Page 6 of Billionaire Bad Boy Auction

PORTIA

I was mortified. Completely and utterly mortified. Winning the auction was not in my plans. In fact, my plan had been to avoid the entire event altogether, but Alexis had dragged me in, and now here I was, standing in the middle of a crowded ballroom with all eyes on me.

I had just accidentally bid twenty grand for a date with Dean Jackson. Twenty. Thousand. Dollars.

My stomach churned as the reality of the situation sank in. I didn’t have twenty thousand dollars. I didn’t even have two thousand. My bank account was a sad, empty wasteland after my failed attempt at making it big in New York. And now, thanks to a sneeze, I was on the hook for a date I didn’t even want with a man who clearly didn’t want me either.

I immediately scrambled for a way out. I couldn’t let Dean Jackson think I was desperate enough to spend money—money I didn’t have—to go on a date with him. And more importantly, I couldn’t afford to actually pay for it. I needed to fix this fast.

I stepped away from Dean after a million camera flashes went off in our faces. I saw the expression in his eyes. He thought this was funny, the jerk. It was anything but.

I made a beeline for the event organizers, my heels clicking loudly against the polished floor. “Excuse me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “There’s been a mistake. I sneezed. It’s the bubbles. Champagne always makes me sneeze. I didn’t actually bid. You have to know that. Is there any way to undo this?”

The woman behind the table gave me a sympathetic smile, but her tone was firm. “I’m sorry, but the rules are clear. No refunds, no backing out. Once the gavel falls, the bid is final.”

My heart sank. “But I can’t afford this. I didn’t even mean to bid!”

She shrugged apologetically. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. You’ll need to work it out with Mr. Jackson.”

Work it out with Dean Jackson? The man who had looked like he wanted to bolt off that stage before the auction even ended? The man who had glared at me like I’d personally offended him by existing? Yeah, that was going to go over well.

As if on cue, I felt a presence behind me. I turned to find Seth Jackson, Dean’s asshole younger brother and my ex from high school, grinning at me like the Cheshire Cat. “Well, well, well,” he said, amused. “Portia Watson, bidding on my big brother. Who would’ve thought?”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “This isn’t funny. I didn’t bid on him. It’s a mistake.”

“Oh, it’s hilarious,” he shot back, clearly enjoying himself. “You’ve always had a thing for the Jackson brothers, haven’t you?”

Before I could throw my drink at him, Alexis appeared at my side with a goofy grin. “I mean, he’s not wrong,” she said, smirking. “You did just buy yourself a bad Jackson boy.”

“I didn’t buy anything!” I protested, my voice rising. “This was a mistake! I sneezed! Does no one know the difference between a sneeze and a bid?”

“An expensive mistake,” Seth added, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Dean’s going to love this.”

I groaned again, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I needed to fix this and fast. Before I could begin to formulate a plan, I felt a hand on my arm. I turned to find Dean standing there. His expression told me nothing of what he was really thinking. Was he pissed? Amused? Irritated? His eyes were locked on me once again. His square jaw set in a hard line.

“Portia,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “We need to talk.”

My heart skipped a beat. This was it. This was my chance to explain, to apologize, to beg for mercy. I opened my mouth to plead my case, but before I could get a single word out, Dean cut me off.

“You wanted a date with me, sweetheart?” he said, his tone sharp and challenging. “Be at my shop tomorrow at six.”

I blinked, stunned. “Wait, what? No, I⁠—”

“Six o’clock,” he repeated, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. “Don’t be late.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there like an idiot. I stared after him, my mind racing. What just happened? Did he seriously just command me to show up at his shop? Who did he think he was?

Alexis, of course, found the whole thing hysterical. She burst out laughing as if this was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. “Oh my God,” she wheezed. “He just… he just owned you.”

I shot her a glare, but it was no use. She was too far gone, lost in a fit of laughter.

I groaned. “This is a nightmare,” I muttered. “A complete and utter nightmare. This is why I never drink champagne. If they would have offered a decent glass of wine or a stupid beer, I would not be in this mess.”

“Is it really a mess?” she teased. “Or a chance to have some fun?”

I glanced over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of Dean and Seth talking. “It’s a huge fucking mess.” I glared at Alexis, who was still laughing like a hyena. “This isn’t funny,” I hissed, though my voice had lost some of its earlier conviction. “I’m twenty thousand dollars in the hole because of a sneeze. A sneeze, Alexis!”

She wiped a tear from her eye, still grinning like this was the best day of her life. “Oh, come on, Portia. It’s not every day someone accidentally buys a date with Dean Jackson. This is gold. Pure comedy gold.”