Surprise Bidder

It was myself I was angry at that day, but I took it out on her. The mistake was mine, yet I put all the fault on her and punished her harshly for it. No wonder she can’t look me in the eye. She probably resents me now.

I hear a knock on the door.

“Come in,” I say, expecting Sylvia, my assistant, to put some documents on my desk before she goes home for the day.

Instead, I hear a silkier voice.

“Working late?”

I turn my head to see Fiona walking towards me. I’m not particularly surprised to see her. She’s been in my office before, both for business and to discuss Club matters. As always, she strides in like it’s her office and takes her seat on one of the oversized armchairs like a queen on a throne.

“You know it.” I finish the rest of my whisky in a gulp. “Drink?”

“Do you have anything other than whisky?” she asks as she crosses her legs.

I refill my glass from the decanter on the shelf. “If you wanted a ladies’ drink, you should have gone to a bar.”

Fiona frowns. “You’re the one who offered me a drink. Besides, I wasn’t asking for a ladies’ drink. Those are for ladies. I’m a woman.”

That she is. A strong, independent woman, even more so now that her husband is gone and she has to run his company and her own all by herself. Attractive, even, for those who prefer aquiline noses, wide mouths and a moderate amount of makeup- oh, and an aversion to dust and dirt that requires the constant wearing of gloves- which I don’t.

“And what exactly do women drink?” I ask.

She shrugs. “Vodka?”

I open the cupboard and grab the bottle of vodka. I pour a generous amount in a glass and hand it to her.

“Thank you.” She brings it to her lips.

I sit on the chair opposite hers. “So, what brings you here?”

She takes a few gulps of the vodka before setting the glass down on her lap. “I wanted to see you, I guess. I haven’t seen you in a while, not since that meeting Elias called.”

My eyebrows crease. Was she there?

“At least, I would have seen you there if I had been called, but of course it’s for candidates for the Council only, which I believe only male members of the Club qualify for.”

I swirl the liquid in my glass. “If women were allowed, believe me, you’d be the first to be considered.”

Fiona grins. “I believe so, too.”

I take a gulp of whisky and let the alcohol burn a fresh trail down my throat. “So you know about Lawson?”

Another grin. “Darling, I know everything.”

Of course she does.

“In fact, I even know you’re not interested in joining the Council,” she adds as she picks up her glass of vodka. “Why not? Wouldn’t you like to be the one making the rules instead of following them? If you get on the Council, you can get away with practically anything, protect anyone.”

I frown because I know who she’s referring to, who I failed to protect. Why on earth has she been coming up so often lately?

“Who told you I’m not interested?” I ask her in an effort to change the topic. “Reed?”

He’s the only one I can think of.

Fiona shrugs. “Does it matter?”

I guess not.

“So are you or are you not?” she asks me.

“If I had to choose between the two, then I am,” I answer after a thoughtful pause and another gulp of whisky. “But I’m not too keen on it, definitely not as keen as others.”

Like Reed.

Fiona nods. “I see.”

I set my empty glass down. “Is that what you came to ask me?”

She grins. “Why, it’s not why I came at all. I came because I saw your prize again yesterday. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since the auction.”

My eyebrows arch. “You visited her?”

I didn’t hear anything about it from Leah. Then again, she’s barely spoken to me these past few days.

“Yes. Didn’t she tell you?”

I shake my head.

Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “You two are getting along, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” I answer.

It seems Leah didn’t tell her about what I did, so there’s no point in bringing it up.

“I’ve just been busy,” I add.

“Of course.” She nods. “Anyway, I only dropped by to tell Leah she’s meeting the other prizes next week.”

“Already?”

Another nod. “She seems to have adjusted well to her new environment and way of life. She may be young, but she is strong.”

“She is.”

I couldn’t agree more. I was afraid I’d broken her, but she’s back on her feet, laughing with Giselle and trying to find things to keep her busy. I thought I’d pounded her into submission, and yet I can still sense her spirit. In fact, she may have even more of it now. In the face of adversity, she just keeps getting stronger. I should be disappointed. I’ve never failed to crush anyone I intended to before. And yet I find myself impressed, fascinated.