Chambers of Desire: Opus 1 Read Free

heart was beating out of my chest. An auction could be the perfect way to declare my symbolic independence and get the means to become financially independent; it definitely didn’t hurt that it would be a giant fuck-you to Brandon.
    Yeah, that sounded about right. I picked up the phone. Chloe would know what to do.
    “Chloe?”
    “Hey sugar! What’s up?”
    “Are you alone? I need to talk to you. It’s a kind of a... sensitive issue.”
    Chloe never could resist a mystery. I outlined my plan to her, and all the reasons I wanted to do it. She didn’t speak for a full ten seconds after I finished.
    “Good lord, Sabrina.”
    I waited.
    “I can’t believe you finally decided to grow a pair. I mean, Jesus! You don’t do things by halves, do you?”
    “Guess not,” I said, already breaking into a smile.
    “I think it’s the best idea you’ve had since that time we put all of Courtney’s bras in the freezer and she had to go to school with icicle tits. You are a goddamn genius.”
    “Thank you, ma’am,” I said, breathing a sigh of relief. I’d hoped Chloe wouldn’t think I was totally insane.
    “It’s not going to be easy, though. Your parents are going to lose it. Brandon’s going to lose it.”
    “I know,” I replied. “That’s part of the point.”
    “Just be sure you’re doing this for you, though. You are going to have to deal with a lot of shit from a lot of people.”
    “I know.” People did tend to get weird about the whole money-for-sex thing.
    “Okay, as long as you’re aware. I’m proud of you, Sabrina. I’m glad you’re sticking up for yourself and not taking all this lying down. I gotta go! Love you!”
    “Love you too, Chloe. Thanks.”
    Sabrina tested, best-friend approved.
     
     
    I had trusted a nice guy, believed in a bright future, and chosen to remain faithful. But the nice guy had chosen somebody else. So, I was choosing something else.
    What I didn’t fully grasp at the time was that the virginity auction would not only be a way out of my old life, but also a way towards a life I never could have dreamed of. It’s how I met Calvin, my biggest hero and my scariest nightmare. Not to mention the greatest lover. This story is about us.
     

Chapter 1
     
    A loud humming jolted me from a disturbing dream. I had been walking down an aisle lined with flickering candles. Instead of white, my dress was black, the itchy lace rubbing against my thighs. As I neared the altar, I heard Brandon’s voice. “Where’s Caitlin?” he whispered softly. “I was not expecting you.”
    I sat straight up in bed, disoriented. Where was I? That’s right, a suite in the heart of Las Vegas. Heart thumping, I reached up to touch my face and realized it was wet; I had been crying in my sleep. The nightmarish reality ca me rushing back. My heart still ached from the betrayal, and I burrowed back under the heavy down comforter.
    Whirring again—what was that? I sat back up and realized it was the large air-conditioning unit in the corner of the room. It had been late when I’d checked in the hotel last night and crawled into bed without taking off any of my clothes, and I vaguely remembered setting the temperature to a cool 62.
    The Nevada Playhouse would sponsor the auction, manage the bids, and regulate the sale if—and only if—I flew to Las Vegas to sign the paperwork.
    Carmichael had explained the conditions of the auction to me that night in my dorm room, calling moments after I’d submitted my inquiry. He explained that the Playhouse would receive 20 percent of the final sale for their servic es.
    As I looked around the room, I realized it was one of the most lavish hotel rooms I’d ever seen. Carmichael had met me at the airport in a limo, putting me immediately at ease. With his round belly, wrinkly face, and white bushy beard, he reminded me of Santa.
    . “ Alright, alright,” Carmichael said. “All the paperwork is in the car. By the time we arrive, we’ll have ourselves a