know I’m here. He gives a brief nod, acknowledging my presence before speaking. “Sebastian. Glad you could make it.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I reply, sliding into the seat across from him. “What’s so urgent you needed to drag me here?”
Asher’s calm, calculating gaze meets mine, his sharp green eyes assessing me like he’s reading every thought in my head. “I’ve been thinking about our last conversation. I want to discuss a few things. You’ve got some ideas I’m interested in.”
I raise an eyebrow. “My ideas? Thought you had a plan for this.”
He chuckles, a low, smooth sound. “I always have a plan, but I want to hear yours first. Your thoughts, your proposals. I want to know what you’rereallyoffering.”
The way he’s looking at me, like he’s sizing me up for a deal, makes me realise he’s already got a direction in mind. He’s letting me talk first. That’s how he works – he’ll let you lay your cards out, and then he’ll see if it’s worth his while.
“Well,” I begin, leaning forward slightly, “I’ve got a project I’m considering. It’s a bit of a gamble, but if it pays off, it could open up some serious doors for both of us. I’m not interested in the family business, so my shares could be offered up as collateral if things were to go sideways.”
Asher listens, his eyes narrowing as I explain the outline of my plan. I’ll admit, I reached out to him because I don’t have the unique connections he does in order to get the job done, but in terms of offering him something to sweeten the deal, it’s easy to come up with on the spot. The details come easy to me– numbers, projections, timelines – all the things I know he’ll want to hear if he really wants a share in the business once we’re done. But I’m holding back a bit. I know Asher’s not the type to jump in without knowing all of the risks. He’ll need to see the full picture before he makes any decisions about coming on board.
When I finish outlining the proposal, there’s a long pause. Asher takes a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving mine. I’m waiting for him to respond, but he’s making me sweat it out a little.
Finally, he sets his glass down and leans back, folding his arms. “Interesting,” he says, his voice cool and collected. “But you’re right – it’s risky. And you know I don’t like to take unnecessary risks unless the potential reward is worth it. What else do you have?”
I don’t hesitate. I’ve got more up my sleeve, ideas that could make this venture work even with the risk factor. The key is being able to convince him it’s worth the gamble. Because if I could pull this off, it could get me out from under my father’s control once and for all.