The Auction House Deal: Bought by A Billionaire

Martin stared at me in utter bewilderment.

"I’m sorry," I said. "I know it isn’t funny. It’s just - Roman? You’re talking about my husband."

"But he bought you, didn’t he? At the Auction House?" Martin looked genuinely hurt and confused.

"Well, yeah. But that was to save me. He..."

"Wait a second. He’s the kind of guy that goes to a club that sells women - sells them like cattle - and you’re defending him?"

"It wasn’t like that," I protested. "His friend tricked him into going. When he saw me - don’t you remember him? He was a classmate of Freddie’s?"

Martin shook his head that he hadn’t remembered that.

"Anyway, he saw me, and he took pity on me. He outbid everyone only so he could take me to safety. That’s when I broke a guy’s nose."

I stood up and shadow boxed the movements I gave the guy in the back room that night - a kick to the groin then a shove up his nose.

"Nice work," Martin said. "But I still don’t get it. Why are you still with this guy? Did he force you to stay?"

"No. Well..." I thought about how weird it was how we ended up. "There was this contract. A threat, actually. So we got married on paper so that the Auction House couldn’t resell me. It’s so barbaric." I flopped down on the bed next to him.

"But the truth is, we fell in love." I thought about Roman, and my insides warmed. "He was always a gentleman, but he has a tender side. We discovered we had really great chemistry..."

"Okay, I don’t need to hear about that," Martin sat back, a little embarrassed.

"And he’s so smart and loyal. He let me plan the whole wedding, and we discovered we really got along. As we worked together to take down the Auction House, we fell in love. And then he helped me set up a charity to help other women who find themselves stuck in sex trafficking."

I thought about Kristin and hoped she wasn’t too worried. She had been the one to plan the evening and set up our escape from the bodyguards.

I could only imagine that she blamed herself for my kidnapping. Now that I knew I was safe, I needed to somehow let her know that it wasn’t her fault. I forgave her for her brief moments of deviousness.

"He sounds - but still - he was hiding you. I saw it. You had all these bodyguards, and you couldn’t go anywhere." Martin stood up and started to pace along the bed. I could almost see the wheels in his brain turning, trying to figure everything out.

"We had to lay low. You see, we worked with the FBI to bust the Auction House, made it close down. A bunch of people went to jail. Roman got shot. Did you know you aren’t even the first one to kidnap me?"

"Really?" Martin made a face that showed his disbelief.

"Someone beat you to the punch." I adjusted my legs to make myself more comfortable. "It was all because we were fighting back, and Roman was helping me do it."

Martin walked by the window. He saw the sheet I left by the windowsill that I had been working on when he came back. "What is this?" he asked.

"Well, you just left me here," I said, taking the other end of the sheet. "I had to get you to safety, and quick. I left you food and clothes. I couldn’t risk someone finding you. Remember, I thought Roman was the bad guy." He started to pull out the sheet to look at the letters I started to form.

"Roman isn’t the bad guy, and I racked my brain with any way to get help," I tried to pull the sheet toward me, but Martin pulled back.

"How did you do this? What’s this red stuff?" he asked. "Strawberry juice."

Martin looked at the sheet again and laughed. "Of course you’d figure something out. You were always pretty resourceful."

I pulled the sheet completely from his hands that time, and it fluttered by the window before I was able to wrap it up.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you who kidnapped me. I thought you were dead."

"I understand. It makes me wonder, though - why did you let Dad sell you in the first place? Not that I blame you."

"I know." I blew out a long sigh. "He basically said if I didn’t get up there, he was going to sell Lori. I had to protect her. After it all happened, we told Freddy and Edward. They didn’t want to believe it. But eventually they came around."

"They were always so scared of Dad."

"I know. But I didn’t realize how traumatized they were, too. Dad made them believe all kinds of things and threatened them."

"They just didn’t want to lose Dad’s money. They wanted Dad to like them."

"No. I think you’re wrong about that." I shook my head.

"They didn’t know what else to do. It was hard to forgive them, but we’re on good terms now. They’re all going to be excited to see you."

"I can’t believe all you’ve been through," Martin stood looking at me as if I were some sort of masterpiece of a sculpture.

"You too," I said. "I mean, special forces couldn’t have been easy. Is that why you kept me hidden here for so long?"

"It’s all I know how to do," Martin explained.

I grabbed his hand and threaded my fingers through his. "Everyone will be so excited. I think you’ll love Roman."

I noticed Martin turn a little green at the mention of Roman.

"You don’t have to worry. It’ll be fine. Well - at least when they all get over the shock that you’re not dead."

Martin turned and looked out the window and the traffic below. I saw something catch his eye, but he turned away, trying to hide his reaction.

"Do you remember that time Dad dressed you up for a golf meeting with some big client? He wanted you to impress them, and he made you wear that really short skirt?"

"And I couldn’t putt straight and he got all mad?"

"Yeah." We both chuckled at the memory. "I made sure to be your caddy, making sure your skirt didn’t inch up to high, giving you the correct clubs. Boy, were you terrible at golf." Martin made a phantom golf swing.

"I know," I said. "And it was so hot, the skirt kept sticking to my thighs. It was horrible."

"I knew Dad didn’t treat you right, even then. I wish I would have stood up for you more - I..." I could see the pain and anguish on Martin’s face. He had been my guardian. The one who would look out for me.

I understood then why he had ripped me from that life. He thought he was saving me, but it seemed as if he wanted to atone for not being there all those years.

I could sense that Martin meant well. He did leave me with fresh food and new clothes, after all. And I guess seeing one’s little sister marrying a former playboy under suspicious circumstances might cause some concern.

Still, Martin certainly went overboard. When he decided to do something, he did it all out.

That was obviously how he became involved with special forces. Martin was someone who would take on any challenge and wouldn’t give up.

I loved my brother. Even though I thought he was dead, his memory and the feelings of empowerment that he gave me had stayed inside of me all that time.

"Martin," I grabbed both of his hands in mine. "I don’t want to dwell in the past."

His face seemed like it was about to be ripped off by a grizzly bear, he looked so forlorn. "I’ve missed you so much. I mean, look at you. You’re a woman."

"A married woman at that."

We laughed together.

"It was such a bizarre set of circumstances. I can see how you thought... but one other thing that’s been racking my brain. How did you find all this information out?"

"In due time, in due time." He pulled me in for a great big bear hug, wrapping himself around my body and lifting me off the floor.

When he put me down, we both had a little chuckle. "I remember you used to pick me up like that when we were kids," I said.

"Yep," he responded. "You always seemed to enjoy it."

"I still do."

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"Forgiven and forgotten," I said. "We need to stick together."

That’s when I was able to amble over to the window and look down into the parking lot. I could see Roman down there, and I wanted to pound on the window for his attention.

But one look at Martin’s face told me I needed to sit still.