Page 9 of Erotic Behavior (Observant Behaviors)
“And after the auction?What happens then?”
“Then you will leave with your fiancé and she will leave with hers.”
Everything sounded so final and yet I still hadn’t backed out.We needed this money.Without it, things would be hopeless in a matter of weeks.According to the financial documents, the first wire transfers to pay off my mortgage and Talia’s credit cards would be made in the morning.I couldn’t walk away from that.With the final thought of a possible debt-free life, I picked up the pen and with a shaky hand I signed my name.
“Alright then, that’s it.Nigel will take you to your holding area and then we will get started,” Adeline said as she stood to leave, “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Ms.Wessex.Best of luck in your marriage.”
I watched as the model-like woman exited the room through the large glass doors, then I turned to an overly twitchy Nigel.“Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
“Me?Nothing.I’m all set.Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Come this way.”
We walked down the hallway and into a small darkened room with a large screen on one wall and two chairs in the middle.“This is where you will wait.The cameras will turn on and the bidder… I mean, bidders, will be able to see you.Adeline will run the bidding remotely and will ask you to stand and turn if needed.When it is finished, the screen will go blank and you will meet your owner.”
“Owner sounds a bit creepy.”
“I’m sorry, fiancé?Does that sound better?”
“Not really,” I said, as I took a seat in one of the chairs and waited for Talia, “It’s okay Nigel.You can go.I don’t have any more questions that you will answer.Besides, you look like you want to crawl out of your skin.”
“Very well.It was an honor working with you today, Ms.Wessex.Best of luck with your marriage.”
The door closed behind him and they left me sitting alone with nothing but my thoughts.My personal belongings, which included my cell phone, were all locked away and ready to be transported to wherever I would go after this.I wasn’t in there long when the screen came on.I looked back at the door and panicked at the thought that I would do this alone.Where was Talia?Didn’t they say she was supposed to be waiting here with me?
“Ms.Wessex.please stand.”I heard Adeline’s voice over the speakers and followed her instructions.All I could see on the screen was a reflection of myself.I had no idea who was on the other side and no idea where Talia was.Sweat beaded between my breasts and it was getting hard to think straight.
“Step forward please, and turn.”
I blindly did what I was told, even though nothing about this felt right.
“That’s enough.Please be seated.”
I stood there staring at the screen in front of me.The man who was bidding on me could see me, but I couldn’t see him.My gut told me there was only one.All signs pointed to the fact that this wasn’t as open of an auction as they claimed it was.Whoever the man was that planned to purchase the next five years of my life was somewhere in this building, and they’d locked me in this small room with what felt like no way out.
The screen went dark, and I stood up to check the door.As I expected, it was locked from the outside.If the auction was already taking place, then did that mean that Talia was in a room like this somewhere else?I paced the small space, trying my hardest not to break down and lose it.I hadn’t come this far to fail now.I made an agreement, and I was sticking to it, even if things weren’t going as I imagined they would.The truth was, I had no idea how something like this would really work.These people lived in some kind of fantasy world where money bought everything they wanted, including a wife.Meanwhile, the rest of us had to schlep through life working multiple jobs just to make ends meet.The heels I was wearing were literally killing me, so I went back to sit down.I was never one who liked high heels since I was tall already.But my Doc Martens didn’t really go with my one of a kind dress, so I didn’t make a fuss.I had been wearing them for hours and I couldn’t take much more.I leaned over and undid the strap around my ankle, slipping one off then the other.Without my phone or a clock it was impossible to determine what time it was, but when I heard the knock on the door, I knew the time I had was up.
“Ms.Wessex?”
“Yes.”
“I am here to take you to your new home.”
Mystery Man and a Missing Friend
Raven
“I’msorry.Whoareyou again?”I asked the elderly gentleman, who was carrying my shoes in one hand and opening a door to another oversized black SUV with another.
“My employer is your fiancé.They asked me to pick you up at this location and bring you home.”
“Who is your employer?”
“They have asked me not to share that information.”
“It seems they have asked you a lot of things tonight.”