I'm packing up a few things off my desk when I feel arms snake around my waist, "Shouldn't you be gone from this horrid place already?"
I glance back to see Christian, "Well I thought I'd get rid of some of this junk."
He shakes his head, "I'll have someone bring it all upstairs before Monday. Go home and get ready."
"I have to put the keys on Miss. Rayson's desk."
He sighs and watches me head towards her office, he says, "I'll see you later this evening Miss. Sinclair."
He's on the elevator when I come out of the office, I sigh and pick up my purse, causing a small black velvet box to fall to the floor. I frown and pick it up, opening it a small handwritten card falls out.
Dear Emerson,
Consider this a gift for my newest assisstant. Enjoy.
Yours,
Christian Clark
I take a long look at the earrings, they were the perfect compliment to my dress for the evening, and for a black and white themed event. How he had done it, I would never know.
***Christian***
As I watch her walk in my breath is taken away, the lace clung perfectly to her every curve, she had a black lace ribbon around her waist, and with the way her hair was pinned up I noticed right away she was wearing the earrings I had given her.
Someone taps my shoulder and I turn to see Harwell, "She looks simply edible doesn't she?" he asks with a smirk.
I scowl at him, "Stay away from her Will."
He rolls his eyes, "I can't wait for the auction tonight for the ladies. You know she's going to be up there. It's a shame you never take advantage of those. Who knows what people would think if you did."
Actually I always take advantage of those, but normally I purchase a dance with my own sister. I don't like those men oggling her.
I notice my little sister flirting with Channing as he comes in behind Avery and Emerson. I frown at the thought. She notices me and turns to Channing excusing herself, "Hey Christian," she smiles.
I grin and hug my sister, "Hey sis, who was that guy?"
She rolls her eyes, "Just a guy."
I eye her and she sighs, "His name is Channing, we had a date from the last charity event you didn't come to."
I nod and frown at the thought, "Oh."
She smiles, "Oh there's Brady, but before I disappear, you should talk to that red head, she's really nice."
She disappears before I can say a word.
I spot Grace talking to an irritated looking Emerson and decide to interrupt them, "Miss. Rayson, Miss. Sinclair."
Grace smiles at me, "Hello Mr. Clark, if you'll excuse me, I have to check in for the auction."
Emerson sighs and I ask, "What was she yelling at you about?"
She shrugs, "Something about her iPad and teaching Pearl how to use it. Which I've done. I prepared the girl in every way possible, except for Grace's office interludes. I left that for her to figure out on her own."
I give her an amused look and she smirks before I say, "Shouldn't you be checking in for that auction as well?"
She shakes her head, "Grace just lied to you so she could hit on your brother."
I turn to see her talking to him, and I shake my head, "Unbelivable."
Emerson just shakes her head, "That woman moves remarkably fast."
I chuckle and rake my eyes over her, "Yes she does, but you look remarkably stunning tonight Miss. Sinclair."
She bites her lip, "Thank you."
I hear someone clear their throat and see Channing to my side, "Mr. Kane," I say.
"Mr. Clark," he gives me a tight smile before turning to Emerson, "You have William Harwell at twelve thirty."
She looks over my shoulder and scowls, "Good fucking God," she mutters.
I glare at William until he smirks and walks away, making his way toward my sister, "Fuck," I mutter.
Channing glares in their direction, "Isn't that your sister?"
I look at him and nod, "Yes."
He looks at me, "She made me promise to get her in the auction tonight so her big brother wouldn't embarass her." My jaw drops and he shrugs, "I'll go get her, but keep Harwell away from Em."
Emersons jaw drops as he walks away and she says, "Channing!"
I sigh and watch him make his way over to my sister, slipping an arm around her waist and giving William a hard stare. I look back at Emerson and slip my own arm around her waist, "Come on, we need to make sure your seat isn't next to him and that Matea is next to Channing."
Surely enough I have to pay off a waitress to switch the seats, Emerson shakes her head at me and I say, "What would you like to have to force down your dinner?"
She rolls her eyes, "I'm sorry I just can't believe you actually payed off a waitress, you could have flirted your way through it."
I frown and she laughs at my expression, "My my so serious."
I slip my hand onto her lower back and guide her towards the floor, "Come on Emerson, I've been told to keep an eye on you."
She sighs, "Channing was suppose to save me tonight from that auction, and now he's hitting on your sister. Who by the way is way to perky for an event like this."
I chuckle, "You're right, but she's always that perky."
Her jaw drops, "Seriously?" I nod with a smirk and she shakes her head, "How?! I would kill to be that enthusiastic about anything."
I shrug, "I have no clue, it kind of bugs me. Especially around the holidays because it's ten times worse."
She laughs, "That's awful. She's still your sister."
He nods slightly, "Yeah she is, but she's my little sister and for someone like me she's too bubbly."
She nods and looks over at someone approaching us, "Oh boy."
I glance up just in time to see old Ms. Decker, "Oh Emerson, don't you look just beautiful tonight!"
Emerson blushes slightly, "Thank Ms. Decker, you look amazing. I love your dress."
The woman smiles and looks at me, "Ah and my favorite young man, Christian how are you? Have you found anyone yet?"
