AVA'S POV
I spent the entire day at school in a daze. Every time I tried to focus on my classes, all I could think about was the kiss.
The way Gabriel's lips had felt against mine. The way his eyes had looked when he told me to do it again, properly.
What was wrong with me? He was my professor.
By the time I got back to the apartment, my head was spinning with confusion and guilt. I needed to talk to someone, needed to make sense of what was happening to me.
I pulled out my phone and called Sophie.
"Ava!" Her voice was bright and cheerful. "I was hoping you'd call back. You hung up so fast this morning."
"Hey, Soph." I sank down onto the expensive sofa, suddenly exhausted. "Are you busy?"
"Not really. I skipped my afternoon classes. Professor Martinez is just going over midterm review stuff I already know." She paused. "Are you okay? You sound weird."
"I'm fine. Just... adjusting to everything."
"The new place is that overwhelming, huh?" Sophie's voice was warm with concern. "You know, if you want company, I could come over. I'm dying to see this mysterious apartment of yours."
My heart jumped. "No! I mean... no, that's not a good idea."
"Why not? Come on, Ava. We always hang out at each other's places. What's different now?"
I couldn't tell her that Gabriel would be home at six, and I had no idea how he'd react to finding my best friend in his apartment. I couldn't explain that our living situation was complicated in ways I didn't even understand myself.
"It's just... the place isn't really mine, you know? I'm basically house-sitting for my employer. I don't think they'd appreciate me having guests over."
"House-sitting?" Sophie's voice sharpened with curiosity. "I thought you said it was part of your employment package."
"It is. It's complicated."
"Everything about this job is complicated, apparently." She sighed. "Ava, I'm worried about you. Ever since you got this mysterious position, you've been acting strange. That's not like you."
"I'm not being secretive. I'm just—"
The doorbell rang, cutting me off mid-sentence. I frowned, looking toward the front door. I wasn't expecting anyone. Gabriel wasn't supposed to be home for hours.
"Hold on, Soph. Someone's at the door."
"Who would be visiting you at your boss's place?"
"I don't know. Let me just..." I stood up, still holding the phone. "I'll call you back, okay?"
"Ava, wait—"
I hung up before she could finish and walked to the door. The bell rang again, followed by a polite knock.
I looked through the peephole and saw a man in a delivery uniform holding a package. That was strange. I hadn't ordered anything, and I certainly hadn't given this address to any companies.
I opened the door cautiously, keeping the chain lock engaged.
"Can I help you?"
"Delivery for Ava Moreau," the man said, checking his clipboard. "Are you Ava Moreau?"
My blood ran cold.
"I..." I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. "How did you get this address?"
"Ma'am? Are you Ava Moreau or not?"
I nodded slowly, not trusting my voice.
"Great. I need you to sign here." He held out an electronic device.
With trembling fingers, I signed the screen and took the package. It was small, about the size of a book, and surprisingly heavy.
"Have a good day," the delivery man said, already walking away.
I closed the door and stared at the package in my hands. There was no return address, just my name and Gabriel's apartment address written in neat handwriting.
How exactly did they know I was here? This wasn't the address I put on the registration form I filled online.
Before I could work up the nerve to open it, my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Ava?" The voice was crisp, professional, and familiar. "This is Victoria."
My stomach dropped to my feet. Victoria from the auction house. The woman who had prepared me, coached me, made me feel like a product being packaged for sale.
"Victoria," I managed. "How did you get this number?"
"Mr. Thorne provided it." Her tone was business-like, efficient. "Along with your current address."
"He what?"
"He contacted us this morning to arrange delivery of your compensation. He explained that you were now residing at his apartment and requested that we forward your payment there."
"My payment?" I looked down at the package in my hands. "But I didn't... we didn't..."
"According to Mr. Thorne, your contract has been fulfilled." Victoria's voice was matter-of-fact. "Your share of the auction proceeds, as outlined in your original agreement, is fifty percent of the winning bid."
Fifty percent of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
"That's... that's over sixty thousand dollars," I whispered.
"Sixty-two thousand five hundred, to be exact." Victoria sounded bored, like she was discussing the weather. "It's all there, minus our processing fees. Cash, as requested in your initial contract."
I felt dizzy. "But we didn't sleep together."
"That's between you and Mr. Thorne. As far as we're concerned, the transaction is complete." Her voice took on a note of finality. "We have no reason to be in contact anymore. Goodbye, Ava."
"Wait, Victoria, I need to ask—"
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone, then at the package, then back at my phone. With shaking hands, I tore open the packaging.
Inside was a black leather envelope, sealed with what looked like a wax seal. I broke it open and nearly dropped the contents.
Cash. Stacks and stacks of hundred-dollar bills, bound with rubber bands. More money than I'd ever seen in my life.
There was also a note, written in Gabriel's precise handwriting:
Your share, as promised. The transaction is complete. - G
I sank down onto the floor, the money scattered around me like fallen leaves. Sixty-two thousand five hundred dollars. My share of the auction where Gabriel had bought me for a night we never spent together.
Except now, according to him, the transaction was complete. Two kisses in his kitchen, and suddenly I'd earned more money than most people made in a year.
I wanted to know if it was indeed real or if it was just a dream. I picked up one of the stacks of bills with trembling fingers and I felt it.
It was real. All of it was real, I realized as a loud gasp left my lips.