GAGE

19| p r o f i t s

"Seventeen fucking hours. Seventeen!" I whisper shout to Hailey, standing in the middle of the large penthouse suite.

We had just landed about an hour ago and Gage sent me with a random chauffeur to a large hotel, leaving me alone.

"Seventeen hours is a long time to risk your life. You have a death wish, baby boo." Hailey exhales.

I laugh at her nickname for me and pace around the room I had just arrived in. "I can't believe I'm here though." I walk to the balcony.

"This view is sexy." I flip the FaceTime camera to the colorful scenery before me.

"Aw, I wish I could be there! Do you know when you're coming back?" Hailey admires the beautiful city through the camera.

The sun is just setting and it's around six o'clock.

"Mm, not sure." I murmur.

"Ugh, I wish I had a psycho boyfriend that took me to fancy places." Hailey whines.

"You say that now," I laugh, "And he's not my boyfriend."

"But the psycho and fancy part is true... Good enough." She sticks her face in the camera.

I lay on a hammock on the balcony talking to Hailey before I hear the door to the suite open.

We end the call and I get up and approach the door before I see a man with the makeup on better than mine will ever look.

He's slightly lanky and he smiles when he sees me, "He didn't lie, you are pretty. I usually end up dealing with dirty bitches."

"Uh-"

He claps his hands. "I am going to make you look even better."

"Who are you?" I question raising a brow.

"Your fairy godmother, Bret! Eh!" He sticks out his tongue and waves his arm in the air.

"Uh-"

"Girl, I've been sent here to glam you up! There's an important company event that you are going to slay at. Come with me, beauty." He drags me outside and I follow him through the hotel.

I don't question anything because I'm used to random surprises and Gage's shenanigans by now.

After minutes of Bret telling me how great I'm gonna look later, we arrive at a small white room with racks full of clothes, bags, and boxes everywhere.

"Take a seat." He sits me in a black swivel chair in front of a huge vanity with lights everywhere.

"Hold on for a just a second." He says after moments of playing with my hair he walks away and I hear shuffling behind me.

He comes back and holds a dark brown piece of hair beside mine, "You're gonna look good as fuck! Eh!" He sticks out his tongue again and I can't help but laugh.

• • •

"You've officially slayed me." Bret dramatically sighs and he spins me around on the chair to look at myself.

My mouth forms an 'o' and my eyebrows raise, "I'd fuck me!"

"Bitch, me too! But I'm scared of vaginas."

I laugh and admire my new darker, shorter hair.

"Now all we have to do is find you a dress. I'm thinking tight and sexy, just like you. Maybe not tight anymore since you're with Gage." He laughs and clutches his chest.

"He's not gay or anything... he's not gay right? No." I wave my hand in front of my face.

He awkwardly shifts, "You- you didn't know?"

"What?" I squeak.

He begins laughing again, "I'm just kidding! Bitch, I wish. He's sexy." He lowers to my ear during the last part before giggling.

I awkwardly laugh.

"Well anyways, I have an idea." Bret shuffles away, then turns back around, "Stay." He motions for me to stay in the chair which I was going to do anyways.

He goes to one of the racks and grimaces on some of the clothes he pulls off of the hangers before throwing them on the floor, "I swear they have the ugliest shit in here."

I lean close to the mirror and look at the gorgeous makeup Bret did on me.

The thick dark eyeliner looked less emo due to the contrast of the deep nude color on my lips.

"This will be perfect." Bret says and I see him holding up a black bag.

"Ooh, a trash bag. This will look great." I sarcastically remark.

"Come, come." Bret holds his hand out and waves his fingers towards himself, motioning for me to get up.

I grab the bag and begin to strip before attempting to put on the dress. Bret eventually sees my struggle and fixes it for me.

"One second, don't look yet." He turns to find shoes, "What's your size?"

When I tell him he continues to search until he pulls out a brand new box of tall sparkly gold pumps.

I slip them on and Bret wipes a fake tear away from his face, "Just- just so gorgeous. Bitch, ten out of ten would hit!" He sniffles.

"Can I see now?" I giggle.

He nods with his hand on his nose and I slowly turn around to the full length mirror on the wall.

The top of the long sleeved dress is off-white lace and has a gold metallic belt around the waist. The rest of the dress was a sheer rose gold color and was pleated on the way down to the floor.

Bret looks at his watch and gasps, "Fuck." He drags.

He drags me out of the room and we glide through the hotel before getting outside. He pushes me into the backseat of a black Range Rover and kisses me cheek, "Drag them." He winks.

"Uh, thank you." I try to smile and he quickly hugs me before slamming the door shut.

"Josie, correct?" The driver says and the car accelerates forward.

"Yes." I smile and make eye contact with him in the rear view mirror. His brown eyes twinkled and he nods.

The car ride is short and stopped once we arrive at a large architectural building with lights in every window.

"Wow." I whisper.

The driver chuckles and gets out of the car to let me out. He opens the door and grabs my hand as I descend from the tall truck.

He walks me to the entrance and from there a man that looks to be in his early thirties escorts me into the building.

It's even better on the inside!

"Josie, you look lovely!" The man exclaims. "I'm Buck, and they don't call me that for nothing." He winks, smiling.

"Is that right..." I try to fake smile.

"Completely," he chuckles, "So this is a very important event if you didn't already know. You should've been able to tell already. The auction tonight is going to be an easy claim."

"An easy claim?" I furrow my brows.

"Uh- well, you know what I mean right?"

"Obviously not." I look around at the sea of people and it gets louder the further we get into the event.

Buck chuckles, "You're mighty feisty, aren't you? Keep it up and I'll buy you to do very dirty things."

"What the fu-" I begin.

"This must be Josie." An large old man with a white beard asks, offering his hand.

I extend mine and he shakes it vigorously.

"Are you excited for the auction? I know majority of the company has their eyes on you. I hope you get to spend the night with a very special man. You're definitely one of the better looking girls, we will make great profits." He raises the glass in his hand to Buck and they laugh.

Oh god.