A spicy new enemies to lovers, Christmas love story in Audrey Carlan’s Marriage Auction series is out this week, and I have a little sneak peek for you.
Excerpt
“How are you feeling, Holly?” I took the chair next to the blonde beauty.
“So good. I’m pretty much all healed up.” She showed me the abrasions on her palms that were all scabbed over. There were still fingerprint shaped yellow bruises around her neck that sent fire blazing through my core. Instantly, I wanted to pound my fists repeatedly into the Baskin brothers once more. Thankfully, I’d had Jonah keep an eye on their status. Both men were firmly locked away in the local jail until sentencing. I’d be the first in line to serve as a witness on the criminal case, provided they didn’t take a plea and it went to trial.
“That’s very good to hear. And you’re joining us today because…” I let the rest of the question dangle, hoping I was not about to hear what I feared most.
“I’m joining the Christmas Auction. I’m going to get shacked up for an obscene amount of money and open my bar when it’s all said and done three years from now,” Holly beamed.
I couldn’t believe the unexpected burst of anger that flooded my system. I pushed away from the conference table and stood up. “Seriously?” I barked, my gaze going straight to Alana. “Hasn’t Holly been through enough?”
Alana sat up straighter, then eased back into the leather chair and primly placed her hands together in her lap. “Are you suggesting that the auction isn’t safe? I do believe that is why you are here, Mr. Castellanos. To keep my candidates perfectly safe, is it not?”
“Yes,” I hissed.
“Do you not think I’d be a good candidate?” Holly blurted, a hurt note to her voice.
“No! I mean, yes. Fuck!” I snapped and ran my fingers through my hair. I focused my gaze outside on the busy streets and the tourists walking from one casino to the other. “I’m sure you’d make some man very happy, but after what you went through…”
“After what I went through?” Holly parroted. “The reason I said yes is because of what happened. I can’t be in that situation anymore, where I’m running an out of-the-way bar, saving every penny, and still having no life while I get no closer to my dreams. What Alana has offered is going to set me up for the foreseeable future. I’m not sure you can understand that,” she whispered and put her head down as I turned around.
“I can very much understand being raised poor and having to fight for every dollar I’ve ever made. That’s why I own my company and hire only the best.”
“You see, I want that for myself one day. If I go through with marrying a man this month, then I’ll have the money I need to do exactly that.”
“And what if you fall in love with your husband? Then what about your big dreams?” I spat in a snide tone I didn’t even recognize. “They just go the way of the wind?”
What the fuck was wrong with me? I was entirely riled up by the idea of this woman getting married to a complete stranger, and I had no idea why. Was it because I’d helped save her life? Or maybe it was because I was once like her and didn’t want her dreams steamrolled by someone else’s plans.
She shook her head and glared at me. “My big dreams have nothing to do with marriage and love. And besides, if the man I end up with doesn’t care for me enough to want to see me succeed and help make my dreams come true, then I’d be a fool to stay with him, wouldn’t I? And another thing, Mr. Know-It-All, I’m going into this scenario with my eyes wide open. I tried other avenues for securing the financial support I needed. This is the only option left.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to offer her the money she needed, but that would be ludicrous. I’d essentially known the woman for mere hours if I added up all the time we’d been in the same space together. Not to mention, the fury in her gaze and the ire in Alana’s had me believing that making such an offer would not be well received.
I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, desperately trying to calm my own frayed nerves.
“Whatever. It’s your life,” I snapped through clenched teeth.
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