Original Sins by Faith Summers

10

Evie

Breathe…

You can do this, Evie.

Just breathe and stay calm, and it should be fine.

At least, I hope it will.

One foot follows the other as I walk off the stage with the woman who takes you down to the lounge.

My heart beats a thousand miles per hour as I try to process what just happened.

Georgiou and Henry just bought me for one and a half million. They now own me for a month.

The thing is, I’m not sure what should rattle me more, the money, the fact that it’s them, or the fact that it’s two of them.

Most women just have to worry about losing their virginity to one person or sleeping with one guy.

For me, it’s two. Talk about taboo. This is of the forbidden variety that I’ve only heard Cordelia talk about.

She would have no problem with this. In fact, she’d love it because we’re always talking about Georgiou and Henry. I don’t think a week has ever gone by in my life where we didn’t talk about them.

I remember first seeing Georgiou when I was five, and that thought feels so wrong on all levels because I’m about to be their whore.

Fuck.

We walk into the lounge, which looks just as elegant and sophisticated as the rest of the hotel, with Rococo furnishings and eighteenth-century continental paintings on the wall.

I imagined a different setup with the girls lined up with their buyers and tables where they would sign their contracts.

This isn’t like that, though. There’s actually no one out here.

When the lady leads me into a private room where there’s another woman with bleach-blonde hair dressed similar to Gina, I see why. She sits at a boutique-style table with a document folder in her hands.

The room appears to be a separate lounge area which makes sense for a second viewing and an actual meeting.

It has a sofa area and would almost look like a meeting room if not for the comforting vibe the place carries.

“This is Marie. She’ll talk you through the rest of the contract until your buyers get here,” the woman says with a curt nod of her head.

“Thank you,” I mutter. My mouth is still dry, and because I haven’t spoken in about an hour, there’s a noticeable rasp in my words.

She leaves me with Marie, who takes over and looks me over with scrutiny as if she doesn’t think I’ll be able to last the month with my buyers.

“Congratulations, it looks like you won the jackpot,” she states, but she doesn’t look like she’s actually happy for me.

“Thanks.” I decide to be nice anyway. I don’t have to see her again after tonight.

“You’re aware that anything means anything?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Good, because it does with these two.”

These two.

The way she says that suggests Georgiou and Henry probably do this a lot.

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. I didn’t expect to see them here, least of all find out that they buy women at auctions regularly.

“Have you filled out your bank details yet?”

“Yes, I have.” The money will go into an account Cordelia had set up for me. She has a friend at the bank who made the arrangements. It was done under my new name. Evangeline Montrose.

I kept the first name because it belonged to my mother. I couldn’t imagine changing that and cutting myself off from her too.

I figured since I was going to get married, my surname would change anyway. So that’s not as bad.

“Great. The last thing then is the consent form. It’s the final one you’ll be filling out. It’s like signing in blood, so there’s no turning back once you put ink to paper.” She smiles, but her eyes tell a different story, reminding me of one of the bitches from school. “I suggest you read it thoroughly before they get here.”

“Sure.”

I take it, but I don’t read thoroughly to freak myself out even more than I already am. From what I scanned over, it is similar to the one I signed earlier asking me shit like if I mind anal sex or the use of butt plugs.

It’s best I don’t know specifics.

I sign, and she takes the form from me.

“Great, if you take a seat, they’ll be here in a minute. They like to grab a drink before they check out the goods.”

I don’t like how familiar she seems with them. As if she’s been with them.

Has she?

Nothing surprises me at this point.

I sit on the sofa nearest the window bay and stare outside as I do a mental check of what I’m going to say.

First, I’ll say thank you, and then I’m not sure if what I had in mind will work. I’m too shocked and shaken. The best thing for me to do is play it by ear.

What’s going to be weird is acting like I don’t know the guys. But more than that is everything else I have to worry about.

What if Dad finds out?

He could. If he does, then what?

I’d be so embarrassed and ashamed.

When the door clicks open, my poor heart jumps into my throat, but I summon the courage and look over to the two men who now own me as they stride in like they own the place.

Of course, like every female with eyes, Marie takes them in with unmistakable desire.

While I’m even more taken with them because this would be the closest I’ve been to them, what I saw from far away in my tower was nothing in comparison to the up-close versions.

The up-close versions are a masterpiece, and they’re taller too.

I place Georgiou at six feet four, and Henry may be an inch shorter. The muscle I saw from far away was also distorted, but I wasn’t that much off the mark when I compared Henry to a marine. He really does have a body like that and just looking at him makes my mouth water.

Both of them make my mouth water.

God, is that normal?

Surely I should like one more than the other or something like that, but I feel the same type of arousal for the two of them equally.

I’ve never heard of anyone talking about having feelings for two men at the same time, not even Cordelia.

Sure, some cheat and sleep around and have relationships with everyone, but this is not the same thing.

They stop by Marie first, and while they sign the paperwork, I continue to watch with fascination.

When they’re done, Georgiou looks at Marie and cocks his head toward the door. “You may leave now,” he tells her in a dominant authoritative manner that makes her obey like an obedient servant.

Quickly she gathers the paperwork and leaves, taking her icy personality along with her.

When the door closes, we’re alone.

All alone, and I can’t get my heart out of my throat.