Aiden Knight's POV
Clara stares at me for a long moment, her dark eyes searching my face for any sign of deception. The ballroom's chaos continues around us, but her focus remains entirely on me.
"You're serious." It's not a question.
"Completely."
She glances at my simple black suit, then back to my face. I can see her mental calculations working. Trying to reconcile the man who just brought Ryan Doyle to his knees with someone who has serious auction money.
"Aiden, do you have any idea what items go for at these events?"
"Enlighten me."
Clara sighs and takes my arm, guiding me away from the still-kneeling Mason and his humiliated cousin. We move toward a quieter corner of the ballroom where massive oil paintings line the walls.
"The opening items are relatively modest. Art pieces, jewelry, vintage wines. Those might go for anywhere from fifty thousand to two million."
She points toward a stunning landscape painting.