Emerson smirks and bites her lip to hide her laugh from the ladies first two questions everytime I see her.
"No Ms. Decker I haven't. I'm a busy man."
She shakes her head, "Oh pish posh, you're young. You need to find a woman to settle down with, have a few kids."
I smile, "I will one day ma'm."
"Well you better hurry up, before you get old like me!"
Emerson can't hide her laughter from that one and Ms. Decker turns to her, "And you Emerson. What about that friend of yours, Channing? Haven't you fallen for him yet?"
Emerson sighs and shakes her head, "Channing is one of my best friends. That's never going to happen."
She shakes her head, "Oh Emerson you've been telling me that for years. You need to get out there and find a nice young man to settle down with. Fall in love."
Emerson shakes her head, "You know I don't believe in that kind of thing."
Ms. Decker shakes her head, "Oh sweetie you're young, you'll change your mind about love a million times."
Emerson bites her lip, and before I can even question how she can't believe in love for a girl of her age dinner is announced.
***Emerson***
At the end of our tiring twelve course meal we get our choice of dessert, I choose cherry creme in a chocolate cup.
I had spent the duration of my meal talking to Avery, and Christian had spent it trying to distract his sister, Matea from Channing. It wasn't going to well.
Matea clears her throat, "How long have the three of you known eachother?" she asks me.
"For almost five years."
She nods, "Where exactly did you move here from?"
I press my lips together, "Houston, Texas."
She nods and Christian turns to her, "You sure are nosey."
She sticks her tongue out at him, "I'm just curious, plus it's not my fault I'm more socialble than you are Mr. Christian Frost."
He scowls and I say, "Hey give your brother some credit, he was at least nice during his interview for Vocal."
Her eyes widen, "Wait you work for Vocal? I love Vocal. I've heard they pay big."
I shake my head, "Only when you're featured every day, and I do a lot of free lance for them."
She frowns, "Then what do you do for a living?"
Christian looks at his sister, "I just hired her as my personal assisstant."
She gasps, "What happened to Jessica?! She was nice!"
He shakes his head, "I promoted her."
She bites her lip, "Oh."
He rolls his eyes, "Did you really think I'd fire her?"
She shrugs, "Knowing you and that stick up your ass? Yes."
He gives her a sour look and his brother laughs, "Matea's right man, you need to get that stick out of your ass."
Brady smirks and chuckles at this and Christian glares at him too, until he gets a wry smirk on his face, "So Brady, who is it your sleeping with this week? Grace?"
His eyes widen and he pales, "How the hell did you find out about that?!" he glares at him and then slowly looks at me, "Did you tell him?"
I shake my head, "I didn't have to, Grace did."
His gaze hardens and he looks at Christian, "So? It's not like you care about her."
Christian smirks, "You're right, I don't."
Matea frowns, "You really need to find a girlfriend."
He glares at her and she shrugs, "Who I see isn't any of your business Matea."
She rolls her eyes, "It is my business, especially since whoever you date could become your wife, and that would make her my sister-in-law. I have to be able to get along with my sister-in-law."
He sighs and takes a sip of his wine, "You're impossible."
She looks at me, "Would it be so bad to actually want to get along with my sister-in-law?"
I shrug, "I suppose not."
She gives her brother a look and Avery says, "I think you have to be able to get along with your significant others family, that's the only way to have a functional one. And I don't think Em really cares, she doesn't believe in marriage."
Christian groans as his sisters eyes widen, "You don't believe in marriage?"
I shake my head, "I believe marriage works for some people, I just don't believe in love. All men have is lust, and most women too."
She shakes her head, "Marriage and love are wonderful."
I tilt my head, "How old are you?"
She smiles brightly, "Eighteen, I just graduated last week."
I nod, "You're going to college right?"
She nods, "Of course."
I smirk slightly, "Your point of view on love and marriage are about to change drastically."
Christian chuckles and when Matea shoots him a dirty look he shrugs, "Emerson's right."
She pouts, "How would you know? You didn't even go to college."
He frowns, "I went for one year, but my view on marriage was already set."
She looks at me, "Did you go to college?"
I nod, "For a year, and then I dropped out. It wasn't for me."
She frowns and looks at Christian, "Is it a theme for people your age to drop out of college after a year?"
He rolls his eyes, "No, and Emerson is younger than I am anyway."
She looks at me, "Then how old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
She frowns, "You could have graduated this year."
I nod, "Yeah, I could have, and I could also be bored out of my mind and changing majors, again."
She frowns and sighs, "That's true."
The waitress comes to clear the table and offer everyone coffee after that. I'm biting my lip again and Christian bumps his knee into my leg and gives me a look, "Is something bothering you?" I ask sweetly.
He smirks and narrows his eyes, "Stop biting your lip. Harwell is staring at you." I start to look up and he shakes his head, "Don't look and give him what he wants."
I bite on my lip harder and he frowns as I do so, "Stop that," he mumbles.
I narrow my eyes, "It's either look or bite."
His eyes darken, and I can't tell if he's mad at the idea or turned on.
