Page 83 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

I could tell she was happy with Nadine, who was standing off to the side of the action with Reynolds. “I’m going to the restroom,” I whispered in her ear.

“Okay,” she smiled at me and squeezed my hand. “I thought your parents were nice.”

Oh my God. I hoped she was just being nice. If not, I could never let her walk through a dark alley at night. If she couldn’t sense that both of my parents were about as nice as a pair of barracudas, then she couldn’t be trusted to take care of herself.

I gave her the best smile I could muster and hurried off down a back hallway of the club that led to some private sitting rooms as well as the bathrooms. I’d opened a door to one of the sitting rooms, hoping to find it empty. It was, so I went in and leaned against the wall, happy to have a place to process what I’d just learned.

The door creaked open, and I looked over. I was frustrated to lose my privacy, but when I saw who’d come in, it was so much worse than that.

Gia Santoro sashayed into the room. “Hello, Paolo.”

“Gia.”

I stared at her. What in the world was she going to say? I’d always thought that interaction at Cayenne had seemed alittle… off. Now I knew it had been. She’d known exactly who I was when she got down on her knees in front of me.

Her smile was like the cat who got the cream. She had one over on me, and she knew it. “I wonder what the hospital would think of you being a member at the Salazar’s sex club.”

I gave her a bemused look. “Are you willing to let the public know you’ve been there before?”

“Sure. Why not? If anything, it will make a lot of society men think more highly of me. They’ll think I’m a sex fiend or something. Men like that, right?” She walked her fingers up my chest, and I jerked away from her.

She didn’t care if she outed herself. She wasn’t even from here, and I guess she didn’t have that much to lose. I tried not to show how much what she’d just said affected me, but I knew I’d failed when she laughed. “My God, it’s like you’ve seen a ghost. Don’t worry. It’s not like I’ll tell them.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“If,” she held up a finger, “you do as I say.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity. Fuck!

“What do you want?” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice.

“Jeez. Control your temper, please. I’ll have to tell your parents, too, you know, if you’re not nice. They deserve to know where their golden boy spends his evenings.”

“Just tell me.”

“I want you to date me publicly. You’ll take me out and show me West Bay. I’ll come to the hospital to see you. And…” her smile turned predatory, “you’ll take me to the hospital gala.”

I started shaking my head. “No. Out of the question. I’ll just explain myself to the board before you go to the press.” I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “And if they’re not okay with that, I’ll walk. I’ve made billions off my medical invention anyway. I don’tneedthe job.” I just loved the job, but it was true I didn’t need it, per se.

Gia frowned at my blasé attitude. “Oh, and I’ll have to outyour little girlfriend, too, for being a stripper at the Salazar’s club.”

Oh no. “She’s not a stripper.” I was grasping at straws. How had she found out about Jelly?”

“Stripper, hostess, there’s not much difference. She’s just a glorified sex worker, right?”

“No,” I protested.

“We’ll see if the papers and news shows care enough to check the facts,” she grinned maliciously.

If she went to the press about me, my practice and reputation would take a hit. I might even get fired from the hospital. Ultimately, though, I’d be fine. Jelly? If this came out about her, she’d have a very difficult time finding work as a PA in West Bay. I wasn’t sure how far away from here she’d have to go to leave the truth behind her and be able to find a job.

“You don’t know what you’re doing…”

“I don’t really care as long as we’re together.” She looked at her claw-like nails, studying the polish on them as if we were talking about something of little importance.

“How long do I have to date you?” I said through gritted teeth.

“As long as I decide,” she said smugly. “I’ll be in touch. Ciao.” She wiggled her fingers at me and left the room.