Too Close

Chapter 36

Olivia's P.O.V

Finally, I felt myself being lowered. Relieved I no longer had to be a spectacle for these people to ogle at, I quickly took Jason's arm when he offered it. I pinched the robe closed with my other hand and let him lead me toward the door we'd come through.

A few people applauded when we passed them and some nodded and spoke in low voices among themselves. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, feeling their eyes on my back. Jason noticed when I bowed my head and kept my eyes on the ground in front of us.

"They're clapping because you had a series of the highest bids since I began this operation." We were back in the first room and the guard who brought me here from the cell closed the door behind us. "Everyone was impressed."

His lips were still moving as he continued to speak, but I was too busy going over my plan to get the hell out of here to care.

"What now?" I asked.

He stopped short of whatever he had been saying and blinked. Obviously not used to being interrupted or maybe even questioned. I wanted to know if I had to go back to the cell. If that were the case, then my plan would already be screwed.

"Quite a few thought very highly of you." He paused, then leaned toward me. His thin lips turned up in a malicious smile. I could almost see the gears moving behind those calculating eyes as he thought about what he knew that I didn't. "It was a tie."

My heart dropped to the floor.

"If there is a tie between the highest bidders , then—"

"Then what?"

"Then you wind up back down here if no one breaks the tie."

Jason studied me then reached out and I stopped breathing, expecting him to hit me. His finger grazed my cheek and brushed a strand of my hair out of my face.

"They each want to see you privately."

I blinked.

Felt my chest sigh.

I held on to the hope his words gave me.

But then my mouth went dry, and my heart started racing. Privately. I drew back. Noticing my realization, he grabbed hold of my wrist. I tried to pull away but his grip on me tightened, squeezing the sore areas where the rope had cut me.

My head was reeling. I hoped Grandma realized that I was gone but that my stuff was still there. I hoped Haylie was blowing my phone up and in me not picking up, knew something was terribly wrong. I hoped that for some crazy reason, Tyler decided to stop at the house and noticed that I wasn't back yet. Would he call Mira and Jack to make sure I was okay? Would he ask Haylie? Would he call the airport and ask if my flight home had been canceled? Or—

"Well it'll have to wait. Still have a few girls to show." His eyes were locked on me. For a moment it felt like he knew exactly what I was thinking. He smirked. And my heart skipped a beat. I'd seen one look exactly like that before.

"Would you like some company from one of your friends back home while you wait?" There was an amused glint in his eyes. "The one who led me to you."

"What are you talking about?" He turned to one of the walls where the guys that guarded the room stood.

"Kyle," he called without taking his eyes off me. My breathing hitched and a different kind of fear twisted around my chest like a boa.

Kyle pulled away from the wall and took a step toward us. He wasn't there the first time I was brought to this room. He too was dressed in one of those black outfits except he wore a holster of guns instead of having one strapped across his chest. His hands were clasped behind his back. His face and familiar eyes were made out of stone. He looked like a soldier, like the rest of them.