"Miss. Sinclair, Miss. Cross, Miss. Clark, you need to all head backstage for the auction."
I glance up and see Ms. Decker standing beside me, looking down at me and Christian, she smiles at him, "Will you be participating in the buying this evening Christian?"
He presses his lips together and gives her a slightly amused look, "Perhaps Ms. Decker."
I stand up and follow Avery and Matea backstage.
I notice William not far behind, and Christian not far behind him. When Matea sees me looking back she says, "Just ignore Will. He's not going to do anything to us with Christian around."
I gulp, "There you might be wrong."
She frowns, "Wait are you the one Harwell suspects of writing that nasty artical?"
I nod, "Yeah."
She sighs, "It's a shame, he was never at that restaurant. Christian hasn't been friends with Will since highschool and their first year of college."
I nod at this new information, "I never really caught on to why they're not friends any longer."
She shrugs, "We're not sure, he won't tell anyone. But Brady knows, although they kind of have a frenemy thing going on," she rolls her eyes, "Men."
We all line up in the dressing room and check our makeup, my light smokey grey eyeshadow was still looking great, all I had to do was touch up my eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick. But that's a lot of makeup for me on any given day.
I don't end up in a group with Avery, she's in the group ahead, but I do end up in a group with Matea. She sighs, "I sure hope that Christian doesn't bid on me."
I frown, "I think Channing was going to."
She smiles, "You think so?"
I nod and she claps, "He's super cute."
I nod and peek around the curtain, a few guys kept bidding on Avery, I turn to Matea, "What's the usual bidding price for this event?"
She shrugs, "It always varies, usually anywhere from about five thousand to forty."
When we're led onto the stage I notice Avery by Jude, smiling up at him they look picture perfect. Avery nudges me, "Look at those two. How cute!"
I nod and start to bite my lip, but I catch Christians eyes before I possibly can. He was watching me intently, or at least it felt that way.
With the bidding starting at one thousand dollars it goes up to thirty-eight, between Channing and some other man, Channing wins. Matea gives me a smile before walking off stage and leaving me with the other woman. I'm next.
"Bidding starts at one thousand."
"Five thousand,"
The voice booms and makes my insides knot together as I take note of William Harwell standing at the bottom of the stage with a bunch of other men.
Another man says, "Ten thousand."
"Twenty."
I watch Christian step up next to William and give him a tight smile, the other men take two steps back. No one wanted to get into the middle of Christian Clark and William Harwell.
I try to keep my face impassive as the number goes up and up.
"Twenty-five," Harwell growls.
Christian remains calm, "Thirty-two."
"Thirty-five."
Christian gives him a look, "You seem to like odd numbers friend, forty-four."
"Forty-five."
"Fifty," Christian remarks dryly.
Harwell's eyebrow furrows, "Sixty."
"Seventy, and I'll go higher," Christian warns.
Harwell steps forward toward Christian, and it's then I notice Davis behind him, "Eighty."
Christian sighs, "One hundred thousand."
The room gasps as I squeeze my eyes shut, this was going to be all over the blogs tomorrow.
"Sold!"
I look up to see William retreating through the crowd as Christian looks up at the stage, his gaze soft.
I'm lead off stage and down the steps where Christian waits for me, he immediately wraps his arm around my waist, "Are you okay?"
I close my eyes briefly and look back up at him, "Just move. I'm claustrophobic."
He leads me through the crowd and off towards the bathrooms down a hallway, he then passes them and takes me down another hallway into a sitting room. He cups my chin and searches my face for a moment.
Finally I say, "You seriously just spent one hundred thousand dollars to keep Harwell away from someone?"
He shrugs, "I would have spent more." I shake my head and he only sighs, "I wasn't going to let him touch you Emerson."
I look up at him and bite my lip, "Why? What do you think he'll do?"
He bites his own lip and shakes his head before hoarsely saying, "You don't want to know Em, just trust me."
I gulp and ask, "Is it that bad?"
He nods grimly, "Yes, and no I'm not going to tell you, I have a feeling you wouldn't like it, especially after seeing your reaction to that room."
I meet his eyes and I gasp, "You don't mean..."
He nods slowly, assessing my expression carefully, "I do."
I gulp and step back from him running my hands over my face, "No, there's just...no way."
He takes a step towards me, closing the gap, before tilting my chin up, "Emerson, did you go in there with him?"
I shake my head rapdily, eyes wide, "Not like that!"
He presses his lips together, and for a second I think he almost looks disappointed until I realize he's probably just relieved. He watches me for a moment and he says, "Well just make sure to never go in there with him ever again. He doesn't use that room just for play."
My eyes widen all over again and pull back holding my side, "Oh god," I mutter.
He places his hand on my elbow and turns me half way around while stepping up next to me, he looks at my expression before his eyes narrow, "Someone's taken you into a room like that...who hurt you?"
I shake my head, "I'm not talking about this."
He pulls me into him by my waist and growls, "Tell me Emerson."
I shake my head, "Over my dead body."
His eyes darken and his head snaps up two seconds later as we hear a creak of the floorboard. William Harwell stand in the doorway with a huge smirk on his face, "Depending on the situation, that can be arranged."
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