Bidder (Book Two): Bidder, #2

By Layla Valentine

This is the second book in Layla Valentine's Bidder series, featuring an enigmatic, hunky billionaire, and a sizzling tale of domination.

Terri:

Quitting my job to travel the world was my lifelong dream, and I was living it…
Until I was kidnapped, bundled into darkness, and found myself on sale at auction!
Suddenly, I'm at the mercy of my billionaire buyer: Logan Denton, a man who's as gorgeous as he is mysterious.
He tells me I'm a pawn in a bigger game, and in the face of his smoldering good looks, my attempts to keep my distance soon prove futile.
This ain't Stockholm syndrome—it's the real deal.
I've got the hots for the man who bought me!

Logan:

I may be one of Chicago's most successful businessmen, but I've got some skeletons in my closet.
Now, they're coming back to haunt me, and the DA is hot on my tail.
Just my luck when I discover that his sister has been kidnapped and is up for auction.
I'll buy her, save her, and use her to bargain my own freedom.
It's supposed to be a simple transaction,
But the more time I spend with Terri, I realize I may not be able to let her go…
I don't want to keep her as my bought prize—I want to keep her as the love of my life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Layla Valentine
• Release date: May 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201009052

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

LOGAN

W e’ll go anywhere you want tonight, Logan said as they got into the back of the car the next evening. It’s our last night. Let’s make it special.

Everywhere we’ve gone has been special, Terri said, though she directed her flat words to the window.

He fought a frown. If she was pissed, he couldn’t blame her for it. He’d basically admitted his feelings for her the night before, without getting too heavy or explicit about them, then drew a hard line in the sand.

Which, to be fair, he’d needed to do. It was best if they both understood the boundaries.

There’s a nice rooftop restaurant near here, he said.

Sure.

It was about the amount of enthusiasm he’d expected. Leaning forward, he gave the address of the restaurant to the driver. Ten minutes later, they were stepping out of an elevator and onto a rooftop enclosed with glass and decorated with enough potted plants that it could have passed for a jungle.

It’s nice, Terri commented as the hostess showed them to a table with a spectacular view of the city at night.

He’d ordered a few more dresses for her that day merely because he thought she might like to dress up for dinner. It had occurred to him that she might not wear any of them out of spite, but she’d slipped into a gold one with a flared skirt and looked so good that he had to stop himself from staring.

Right as they took their seats, his phone rang from his breast pocket.

Sorry. He pulled it from his pocket, meaning to silence it. With his grandfather passed and no other family members, it was likely a work-related call.

But then he caught sight of the name on the screen. Dwayne. Logan stared at the number for a long moment.

Take it. Terri browsed the menu. Go ahead.

I’ll be right back.

He walked back in the direction of the elevators, waiting as long as he could to answer the phone.

Hey, he finally said into it, once he found himself in a semi-secluded spot, surrounded by plants.

Dwayne got right to it. Bryce heard you bought one of his girls.

What? Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. How do you know that? Does he know… He glanced around to make sure he was alone. Does he know it was Terri?

Don’t know if he knows it’s her. There was the unmistakable sound of air being sucked between tight teeth. Being him, though? He’s gonna be suspicious.

Right. Logan shook his head. Dwayne had completely avoided revealing where he’d obtained this information, but Logan didn’t really need to fact check.

He needed to watch his ass.

He could have people tailing you, Dwayne said, voicing what Logan was already thinking.

Shit. He pressed his hand against his mouth to keep back further curses.

This was bad.

You have something to hide? Dwayne asked. Because it could look like you bought a fellow American under the intention of setting her free. Nothing off about that.

I have nothing to hide, Logan lied. Thanks for updating me.

They said a hurried goodbye—it was always that way with Dwayne—and hung up. Fist pressed to his mouth, Logan paced the corner of the roof.

Did Bryce know that he and Terri had gone to the warehouse? Was he really being followed?

He cast a wary gaze left and right. On the other side of the foliage, people laughed and chatted at the bar. No one looked out of place, but it didn’t mean a car wasn’t waiting below to follow him home.

Standing straight, he drew a deep breath, which wasn’t easy when his chest was so constricted.

At the table, Terri was just sitting down.

Did you go somewhere? he asked.

The bathroom. She smiled brightly. How was your phone call?

Fine. It was business stuff. He unfolded the cloth napkin and stared at where he spread it across his lap. Anything on the menu look good?

She didn’t answer, which prompted him to look up.

I heard your conversation. She gazed stonily at him across the table.

He blinked. Which conversation?

Seriously? She rolled her eyes. The one you had a minute ago! I followed you over there, Logan.

Okay, shh. Please don’t shout about it. He propped his elbow on the table and leaned in close to her.

Her pink lips pursed. I’m not going to make a scene, if that’s what you’re worried about.

We really can’t afford to draw attention to ourselves right now.

What? Why? She narrowed her eyes.

Logan ran his palm across his mouth. He’d said too much already.

Why did you eavesdrop on my conversation?

I’m not going to answer that, since I’m pretty sure you can figure it out. You know more than you’re letting on to.

You just answered it. He jabbed a finger at her. Right after you said you wouldn’t.

Her face tensed, eyes shooting daggers his way. It was immature, but he liked feeling as if he’d just won a round.

I heard you ask something about someone knowing if it was me, she hissed. You said, ‘Does he know it was Terri?

Logan sighed and closed his eyes. Fine. Yes. We were talking about you.

Who? Who were you talking about me with?

He slowly opened his eyes. Maybe there was the chance, however slight, that if he kept sidestepping around the questions she’d eventually stop asking them.

Terri folded her arms. I’m waiting.

Trust me when I say it doesn’t matter.

Hell… She leaned across the table. No. I have no reason to trust you. I barely know you.

For some reason, that last statement felt like a gut punch. Sure, he was hesitant to get