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“One sixty!” Jeremy yells and sits back, like he has already won, not expecting me to continue.
I narrow my eyes, looking back to the auctioneer. “One seventy?” he asks, and I nod, holding up my paddle once more.
“We are at one seventy, folks. This is a beautiful necklace, one that is sure to be treasured. The Emily’s pink diamonds come from the Kimberly in Australia, the last of their kind now that the Pink Argyle Diamond Mine has closed. The potential for this piece to increase in value over time is significant. This is not just a necklace; this is an investment that can be handed down for generations. Do I have an advance of one seventy?” The auctioneer looks directly at Jeremy, who I can tell is seething, where he sits in his chair. But he remains silent, shaking his head.
He is out. I have won.
“Going once… Going twice… Sold! To Mr. Benjamin Rothschild at table two.” Cheers ring out in the room. Before I can address what I know is going to be pushback from Emily, the auctioneer’s assistant strides over to me a moment later, taps her tablet with my details, and they move on to wrap up the event. With the formalities of the night now over, the music’s back on, and the dance floor comes alive.
Harrison gives me a backslap as he stands, no doubt going to work the room with Beth by his side. Tennyson slides a glass of whiskey in my direction, knowing that I probably need it. I have money. A lot of it. But I have never spent so much on jewelry as I have these past few weeks. My eyes flick to the large diamond shimmering on Emily’s hand before I look back up at her, taking in her expression.
Her face is pale, her eyes slowly blinking, and as she goes to grab her glass of water, it nearly spills due to her shaking hands. She drinks it almost all at once before she places her glass back on the table and meets my gaze.
“That was a lot of money, Ben…” she whispers, her voice quivering.
“It’s a good investment. And it goes to a good cause,” I say, and I give her a small smile. My fingers are still absentmindedly strumming her bare shoulder. I know she feels uneasy, so I move closer to her, pulling her to me.
“It will look stunning around your neck,” I whisper into her ear as I run my nose down her neck, and I hear her intake of breath as she shivers against me.
“Give me your lips, baby.” I feel everyone’s eyes on us, the crowd looking right at me after the arrogant display of wealth. They’re curious about the woman sitting by my side who inspired me to spend an obscene amount of money. And I want them all to know that she’s mine, to have no doubts of where I stand.
She tilts her head up and looks at me, her large eyes shining with emotion, and I tenderly grab her chin. Suddenly, nobody else is around. She’s my only focus.
“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Em. Pretend it’s just us. If the money bothers you, think of who it’s helping.” Her eyes are hard to read as she searches mine, but then she nods in my grip, a tear ready to spill down her cheek as it clings to her lashes. “It’s okay, baby, I got you. It’s just us here,” I whisper to her over her mouth, and she relaxes at my words before I press my lips to hers gently. I want more, much more, but in this room, in front of these people, a quick kiss will have to do.
I hear a throat clearing behind me and turn to see the auctioneer.
“Mr. Rothschild, if you would like to accompany us to the back room, we will process your winnings,” he says with a large smile, one I match.
“I’ll be back in a minute, and then we can go,” I whisper to Em, who still looks like she is in a state of shock as I follow the auctioneer to get things sorted.
I am halfway to the back room when Sasha runs right into me.
“Sasha,” I grit out, not stopping.
“Congratulations, Ben, what a beautiful piece,” she says, her steps quickening as they try to keep up with my stride. I don’t want to talk with her. I don’t want to leave Em at the table without me for any longer than necessary.
“Ben, please, I need to talk to you,” she says, almost out of breath.
“No,” is all I say, as a few people stop me to shake my hand, and I weave my way through the crowd. Only, she’s still right on my heels.
“I just want to tell you what I saw in the bathroom earlier, with your fiancée.” Stopping dead in my tracks, I turn to look at her. She smiles brightly as I stare down at her. It used to make me feel like a king, but now annoys me more than anything.
“What?” I bark.
“Well, you didn’t hear it from me…” she whispers as her eyes dart around, brushing hair over her shoulder.
“What, Sasha?” I growl, ready to walk away.
“I saw Emily with Jeremy Lucas, and they looked rather chummy. I would say that your new fiancée may be an even bigger gold digger than me!” she says, almost in glee, and I snarl. Fucking Jeremy Lucas. He’s a disgruntled ex who needs to stay in his lane. No wonder she was not herself when she came back from the bathrooms. If he had his fucking hands on her to cause that mark on her arm, he is seriously going to regret it. My blood boils at the thought, my heart pounding harder. Whatever chance he thinks he has with Em, he is mistaken, because just like the necklace, she is mine.
“I think you will hold that title for a very long time, Sasha. Excuse me.” I push past her without another word, continuing to the back room to get back to Emily as fast as possible. This night started out perfectly, yet my pleasant mood is now spoiled. Emily is not like Sasha, not at all. I know it deep in my gut. She hasn’t asked for a cent. She won’t even let me pay for lunch. As I look over the auction paperwork and sign the required forms, Harrison’s words ring in my ear.
You have given her a quarter of a million worth of diamonds on her finger…
When my last signature has been scribbled, making the transfer of funds, I can now round that number up, closer to half a million. But it doesn’t even make me flinch. She’s worth it all and more.
I may feel a little unsettled, but we’re going to turn this night around. And we’re going to do that with her wearing nothing but that pink diamond necklace around her neck.
