Page 55 of Secret Offer
My mind wanders back to Blair. She texted me several times today, but I haven’t responded. I didn't answer her call, either.Not because I’m a coward, but because I have to cut her off once and for all so she can move on with her match. And her life. But the look on her face when she saw me with Daisy last night won’t get out of my head.
Why the hell did I let myself get in so deep?
And why do I feel so damn guilty when I know I did the right thing? The necessary thing. By the time I return to the island, she and her parents will be gone—and her auction will be over, too. There’s no chance of either one of us ruining things if we’re not within a thousand miles of each other.
Fisting my hands, I slide them off the table and into my lap. I regret nothing. I had to leave. Blair was falling for me hard. I had to put a stop to it. She deserves the kind of man who can take care of her, and I’m not going to be the prince charming she runs off with before her auction date.
Her father confided in me during one of our initial interviews that he won’t rest until he knows she’s happily settled. Her mother feels the same; she’s utterly fixated on ensuring her only daughter is safe, provided for, and comfortable for the rest of her life. Now that I know about the daughter they lost, it makes sense why they feel so strongly about finding a match for Blair.
She needs to follow through with the auction and step into her future with her new husband. At the end of the day, she’ll realize it’s what’s best for her, and everyone will be happy. My business will have earned its hefty fee and an impressive commission, and I’ll get on with my life.
Most of the men vetted for our auctions are looking to marry into a good business deal and not necessarily for love. They all have money. They're looking to preserve their fortunes and their legacies, maybe make a new family connection that can leverage their business or open new doors. It's a smart move. Not marrying for love, but for mutual benefit.
"…Sebastian? Sebastian? Hey, Argos."
"What?"
Nate shoots me a look. "I asked how it was going with the Tisdales? The clients you were supposed to be working with this week, until you jetted off the island to come here for no reason?"
Asshole. Of course he'd ask about them. Leaning back, I take another sip of scotch to steady myself. The last thing I want to do right now is talk about the Tisdale match.
"Everything is going as planned. I wouldn’t have left the island if there were any issues," I lie.
"Glad to hear it,” Nate says. “Having the Tisdale girl happily matched is exactly the leverage I’ll need to sway the Barclays if I can't get them to commit soon."
While we never divulge the names of our clients, we do share pertinent information about them with potential new clients to spark interest and establish confidence in our track record. Letting them know that the owners of a major sports team have utilized our services to successfully marry off their daughter will go a long way.
“Understood,” I say, my guts churning.
“She’ll be one of our top earning auctions this season,” Becker says. “You should meet with her matches and start ramping up the competition between them. Nothing like a little good-natured rivalry to get those final bids up.”
He’s brainstorming out loud and I want to throat-punch him. At the same time, I know what he’s saying makes sense. I wish I could move her auction date up sooner so I could put this whole thing behind me. Once she’s married, she’ll be completely off limits and out of my mind for good.
“Let’s see the Barclay girl.” Theo grabs Nate’s laptop and pulls up a photo of Piper Lily Barclay on the web browser, then turns the screen toward us. She’s beautiful, obviously, but in a purposeful, calculated way. Sophistication and wealth radiate from her cool gaze, and there’s not a single glossy hair out ofplace on her head. If you ask me, she looks like an ice queen. She can’t hold a candle to Blair.
“We should place a bet,” Theo says. “Which one will go for more? Barclay or Tisdale?”
Blair’s photo pops up next to Piper’s and my chest goes tight. Her smiling eyes and full lips call out to me. I know exactly how that mouth tastes, how the pulse in her throat beats faster when we fuck.
“Cut it out,” I growl, closing the laptop. “We’re professionals, Theo, not bookies.”
“Leave it to Sebastian to ruin the fun,” he grumbles.
My partners discuss a few more clients, I give Becker a quick rundown on the next set of matches flying in next week, and then Theo takes over to discuss the financials in detail. Glancing around the club, I fight the urge to bolt. The impulse is so strong that my legs twitch. I don’t want to be here.
Tossing back the last dregs of my drink, I stand and clear my throat.
“I have something to take care of. If you’ll excuse me.”
No one questions me as I leave. I don’t have a destination in mind, I just know that I have to get away from this meeting. Coming back early was a mistake, but I couldn’t stay on the island and risk partaking in any further indiscretions with Blair.
As soon as I step inside the elevator, I take out my cell and reread her messages. Then I make myself delete them without sending a reply. Hopefully the radio silence will send a clear message—that our fling was just that and nothing more.
But if that’s true, why can’t I deny the fact that if I were given the chance, I’d do it all over again?
23
BLAIR
