The woman shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. We’re all jumping headfirst into an arranged marriage to the highest bidder. The man, or woman depending on what your preference is, could be a psycho. But that’s part of the risk we take, right?”
I nodded but didn’t say anything. She had a really good point—one that had plagued my thoughts every night of the last week. What if I was chosen by someone who liked to beat his woman into marital submission? Or maybe the guy would be a freak who wanted to do scary, weird sex things I’d never heard of or even seen? What would happen if I said no to something sexually?
Madam Alana had made it clear in the interview process that the participating men were in good standing, uber-successful, wealthy, and had also been vetted. She claimed that bidders would only get to bid on candidates who matched their sexual preferences. To me that meant all the bases had been covered, but we were all entering into unchartered territory. We had no clue what would actually happen once we were chosen.
“What did you say your name was?” I asked the woman.
“Jade Lee of Lee International Imports, Beverly Hills,” was her introduction.
“Whoa!” I blurted, shock fueling my response. “Aren’t you rich already? There’s a Lee International Imports store in every city. Why the hell are you here?”
Jade squinted, and her bow-shaped lips twisted into a snarl. “It’s none of your business. It’s none of anyone’s business why we are here or what we are willing to do in our personal lives. My circumstances are my own, and I don’t wish to share them.”
I watched as Ruby put her hand over Jade’s since she was sitting next to her. “No worries, Jade. You don’t have to say nothin’。 No one here is judging or should be judging anyone…” Her gaze snapped to me, and I felt like a complete heel.
“I’m sorry, Jade. That was rude of me.” I sighed, trying to pull my foot out of my mouth. “It surprised me that someone who I thought might not need the money would be here. I truly am sorry.” I swallowed, pushing down that ugly, judgmental side of myself. I didn’t used to be that way. Being on the run had changed me.
“Apology accepted. Perhaps later, when the situation isn’t so raw, I will feel open enough to expand upon my experiences.” She looked down at her hands. It seemed Jade had a backbone but had been beaten down by something she did not yet want to share.
Savannah nodded. “And we’ll be here for you. Guys, we are the only people in the world who know about what’s happening tomorrow night. Provided we all get chosen, and I truly believe we will, we need to have one another’s backs. Our nondisclosure agreements and contracts are ironclad. We can’t tell anyone how our marriages came about or that we’ve been sold in an auction. It would forfeit our deposit, and I’m certain none of us want to risk that.”
Everyone around the table nodded quietly, but she continued. “We also have to consider what would happen if word got out to the media. I imagine it would be a hit to Jade’s family business—as it definitely would be to ours. The McAllister name means something where we come from, and if any of our business associates got wind of The Marriage Auction, we’d be at risk for losing it all. Honor and our good name are everything in our neck of the woods.”
“She’s right, y’all.” Dakota backed her sister. “We’re in this for at least three years with the possibility of longer if the matches are good ones, or we fall in love with our partners. Having one another to lean on when things get hard will be a welcome respite from the secrets.”
I nodded. “Let’s exchange cell phone numbers. At least then we won’t be alone in all of this.” I could barely believe my ears at my suggestion. I hadn’t had a new friend in four years. Friends were dangerous. It meant building attachments. And when you lived on the go, there was no room for attachments.
“Yeah!” Savannah chirped, happy as a clam. Her sister nodded in agreement, as did Jade and Memphis.
Ruby frowned as she replied, “I only have a pre-paid phone, but I’ll get a new one with my deposit and send you all the number. I’ll write all of yours down on a piece of paper if that’s okay.” She looked down and away as though ashamed.
Savannah reached out across the table. “I only just got a phone before I went to college. It’s okay. You’ll text when you can, right?”
Ruby nodded avidly. “Thanks, Savannah. I’m really happy to have all of you in my corner. I’ve only ever had my sister. It’s really nice to know we’re not alone.”