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CHAPTER1
Liam
She’sall legs and innocence. And I want those legs wrapped around my shoulders while I drive into her.
“One hundred thousand dollars,” I call out. Audible gasps come from the crowd sitting around the white linen–covered tables.
There is no price I won’t pay for Aria Finley.
In the grand ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, the rich and famous have come out tonight in support of the Los Angeles Pediatric Hospital. Though the one person here tonight holding my attention isher.
Aria stands upon the stage, a stunning brunette wearing a fitted black dress. Her intelligent blue eyes are fixed on me, seemingly completely unsurprised that I went from zero to a hundred thousand dollars for her. Though I’m not surprised by that either. She’d likely anticipated when she entered the charity auction that I would not only bid on her for a weekend date but that I would win.
Because that’s what I do. I win.
By the slight curve of her mouth, I assume she wants me to outbid the competition.
“One hundred thousand dollars from Liam Maxwell,” the female auctioneer announces into her microphone, pointing toward me, sitting at the back of the ballroom. “Do I hear one hundred and ten thousand?” A pause. “One hundred and five thousand?” Another pause.
I sip the scotch from my glass, savoring the burn in the back of my mouth before placing the glass down. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a warm romantic glow over the crowd. Every pair of eyes is pinned on me, most in attendance are sitting at the edge of their seats in anticipation.
“Going once,” the auctioneer says. “Going twice.” She drops the hammer down on the podium, indicating the sale is complete. “Sold for one hundred thousand dollars. Congratulations go to Mr. Maxwell in the back.”
Rounds of applause and piercing whistles follow, likely more in support of the large donation I made to the hospital than the fact that I’ve won the date with Aria this weekend.
I lift my glass to Aria and arch a single eyebrow. My gesture isn’t an acknowledgment of our arrangement but a promise that this will be a weekend she’ll never forget. Her sexy smile in response twitches my cock, reminding me that she’s worth every damn penny I spent tonight.
Over the course of three years, I’ve jerked off too many times, imagining her pouty lips sliding up and down my dick, those bright, intelligent eyes of hers on mine. I curse at the tightness of my pants, shifting against my seat, my cock far too eager to wait any longer. When I blow inside Aria the first time, I’m going to make it goddamn memorable.
“You fucking prick.”
I smile at the raw anger in the low voice before turning toward my competition in the game of corporate law, Jackson Keller. Where my feautres are dark, his are light. His stormy green eyes are narrowed on my face, features tight, matching the hardness of the gel spiking his dirty-blond hair. Our builds are similar, muscular and fit, and I imagine if we fought it’d be an evenly matched fight. His suit is impeccable, showing his excessive wealth. I should know, we use the same tailor. There’s more between us than my winning a date with his assistant. We were once friends. Roommates in law school, in fact. Until Sophia Flynn.
He won her.
I lost.
Our friendship had been the price.
“Is there a problem?” I ask smoothly.
“Do you really want to play this game, Liam?” he growls through clenched teeth.
I arch a brow, leaning back against my chair, staying perfectly calm, which I know will annoy him. “I’m here to support a good cause. That’s what this is.”
“Bullshit.” He slams a hand down against the table, leaning in closer toward me. “You only bought Aria to get at me. You have no business going anywhere near her.”
I take a quick look around, noticing people are glancing in our direction now. I frown, not wanting any attention. “You’re wrong.” I meet his fiery gaze. “My buying Aria tonight has absolutely nothing to do with you.” Much to my dismay, I had to go this route because of Aria’s loyalty to Jackson. As opposing corporate lawyers, we often end up in meetings together. Meetings where Aria is there, too. From day one, for three goddamn years, I have wanted to get her beneath me. Maybe at first the attraction came from her being Jackson’s assistant. Perhaps I wanted to take something from him like he took something from me. Though over the years, my vengeance lessened and my interest became all about Aria.
She’s walking seduction. And Iwillfuck her until we’re both exhausted. “I bought Aria because she’s a lovely woman, and I’ll enjoy spending the weekend with her,” I clarify, swirling the ice in my glass. “You know my interest in her is not new. You also know that the interest is reciprocated.”
Jackson’s nostrils flare, eyes burn with fury. “You’re taking what doesn’t belong to you, Maxwell.”
My back straightens like a steel rod. “You think Aria belongs to you?”
“Stop it right now, the both of you.”
I glance in the direction of the soft voice, finding Aria standing off to the side of the table, arms crossed. Heat rips through me just that easily. I rise, not only to greet her but to ease the tightness of my pants around my hardening cock. That’s what she does to me. She makes me fucking crazy. “The problem herein lies with Jackson, not I,” I explain.
