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Alex nods. “It wasn’t kept from me when I was a child.”
“That must have been odd to know that at such a young age.”
There’s a pause as Alex watches me. “It’s all I ever knew.” His brow furrows a little. “Never really thought of it as odd.”
My jaw clenches as I realize I’m the minority of people here who believe their businesses are morally wrong. “And you never thought it was wrong?”
He smiles. It’s a wicked smile. “Of course, but I was never taught to have a moral code.”
I swallow hard. My dad always ensured I knew right from wrong, even if he worked for bad people. On the other hand, Mom didn’t care how she got her money as long as there was a lot of it.
“You seem distracted. Is something bothering you?”
“No, I’m just in my head. It’s crazy that I will be sold in less than two weeks.”
He leans back, scrutinizing me with a seriousness I find unnerving. “I assume you aren’t a willing participant of this auction? Your stepdad forced it upon you?”
The mention of Remy makes my heart beat so loud I’m sure he can hear it. “I didn’t choose to be sold, if that’s what you mean. No. Do any of these girls?” I ask, glancing around the restaurant.
Alex nods. “Most expect it from a young age. I guess you stumbled into this world. How did you adjust?”
I remain silent for a moment, searching for the right words. “I... I don’t know. I’m not sure I have adjusted.”
He squeezes my hand. “I can help you. If you were my wife, I’d care for you and help you adjust.”
I like Alex, and marrying him is my best option. “I hope you do win me, but the amount of money Remy expects for me is ridiculous.”
He arches a brow. “Ten million is the reserve. You’ll go for far more than that.”
I shake my head. “Why pay so much? Surely you can find a wife without an auction?”
He nods. “I could, but she’s unlikely to have the connections the girls here have.”
“So it’s all business?” I don’t appreciate that Alex is interested in me solely because I can give him power.
“It was, but then I met you.” He smiles, and my stomach flutters. “And you’re something special. A beautiful gem.”
I give him a skeptical look. “Right, does that line work on all the girls?”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound cheesy.”
“You know, I tried to run away before the first auction dinner.”
He looks surprised that I’m telling him this. “What happened?”
“That’s why Remy froze my bank account. He knew I’d purchased plane tickets and was intending to run. I had no money to make my escape.” I clench my jaw as I remember the way I’d intended to confront him and ended up coming on his face.
“Makes sense now why he froze your account to be fair, but that must have pissed you off.”
I nod but the heat at the memories of our time in his office makes me feel like I’m on fire. “Yeah, it’s just hard to accept.”
“Would being married to me be that bad?”
I tilt my head. “That remains a mystery. Would you control everything I do?”
“No, you’d have as much freedom as you desired. I don’t intend to lock my wife up. You’ll be my queen, Ella.” His ice-blue eyes dazzle with fire, and I wish I felt more excitement about being made a queen by this charming man.
“Then I think I would be lucky to marry you.”
