Page 23 of Auctioned To Be Mine

“No one was hurt.”

“That’s not the point!” I was practically vibrating with anger now. “You treated an entire restaurant full of people like props in your little escape plan. None of us mattered as long as you got what you wanted.”

“It was just a prank.”

“A prank?” I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “A prank is putting salt in the sugar bowl. What you did was create a legitimate emergency situation because you couldn’t be bothered to just end a date like a normal person. Coward. Absolute fucking coward.”

He straightened up, his expression shifting from amused to defensive. “Okay, look, I know it sounds bad but I’m not a coward.”

“It doesn’t just sound bad. It is bad.” I took a step toward him, jabbing my finger in his direction. “You know what that little prank cost me? My dress. A dress I couldn’t afford to replace. And my shoes were completely ruined. I’m sure other diners had ruined clothes. Phones. Not everyone has a billion dollars in the bank!”

“I’ll buy you new ones.”

“I don’t want you to buy me anything!” I threw my hands in the air. “I don’t want your money or your half-assed apologies. Just be a decent human. I’m guessing that’s too much to ask from someone like you.”

His jaw tightened. “Someone like me?”

“Rich. Entitled. So used to getting exactly what you want that you don’t even consider how your actions affect other people.” I couldn’t stop myself. “You knocked me over and didn’t apologize. You set off a fire alarm and flooded an entire restaurant. And now you’re standing here trying to make it sound like it was all just harmless fun. Worse, it’s your default for getting out of an uncomfortable situation. My God. Grow the fuck up!”

I turned toward the door. “I have an auction to run. One that you’re participating in, whether you like it or not. If a fire alarm goes off, I’m telling the police it was you.”

I yanked the door open and stormed out, my heels clicking against the concrete floor with each angry step. He said something but I ignored him. If I looked at him again, I might actually throw something.

I made my way back to the main backstage area, my mind racing. The audacity of that man. The absolute, infuriating audacity.

Well, two could play at that game.

An idea started forming in my mind. It was petty. It was probably beneath me. But the more I thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. If Callum Blackwell wanted to treat people like pawns in his little games, then maybe it was time someone gave him a taste of his own medicine.

I scanned the backstage area, looking for one specific person. It didn’t take long to spot her. Chantilly was near the refreshment table, filming herself drinking what looked like sparkling water. The peacock on her head bobbed with each movement.

Callum Blackwell was going to pay.

9

CALLUM

Istood backstage with Drew, watching the chaos unfold through the gap in the curtain. My brother was practically bouncing on his heels like a kid waiting for his turn on a roller coaster.

“This is going to be great,” he said, grinning ear to ear.

“Your definition of great is severely skewed,” I muttered.

“Come on. Live a little. When’s the last time you let loose and had fun?”

“I have fun.”

“Sitting in your empty mansion drinking expensive whiskey alone doesn’t count as fun.”

I shot him a look. “I don’t drink alone.”

“You literally texted me yesterday that you were having a nightcap. Alone. In your big empty house.”

“Helping out with the store has taken up all my extra time,” I said, shrugging. “And we launched the wedding company before that. I suppose it has been a while since I’ve let loose.”

I turned my attention back to the stage. Another bachelor was being introduced—some guy who owned a chain of gyms. The women in the audience were already getting loud.

“There’s at least two women out there I don’t want to see,” I said.